Blofield Hundred: North-Burlingham

NORTH-BURLINGHAM,

William de Beaufort Bishop of Thetford had a grant in fee of the greatest part of this town, of which 3 freemen were deprived, who possessed it under the commendation only of Almar, (Bishop of Elmham,) in the reign of the Confessor, and Helias held it under Beaufoe, consisting of 46 acres of land, 4 acres of meadow, and a carucate valued at 4s. Helias also had 60 acres of land, of which one freeman under the protection of Bishop Almar, was deprived: this Helias held freely, with 40 acres of free land that belong to a church, and 7 acres of meadow; this belonged to a free woman, with 4 bordarers, and 2 more, who had also before the conquest a carucate and an half of land, with a church endowed with 10 acres, valued at 10d. and besides 7 freemen under her protection only had 40 acres of land, 3 of meadow, with a carucate valued at 12s. In the same town 2 freemen under the commendation of Bishop Almar, only, had 50 acres of land, one villain, 4 bordarers, 12 acres of meadow, with a carucate and a half, the moiety of a salt-work held by William de Noiers; this before the conquest was valued at 50d. at the survey it paid 19s. the said town was 10 furlongs long, 6 broad, and paid 20d. gelt. (fn. 1)

In Burlingham 15 freemen, under the commendation only of Bishop Almar, had 2 carucates of land, 9 bordarers, with 8 acres of meadow, and 8 carucates, valued formerly at 20s. but at the survey at 26s. 8d.; there belonged to it a church, with 30 acres, valued at 2s. 8d. and William de Noiers held it of the Bishop at the survey.

Bishop Beaufoe gave the abovementioned fees to his successours, the Bishops of Norwich, and several lordships arose out of these fees, which lordships were in the see of Norwich, and held by the Bishops in capite.

The ancient family of De Caston were lords of a manor, held of the see of Norwich, which probably came by the marriage of Egidia, a daughter and coheir of Thomas de Bradeston, with John de Caston, in the reign of Henry III. John de Cateston and Catherine his wife conveyed by fine in the 30th of Edward III. lands here to John de Well and Alice his wife; from the Castons it came with the advowson of St. Andrew's church in North Berlingham, to Sir Robert Carbonel, from them to the Berneys, so to Sir James Edwards, Bart. and the heirs of Sir Lambert Blackwell, Bart. possessed it, with the patronage of St. Andrew's church, in 1740.—See in Bradeston.—It afterwards was purchased by Carteret Leaths, Esq. who presented as lord and patron to the churches of St. Andrew's and St. Edmund in 1741 and 1751.

The Lords Bardolf, barons of Wirmegay, in Norfolk, were also enfeoffed of a lordship under the Bishops of Norwich; George de Felmingham was found in the 20th of Henry III. to hold half a fee of the Lord Bardolf, and that lord of the Bishop; Christiana de Felmingham conveyed to Hamon, son of William de Felmingham, messuages and lands in the 5th of Edward I.

Adam de Hindringham, and John Gernoun, possessed lands, &c. in the 9th of Edward II. under the Lord Bardolf, and in the 14th of that King, Greg. de Felmingham died seized of lands held by knight's service of the said lord, and James Rightwyse was his heir, son of Catherine his sister, and coheir. This James in the 16th of Edward III. granted it by fine to John and Robert his brothers.

In the 3d of Henry IV. Hugh Rightwise, and John Boole, &c. held it of the aforesaid lord, by half a fee. Hugh died in the 13th of Henry VI. and John his son and heir had livery. To this manor belonged the patronage of St. Peter's church.

Walcote-Hall.

In the 10th of Richard I. Thomas de Walcot was living, and had an interest here; and in the 41st of Henry III. the advowson of the church of North Burlingham, St. Andrew, was granted to Oliva de Boyton, by Thomas de Walcote; Walter de Walcote claimed in the 14th of Edward I. view of frank pledge, the assise, &c. and Alexander de Walcot was lord in the 9th of Edward II. and 15th of Edward III.

John Browning of North Birlingham confirmed, in the 29th of Edward III. to Robert de Yelverton this manor with its appertenances in South Walsham, Fishley, Upton, &c. with courts, view of frank pledge:—Witnesses; Sir John de Caston, Sir Edward Gerberge, Richard de Illey, William Clere, dated August 29. Browning sealed with three lozenges. John Browning, son of John, released it to Robert Caly, and Cecil his wife; William Clere of Ormesby, and Cecil, widow of Robert Caly, in the 9th of Richard II. enfeoffed Sir John Wyche, &c. in trust, to enfeof Nicholas, son of John de Secheford, who enjoyed it, and his son John also; which John, in the 12th of Henry IV. enfeoffed John Lynge of Battisford, William Cavendish, Thomas Roos, citizens and mercers of London, and Thomas Roos released it to John Welles, &c. in 1426.—John Wells, in 1428, to William Cavendish, mercer of London, and Robert Cavendish of Suffolk; the said William and Robert, for 40l. confirmed it to William Daubeny, and Robert his brother, when it had the name of Daubeny's manor; Cavendish sealed with three bucks heads caboshed, the arms of the present Duke of Devonshire.

William Daubeny had, by Cecil his wife, a son Thomas, who was father of Henry; and Cecil, remarried to Thomas Weston of Norwich, Gent.

Henry Daubeny, Gent. in the 30th of Henry VIII. sold it to Sir Christopher Heydon, and in the said year he conveyed it to Richard Gilbert of Birlingham, Gent. who was buried in the church of Birlingham, St. Andrew, in 1548. Thomas Gilbert, a descendant, was lord in the 19th of James I. Thomas Holmes, junior, of Mundham, Gent. and Mary his wife, John Wrongey, of —, and Abra his wife, John Richman of Hetherset, Gent. and Anne his wife, daughters and coheirs of Richard Gilbert, sold it in 1654, to William Berney, Esq. of Elsing, and so came from them to Edwards, Blackwell, and Carteret Leathes, Esq. as above.

William de St. Cleer, was one of the heirs of Nicholas le Butler, who held a manor in North Burlingham, and sold, in the 57th of Henry III. by fine, all his right to William, son of William de Heveningham, in this town, and South Walsham. Adam, son of John de Brancaster, the other heir, conveyed also his right to Guy de Botetourt.

In the 9th of Edward II. and the 20th of Edward III. John Stoneware had part of a fee of the Bishop. Sir John Fastolf possessed it in the 3d of Henry IV. being the 10th part of a fee in North Birlingham, and in the 35th of Henry VIII. John Atkins and Margaret his wife were querents, John Bishop and Elizabeth his wife, deforcients, of the manor called Goodwyn's, a messuage, 60 acres of land, 40 of pasture, 60s. rent in North and South Birlingham.

North Birlingham tenths were 3l. 15s.—Deducted 5s.

The Church of St. Andrew, in North Birlingham, was a rectory valued at 12 marks; paid Peter-pence 11d. carvage 2d. The present valor is 12l.

Rectors.

Richard de Runhale was rector in 10th of Richard I. as appears from a fine then levied.

Richard de Griston occurs rector in the 14th of Edward I. and Ralph de Caston, in the year 1326, and said to be blind with age.

1337, William Atteforth de Bergh was instituted, presented by Sir John de Caston.

1348, John Copsy. Ditto.

1349, John de Swathyngs. Ditto.

1360, William Waryn. Ditto.

In 1361, the Lady Catherine de Caston presented, but no name occurs in the institution book.

1376, Thomas Atteker, by the Bishop, guardian of the heirs of Sir Robert de Caston.

Robert Daubeneye occurs rector in 1429, and

William Nichol, in 1462.

William Dykson was rector in 1485.

1544, Matthew Parker, and resigned 1547, after Archbishop of Canterbury.

John Robinson rector.

John Hodgson, in 1612.

William Heath died rector of St. Andrew's and St. Edmund's, Birlingham, in 1741, and

George Dowdswell, then presented by Carteret Leaths, Esq.

1751, Isaac Battail. Ditto.

On a monument in the church:

=== Deo Trino, et Uni Sacrum.—Secundum Christi Redemptoris adventum sub hoc tumulo expectat Gregorius Mileham, filius Roberti Mileham de Birlingham, Gener. qui cum ex Anna uxore, charissima filia Willi. Bayspool de Toft, Gener. unum filium filiamq; unam suscepisse pie in Christo obdormivit 8 die Apr. A^o. 1615, Ætatis suæ 64. —Edw Mileham, filius mæstissimus patri optimo et charissimo, officiosæ pietatis et memoriæ ergo hoc monumentum posuit.

In this town of North Birlingham was also the church of St. Peter, a rectory valued at 6 marks; Peter-pence 6d. carvage 2d. the present valor is 5l. and is discharged.

In the 4th of Edward I. Sir Step. de Strumpshale, Knt. and Margery his wife, sold the advowson to the Lord William Bardolf, and Julian his wife, by fine; and the said lord gave it, in the 13th of that King, with 3 acres of land, to the priory of Castleacre, in exchange for the advowson of the church of Westbriggs, in Norfolk; Witnesses, Sir Roger de Toftes, and Sir Richard de Belhouse, Sir John de Dunham, Sir Godfrey de Acra, Knts.

Rectors.

John de Essex occurs rector, in 1287.

1299, Richard of New-Market, presented by the prior, &c. of Castleacre.

1314, Ralph Benne. Ditto.

1343, William de Antingham, by papal provision.

1377, Jeff. le Brun. Ditto.

1377, William Fever, by the prior, &c.

1378, Hugh Tame. Ditto.

1389, Nicholas Young. Ditto.

1390, Phil. Waller. Ditto.

1395, John Fowke. Ditto.

1405, John Beele. Ditto.

William Byshop was rector in 1440, and 1448.

1449, William Den, by the prior, &c.

William Hardingham, rector in 1485.

Robert Talbot occurs rector in 1547.

Edward Slym, rector about 1600.

James Hucks, about 1620.

Robert Fawcet occurs 1695.

1727, Benjamin Paul, on James Dover's resignation, by John Anstis, Esq. Garter King at Arms.

1732, Brydges Thomas. Ditto.

1737, James Downes, by William Tayler, Esq. &c.

1737, John Gogill, by William Blackbourn, Esq. &c.

On the dissolution of Castleacre priory, it was conveyed by the prior to King Henry VIII. in his 29th year; and in the said year, on December 22, granted to the Duke of Norfolk.

Ralph Goodwyn of North Birlingham, buried in 1518, in this church, gives to the repair of it 40s.—Lands in North Birlingham, in the tenure of Richard Gilbert, lately belonging to Westacre priory, granted July 1, to Ed. Spanye, and John Baspole.