Hundred of South Greenhoe

THE HUNDRED OF SOUTH GREENHOE.

This hundred is bounded on the south, by the river Wissey, which separates it from the hundred of Grimshoe; on the west by a rivulet that arises at Shingham and empties itself into the Wissey against Whittington near Stoke, from the hundred of Clacklose; on the north it joins to the hundreds of Freebridge citra Lynn, and Launditch; and on the east, to those of Weyland and Mitford.

It is an hundred of a very large extent, and takes its name of Grenhoe from the green hills or tumuli lying by the London road to Swaffham, on the heath between Cley and North Pickenham. (fn. 1) It is mostly open and a champain, and famous for the number and sound feed of sheep, and is called South in respect of another hundred of the same name that lies in the north part of this county.

It was at the Conquest the demesnes of the Kings of England, and the King had then 14 letes in it; from the Crown it came to the Albineys Earls of Arundel, and descended to John Fitz-Alan, lord of Clun and Oswaldstree in Wales, son of John Fitz-Alan and Isabel his wife, who was daughter of William and sister and coheir of Hugh de Albaney Earls of Arundel, who died in 1243; the aforesaid John, in 1249 held this hundred and that of Launditch, paying a fee-farm rent of 18s. 6d. per annum; (fn. 2) and John L'Estrange held the said two hundreds of him, paying to him the aforesaid fee-farm rent and 6l. per annum; and at an inquisition taken in the 3d of King Edward I. the jury present this hundred to be held by the heirs of the aforesaid John FitzAlan. (fn. 3) The commissioners for the King were Sir Robert de Caston, Sir Robert de Hulmo, and Sir Robert de Saham; the inquisition was on the oaths of 12 men for the hundred, and of five men out of each township, who were to enquire by this commission after the privileges which the lords of manors held, the excesses of the sheriffs, coroners, &c. and the usurpations made on the King's rights, &c.; the names of the jurors for the hundred, were, Alan de Aula of Swaffham, Robert de Hill of Dudelington, Robert de Castilc of Fuldon, William Page of Sporle, Alexander Warner of the same, Hugo de Withcand of Swaffham, Peter Alexander of Fuldon, Hugo Pelliperarius of Cressingham Magna, Osbert son of William de Bradenham, &c.

In the 23d of Edward I. Richard Fitz-Alan Earl of Arundel gives and grants to John son of John Lord Le Estrange of Lutcham, all the lands which his father had and held of his fee, with the hundreds of South Greenhoe and Launditch, to be held by the said John and Clementia his wife; and in the 21st of King Richard II. this hundred, with that of Launditch was granted to his uncle, John Duke of Lancaster; (fn. 4) and in the next year, they were granted to Edmund of Langley Duke of York, with the manors of Mileham and Breston, late part of the possessions of Richard Earl of Arundel attainted; but on the accession of King Henry IV. to the Crown, Thomas, son of Richard Earl of Arundel, was restored in blood and to his possessions; and on the 1st of September, in the 8th of King Henry IV. the said Thomas Earl of Arundel, by his deed dated at Arundel, gives and grants to Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury, his uncle, Sir Thomas Camoys, Sir John Bohun, Sir John Wiltshire, &c. the hundreds of South-Greenhoe and Laundich; (fn. 5) and they being seized of the same, grant them to Beatrice Countess of Arundel, wife of the said Thomas, for life; and the said Sir John Bohun, Sir John Wiltshire, &c. in the 3d of Henry VI. gave the said hundreds to Henry Earl of Northumberland, Sir Ralph Cromwell Lord Cromwell, and John Lord Scroop, to hold the same after the decease of the aforesaid Beatrice to them and their heirs; and the said Beatrice dying, the aforesaid Henry Earl of Northumberland, Ralph Lord Cromwell, &c. grant the said hundreds in 33d of Henry VI. to Sir Thomas Tudenham, Knt. and his heirs, to have and to hold the same; by virtue of which grant the said Sir Thomas was seized. and took the profits of the same during his life; and on his death in 1461, Margaret Beding feld, widow of Edmund Bedingfeld, Esq. sister and heir to the said Sir Thomas, was lady of this hundred of South-Greenhoe, and from her it descended to her grandson, Sir Edmund Beding feld, Knt. of the Bath, whose immediate heir and descendant, Sir Henry Bedingfeld, Bart. of Oxburgh-Hall, is the present lord,

The whole hundred is in the liberty of his Grace the Duke of Norfolk. (fn. 6)

The valuation of each town to the land-tax is — per annum. [left column]

The quarterly payment for each town, for quarterage, vagrant money, &c. for a 600l. levy, each quarter. [right column]