Hundred of Shropham: Little Hocham

LITTLE HOCHAM

Was a small village between Great Hocham and Illington; in the Confessor's time it belonged to Ailwin, and in the Conqueror's it was held of Roger Bigot by Turold, (fn. 1) for life, I imagine, because soon after, it was in Roger's own hands, who gave the church and tithes to the priory of Thetford at their foundation, (fn. 2) who received them separately, till the church of Great Hocham was appropriated to them, and then they joined them to Great Hocham, which is the reason we meet with no institutions, though I suppose the church was not demolished till after Richard the Second's time, for then we meet with the church of St. Mary at Hocham, mentioned in evidences, which I believe must be this, Great Hocham being dedicated to the Holy Trinity. The manor afterwards was held of the honour of Richmond at a quarter of a fee, by Alan de Anestie; and in 1252, by Ralph de Neketon, who had free-warren allowed him in it. It soon after belonged to William de Hockham, who made it complete, by joining all the lands and tenements that belonged to the manor of Wretham (or Wretham) to it, as well those that laid in Great Hocham as in this town; for I find in an old register (fn. 3) of Bec abbey in Normandy, to which Wrotham manor belonged, that this William held all the lands and tenements that the church of Bec had in Hocham, by the rent of 17s. 2d. a year, three days work in ploughing, three in mowing, and one hen; and he and all his tenants under him were to pay reliefs, do suit to the halmote-court at Wrotham, pay scot and lot, and could not marry their daughters without license; and soon after this, in 1299, he levied a fine of the whole, when it contained 18 messuages, 275 acres of land, 11 acres of pasture, one acre of turf-land, 37 acres of heath, and 14s. ob. rent in Great and Little Hocham. In 1315, John de Hocham was lord, and in 1326, Ralph of Hocham; in 1335, John Duke of Bedford aliened to the prior of Thetford the manor of Little Hocham, but I take it to be only the superiority of the fee, the manor being then held of him, and afterwards of the Prior, and after that of the Bishop of Norwich, and after the revenues of the bishoprick were taken into the King's hands, it was held of the Crown. In 1538, Ambrose Jermyn was lord; it after belonged to the Bedingfields; (fn. 4) and in 1572, Edmund Jermyn died seized; in 1603, Will. Jermyn had it, and released it to Robert Jermyn, Knt. and Will. Jermyn, senior, Esq.; in 1616, there were five copyhold tenants, which paid 3l. 12s. rent, two tenements worth 8l per annum, a sheeps' walk, &c. It now [1737] pays all dues to Great Hocham, there being only two farms in the village, of which the manor-house is one, which with the manor is now owned by William Jermy of Norwich, Esq. in right of his wife, who was sister and sole heiress of the Right Honourable the Lord Richardson, Baron of Cramond in Scotland. The fines are at the lord's will, and the eldest son is heir.