Hundred of South Erpingham: Aldby

ALDBY,

Or the old dwelling, (fn. 1) had parts of it in the Conqueror's time, that extended into the north hundred, and belonged to Susted and Hanworth manors, all which, with the whole of this manor, which was in the south hundred of Erpingham, belonged to Roger Bigot; Earl Harold was lord in the Confessor's time, who gave it to Osfort, who held it of the Earl as chief lord, and after him his 4 sons had it; it was worth 20s. at the first, and 40s. at the second survey, was 6 furlongs long, 5 broad, and paid 3d. ob. geld. (fn. 2)

It continued many ages in the Norfolk family, as Forncet manor, to which I refer you; (fn. 3) the manor had liberty of freewarren and lete; upon the attainder of the Duke of Norfolk; it was seized by the Crown, and in 1561 Henry Parker, Knt. Lord Morley, had it, who soon after conveyed it to Henry Stanley Lord Strange, and about 1573, Clement Harward had it.

The advowson was granted by Edward VI. to Edward Lord Clinton, who aliened it to William Dix of London, merchant, who had it confirmed to him by his master, the Duke of Norfolk, with Wickmere manor, and with his daughter and coheir it passed to Taseburgh, of whom Henry Spelman, Esq. had it in 1694, and it now belongs to the Hon. Horace Walpole, Esq.

The village contains about 30 families, is taxed at 264l. and paid 2l. 10s. 4d. to each tenth, and is in the liberty of the dutchy of Lancaster, and pays 5s. 9d. to every 300l. levy of the county rate; the temporals of Waborn prior were taxed at 5d. and those of the sacrist of Bury, at 1d. only.

The Church is dedicated to St. Ethelbert, in which I find memorials, for Katherine wife of Samuel Langwade, who died 1694, Ætat. 34; and for Mary wife of Samuel Langwade, 1722, 62, and no other.

The rectory is valued in the King's Books, at 7l. 18s. 8d. but being sworn of the clear yearly value of 37l. it is discharged of first fruits and tenths, and is capable of augmentation; it pays 12d. synodals, 5s. procurations, and was anciently valued at 13 marks. I have met with the following

Rectors Here;

1312, Robert de Felbrigge, priest. Alice de Hanonia Countess of Norfolk.

1327, Adam Aperil. Thomas Earl of Norfolk.

1349, John de Wilton. Sir Edward Montacute, Knt.

1371, John Bele, priest. Sir William Ufford Earl of Suffolk.

1381, Thomas de Wroxham. Ditto.

1498, Robert Spencer, res.

1408, Mr. James Walsingham. Thomas Erpingham, Knt. for this turn.

1474, John Herrald, (Robert Browne,) died rector in 1491, succeeded by

John Manning. Elizabeth Dutchess of Norfolk.

1516, Alexander Shaa (or Shaw.) Sir Thomas Howard.

1605, William Thackery, united to Iteringham, succeeded by
John Cooke; and he in

1642 by William Plummer, who was ejected out of this and Sustead curacy by the Earl of Manchester, for being a loose, intemperate man, seldom preaching, &c. which was pretence only; for the true reason is also added, for inveighing against the rebels, refusing to pay money for supporting the rebellion, and for assisting his Majesty; he had a wife and four children. (fn. 4) In 1658, Nicholas Brewster (fn. 5) had it, &c. In 1715, Mrs. Elizabeth Spelman, widow, was patroness, and

Mr. Thomas Fox, held it united to Wickmere, who was buried here October 17, 1715, aged 56 years, as his stone informs me.

1750, The Rev. Mr. Patrick St. Clair is now rector, and holds it united to Wickmere cum Wolterton, consolidated; of all which, the Honourable Horace Walpole is now patron.

Here were three gilds, of St. Ethelbert, St. Peter, and St. John Baptist. In 1558, William Acton, Gent. was buried in the chancel, and left Joan his wife, and Henry, Thomas, Francis, George, Edmund, and Catharine, and there was lately an inescutcheon of sab. a chevron between three talbots, arg. on a gravestone here.