Hundred of Humble-Yard: Dunston

DUNSTON,

Or the town by the dune or hill, was at the Conquest (though but a small village) in no less than five parts, the 1st belonged to Alan Earl of Richmond, and at the Confessor's survey was owned by Herold the Dane, and the King and the Earl had the lete, or superiour jurisdiction of the whole village, which was half a mile long and three furlongs broad, and paid 6d. ob. geld or tax. The 2d, was Roger Bigot's. The 3d, Godric the sewer's the 4th belonged to Merkeshall manor, as at p. 46, and the 5th was a freeman of the King's who had then 13 acres only, valued at 12d. (fn. 1) But soon after, the whole became one manor, with the advowson of the rectory appendant thereto, and belonged to the Crown, till the beginning of Ric. I. when William Helgheton had it of that King's gift, whose son Herbert de Helgheton granted the advowson from the manor, to Alice de Fundenhale, wife of Robert Fitz-Ralf, who in 1196 had a trial with Herbert for the advowson, when the jury found, that it was not apparent, that the church had ever yet been presented to, but that the parsons held it, from parson to parson, as from father to son, till the death of the last incumbent, and that though the said Alice had no manor nor demean in Dunston, yet, it being founded in the fee of the said Herbert, her grant was good, and she had the advowson confirmed to her, and her parson was instituted, (fn. 2) and so the advowson was separated from the manor.

In 1205, King John confirmed the manor to William son of Walkeline de Dunston, when Walkeline his father took upon him a religious habit, and entered a monastery. This William was falconer to King John, who settled this town on William de Dunston, son and heir of William his falconer, (fn. 3) and Alice his sister, and their heirs; he was succeeded by Bartholomew his son and heir, who in 1256, pleaded an exemption for his manor, from suit of the sheriff's turn. In 1280, Rob. de Dunston, John de Dunston, and Jeffry de la Penne, were lords here; and the same year, William son of Rich. de Dunston was sued, for pretending to appropriate to himself the fishing in the river between Shotesham and Dunston, when it appeared, that the fishery on Dunston side, was common to all the tenants of Dunston manor. (fn. 4) In 1285, Emma, widow of John de la Penne, had one part of the manor, and in 1286, William son of Richard, and William son Nicholas de Dunston, were lords; in 1345, Robert and John de Dunston had it; in 1385, Hugh de Dunston; and in 1395, John de Dunston and Maud his wife settled it by fine on Sir Edmund de Thorp and his trustees. I find about this time, Robert de Holveston had an interest in the manor, (fn. 5) which soon after belonged to John Howes of Dunston, who sold it to John de Bonyngton and Christian his wife, who all joined about 1399, and conveyed the whole to Bartholomew de Appleyerd, citizen of Norwich, for life; and after his decease to Richard de Dunston, chaplain, and his heirs, who after became seized of the whole town; Agnes Custinoble, heiress of John de Bonyngton, releasing also all her right. In 1401, Henry Luminour held it at the 8th part of a fee, of Will. de Kerdeston, and he of the heirs of Montchensy, who held it of Maud de Cromwell Lady Tateshall, and she of the King in chief; and Roger de Blickling then held here the 5th part of a fee of John de L'isle, and he of the King, as of the honour of Lancaster. In 1419, it was settled in trust on Sir John de Heveningham, Knt. Will. Paston, and others, to the sole use of the Appleyerd family; and in 1481, Will. Appleyerd of East-Carleton, Gent. bequeathed his manor of Dunston to Thomas his eldest son, and his heirs male, paying annuities to his brother John, and Elizabeth his mother; and for want of male issue, it was to remain to Thomas his brother, then to John his brother, and to Henry son of John, then to Henry his brother, then to Bartholomew, and then to John Appleyerd; it went after to Bartholomew, who died in 1492, and Margaret his widow, and Sir Rob. Jermyn, administered. In 1534, Thomas Appleyerd settled it on John Taseburgh his trustee; and in 1548, he was found to hold it of Edmund Knevet, Knt. as of his manor of Hethersete, by knight's service, and Robert Appleyerd, was his son and heir; in 1572, John Appleyerd, Gent. had it. In 1632, John Hamond of Ellingham by Bungeye, Gent. owned it, and dying this year, left it to John Hammond his son and heir. It afterwards came to the Longs, and is now owned by Israel Long, Esq. who is sole lord, impropriator and donor of the donative or perpetual curacy of

The church, which is dedicated to St. Remigius; its advowson was separated from the manor, as is above related; and in 1233, it belonged to Bartholomew de Creke, as part of the ancient inheritance of his family, for then he granted it to Richeld, widow of Rob. de Creke, his father's second wife; and in 1264, it was given by Margery, relict of Bartholomew de Creke, foundress of the nuns at Flixton, to that house, to which it appropriated by Simon de Walton Bishop of Norwich, (fn. 6) on condition the nuns should have the whole of the rectory, finding a priest to perform the duty, and paying him for so doing; and in 1238, a fine was levied, by which Roger Fitz Peter Fitz Osbert, and Sarah de Creke, his wife, the heiress of the Creke family, settled the advowson on the Prioress of Flixton, in pure alms : at the time of the appropriation, the rector had a house and 30 acres of land. The living was first valued at five, afterwards at 7 marks and an half, and paid 2s. synodals, 6s. 8d. procurations, 12d. Peter-pence, and 2d. 0b. carvage. In 1349, when the general plague had depopulated great part of the realm, it was returned, that most of the parishioners here were dead, the land left untilled, so that the Prioress could not pay the King's taxes for it, nor the 10l. per annum to the Bishop, then usually paid. It was granted by Edward VI. in 1539, to William and Tho. Woodhouse, (fn. 7) and the whole belonged to Anthony Stiles, whose son Anthony had livery of this rectory, with Swerdeston, &c. to which he got it annexed, as at p. 52. In 1559, Ric. Nicholls, Esq. had it; and in 1603, Simon Lusher, curate here, returned answer, that there were 40 communicants in the parish, that it was an impropriation, without a vicarage endowed, served by a perpetual curate, appointed and paid by the impropriator; that the town paid clear to every tenth 18s. (fn. 8) The dean of the chapel in the Fields in Norwich had lands here, settled on that college in 1391, by Henry Lumnor and others. The Rev. Mr. William Berney, rector of Newton Flotman and Fretenham, is the present curate.

The church is about 19 yards long and 5 broad, hath no isles nor porch; the nave and chancel hath one continued roof, covered with tiles, as is the top of the tower, which is square, and hath in it only one bell.

On a stone in the chancel there are three effigies in brass, with a brass plate under them, but no inscription; and lower down on the same stone, are cut three shields; on the first, a lion with its tail turned over his head. (fn. 9) 2d, Talbot, arg a chevron gul. between three talbots passant sab. 3d, Harborne, gul. a lion passant or, between three bezants, a crescent for difference.

Here lyeth interred the Body of the late virtuous and pious Wife of Clere Talbot, Doctor of the Law, the eldest Daughter of William Harborne of Mundham, Esq; who died 18th Day of Decem. 1649, leaving three Daughters and Coheiresses by William Sidnor of Blundeston, Esq; her former Husband.

On the other stone are the arms of

Long of Dunston. arg. three pales sab. on each three leopards heads or. Crest, on a hill vert, a greyhound passant sab. collared and chained arg.

Israel Long Esq; passed from death to life Nov. 13, MDCCIX.

There needs no Monument of Brass or Stone, For one, whose Name is Monument alone.

Non Deest ulli celebrans Poema Integro vitæ scelerisque puro: Sufficit nomen maculis inane Pro Monumento.

And also the Body of Sarah Long, the Dr. and Heir of Matthew Long Gent. deceased, and Relict of the said Israel Long, who departed this Life Apr. 8, MDCCXX.

Par Nobile.

Here lies a Noble Pair, who were in Name, In Heart, and Mind, and Sentiments the same, The Arithmætick Rule then can't be true, For One and One, did never here make Two.

Here lyeth interred the Body of Mary Long Widow, and Relict of Matthew Long, Gent. who departed this Life the 19 Day of May 1668. Robert son of Israel Long Gen. and Sarah his Wife died Dec. 8, 1668. Matthew Long Gent. died Nov. 12, 1658. Mary Dr. of Israel Long Esq. died Dec. 21, 1718, 55.

Long impales Potts, az. two bars surmounted by a bend or.

Mortale quod habuit, dum Christo jubente, immortale resurgat, hoc sub marmore inter Majorum Cineres, deposuit Matthæus Long Armiger, Vir moribus antiquis Vitæ integerrimus, Filius Israelis Long de Dunston in Agro Norfolciensi; si quid amplius Viator, scire cupias, Roges Egenos, qui toties hujus Largitate Saturati, discessere, Eos roges Hospites, quos plenâ Mensâ toties communicavit; Uxorem duxit Susannam, Domini Rogeri Potts de Mannington Baronetti Filiam pientissimam. Obijt Aug. 28, Anno æt. suæ 61, Salutis humanæ 1724. (He was high sheriff of Norfolk in 1699.)

On a brass plate,
Orate pro anima margarete Applyard que abiit Anno Domini M. bC. rriii. cuius anime propicietur Deus.

In the nave, the arms of Davy in a lozenge. Sarah Davy died 11 July, 1720, æt. 22.

Sleep on in Silence, never more to wake, 'Till Christ doth raise thee, and to Glory take.

In the windows, arg. a cross gul. Gul. a cross arg. Ar. six mullets three and three gul. Sab. two bars, and in chief three annulets arg. impaling arg. in a bordure six mullets, 3, 2, and 1, G.