Hundred of Shropham: Snetterton

SNETTERTON.

SNETRETUNA, SNISTERTUNA, SNISTERTON, or SNETTERTON, as it is now called, is a village lying between Harpham and Lerling, and had in it two parish churches, one dedicated to all the Saints, and the other to St. Andrew the Apostle, which is now down, and the ruins with difficulty found in the Hall-Yard.

The Church of All-Saints, the present parish church, is a good building, having its nave, north isle, north porch, south porch, and chancel leaded, a square steeple, and four bells. In the nave, on a small brass in a seat,

Orate pro Anima Cecilie Bokynham, File Georgii Bokyynham, et Margarete U roris sue.

Over the rood is a defaced painting of the last day, on the top is our Saviour sitting on the judgment-seat, saying to the blessed on his right hand, Come ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you; and to the cursed on his left, Depart from me ye cursed into everlasting fire. The windows contain the history of the Revelations, with the Apostles, each having a sentence of the Creed in a label from his mouth.

The east window of the north isle is filled with angels supporting these arms.

Morley. Gul. a saltire arg. impaling quarterly, first, arg. a lozenge gul. second arg. a bend az.

Morley, impaling quarterly De-la-pole and Wyngfield.

Arg. a lion rampant, or, crowned gul. impales Bokenham, viz. arg. a lion rampant gul. surmounted with a bendlet az. charged with three bezants.

Bokenham single.

Quarterly, arg. and az. a bendlet gobonne sab. and or, impaling arg. a lion rampant or.

Arg. a canton and two fesses gul. impales, Vair, sab. and or.

Other north isle windows have the history of the creation, of Christ's baptism, of St. Christopher, &c. with the legends in labels.

In the chancel, are many disrobed stones of the Bokenhams, on George's stone these arms remain, viz, a lion rampant impaling Bokenham, who quarters three roundels 2 and 1, on the first a croslet moline.

These two inscriptions are preserved in Mr. Weaver, fol. 817.

Orate pro Anima Georgii Bokenham Armigeri, de Snisterton, Filii et Nerevis Johannis Bokenham, qui obiit rri^o vie Ortobris, Anno Dni: M.CCCCC.rriii. cuius Anime propricietur

Orate pro Anima Johannis Bokenham Armigeri, nuper Filii Hugonis Bokenham ve Leveriner Magna, necnon nepotis er Here vis Evmunvi Bokenham ve Snisterston, qui obiit rv. vie Men sis Octobris Anno Dui: M^oCCCC^olrrriii^o et pro animabus Anne et Johanne quorum animabus

In the east chancel window,

Aia: Mri: Roberti Spylman, et amicor suor mccccl

In the north chancel window, the cup and wafer in a glory, with Spilman's arms over it, and this underneath.

Magister Robertus Spylman confivit in domino.

This Robert, in 1446, was instituted rector, at the presentation of Edmund Bokenham of Snetterton, Esq.; and about 1450, he new glazed the chancel windows with beautiful painted glass, when the church windows were glazed by the parishioners, and the north isle windows by the lord.

This rectory is valued in the King's Books at 12l. 17s. 1d. and pays 1l. 5s. 8d. ob. yearly tenths It hath a good rectory-house joining to the south side of the churchyard, with a convenient glebe belonging to it, of 60 acres. (fn. 1)

Rectors Of All Saints.

1257, Mr. Tho. de Ingaldesthorp, rector. (fn. 2) Ralph de Bukenham, patron.

1281, Mr. John, rector of All- Saints.

1311, 5 kal. Mar. The Bishop, in his manor of Geywode, granted the sequestration for six months to Robert de Fuldone, priest, who was presented by Sir Hugh de Bokenham, Knt.

1317, 3 non. Mar. John de Bokenham, accolite. Hugh de Bokenham, Knt. his brother.

1349, 4 July, John de Bokenham, shaveling. Alice, widow of Sir Hugh Bokenham, Knt.

1352, 9 May, Walter de Elveden, professor of civil law, precentor of the church of Hereford, on the death of John de Bokenham. Ditto.

1359, 9 May, Nicholas Bokenham, clerk. Ditto.

1362, 27 Nov. Roger Dennay, or Dawnay. Lapse.

1391, 20 June, Tho. de Bosevill, accolite. Julian, formerly wife of Hugh de Bokenham.

1435, 4 June, the church of St. Andrew in Snetterton was consolidated to the church of All-Saints there, at the request of Emund Bukenham, then patron of both, and of Tho. de Bosvyle, rector of both.

1446, 3 Octob. Master Robert Spylman, priest, bachelor in the decrees, was instituted to Snetterton Utraque, at Bosvyle's death, at the presentation of Edmund de Bukenham, Esq. The 6th Sept. 1464, he was made master of St. Gregory's college in Sudbury, on the death of Hen. Sethyng, last master.

1467, 19 Jan. Master John Newman, LL.D. on Spylman's death. Edmund de Bukenham, Esq.

1492, 14 Oct. Thomas Dykys, priest. Lapse.

1449, 5 July, Walter Redmayne, priest, D. D. on Dykys's resignation. Grorge Bukenham, Esq.

1504, 21 Dec. William Throgmerton, LL.D. on Redman's resignation. Ditto.

1530, Stephen Galle, clerk, buried here Dec. 3, 1556. Ditto.

1557, 5 March, Sir Edmund Burrough, clerk, vicar of Runham, at Galle's death, buried 27 Nov. 1578. Tho. Carill, Esq. and Dorothy his wife.

1578, 9 Feb. John Weston, clerk. Nicholas Hare, Esq. of Stow-Bardolph.

1582, 23 July, Edmund Riseley, clerk, on Weston's death. Ditto.

1588, 8 Octob. Ralph Leaver, clerk, buried June 3, 1605. Ditto.

1605, 25 Octob. James Branthwayte, A. M. buried 10 Feb. 1632. Sir Ralph Hare, Knt.

1633, 21 June, Edward Bentley, clerk, buried 24 May, 1641. Sir John Hare, Knt.

1641, Samuel Rogers.

1644, 1 May, Thomas Martin, clerk, buried 1659. Elizabeth, relict of Sir John Hare.

1659, 10 Dec. Robert Seppens, clerk, resigned in 1666, for Hingham. John Hare, Esq.

1668, 12 Febr. Walpole Chamberleyn, A. B. on Seppen's resignation. John Hare of Sidestrond, second son of Sir John Hare.

1668, 2 Sept. Richard Neech, A. M. on Chamberleyn's cession. Ditto.

1670, 15 Febr. Anthony Neech, A.B. on his brother's resignation; he died Octob. 5, 1730, aged 84, as his grave-stone in the altar rails informs us. (fn. 3) Ditto.

1780, the Rev. Mr. Nicholas Neech, his son, is now [1737] rector, and holds it united to Shropham vicarage. Tho. Hare of Harpham, Esq.

Rectors of St. Andrew's.

1257, Sir William Le Parker, rector. Ralph de Bukenham, patron.

1281, Ralph Corde, rector. Sir Hugh Bukenham, Knt.

1308, 12 kal. Apr. Nicholas de Frengge, accolite. Ditto.

1311, 4 id. Nov. Ralph de Fuldone, priest. Ditto.

1332, 4 non. January, Richard Galyon de Sandringham, accolite. Hugh, son of Sir Hugh de Bukenham, Knt.

1349, 26 Oct. Edmund de Welholm, shaveling. Alice, relict of Hugh de Bukenham.

1358, 8 Nov. Henry de Etyndon, priest, on Welholm's resignation. Ditto.

1382, 25 Sept. John Arteys, priest. Julian de Bokenham.

1394, 7 March, Henry Strok, priest. Joan, relict of Hugh Bokenham of Sneterton.

1398, 5 Aug. John Somerby, priest, on Strok's resignation. Joan Bukenham, lady of Snetterton.

1399, 12 April, Tho. Galle of Snetterton, accolite. Julian de Bokenham. At his death in 1435, it was consolidated to All-Saints, by Edmund Bukenham, Esq. patron of both, and Tho. Bosvile, rector of both; and being thus joined, about the time of Henry VIII. the church was pulled down. At the time of Norwich Domesday, Hugh de Kywelsle, or Kinesle, was patron, and the rector had a house and 10 acres of land. This advowson was purchased by Sir Hugh de Bokenham, father of Ralph, of Jeffery de Kinesle, son of Hugh de Kynesly.

There were two Gilds in this town, the one called, the Fraternity of the Holy Trinity, and the other of St. John; they had a gild-hall which stood on the other side of the road, against the end of the chancel; they were dissolved in the year 1548, and the hall, and 4 acres of land thereto belonging, came to the Crown, and there continued till Queen Elizabeth, by letters patent dated 26 Jan. 1569, granted it to Nicase Yetswert, Esq. and Barth. Brokesby, Gent. and their heirs, to be held of her manor of East Greenwich, in free soccage, by fealty only, and not in capite, without any annual payment whatever; and afterwards it was sold several times before the lord purchased it, and pulled it down.

In 1528, the Prior of Bukenham was taxed at 3s. 10d. ob. for his temporals in this town, which were divers small pieces of land given to their house by the Bokenhams.

It paid to the tenths 3l. 10s. is now [1737] assessed to the King's tax at 420l. and hath about 200 inhabitants.

Snetterton, in the Confessor's time, was two towns; the south part of it, with All-Saint's church, was known by the present name, but the north part, with St. Andrew's church thereto belonging, was then called Essebei, or Ashby, and continued that distinction at the Conqueror's survey, and some time after. (fn. 4) Snetterton part was owned by Ailwin in the Confessor's time, and by Roger Bigot in the Conqueror's, of whom Ralph, brother of Ailwin, then held it, the manor being worth 20s.; the whole of Snetterton and Ashby was two miles long and one broad, and paid 17d. 1q. Danegeld. Ashby part was held by Earl Ralph in the Confessor's days, and by him forfeited to the Crown, and the Conqueror committed it to Earl Goderic's care, at which time it was of the same value as Snetterton, viz. 20s. a year. (fn. 5) These two parts afterwards became four manors, Old Hall, New Hall, Can Hall, and Grimes, the Customs of all which are, that the fines are at the lord's will, and the eldest son is heir; they have no leet belonging to them, but it always did, as it now doth, belong to the lord of the hundred, to whom they pay a leet fee of 2s. 8d.

The Manor of Old Hall

Was part of Snetterton at the Conquest; Ailwin was lord of it in the Confessor's time, and Ralph his brother held it at the survey, of Roger Bigot, who infeoffed William de Albany in it, upon his marrying his daughter Maud, (fn. 6) of whom Richard de Snetterton, the descendant of Ralph, held it; (fn. 7) he was succeeded by Hugh, (first sirnamed Rufus, or the Red,) and afterward de Bukenham, (fn. 8) (fn. 9) and sometimes de Snitterton, his son, whose son William de Snitterton, alias de Bukenham, married one of the daughters and coheiresses of Sir Benedict de Angerville, lord of West-Newton, (fn. 10) West-Herling, and of Kerhalle in Snetterton, all which came to the said William, and Nicholas de Beaufo, who married the other heiress; his son, Hugh de Bokenham, alias de Snitterton, and Will. de Beaufo, held half a fee here of the Earl of Arundell, in the time of Henry III. He was succeeded by Ralph de Bukenham, (fn. 11) his son, who, in 1203, gave 14l. by his guardian, Godfrey de Albany, to have his seventh part of the inheritance of Gosceline de Lodnes, (fn. 12) in right of his mother Alice, who was daughter and coheir of Ralph de Somerton, son of Ralph de Somerton, son of Hugh de Somerton and Susan his wife, sister and coheir of Gosceline de Lodnes. This Ralph gave the tithe of the pannage of his wood in Bukenham, and the advowson of West Newton, (fn. 13) to the monks at Wimondham, and Hugh de Beaufo released his right in it. He left Hugh de Bukenham, his eldest son and heir, (fn. 14) who married Margaret, daughter of Miles Le-Parker, (Parcarius, or the Parkkeeper), brother of William Le-Parker, rector of Eccles by the Sea, who outlived him, and left Hugh de Bokenham, alias Snitterton, his son and heir, who, in the year 1290, assigned to Margaret his mother part of the mansion-houses at Snetterton and Herling, the third turn of Snetterton All-Saints, and the third parts of Snetterton and Herling manors. In 1324, upon his marriage, he settled his manors of Snctterton and West-Herting, with the advowsons of All-Saints, and St. Andrew's, the advowsons of Stuston and Ockle in Suffolk, and lands, homages, &c. in Stuston, Ockle, Hargham, Lerling, Whidenham, and Wilby, on Sir John de Bokenham, parson of Snitterton, his brother, Sir Edmund de Baconsthorp, and Nicholas, son of Sir Gregory de Castello, for the use of Alice his wife for life, and died in 1339, and was buried here; she died before 1365, and the whole then came to Hugh de Bokenham, her eldest son, who married Julian, heiress of Sir John de Thelvetham, with whom he had the manor of Thelvetham, Livermere, &c. in Suffolk, and by will ordered to be buried by the tombs of his ancestors in Snetterton All-Saints, leaving Julian his wife executrix, and Sir John de Thelvetham supervisor, who, jointly with Roger Dawney, parson of All-Saints, Will. de Rougham, and others, trustees of Hugh de Bokenham deceased, settled their manors of Snitterton, Carhall, and Eldehall, with the advowsons, on the said Julian for life. In 1385, she and her trustees settled them on Hugh her son, on his marriage with Joan, daughter of Robert Ashfield, Esq. who died about 1393; and in the year 1399, the trustees covenanted to settle the manors on Hugh, and Joan daughter of Sir John Bruse, and their heirs male, if they should be married on Thursday next before the Purification of our Lady, at Norwich, (as they were,) and not otherwise, reserving. Julians life in them, and that the said Hugh, and John and John, his brothers, (fn. 15) should release West-Herling to other uses, to the same trustees.

This Hugh was dead before 1425, for in that year Hugh, (fn. 16) son of this Sir Hugh, confirms to Joan, then wife of Oliver Grosse, the manor called Newhall in Snetterton, which he held in right of Joan during her life, who had it settled on her by his father at their marriage; this Joan died before 1433, and Edmund de Bokenham inherited; and in that year settled his manors of Oldhalle, Newhalle, and Kerhalle, and the advowsons of All-Saints and St. Andrew's, &c. to divers uses, probably upon marrying Dionise his wife. He died at Norwich in 1479, without issue, and was buried in the chapel of our Lady in the Fields there, and by will ordered, that his feoffees in Oldhall and Kerhall manors should continue their estates till George, son of John Bokenham, his cousin, was 21 years old, who then was to be his heir, he being son of John Bokenham of Snitterton and Livermere, Esq. by Anne, daughter of John Hopton of Yoxford, Esq. which John was son of Hugh Bokenham of Great Livermere, Esq. by Emme, daughter of Robert Scarke, which Hugh was brother to Edmund the testator, and all along had Newhall manor of his father's gift; he died in 1467, and was buried in St. Peter's church at Great Livermere, and gave his manors of Lyvermere and Newton to Emma his wife, for life, and the manor of Thelvetham to John his son, &c. who died seized of Thelvetham and Livermere in 1484, and was buried in AllSaints church here, by Anne Hopton his wife; he gave to Trinity and St. Johns Gilds in this church, 6s. 8d. each, and to Joan, his second wife, who survived him, all his household goods, leaving the aforesaid George Bokenham, (fn. 17) Esq. his son, who became lord of the manors of Oldhall, Newhall, and Kerhalle, as heir to Edmund Bokenham, Esq. his kinsman, and Hugh his grandfather; he first married Christian, daughter of William De-Grey of Merton in Norfolk, Esq. who died in 1492, and lies buried in the middle isle of Merton church; and afterwards to Margaret, daughter and heiress of Francis Heath of Worlington, by Mildenhall in Suffolk, Esq. by whom he had issue, John Bokenham, Esq. his second son, from whom the Thornham family descended, and Tho. Bokenham of Great Livermere, Esq. his eldest son and heir, who had Snetterton, Livermere, &c.; he married Elizabeth, daughter of John Jenour of Great Dunmow in Essex, who had Livermere, Snetterton, &c. for her jointure; she remarried to Richard Codyngton of Ixworth, who is buried in Great Livermere church, (fn. 18) and held these manors in her right, during her life. This Thomas Bokenham died Dec. 9, 1535, seized of all these manors, leaving John, his son and heir, then above one year old, and was buried in the Temple church, with this inscription,

Hic iacct Chmnas Boknnham Armiger, filius et Hæres Beorgii Bokynham nuper de Snitherton in Com: Dorfolk Armigeri, et Margarettæ Uroris cius, Filiæ et Heredis, Franrisci Heath Arm: nui quidem Chomas, obiit, ir^o die Decembris Amo Dni: 1535, rt A^o Rcgni Regis Benrici Octahi, Vicessimo Septimo, cains animæ propicietur Deus Amen. (fn. 19)

John Bokenham of Snetterton, Esq. the last heir male of this family, was born Aug. 29, 1534; he married Lucy, daughter of Clement Heigham of Barrow in Suffolk, Knt. who, after his death, married again to Francis Stonard, Gent. and died Aug. 1, 1551, leaving the manors of Oldhall, Newhall, and Carrhall in Snetterton, and the advowsons the manors of Thelvetham and Livermere, and the advowsons, &c. to

Dorothy Bokenham, his only sister and heir, then 17 years old, who married Tho. Carryll of Sussex, Esq. son of Sir John Carryll, Knt. Attorney of the Duchy of Lancaster, and died June 7, 1560; Tho. Caryll her husband died Nov. 21, 1563, leaving Sir John Carrill of Warnham in Sussex, Knt. their son and heir, who, in 1577, had livery of Oldhall, Newhall, Carrhall, and Livermere, &c. to him and his heirs; and in the year 1598, 20 Nov. (fn. 20) he sold Suitterton to Ralph Hare, Esq. brother and heir of that Nicholas who built Stow manorhouse; he settled it on his nephew Ralph, afterwards Sir Ralph Hare, Knt. who kept his first court 10 Jan. 1604, and was father of Sir John Hare of Stow Bardolph, Knt. who, by his will dated 21 Dec. 1635, gave the manors and estate here (after the death of Elizabeth his wife, on whom it was settled for life) to John Hare, his second son, who married Susan, daughter and coheir of John Walpole of Bromsthorp, Gent. (fn. 21) and enjoyed it to his death in 1689, (fn. 22) and then left it to John Hare, Gent. his son, (fn. 23) who was afterwards Richmond Herald, and a very ingenious antiquary: he died about 1720, without issue, and left his estate to Mrs. Anne Hare, his sister, who kept her first court in 1721, and died in 1724, leaving it to Catherine and Susan, daughters of Philip, son of Edmund Bedingfield of Bromsthorp in Norfolk, Gent. by Elizabeth Hare, her only sister; and they, in 1725, conveyed the manors, advowson, and estate, to Mr. Thomas Goddard of Snetterton, the present [1737] lord, who held his first court Febr. 9, 1726.

Parishes's, or Grymes's Manor,

Was made up of several parts; one part was taken out of Kerhall before 1195, when Robert Mortimer released it to John L'Estrange; another part was taken out of Newhall manor in Henry the Third's time, the whole being then held by Hugh Doraunt of Snetterton, by the twentieth part of a fee. In 1345, the heirs of Alan de Morlee and his partners held it of Hugh Bokenham, who held it of Jeffery Kinewesdele, and he of John L'Estrange, and he of the King, and Alan de Morlee formerly held it at 2s. relief; and now the heirs of Hugh Durrant; in 1350, Tho. Doraunt of Snitterton, chaplain, sold it to Richard Paris of Hargham, and Margaret his wife, from whom it took the name of Parishes; in 1401, Will. Parys of Snetterton was lord; it afterwards belonged to the Grimeses, and was sold by them to the Debneys, who sold it to Mr. Robert Smith of Carleton-Rode, who settled it on Tho. Smith, Gent. in 1621, and in 1622, Richard Smith of Thetford died, (fn. 24) who held the manor of Grymes, alias Parris, alias Parishes, in Snitterton, Rowdham, Eccles, Illington, Harling, Larling, and Bridgham, of Sir Ralph Hare, Knt. as of his manors of Oldhall, Newhall, and Carhall in Snitterton, John Smith, his son and heir, was 50 years old, whose son Robert succeeded him, and sold the manor to Sir John Hare, who gave it by will to Thomas his youngest son, in tail, who cut off the entail, and sold it to his brother Nicholas Hare of Harpham, Esq. in whose family it still continues, Hugh Hare, son of Thomas Hare of Harpham, Esq. being now [1737] lord.

The Manor Of Kerhall

Was included in the Snetterton part at the Conquest, and went with Oldhall manor, till the feoffment of that in Richard de Snetterton, from which time it remained in the Albanys, who, in Henry the First's time, infeoffed the Angerviles, with whose daughters and heiresses it went equally to the Bokenhams, lords of Oldhall, and the Beaufoes, (fn. 25) with whose heiress one moiety went to the Berdewelles, and continued in that family till Sir Will. Berdewelle, Knt. conveyed his manor of Snetterton, which Margery, the wife of Sir John de Tudenham, Knt. held for life, to Hugh Bokenham and his heirs, and so it became joined to the manor of Oldhall, (fn. 26) with which it hath passed ever since; and the said Hugh conveyed his manor of WestHerling to the said William, in exchange.

New Hall, or Ashby Manor,

Belonged to the Crown till it was divided, and one part given to the Bishop of Norwich, who infeoffed it in the Rooses, to hold it of the Bishop at a quarter of a fee, as parcel of his barony; and in 1345, the heirs of Maud Roos held it; the other part, with the advowson of St. Andrew's, belonged to the Bygods, who gave it to the Albanies, who infeoffed Sir John Straunge, Knt. who infeoffed the Kersalls, Kynesdeles, or Kinesles, and Jeffery de Kynewesdele, son of Hugh Kinesle, divided it into three or more parts; the advowson and half the manor he sold to Sir Hugh de Bukenham, father of Sir Ralf, who joined it to Oldhall. Another part became part of Paris's manor, and a third part, called Ashby Closes, continued in the family some time, but was after sold by Thomas le Hastelen of Ashby, and Margaret his wife, in 1317, to Robert de Stokes, clerk; this was purchased by the Bokenhams in Henry the Eighth's time, and joined to their manors; and heing held of the Bishop, was taken with the other revenues of his barony, and so became held of the Crown; and in 1665, it paid a castle-guard rent of 1s. 9d. a year to the King, that being the old rent that the whole manor used to pay the Bishop, towards the guard of Norwich castle, and was laid on this part at the division of the manor. That part which always went by the name of New Hall belonged to the Rooses, and was purchased by the Bokenhams about 1425, and joined to their other manors.

There was a family sir-named De Ashby, that lived and had a good estate in Ashby in Snetterton, in Edward the Third's time.

The Gonvile's had many lands, tenements, villeins, and services, in this town, which belonged to their manor in Lerling.

There was also a part of Pakenham's manor in Shropham, which extended hither; and hath passed with that manor from the Conquest to this present time; it then contained 40 acres, and belonged to Earl Hugh, (fn. 27) and now it is owned by the city of Norwich, as that manor is, and is taxed at 9l. per annum.