Hundred of Forehoe: Kimberley

KIMBERLEY.

The Church, is dedicated to St. Peter; in Henry the Third's time, William, son of Wluric, was rector; and in 1297, Robert de Reydon was presented by Nich. de Stutvile, it being then valued at 26l. 13s. 4d. This Nicholas was patron when Domesday was wrote, in which it is said that it was appropriated to St. Giles's hospital in Norwich, that the rector had a house and 40 acres of land, taxed at 30 marks, paid 2s. 8d. synodals, besides procurations, and 2s. 6d. Peter-pence; it is plain by the institutions, that Stutvile's appropriation of it to the hospital was never confirmed.

There was a chapel of St. Mary in the churchyard, the ruins of which are now visible at the south-east corner of the chancel; at the altar in this chapel was the Virgin's image, with a lamp burning before it, and a priest endowed to say daily mass there; it was founded before 1370, but the lands not settled on the chantry priest regularly till 1401, and then Henry IV. passed a license of mortmain for that purpose: (fn. 1) in 1440, Henry Bramerton, chantry priest of St. Mary's chapel in Kimburle, was buried before the altar of that chapel. It was 12 yards long, and seven wide, as the ruins show us.

Rectors.

1342, Will. de Thourston. Will. de Holtford, and Will. King.

1349, John, son of Hugh de Kimburle. John King and John Frere.

1350, John, son of Hugh de Kimburle. Rich. de Lyng Archdeacon of Norwich, Walter Elveden, &c.

1350, John, son of Hugh de Kimburle. The Custos and Scholars of Trinity-Hall in Cambridge. He was instituted these three times, to show the alteration of patrons, at their request.

1350, Will. Bateman Bishop of Norwich, founder of Trinity-Hall, purchased the advowson, and having settled it on his hall, appropriated it to that house this year; reserving a yearly pension of 20s. to the Bishop of Norwich, and the college was charged for their spirituals impropriate, at 20l.

Vicars.

William, the first vicar was instituted at the presentation of the College, who presented two, and the Bishop instituted which he pleased. R.

1355, Rich. at Medwe. The College.

1359, Tho. Selde.

1362, Walter Barker.

1396, John Barker of Thugarton, buried by the font step, in 1400.

1400, John de Crungethorp. R.

1408, John Waraunt, buried in the churchyard in 1420.

1420, Gregory Dalle.

1426, Will. Marleburgh.

1440, Simon Randys.

1441, John Willys. R.

1448, Rob. Pilgrime. R.

1450, Gregory Randys. O.

1453, Will. Short. R.

1455, Edm. Worsted. R.

1462, Rich. Frost.

1513, John Lubbenham.

1515, Robert Betering. O.

1542, Henry Joynte. O. He was the last presented by the College.

1566, Henry Cook. Roger Woodhouse, Esq. who purchased the advowson of the college.

1569, Rob. Fonde. Ditto.

1570, Will. Elland. Ditto.

John Cullyner. R. Ditto.

1588, Owen Ducket. Philip Woodhouse, Esq. buried here 23d Febr. 1608.

1611, John Booth, A. M. Æt. 26, born in Norwich, educated at Cambridge. Sir Philip Woodhouse, Knt.

1613, Henry Castleton. Ditto. Buried here Sept. 4, 1638.

1638, Edw. Bickling. Sir Thomas Woodhouse, Bart.

1701, James Champion. Sir John Woodhouse, Bart.

1729, The Rev. Mr. Joseph Brett, A. M. on Champion's resignation, who is now [1739] rector, and holds it united to Carleton Forehoe. Sir John Woodhouse, Bart.

The present [1739] patron is Armine Woodhouse, Esq.

Kimberley Hall Manor.

Hakene held Kimburley at the Confessor's survey; it was then 5 furlongs long and 3 broad, and paid 13d. ob. to the geld. At the Conqueror's survey it belonged to Godric, as we learn from Domesday, fol. 22. South Hall manor in Carleton then belonged to this manor, as you may see at p. 405. and there were three freemen in his town that belonged to Hidicthorp. (fn. 2)

In the beginning of King John's time Hugh de Gurnaco or Gournay, a Norman, was possessed of it, and gave it to Nicholas de Stutvile, with Gunnora, his daughter, in marriage; he was disseized of it with Bedingham and Burburgham manors, at the time of the disseizing all the Normans from their lands, for their rebellion, which was in 1205, the 5th of King John, who the next year directed his writ to the sheriff, to restore Nicholas de Stutvile to all his lands that Nicholas his father was disseized of. At the seizure, the manor and stock was assigned to Walter de Cantelupe, during the King's pleasure; this Nicholas died in 1232, and in 1257, Simon de Greynvill or Greyvill, then husband of Alice, relict of Nicholas, and John de Stutevill, son and heir of Nicholas, released all their right to Wido or Guy de Butetort, in 10l. a year, rents, and lands, which Nicholas de Stutevile had granted him in Kimburle, which ever after was called Boutetort's Manor. In 1284, Nicholas de Stutevile had the assize of bread, ale, and beer, of all his tenants in Kymburle; in 1291, this Nicholas is said to be son and heir of John de Stutevile, late lord here, who held this town of the barony of Gournay. After this, I find no mention of it till 1313, when Margery, relict of Roger Cosyn of Norwich, granted it to Sir Walter de Norwich, and Catherine his wife, and their heirs, and by a fine levied in 1316, it appears that Margery had only her life in it, for then Walter de Norwich and Katerine his wife settled it on Tho. de Caily and Margaret his wife and their heirs; for lack of which it was to return to Walter and his heirs; and in 1345, Will. de Holtford, who presented in 1342, Robert of Yarmouth, and Roger de Norwich, held it at half a fee, of Sir John Bardolf's honour of Wormegeye, but more rightly of Gournay, which came to the Bardolfs by Will. Bardolf's marriage with Julian, daughter and heiress of Gournay; (fn. 3) in 1370, Roger de Norwich held it of the Lord Bardolf, paying a pair of gilt spurs every year; and soon after, he conveyed it to Katherine de Brewse, and John, son of Walter de Norwich, her heir; in 1374, Catherine Brewse, daughter of Thomas de Norwich, released it to John Bacon of Brome, and his heirs, in which it is said that the manor formerly belonged to Roger de Norwich, her uncle, the said Roger and Thomas being younger brothers of Sir John, and sons of Walter de Norwich, who was the King's Remembrancer, Baron of the Exchequer, and Treasurer of England. After this, it came to Sir Thomas Hales, Knt. and others, who gave it for life to Margaret, wife of Sir Thomas Fastolf of Kimberley, Knt. with remainder to Thomas Crabbe and Elizabeth his wife, sole daughter and heiress of Sir John Furneaux, and their heirs; in 1384, Sir Thomas Fastolf, Knt. was lord, and died intestate, leaving Margaret, his daughter, who married John Woodhouse of Kimberley, Knt. son of Sir Edward Woodhouse, Knt.; after Crabbe's death, there was a dispute about this manor, which you may see in vol. i. p. 315, but John Crabbe, son and heir of Thomas Crabbe, and Will. Berdwell, releasing their right to John Woodhouse, the whole centered in him, and continues in his posterity to this day.

The tower is square, and hath two bells, there is a small spire, and only one isle, which is thatched, the south porch is tiled, the chancel leaded, the north vestry is down.

In 1205, William de Kineburle, clerk, had a grant of the vicarage for life; and in 1218, Nicholas de Stutevile proved it was a rectory, and recovered it against the King; in 1441, Margaret, widow of Sir Richard Carbonel of Beding field in Suffolk, lived and died here, and gave a legacy to the church; her stone now lies in the middle of the chancel, robbed of her effigies and four shields.

The vicarage is valued in the King's Books at 6l. 12s. 3d. ob. and being sworn of the clear yearly value of 22l. 19s. 6d. ob. it is discharged of first-fruits and tenths, and is capable of augmentation.

In 1603, Owen Ducket, vicar, returned 80 communicants here, and that he held it united to Carleton Forehoe, that the parsonage of Kymburle is impropriate, endowed with the said vicarage, the cure being served by the vicar.

In the middle of the church formerly laid a stone, with this, but it is now gone,

Under this Stone rare Jenkyns lye, The Master of the Muisick Art, Whom from the Earth, the God on high, Called up to him, to bear his Part.

Aged 86, October 27, In Anno 78, he went to Heaven.

This Jenkins was as celebrated a composer and master of musick as any in his time; he was chiefly at Kimberley, and died there. The parish register says,

John Jenkins, Esq; was buried Oct. 29, 1678.

Phillipa, daughter of Sir Henry Southwell, Knt. and Margaret his wife, was baptized at Kimberley 24 of June 1621. In 1631, the steeple was rebuilt by the Wodhouses. On the biggest bell,

Fillei dei vivi, Miserere Nobis.

The Prior of Wimondham was taxed at 12s. 8d. ob. for his temporals, and Markam abbey lands, lying here, in Windham, and Carlton, were let at 40s. per annum, and the village paid 3li. 12s. to every tenth.

Kimberley, or the Prior of Norwich's Manor.

In 1315, Walter de Norwico, or Norwich, aliened to the Prior of the Trinity at Norwich, 3 messuages, 169 acres of land, and 12 acres of meadow, in Great and Little Cressingham, and in Hopton, with the manor of Stowe, lands in Kimburle and Metingham; and in 1369, Tho. Piercy Bishop of Norwich, who died Aug. 8, this year, by his will bequeathed to the precentor of this monastery, and his successours, several farms, lands, rents, &c. in Kimburle, Carleton-Forehoe, Crownthorp, and Wiclewood, on condition he should say mass daily at St. Thomas's altar in the cathedral for the souls of his ancestors, self, and benefactors; and in 1401, the Prior of Norwich had a quarter of a fee here, which was a small manor, now held by lease of the dean and chapter, by Armine Wodehouse, Esq.

Botour's, or Botetourt's Manor,

Was part of Kimberley manor, granted by Nic. de Stutvile to Guy de Butetort, who, in 1285, had the assize of bread and beer of all his tenants; in 1305, he settled it on Ralf Butetort; it after belonged to Bartholomew Botetort, who left it to Maud, his daughter and heir, who married Jeffry Swathyng, for in 1386, they conveyed it to Sir William Wingfield, Knt.; in 1400, William, son of William aforesaid, had it, and his posterity enjoyed it till about 1442, and then it was conveyed to John Woodhouse of Kimberley, Esq. and his heirs, Sir John Clifton of Bukenham castle, released his right, and so did John Emond of Cranworth, Esq. son of Roger, who was son and heir of Maud, daughter and heir of Bartholomew Botetourt, by her second husband Emond. And thus this manor also came to the Woodhouses, who now enjoy it, though the family have removed their residence out of the limits of this parish.

Their first seat here was the ancient seat of the Fastolfs, which stood in the west part of the town; but Sir John Woodhouse, in Henry the Fourth's time, demolished it, and built a noble seat on the east part, where the family continued till 1659, and then Sir Philip Woodhouse demolished it, and removed to the present seat at DownhamLodge, which is just cross the river dividing the parishes of Kimberley and Windham, to which Downham is a hamlet, as may be seen at p. 506, to which I must here add, that the piece of water which lies in this parish, and is there said to contain about 12 or 14 acres, is now extended into a noble lake of about 28 acres, which seems to environ a large wood or carr on its west side; rendering its appearance to the house much more grand and delightful; the rivulet that ran on its east side is now made a serpentine river, laid out in a neat manner, and is the boundary to the park, on the west and north sides being above a mile in length: the declivity of the hill, on the northern part, is a fine lawn, with the serpentine river at the bottom of it, which is seen at one view from the grand entrance of the house, which was built by the present Sir John Wodehouse, who hath much augmented its beauty and pleasantness, by the addition of these beautiful waters I have now mentioned.