Blofield Hundred: Cantley

CANTLEY.

Godric, the Conqueror's steward, took care of this town at the survey, of which Ralph Stalre was deprived, lord in the reign of King Edward, who had 4 carucates, and 3 acres of land, and Alsi held it then under Stalre; 4 villains belonged to it, and 33 bordarers, &c. 4 servi, &c. with 3 carucates in demean, and 8 among the tenants, paunage for 60 swine, 40 acres of meadow, &c. and 400 sheep, and there were 10 socmen, with 60 acres of land, 4 of meadow, and 2 carucates, valued then at 7l. after at 8l. at the survey at 10l. a quitrent, and 10s. as a free gift: it was one leuca long, and one broad, and paid 20d. gelt. (fn. 1)

Nether-Hall, alias Bardolf's Manor.

Ralph Stalre, a Saxon thane, had large possessions and lordships of his own, besides what he held of the abbot of Holm, &c. Soon after the survey it was granted from the Crown to the noble family of De Gournay: Hugh de Gournay, a Norman baron, was a witness to the foundation deed of the abbey of Caen, in Normandy, (fn. 2) in 1084, founded by the Conqueror, (as in Castre,) and Hugh de Gournay was lord in this town in the 7th of Richard I. Julian, daughter and heir of the Lord Hugh de Gournay, brought it by marriage to William Lord Bardolf of Wirmegay, who in her right was lord in the 38th of Henry III. and had then a grant of free warren.

In the 3d of Edward I. the Lord Bardolf had the lete, view of frankpledge, the assise, &c. and in the 12th of that King, a charter for an annual fair, on the eve, the day, and morrow of the feast of St. Margaret the Virgin, July 28.—Thomas Lord Bardolf being attainted and executed for his rebellion in the reign of Henry IV. Sir William his brother held this, but not his barony of Wirmegay.—It came after to William Lord Beaumont, and on the death of William Lord Viscount Beaumont in 1507, to the Crown.—King Henry VIII. on July 5, in his 6th year, granted it to Sir William Arundel Lord Matravers, and Anne his wife, with the manors of Stow-Bardolf, Strumpshagh, and Scroteby; Henry, son and heir of William Earl of Arundel, (who died in the 35th of that King) had livery of it, who conveyed it to the Crown, and in the 3d and 4th of Philip and Mary, on January 2, in the said year, this lordship was given to Thomas Gawdy, Esq. who presented to this church in 1564. Sir Thomas Gawdy, Knt. judge of the Common Pleas, died seized of it, in the 30th of Elizabeth; and Henry was his son and heir, afterwards Knt. of the Bath; in 1650, Thomas Gawdy, Esq. was lord, and presented; but in 1663, Sir Thomas Rant; and Sir William Rant in 1690, and 1703. After this it came to the Harbords, and Harbord Harbord, Esq. was lord and patron in 1720, and Sir William Harbord, Bart. is the present lord, &c.

The tenths were 6l.—Deducted 2l.

Uphall Manor

Took its rise from the grant of Hugh de Gourney, (capital lord of the town,) of 3 carucates of land, 18 marks, 11s. 8d. in land and rent, to Roger Botetourt; also of 15s. rent, which Hugh gave him, here and in Castre, which he held of Hugh in the 13th of Henry III.

Sir Guy de Botetourt had the assise in the 3d of Edward I. and held it of the Lord Bardolf as part of the honour of Gournay; and in the 33d Sir Guy settled it on his son William; in the 12th of Edward II. it was settled on William de Botetort, and Maud his wife, in tail.

John, son and heir of Thomas Boteturt, was living in the 2d of Edward III. and John, son and heir of Sir John de Boteturt, was lord in the 40th of Edward III.

In the 2d of Henry IV. Sir Hugh Burnel and Jocosa his wife, by their feoffees, settled this manor, with those of Upton, in Norfolk, Werley-Castle, Northfield, Crandley, and Old Swinford, in Worcestershire, Honworth, Clent, Mere, and Bebington, in Staffordshire, Bordesley, and Aston, in Warwickshire, and Wokton, in Bucks, on their trustee, John Rome, clerk, many of which lordships came to Thomas de Boteturt, by the marriage of Joan, sister and coheir of John Lord Somery, and so to her son, Sir John; but his son, John Botetourt, leaving only a daughter and heir, Jocosa, she brought them by marriage to Sir Hugh Burnel. John Rome, their trustee, in the aforesaid year, conveyed this lordship and that of Upton, to Sir Thomas Erpingham. Margaret, the other sister of Jocosa, and coheir of John Lord Somery of Dudley, married John de Sutton, and was Lord Dudley.

In the 12th of Henry VI. Nicholas Wichingham died lord, and left William, his son and heir by Alice his first wife, and by Joan his second, Edmund Wichingham of Woodrising, who by Alice his wife, daughter and heir of John Fastolf of Fishley had 4 daughters and coheirs; Amy, married to Sir Richard Southwell, Esq. in whose right he was lord of the town; and Frances, married to Sir William Mull of Harscomb, in Gloucestershire, who in the 16th of Edward IV. conveyed this manor of Uphall, to Richard Southwell, Esq.

In the 37th of Henry VIII. Sir Richard Southwell conveyed it to John Godsalve, Esq. with 6 messuages, 10 cottages, 100 acres of land, 40 of meadow; and Sir John Godsalve died possessed of it, in the 3d and 4th of Philip and Mary. After this it was in the Stedes; William Stede had livery of it about the 24th of Elizabeth.

The Church is a rectory dedicated to St. Margaret, and was valued at 30 marks: Peter-pence 20d. carvage 4d. ob.; the present valor is 14l. and pays first fruits, &c.

Rectors.

Stephen de White occurs rector in 1270.

1299, William Bardolf instituted, presented by Hugh Lord Bardolf.

1306, William de Corby, by the lady Isabel Bardolf, in right of dower.

1310, William Avenel. Ditto.

1328, Thomas de Cailly, by Sir Thomas Bardolf.

1350, William de Bergh, by Sir John Bardolf, lord of Wirmegay.

1372, William de Humberston, by Sir William Bardolf, lord.

1373, Peter de Blithe. Ditto.

1391, Peter Whyten, by Sir Thomas Mortimer.

1398, William Gilten, by the King.

1398, John Cartere. Ditto.

1406, John Dowes, by Sir William Bardolf, Knt. on the King's grant, by the forfeiture of Thomas, late Lord Bardolf.

1437, Thomas Muriel, by Sir William Phelip, in right of Joan his wife, daughter of Thomas Lord Bardolf.

1465, John Smith, by Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury.

1477, And. Jenney, by Sir William Knyvet, and Joan, daughter of of Hump. Duke of Bucks.

1507, William Pratt, by the assigns of John Earl of Oxford.

In the 34th of Henry VIII. the next presentation was granted to Thomas Raylton, clerk, and Richard Jewel, by William Earl of Arundel.

1550, John Barret, S. T. P. by Henry Earl of Arundel.

1554, Greg. Madyse. Ditto.

1564, William Johnson, by Thomas Gawdy, Esq.

1584, William Philips, by Sir Thomas Gawdy.

1603, Samuel Bramall, by Henry Gawdy, Esq.

1639, Daniel Chapman, by George Gawdy, Esq.

1650, Henry Gawdy, by Thomas Gawdy, Esq.

1663, Bernard Skelton, by Sir Thomas Rant.

1690, Jer. Ward, by Sir William Rant.

1695, Michael Hart. Ditto.

1703, Thomas Marlyn.

1720, John Welham, by Harb. Harbord, Esq.

1726, Christ. Pigg, by Harb. Harbord, Esq.

1736, Thomas Morden. Ditto.

In this church was the guild of St. Margaret, St. Mary's, and St. Margaret's lights.