Hundred of South Erpingham: Scothowe

An Essay Towards A Topographical History of the County of Norfolk: Volume 6. Originally published by W Miller, London, 1807.

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'Hundred of South Erpingham: Scothowe', in An Essay Towards A Topographical History of the County of Norfolk: Volume 6, (London, 1807) pp. 340-349. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/topographical-hist-norfolk/vol6/pp340-349 [accessed 19 March 2024]

In this section

SCOTHOWE

Signifies the lot or portion on the hill, and such is the situation of this village; did, as the Register of Holm abbey informs us, before the Confessor's time, belong to Ulfwin or Alfwin, a Saxon nobleman, who gave it to that abbey, where it remained at the Confessor's survey, and was one of the manors appropriated for the monks maintenance; (fn. 1) there was then 3 carucates of land, 2 in demean, and one among the tenants; the church had 14 acres of glebe, and the manor was annually worth 40s. but was raised at the Conqueror's survey to 3l. and then this village was a mile long, and half a mile and 20 perches broad, and paid 16d. to the geld, towards every 20s. raised on the hundred.

The principal manor then belonged to the abbot, but there was another, held of him by Ralf de Beaufoe, (fn. 2) and a third by Ketel, a Dane, in the Confessor's time, and by Rainald Fitz-Ivo in the Conqueror's; (fn. 3) and besides these, Alan Earl of Richmond had a freeman here; (fn. 4) and there was another part, which belonged to the King's manor of Aylesham, till after 1274. (fn. 5)

Scothowe Manor

Had the moiety of the advowson belonging to it, and the lords always presented a rector to the mediety of the church, till 1231, when Michael de Ringesfield had it, and at his death, before 1266, it was united to the other mediety with the manor, which was infeoffed in the family sirnamed of the town, and was held of the Abbot in 1120 by Jeffry de Scothowe, who had two brothers, Peter, who died without issue, and Richard, who was also lord and patron; his eldest son, Ralf de Scothowe, died issueless, and Peter his brother had it, whose son, John de Scothowe, in 1279, sold the whole to Bartholomew de Redham, who had the other manor, called

Beaufoe's,

From Ralf de Beaufoe, its lord; this descended with the other moiety of the advowson to Osbern, ancestor of Bartholomew de Redham, whose son, Stephen de Redham, had it, and Bartholomew, son of Stephen, joined the other manor to it; Stephen was lord in 1239, and also in 1249, when there was a contest between him and the Abbot, who required more customs for his fee held of him, than were ever demanded before; but this matter was settled, it being agreed that Stephen should pay to the convent 50s. per annum, and 50 quarters of good barley by the stricken bushel, for all his fee of this manor in Scothowe, Lammese, and Riston; this barley he was annually to send to the abbey with eight men and two carriages, the Abbot finding them their dinner that day: and he was to hold his land in Redham at a quarter of a knight's fee, and pay half a mark of silver for his land in Norton, as Holm Register informs me at fo. 86, 7; and no sooner was this finished, but a new suit arose about the advowson of the (mediety) of the church, which belonged to this manor in Henry the First's time, and was given by Osbern de Redham, and confirmed by that King to the abbey, which had got it appropriated, by Thomas Bishop of Norwich in 1231, at the death of the rector then upon it; but that never took effect, for Stephen recovered it wholly, and set aside the impropriation, all but the tithes of those his own demeans, called Westfield, which extended from the hall, or manor-house of Sir Hugh de Meliers; he was succeeded by Sir Bartholomew de Redham, Knt. his son and heir, who joined the former manor and advowson to it in 1279, and so the two medieties united, and it was found that the manor was formerly held in capite, but now was held of the Abbot in mesualty, the Abbot holding it in the mesue, as part of his barony. In 1291 an agreement was made between Sir Bartholomew and Sir Hugh Peverel of Melton, Knt. and John son and heir of Sir Hugh, who was to marry Joan, daughter of Sir Bartholomew, (fn. 6) and so had settled on them and their heirs, all this manor-house at Scothowe, with all the adjoining demeans, and the whole advowson of the church of All-Saints in Scothowe, and the moiety of the whole manor; after the death of Sir Bartholomew, the advowson and moiety went to the said John and Joan, and they presented in 1312; and in 1316, Joan, being then a widow, held it, and in 1327 Sir Hugh Peverel, Knt. her son, had it, and sold it to Richard de Bittering, citizen of Norwich.

The moiety of the other moiety, it seems, came to Catherine (fn. 7) wife of John de Newton of Scothowe, and contained a carucate of land, and descended to William de Newton their heir, and after to Stephen de Newton, who was convicted of felony, and so the Abbot seized, and it ever after remained in that house to its dissolution.

The other moiety went to Thomas de Framlingham in right of Agnes his wife, whose trustees, Ralf Urry, parson of Thugarton, and Nicholas Ridell of Rackhithe, sold it to the Abbot, who in 1363 had purchased the manor, and obtained a release of all right in the advowson, from Thomas de Bittering, and so the whole came into the Abbot's hands, and with that abbey, went to the see of Norwich, of which it is now held by lease, by Davy Durrant, Esq. the present lord; he having the several manors of

Fenhall, Aubries, Stubbes, and Gurnays, (fn. 8)

In Scothowe, united in him, of which manors I find as follows:

The manor which belonged to Rainald Fitz-Ivo descended to Hugh de Meliers, who lived in King John's time, and when one of his sons became a monk in St. Benet's abbey, Alice de Meliers, widow of Hugh, gave two parts of the tithes of her demeans here to that house; in 1249, Sir Hugh de Meliers their son was lord, and after him Richer de Milliers; in 1285, Gervase de Lammas sued Simon son of Simon de Parva Riston for it, but it appeared that Simon son of Thomas de Parva Riston had the best right, to whom in 1288 Mabel, late wife of Jeffry de Reymerstone, released all her right; but in this record he is called Simon son of Thomas le Paunier of Parva Riston; it then contained 13 messuages and above 50 acres demeans; it was soon after divided into three parts, which constituted the three several small manors, called afterward by the names of their several lords, and the whole of this manor was held of Dover castle.

William de Colney had one part or manor, conveyed to him by John de Whinburgh, which extended into Brampton, Lammas, and Buxton; in 1288, he held it at three parts of a fee of Bartholomew de Antringham, and he of Dover castle; this William, in 1293, settled lands on Ralf de Houton and Joan his wife; and in 1312, his son Ralf, who passed by the name of Sir Ralf Malherbe (see vol. v. p. 5.) settled it on himself and Alice his wife and their heirs, Roger de Bourne and William de Scothowe (fn. 9) being trustees; it then contained 19 messuages, 1 mill, 240 acres of land, 13 acres of meadow, 6 of marsh, and 4l, 7s. 6d. rents, in Scottow, Lammas, Westwick, Swathfield, Worsted, Buxton, Brampton, Hevingham, Stratton, Sloley, and Windham. In 1345 another William de Colney had it, and afterwards Richard Poynings, son of Nicholas, then Sir Robert de Berney Knt.; and in 1401 William Thurton owned it, in right of his wife; and in 1571 Charles Cornwallis, Esq. was lord, and in 1598 Anthony Flowerdew and Martha his wife.

Stubbes Manor.

Another part belonged to Roger de Norfolk, and in 1314 Ralf son of Ralf son of Nicholas de Felmingham and Margaret his wife, and John Norke of Worthstede and Alice his wife, who were coheirs, had it; and in 1349 William son of Reginald de Worthstede, who with Margaret his wife in 1374 conveyed it to Alice de Bumpstede and Robert de Runhale, parson of St. Lawrence in Norwich; and in 1379 Bartholomew Appleyard and Henry Lumner, citizens of Norwich, were concerned in it.

It afterwards came to the Stubbes, of which family John Stubbes of Scothowe and Laxfield in Suffolk, in 1460, was buried in the Friars-preachers church at Norwich, and left his wife Margaret, and daughter Catherine, legacies, and the manor to John his son, who was buried in the chancel here; for in 1505 Hawise his widow was buried here by her husband's tomb, and ordered a mass for them for 30 years, and a marble tomb for herself, and gave a legacy to her son Edmund, then in orders; John Stubb their son inherited, and was buried by them in 1525; he gave legacies to Walter Stubb his brother, Audry Stubbe of Buxton, his sister, &c. and left Andrew his son and heir, who in 1534 sold it to Thomas Marsham, Gent. and in 1572 Sir Thomas Knevet, Knt. had it.

Aubries Manor.

Egidia, widow of Nicholas de Dorcete, sold it to Jeffrey Papelyn and Alice his wife, in Edward the First's time, when it contained 7 messuages, &c. in Scothowe and Lammas, and it afterwards belonged to the Aubreys, and was in the Stubbes, and in 1537 was sold by Etheldred, widow of Andrew Stubbe, to Thomas and William Wodehouse, and Anne his wife. In 1612, John Shardelowe, Gent. sold it to Richard Ross and Thomas Fidell, Gents.

Fenhall Manor

Was originally part of Buxton manor, and always passed with it, till parted by William Marshall, who granted it as a separate manor to the Le Grooses; and Roger le Groos had it, and after him, in 1282, Reginald le Groos, who held it at one fee, as of Buxton manor, and that of the manor of Hockering; and it then extended into Lammas, Sloley, and East Tudenham; in 1345 John le Gros held it of Robert de Morley, it being lately Petronilla or Parnel le Groos's. In 1401, Oliver Groos held it of Robert de Morley, at a quarter of a fee, as parcel of his barony of Rhye.

In 1472, Robert Elmham of Northwalsham, Esq. (fn. 10) gave this manor of Fenhall in Scothow to Joan his wife for life. In 1476, Robert Ellingham of Northwalsham died seized of Fenhall manor, and a tenement and lands in Scothowe, called Leams or Lemens, held of Buxton manor; in 1543, Margaret Willoughbie, widow, daughter, as I take it, of Elmham, held Leams and Fenhall, and Katherine Heydon was her cousin and heiress; Catherine died seized in 1566. John Stanley, Esq. in 1577 sold to Robert Balle, Gent. and his heirs, Fenhall alias Heydons, alias Dockyngs, alias Bockings manor in Scothowe, and many adjoining towns, all which John warranted. against the heirs of Sir Robert Bell, Knt. deceased, and the heirs of John Bocking alias Docking, decased, and the heirs of Robert Elmham deceased, and Edward Duke, Esq. and George Duke released to him. The father of this Robert was John Balle, Gent. of Scothowe, who had a lease of Scothowe manor from Bishop Hopton, for 99 years, at 19l. 4s. 11d. ob. rent, the lessee to have the lordship, rents, fines, and perquisites of courts, &c. In 1572 Robert Balle sold the whole to Robert Gibson, who bought Gurnays (or Berneys) of Flowerdewe, and Stubbes of Sir Thomas Knevet.

The Church is dedicated to all the Saints, was valued at 40 marks; here were 3 gilds, one of our Lady, one of the Holy-cross, and another of the Holy-Ghost, and there were the lights of the holy sepulchre, St. Catherine, St. Margaret, and All-Saints, the ploughlight of Barnswood, and the ploughligth of Fengate, and the light of St. Thomas.

It is in the deanery of Ingworth, and in the liberty of the dutchy of Lancaster. It paid 8l. 13s. 4d. to every tenth, but had a deduction of 20s. on account of the revenues of the religious here; it is assessed at 628l. 2s. 6d. to the land-tax, and pays 11s. to every 300l. levy of the county rates; it paid 7s. 7d. ob. procurations, and 2s. ob. synodals, and 12d. qr. Peter-pence; in the Revision of the Archdeaconry of Nor wich, the procurations are said to be paid by the Bishop asimpropriator, and that the Bishop ought to pay yearly to the vicar, an annual pension of 4l. 13s. 4d. which was then paid by the farmer of the rectory, according to his lease: there was then no vicarage-house. In the last Valor, the synodals stand at 2s. and procurations at 2s. 6d and being sworn of the clear yearly value of 35l. it is discharged or first fruits and tenths, and is capable of agumentation; the Bishop or Norwich is patron, and the value in the King's Book is 8l. 13s. 6d. ob. Here were anciently two rectors.

Rectors of Scothowe.

1231, Michael de Ringesfield, and R. de Windestone, were rectors of the two medieties, which were perpetually united at their deaths, and so it became one rectory.

1266, Thomas.

1312, Remigius de Hedersete was presented by John Peverel and Joan his wife.

1313, Thomas de Framlingham and Agnes his wife, William de Newton and Margaret his wife, released all their rights in the advowson to John and Joan Peverel

1316, William Wymer. Joan Peverel, widow.

1326, Nicholas de Quypstede, chaplain, was admitted coadjutor to William Wymer, rector, who was decrepid and old, and unable to serve.

1327, John Peverel, clerk. Sir Hugh Peverel Knt. He resigned in

1333, to Hugh Wykeman of Hetherset, (Ditto,) and he the same year to

John Peverel, who took it again, and died the last rector of this church in 1348.

1335, John, abbot of Holm, who brought the King's writ against Thomas de Morley, and others, concerning this advowson.

1338, the monks of Holm petitioned Anthony Bishop of Norwich, for license to appropriate the church of Northwalsham, setting forth that the lay power had taken from them the church of Scothowe, which Thomas Bishop of Norwich had appropriated to them, it being worth 100 marks a year. In

1348, the convent had so managed, that they had got releases of this advowson from all parties, and the appropriation renewed; a vicarage of 40 marks value was to be endowed, the Bishop being to nominate the vicars to the Abbot, who was to present them in three days, otherwise the Bishop was to institute in his own right; a pension of 40s. per annum was reserved to the Bishop, and another of 5s. a year to Norwich sacrist, in right of the cathedral, and the abbot was to be taxed for the rectory at 25 marks, and the vicar for the vicarage at 15 marks; but the unreasonable monks were not satisfied with this appropriation, but in 1350 procured another assignation of the vicarage, by which the vicar was to have 20 pounds sterling the first five years, and then 40 marks every year, paid clear by the monks, who now retained the whole rectory and vicarage, except the rectoryhouse, and 6 acres of arable land belonging to it, which being a commonable messuage, the right of commonage was to belong to the vicar, and thus the abbey was to discharge the vicar of all manner of duty, by finding a parochial chaplain to do it, and to allow that chaplain all the offerings, and what came from the altar; all outgoing charges whatever were to be paid, two parts by the abbot, and onethird by the vicar.—But notwithstanding this, the vicar had power reserved, if he liked it best, to take all the small tithes, and a pension of 28 marks a year; but then, the vicar was obliged to serve half the cure, with the abbot's chaplain, and the abbot also was allowed power to choose which of these two ways he pleased. (Lib. Instit. IV. where the appropriations are entered.)

Vicars

NOMINATED BY THE BISHOPS, AND PRESENTED BY THE ABBOTS.

1348, William de Berney, the first vicar.

1349, Roger de Sweynsthorp.

1355, Sir Henry de Blacktoft. R.; he exchanged for Frettenham in

1358, with John de Cressingham, who, in

1365, changed a prehend in the Chapel in the Fields at Norwich, with

Rob. Selyde.

1401, Peter Lyng.

1403, Robert Brown of Bury.

1421, Barthol. Colet, changed for Felthorp, in 1422 with

Will. Smith, who was buried in the churchyard in 1437.

1438, Tho. Dannard, buried in the chancel in 1462

1462, Edmund Oldcorn, rector.

1473, Sir Robert King, priest.

1479, John Barber. O.

1479, John Langele.

Robert Blesly, O.

1482, William Lyghton, res.

1482, Thomas Williamson, O.

1504, William Haram alias Barker.

1554, Haimo Chaunt, ob. collated by the Bishop in full right

1559, Adam Barker.

1560, Thomas Carre, resigned.

1563, Simon Bullock, resigned.

1568, Richard Bourne.

1574, Richard Cowper.

1588, George Aynsworth.

1638, Robert le Neve; he was sequestered, (Walker, part II. fo. 296,) but lived to be restored, and died possessed of it, with Whinburgh.

1676, Thomas Curtis, O.

1698, John Booty. (fn. 11)

The Rev. Mr. William Lubbock, B. D. on the resignation of Mr. Hays, was collated by the Lord Bishop of Norwich, and now holds it united to Lammas with Hautbois Parva.

In 1285, Nicholas le Spicer and Ida his wife gave lands here and in Westwyk, to Holm abbey.

In 1392, John Clarke and others conveyed to that house, a messuage and land here, so that for this and other temporals, the convent was taxed at 14l. 15s. 8d. ob. per annum; the prior of Hickling's temporal rents here were 4s. and those of the prior of St. Faith's 19s. 2d.; and in 1378 Sir Roger Bois, Knt. and others, conveyed, to the prior of the Holy Trinity at Ingham, a messuage and 88 acres here and in Worstede.

In 1505, Harvey Stubbe and his wife were buried under a marble in the chancel.

In 1469, William Hynde, buried by the font, gave a mass-book of 10l. value, and a pair of gilt candlesticks of 5 marks value; he founded a priest here to sing for him, his father and mother, Laurence and William Gerard, and Henry Hynde, and purchased land of Robert Etmham, Esq. to find a priest in Little Hautbois church, to sing and pray for them once a week.

Cut on a staircase, on the outside of the south isle, on a stone,

Corpus Putrescens, Sanum Vivens, Ad Cæum transiens, In Deum credens, Salutem Æternam.

Qualis Fui, nunquam Ero, Qualis Sum, Eris tu, Vigens Fui, modo Sum, Pulvis, Cinis, Sic et Tu.

Hoogan mors rapuit, Succumbunt omnia Fato, Musarum Fautor, Qui est Philomusus, erat; Hic jacet in Tumulo - - - - - - - -

There are these inscriptions in the windows,

Orate pro bono Statu Willi' Smyth et Barkar Sancti Maria Magdalena precibus tuis nos adiuba.

On a brass plate,

Hic iacet Dominus Wetherley, Eapellanus cuius, tc.

There are the arms of St. Lowe, Fastolf, and White, in the windows.

A stone with Blake's arms is thus inscribed,

Hic jacet Margareta, Uxor Roberti Blake Generosi, quæ mortem obijt, Maij Die octavo Anno Salutis 1724, Æt. Suæ 70.

On a black marble at the altar, a chevron between three fishes.

Hic depositæ requiescunt Exuviæ Henrici Brougham A. M. nuper Collegij Reginalis Oxon' Filij natû minoris, defuncti sui Patris Danielis Brougham, Generosi, aliquando de Firbank in Comitatû Westmoriensi, obijt xxv Mensis Augusti A. D. 1729, Æt. 25.

A buck passant peirced through with an arrow,

Depositum Rookwood Robinsoni, obijt Martij Septimo 1657.

Ensifer Ipse fuit, nequaquam Sanguinolentus, Nam Tranquillus, ubi Victor habetur, adest.

Hodie mihi, Cras tibi.

There are black marbles in the chancel for the Durrants, with these inscriptions:

Hic jacet Corpus Gulielmi Durrant Generosi Qui obijt 20 Jan. 1700, Ætatis Suæ 84. Et Dextra illius jacet Corpus Margaretæ Durrant, uxor prædicti Gulielmi Durrant, Quæ obijt 5° Martij A. D. 1697, Æt. Suæ 69.

Hic jacet Corpus Mariæ Durrant, uxor Thomæ Durrant Generosi, Quæ obijt 29° Sept. A. D. 1708, Ætatis Suæ 43.

Exuviæ Annæ, tertiæ Conjugis Thomæ Durrant Armigeri, in eodem reponuntur Dormitorio, obijt Sept. 15, A. D. 1721, Æt. Suæ 48.

Tándem Thomæ Durrant Armigeri Reliquiæ, prædictarum Conjugum Cineribus sunt commixtæ Oct. x. A. Salutis 1727, Æt Suæ. 70.

Subtus positæ sunt Reliquiæ Thomæ Durrant Generosi, Thomæ Durrant nuper de Scottowe Armigeri, natû minoris, Cælebs obijt 11 Die Novem' A. D. 1723, Æt. Suæ 35.

Thomas Durrant, Esq; was descended from the Durrants of Derbyshire, who bare by grant of William Cambden, sab. a cross potent er.; but when Thomas Durrant Esq. in 1715 was sheriff of Norfolk, he had a grant passed, authorising him and his descendants to bear the following arms and crest, as they are now born by Davy Durrant, Esq; the present lord, who hath a good seat near the church, built by this Thomas, and much improved by himself, viz. or, a cross croslet ermines, between four spots of ermine, sab. Crest, on a wreath of his colours, a boar passant party per fess wavy argent and gules, bristled and tusked az. and pierced through the body with a broken lance, bendways sable, the head downwards, gold.

Footnotes

  • 1. Terre Sancti Benedicti de Holmo ad victum monachorum (fo. 196.) Scotoau tenunt semper Sanctus Benedictus pro tribus carucatis terre, tunc xiiii. villani modo ix. semper iii. bordarij, ii. carucate in dominio, tunc vi. carucate hominum, modo i. et dimid. x. acre prati, silva xx. porci, tunc i. molendinum, semper li. runcini, iii. animalia, xi. porci, et ix. socmanni, dimid. carucate terre, semper iii. caruc. et dimid, tunc valuit xl. solidos, modo lx. Ecclesie xiv. acre, habet i. leugam in longo, et dimid. in lato, et xx. petticas, et xvi. den. de gelto.
  • 2. Terra R. de Bellafago, fo. 217. In Scotohou i. car. terre et viii. acr. ten. i. socmannus Sancti Benedicti de Holmo, semper ii. vill. et iiii. bordar. tunc ii. car. modo i. et dim. et iii. acr. prati et i. soc. iii. acr. terre, tunc valuit x.s. modo viii. In Scotohou iii. liberi homines Sancti Benedicti xxx. acr. semper dim. car. et val. iii. solidos.
  • 3. Terre Rainaldi filij Ivonis, (fo. 227.) Scotohu tenuit Ketel T. R. E. ii. car. terre et dim. modo tenet Rogerus semper viii. bordarij et ii. car. in dominio, tunc i. car. hominum et modo similiter et vi, acre prati, silva v. porc. et tunc tercia pars mol. tunc iii. porc. modo iiii. et xx. oves, et iii. vasa apum, et vi. soc. xlii. acr. terre semper iii. car. tunc valuit xx. sol. modo xl. Huic manerio addidit Wihenoc ii. socm. Sancti Benedicti de xviii. acr. terre quos idem tenet, tunc i. car. modo dim. et sunt in eodem pretio.
  • 4. Terre Alani Comitis. In Scotohou i. liber homo xii. acr. terre, et val. xii.d. (fo. 66.)
  • 5. Terre Regis quam Godricus servat Erpincham Sud. hund. Doms. fo. 43. In Scotohou i. soc. Scti. Benedicti xliii. acr. semper ii. bord. (this part Godric farmed of the King, as belonging to his manor of Aylesham) modo Godricus ad feudum Regis, et est in pretio de Ælsaham.
  • 6. See vol. v. p. 19,
  • 7. I take her to be a daughter of Bartholomew de Redham, and Agnes de Framlingham another.
  • 8. Gurnays, which I take it should be Berneys.
  • 9. Though the Scothowe family parted from the manor very early, yet they continued here many ages, and had a good estate, Jeffry de Scothowe died about 1200, and Christian his widow released to Hervey de Scothowe, who was alive in 1285; he seems to be father of William de Scothowe, who in 1329 was in great favour with King Edward 3d, who called him his beloved clerk, and entrusted him with divers offices,—this year he was keeper of the rolls and writs of the county of Derby, to which he seems to have been preferred, as the King's chaplain.
  • 10. Descended from Sir William, of whom in vol. ii. p. 386
  • 11. Durant versus Booty vica de Scottowe. See Lutwich's Reports, fo 1071. 13 Willi Tertij. See also Lib. M. fo. 149, int. Archiv. Epi. concerning tithes.