STANFORD
Takes takes its name from the stony ford over the river that runs
through the town: at the survey, we find it in the hands of many of
the Conqueror's followers, but the most considerable part was held
by Roger, son of Renard, and was that part or lordship which Alstan,
a Saxon, held, in the reign of the Confessor, and that was two carucates of land, 8 acres of meadow, one mill, and the moiety of another;
the whole was valued at 60s. per annum. (fn. 1) In the same village also,
Roger held two carucates, and 36 acres of land, and four of meadow,
valued at 20s. per annum, which he claimed by the gift of the King;
the whole was one league long, and half a league in breadth, and paid
15d. gelt. (fn. 2) when the hundred was taxed at 20s. And of these freemen, the King and the Earl of Norfolk had the soc.
Mortimer's Manor.
The lordship held by Roger came soon after into the hands of the
Earl Warren, who had large possessions in this hundred, and was held
of him by the ancient family of Mortimer of Atleburgh; Sir Robert
de Mortimer was lord in the reign of Henry II. and in 1218, Sir William de Mortimer (fn. 3) held here and in Bukenham-Parva, half a knight's
fee, of the Earl Warren, and the Earl of the King; his grandson, Sir
William, had, 11th Edward I. the grant of a weekly market here on
Tuesday, and a fair for three days, viz. on the eve, the day, and
morrow of Whit-Sunday yearly. (fn. 4) John de Thorp seems to have held
it 9th Edward II. under the Mortimers, (fn. 5) and was returned then as
lord; and 20th Edward III. Sir Constantine de Mortimer was found
to hold half a fee here of the Earl Warren, late held by John de
Thorp.
On the division of the estate of the Mortimers, this township came
to Cecily, daughter and coheir of Sir Thomas Mortimer, then the
wife of Sir John Herling; (fn. 6) and on her decease, it descended to her
son, Sir John Herling, who left one daughter and heir, Ann, the wife
of Sir William Chamberlain, Knight of the Garter, who enjoyed it.
This Anne had to her second husband Sir Robert Wingfield, Comptroller of the Household to Edward IV. who died seized of it in right
of his wife. In this family it remained till Sir Anthony Wingfield,
Knight of the Garter in Edward the Sixth's time, conveyed it to
Nicholas Bacon, (fn. 7) Esq. (afterwards Lord Keeper) with other lands in
West-Tofts, Bukenham-Parva, and Sturston. After this, it was enjoyed by Edw. Coke, Esq. who was lord here 40th Elizabeth, (fn. 8) and
then by John Barker, Esq. of the Ipswich family, and thence it came
to the Pentneys.
Pentney, Esq. being the present [1738] lord.
Langetot's Manor.
Besides this capital manor of the Mortimers, of the fee of Roger
son of Renard, there was also another lordship belonging to the same
fee, held of the Mortimers; for in Henry the Third's time, John
Langetot was found to hold here, and in Bukenham-Parva, half a
quarter of a fee of Sir Robert Mortimer, (fn. 9) and he of the Earl Warren;
and 34th Edward I. Nicholas de Langetot, and Margery his wife, held
the same. But 20th Edward III. Sir John de Hederset, Jeffry de
Hall, and their tenants, held here, and in Bukenham-Parva, half a
quarter of a fee of Sir Robert de Mortimer, and he of the Earl
Warren. By the inquisitions taken in 3d Henry IV. Richard Gegge,
Edmund Hall, and their tenants, were found to hold the same; and
by Margaret, daughter and heir of Gegge, it came by marriage to
John Austeyn, Esq. who conveyed it, 21st Edward IV. (fn. 10) to Sir Robert
Wingfield, lord of the manor of Mortimers, with which it continues
united at this time [1738.]
Mondford's Fee
Was the next considerable lordship in this town, and was at the survey enjoyed by Hugh de Montfort, and had one carucate of land in
demean, and two acres of meadow, held by a freeman, valued at 20s.
per annum, but the lord before Hugh had only his protection, and the
King had the soc. (fn. 11)
Stanford's Manor.
This fee divided into two moieties, one of which was enjoyed by
Nigell de Stanford, and William de Bukenham, in the reign of King
Richard I.; and 52d Henry II. by Cecilia, daughter of Alexander de
Stanford, in which year William Gernun released to her by fine 40
acres of land, 10d. rent, and the liberty of a fold-course on her lands
here, and in Bodney. In 1300, Hubert Hacon was lord; and 9th and
17th Edward II. Margery, relict of Roger Cosyn of Elingham-Magna,
held it of Thomas de Caily; (fn. 12) but 20th Edward III. Sir John de Hederset, Edm. Hall, &c. held it by half a quarter of a fee of Adam de
Clifton, and he of Richard de Belhouse, and Richard of the King;
and 3d Edward IV. Richard Gegge, and Edmund Hall, of BukenhamParva, held it of John Rands, alias Reymes, Lord of Bodney, and he
of the King; and by the marriage of Margaret, daughter and heir of
Gegge, it came to John Austeyn, Esq. who conveyed it to Sir Robert
Wingfield, and from that family it came to Sir Nicholas Bacon, and
so to Sir Edward Coke; and about the reign of King Charles I. was
sold to Thomas Garard, Esq. and his descendant, Sir Nicholas Garard,
Bart. of Langford, died seized of it in 1727, and it is now [1738] held
by his widow.
Ufford's or Campsey Manor.
The other moiety of Monfort's fee was held in the beginning of the
reign of Henry III. by Richard de Burfeld, by the 6th part of a fee,
of the honour of Hagenet; (fn. 13) and after this by Elen le Ward, Alexander
Gizon, Rich. Hemmisbye, &c. who held here, and in BukenhamParva, a quarter of a fee of Adam Cayly, and he of Thomas Bellhouse, and Thomas of the King. In 20th Edward III. Sir Edmund
de Ufford, James de Whitwell, and Alex. Doleman, were found to
hold half a quarter of a fee of Adam de Clifton, and Adam of Rich.
de Belhouse; but 3d Henry IV. it was in the monastery of Campsey
in Suffolk, given to that house, most likely, by Rob. de Ufford Earl
of Suffolk, for the Prioress was then found to hold half a quarter of
a fee in this town, late Rob. de Ufford's, and others, held of John
Reymes, as of his manor of Bodney. On the dissolution of the
priory of Campsey, it came to the Crown, and was given by King
Henry VIII. together with the manor of Tottington, in the 31st year
of his reign, on 9th Dec. to Sir Rob. Southwell; (fn. 14) and 16th May,
40th Elizabeth, was purchased by Sir Edw. Coke, of Sir Robert
Southwell; and in the reign of King Charles I. was sold to Thomas
Garard, Esq. and Sir Nicholas Garard, Bart. died seized of it in
1727, whose lady now [1738] enjoys it, it being joined to Stanford's
manor, and so all Mondford's fee is reunited.
Roger Bigot had also at the survey 60 acres of land and two of
meadow, held by a freeman in the time of the Confessor, and Stanard
held it of Roger, and it was valued at 2s. 8d. per annum. (fn. 15)
This was afterwards held by Walter Gyzun, 11th Edward II. and
20th Edward III. by William, son of Stephen Gezun; and in 3d
Henry IV. by William Gesun. After this I meet with no account of
it, it being united to some of the other lordships.
William Bishop of Thetford had lands belonging to his fee, viz.
60 acres of land, and two of meadow, which a freeman held of him,
valued at 6s. 6d. per annum. (fn. 16) This was land belonging to his lordship and town of Tofts, which extended into this place, of which we
shall treat under Tofts.
Rainald, son of Ivo, had also at the survey 14 acres of land, which
two freemen held in the Confessor, Wihenoc had them delivered to
him, but Ralph now enjoys them; this was valued at 2s. 8d. per
annum. (fn. 17) The lands which Ralph, son of Ivo, held, came afterwards
to the Earls of Gloucester and Clare, and this part was annexed very
early to some of the other lordships, no account of it being found on
any records that I have met with.
The tenths of this town were 5l. 10s. 6d.
The leet is in the lord of the hundred.
The road from Bury and Thetford to Swaffham and Walsingham
lies through this village: a modern author (fn. 18) asserts that travellers find
here one good inn, but this may be found, by sad experience, to be a
mistake.
The Church is dedicated to All-Saints, and is built of brick, &c.;
it has been a regular and neat pile, consisting of a nave, north and
south isles, and a chancel, but is now in a very sordid and ruinous condition, both church and chancel being for the most part unpaved,
the timber of the roof greatly decayed, several good windows or lights
worked up, and by no means kept as becomes a place dedicated to the
service of God. (fn. 19)
The nave is in length about 34 feet, and in breadth, including both
the isles, about 50, and is covered with lead, as both the isles formerly
were, of which they were stripped some years past by the churchwardens, &c. and at present the south isle is covered with tile, and
the north with reed. These isles seem to have been additions to the
body of the church, erected by some pious persons, as chapels or
chantries. (fn. 20) The chancel is in length about 30 feet, and in breadth
about 20; both on the south and north side of it there have been
chapels annexed, or other buildings, as appears from the ruinous
heaps of stones which still remain.
At the west end of the nave stands a tower of flint, round as high
as the roof of the nave, and from thence octangular, in which hang
three bells, one of which is broke.
Here were anciently in this church, the arms of the
Earls of Clare.
Beauchamp Earl of Warwick.
Mortimer of Atleburgh.
England, and of Fitz-John, who bore quaterly or and gul. a
border vairy az. and arg. (fn. 21)
Rectors.
Henry III. Rob. de Grenewesvill. Robert de Mortimer.
Robert de Thorp occurs rector in the beginning of Edward I. (fn. 22)
14th Edw. I. Roger de Hales, rector; this year Sir William de
Mortimer sued the Prior of Shouldham for the presentation of this
church, and having recovered it, granted it to Benedict Prior, and
the Convent of Shouldham; and on the 21st April, 1301, it was appropriated, and the endowment of a vicarage was left to the Bishop
of Norwich, and his successour, to take place on the death of the present rector Hales. But before this it appears that the Prior and
Convent of Castle-Acre had two parts of the tithes of the demeans of
Sir Rob. de Mortimer, confirmed to them by Simon Bishop of Norwich,
and we find in 1428, the Prior charged for them at 15s.
Vicars
Were nominated by the Bishop of Norwich to the Prior of Shouldham,
who presented them.
1301, 3 Octob. John de Reynham.
1342, William de Osberston.
John de Brockford.
1352, 22 June, William Kerr, on the death of Brockford.
1372, 20 April, Adam de Aldeby.
1401, 24 May, Godfrey de Ilsyngton.
1409, 20 May, John Ivynge, on the resignation of Ilsyngton.
1416, 1 July, Peter Feld, on the resignation of Ivynge; he had the
church of Sapeston, and exchanged with Ivynge.
1418, 29 July, Henry Boold, on the resignation of Feld; he was
vicar of Yakesle in Suffolk, and exchanged with Feld.
1419, 16 Jan. John Balls, on the resignation of Boold; he was
vicar of Beding field in Suffolk, and exchanged with Boold John Boor. (fn. 23)
1446, 23 July, Rob. Lakyngheath, on the resignation of Boor.
Rob. Gogeon.
1479, 21 Oct. John Parker, on the death of Gogeon.
1492, 4 May, John Baldewyn. Collated by the Bishop.
1497, 22 Nov. Jeffery Warner, on the resignation of Baldewyn.
1515, 8 Feb. William Lupton, on the resignation of Warner; the
last presented by the Prior.
1563, 22 Sept. Rich. Wingfield, on the death of the last vicar. The
Queen.
1587, 22 April, Roger Jeffrey, on the resignation of the last vicar. (fn. 24)
The Queen. In his reply to King James's queries in 1603, he
observes that there were 76 communicants.
1628, 26 June, John Shelton, on the death of Jeffrey. The King,
in the vacancy of the see of Ely.
1634, 2 June, William Grave, A. M. on the cession of the last
vicar. Henry Hutchenson of London this turn by grant of the
Bishop of Ely.
Thomas Lambert. Bishop of Ely.
1662, 17 Dec. William Mundford, A. M. on the death of Lambert.
The Bishop of Ely.
1678, 9 May, William Constable, A. B. on the death of the last
vicar. The King.
1690, 27 June, Thomas Roberts. The King, by lapse.
1702, 29 August, Samuel Rudland, on the cession of Roberts. The
Bishop of Ely.
1718, 28 Octob. William Tanner, on the death of Rudland. The
Bishop of Ely. He was vicar of Girston, and now rector of Reddenhall and Topcroft.
1723, 16 Nov. William Henman, A. M. on the resignation of
Tanner. The King. He was rector of Cressingham-Magna.
1730, 16 March, The Rev. Mr. John Edgerly, A. B. collated by
the Bishop of Norwich, by lapse, the Bishop of Ely is patron.
This vicarage is valued in the King's Books at 5l. 13s. 1d. ob. and
is discharged, being returned of the clear yearly value of 18l. per
annum.