North Erpingham Hundred: Metton

METTON

Was a member or beruite to Roger Bigot's manor of Felbrigg, and as such is included in the account of that manor, in Domesday Book. Metun is there said to be 5 furlongs long, 4 furlongs and 6 perches broad, and paid 5d. gelt. (fn. 1)

In the 8th of Richard I. Alexander Poyntell, and Alice his wife, passed by fine, to Robert de Colevile, and Alice his wife, the 3d part of this manor, as her jointure from her former husband, William de Nevill; remainder to Alice Poyntell, her daughter, by the said William. (fn. 2)

Joan de Bovile held half a fee of Roger Bigod Earl of Norfolk, in the reign of Edward I. and in the 14th of Edward I. Joan, late wife of James de Creke, held in jointure, a messuage, 24 acres of land, 6 marks, and 5s. 4d. rent in Metton, Hanworth, and Susted, with the 3d part of the advowson of this church; and 100 acres of land, 30 of wood, 50 of meadow, and pasture, with 116s. 4d. rent, in Dichingham. In the 18th of that King, William, son and heir of Sarah de Pirrow, granted to Robert de Swillington, son of Helewise de Pirrow, 2 parts of this manor, called then Pirrow-Hall, and the 3d part, with the manor of Ditchingham, after the death of Joan, widow of John de Creke; William de Swillington, and Joan de Bovile, held 3 fees and an half in the 35th of the said King, of Roger Earl-Marshal of England. After this, it came to the Latimers.

In the year 1338, Sir Thomas Latymer presented to this church, and in 1349. Sir Thomas Wingfeld, and Margery his wife, convey in the 41st of Edward III. to John Bakepool, parson of Badingham, &c. this lordship and advowson, in trust, when it was settled on them for life; remainder to Robert, son of Sir William Carbonell, Knt. in tail, and was then farmed by Sir Roger Felbrigg, at 10l. per ann. payable on the gule of August, (viz. 1st,) &c. This Margery was daughter and heir of Sir William Bovill, by Mariotta his wife, daughter of Sir Thomas Mosell, and Christian his wife, daughter of Sir William Latimer, which Christian married to her first husband, Sir John Carbonell, Knt.; and Margery married to her 2d husband, Sir Thomas Wingfield.

Sir Robert Carbonell died lord in the 23d of Richard II. and John was found to be his son and heir; Sir John Carbonel's will was proved March 30, 1425: he was lord of this town, Braydeston, Caston, Shipdam, West Tofts, Hapton, Tybenham, Riveshale, and Brisingham in Norfolk; (fn. 3) of Badingham, Saxham's in Badingham, Cretyng, and Dalinghow in Suffolk, and gives this manor for life to Margaret his wife.

Sir Richard Carbonel was lord of Metton Pirnowhall, in the 8th of Henry VI. and dying in that year, John, his son and heir, was aged 2 years, who dying s. p. Sir Robert Wingfield was his heir, as it is said; (fn. 4) but in 1457, Robert Lyston, Esq. presented as lord and heir to the Carbonels. In the church of Belstead Parva, in Suffolk, were the arms of Liston, vert, ten plates, 4, 3, 2, and 1, impaling Carbonel, gules, a cross, argent, in a bordure ingrailed, or. This Robert, by his will, dated September 23, 1478, of Badingham, Esq. gives the profits of this manor, of Pernow-Hall, to Isabel his wife, to maintain John his son, and to raise portions for his daughters, which was proved January 30, 1484. (fn. 5) Isabel, his wife, died seized of it in the 7th of Henry VII. held of the manor of Forncet, and Jane, wife of Robert Thra. Elizabeth, of Leonard Hyde; Mary, of William London, Esq. mayor of Norwich; Thomasine, the wife of John Goldingham, and Margaret, of Edward Rouse, were her daughters and coheirs. John Goldingham, Esq. was lord of Belstead, died in 1518, and was buried with Jane, his first, and Thomasine, his 2d wife, in the said church, with his arms, argent, a bend, wavy, gules, and those of Thomasine Liston, his wife. In the 5th of Henry VIII. William Bond, Esq. and Elizabeth his wife, convey the 5th part of this manor to Roger Townsend, Esq. and so came to Edward Windham, Esq. In the 29th of Henry VIII. Sir Thomas Bedingfeld, Knt. of Oxburgh, and Alice his wife, with Firmine Rookwood, Esq. son and heir apparent of the said Alice, conveyed it to Edmund Wyndham, Esq. of Felbrigg; this Alice was daughter of William London, Esq. aforesaid, and married first, Edmund Rookwood, Esq. of Euston in Suffolk, and to her 3d husband, the Lord Burgh.

In the family of the Windhams it still continues; Ash Windham, Esq. was lord in 1740; and his son and heir, William Windham, Esq. was lord, 1760, and died in 1761, leaving his son and heir a minor.

Bovil bore, quarterly, or, and sable. Latimer, gules, a cross patonce, or, with a label, azure.

Bromhall Manor.

Sir Roger de Hales of Hales Hall in Lodne, Norfolk, was lord in the first of Edward I. and had free warren in the 9th, held of Roger Bigot, the Earl-Marshal.

In the 35th of Edward III. Sir John de Hales, and Catherine his wife, held it; she after married Roger de Walesham; and in the 45th of that King, John de Hales, son of Sir John, conveyed the manor of Bromhall in Metton, to Roger de Welesham and his heirs.

John Sampson, in the 11th of Henry VI. held it (in right of his wife) of Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolk. It after came to the Heydons, and in the 35th of Henry VIII. Christopher Heydon, Esq. son and heir of Sir John Heydon, Thomas Heydon, &c. sold the manor of Hales-Hall, in Metton, with several lands, &c. to Robert Rugge, alderman of Norwich.

I find also the Jenneys to have an interest herein, in the reign of Henry VII.

Alyanore Jenney, widow of Sir William Jenney, by her will, made November 24, 1494, orders masses to be sung for him; mentions her daughter Catherine, wife of Richard Blomvile, and Robert Inglose, Esq. her first husband; appoints her manors of Metton and Rowton, to be sold, and John her son, &c. executor, proved January 9, 1496. In the nave of St. Margaret's, of Over-Westwick church, at Norwich, lies a large gravestone, which had a plate of brass and inscription, of which it has been deprived, but there still remain four shields of arms: first, ermin, a bend, gules, cottised, or. Jenney, impaling, quarterly, in the first and fourth, argent, a cross patonce, gules, between four escallops, sable, Sampson, that being her maiden name, and in the 2d and 3d, a chevron, between three cinquefoils; in the 2d, Sampson, and the —chevron between three cinquefoils quarterly; in the 3d shield, ditto; the 4th, barry of six, argent and azure, on a canton of the first, five billets in saltier, sable, Inglosse. After this, John Heydon, Esq. of Baconsthorpe, was lord, and Christopher Heydon, Esq. with Thomas and Richard Heydon, convey the manor of Hayles Hall in Metton, in the 35th of Henry VIII. to Robert Rugg, Esq. of Norwich.

Thomas Rugge, Esq. was lord in the 15th of James I. and it was conveyed by Rugg, Esq. to Sir Thomas Herne of Heverland; and Clement Herne was lord in 1690. Paston Herne, Esq. was lord, and dying s. p. it descended to Everard Buckworth Herne, Esq. in 1762.

The tenths were 1l. 8s. 0d.

The Church is a rectory, dedicated to St. Andrew. Robert de Creyk was patron in the reign of Edward I. when it was valued at 10 marks, paid Peter-pence, 9d. and the rector had edifices, with 9 acres of land. The present valor is 7l. and is discharged.

Rectors.

In 1338, John Allecherch was instituted, presented by Sir Thomas Lalymer.

1349, John Dorward. Ditto.

1380, Stephen Edward, by Mr. John de Derlyngton, &c.

1392, Henry Elmsale. Ditto.

1399, Robert Clere, by the King, on account of the lands of Sir Robert Carbonel, Knt.

1404, Richard Tyttyng, by Mr. John de Derlyngton, &c.

1405, John Mowe. Ditto.

1418, John Femmote, by John Carbonell, and Margery his wife.

1428, William Roper, by Sir Richard Carbonell.

1429, John Atte Medow.

1457, Stephen Heron, by Robert Liston, Esq.

1504, John Foster, by Andrew Sullyard, and Edward Rous.

1518, William Conam, by Sir Thomas Windham.

1539, Thomas Heyes, by Sir Edmund Windham.

1559, William Rede. Ditto.

1579, John Bartram, by Roger Windham, Esq.; in 1603, he returned 39 communicants.

1721, Robert St. Cleer, by the Bishop.

1728, Jonathan Wrench, by Ash Windham, Esq.

1733, Jonathan Wrench, senior. Ditto.

1738, Timothy Jones. Ash Windham, Esq.

John Alexander, rector, 1760, presented by William Wyndham; Esq. consolidated to Felbrigg. See there.

On a large marble gravestone in the church,

Orate p. a' i' a. Robti Doughty, qui obijt 9 die Maij, 1493, ac p. a' i'a. Matildis uxoris ejus.

Several towns take their name from Met: thus, Mettingham, and Metfield in Suffolk; Meth, in Devonshire; Metham in Yorkshire; Metheringham in Lincolnshire, &c.