Taverham Hundred: Horstead

An Essay Towards A Topographical History of the County of Norfolk: Volume 10. Originally published by W Miller, London, 1809.

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'Taverham Hundred: Horstead', in An Essay Towards A Topographical History of the County of Norfolk: Volume 10, (London, 1809) pp. 442-445. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/topographical-hist-norfolk/vol10/pp442-445 [accessed 26 April 2024]

In this section

HORSTEAD.

At the survey this was the lordship of the Conqueror, and William de Noiers took care of it for that King, of which Stigand, the Bishop of Canterbury, (who held it as a lay fee,) was deprived; here were 4 carucates of land, 19 villains, 9 borderers, 8 servi, 5 carucates in demean, and 10 among the tenants, with 12 acres of meadow, &c. 3 mills, 1 runcus, and 2 cows, &c. 20 sheep and 30 goats, one skep of bees, and 18 socmen belonged to it, who held 3 carucates of land, which were delivered to Robert Blancard, and at the survey, belonged to the fee of Roger of Poictiers. (fn. 1)

This manor remained in the Crown till King William II. granted it to the nunnery of the Holy Trinity of Caen in Normandy, founded by his mother Maud, queen consort of King William I. and confirmed by King Henry I. but the socmen abovementioned, added to the fee of Roger of Poictiers belonged to this manor of Spikesworth.

Cecilia, the eldest daughter of the Conqueror, sister to King William II. and Henry I. was abbess of Cuen.

In the 3d year of Edward I. the abbess of Caen, as lady of this manor, was found to have appropriated the bank of the river, from the house of Nicholas de Horstede, to the mill of the said abbess; and in the 15th of that King, she claimed free-warren, view of frank pledge, assise of bread, &c. a tumbrell, soc and sac, tol, infangthef, &c. and in 1428, the temporalities of this abbey were valued at 20l. 10s. 6d. ob. per ann.

This priory was dissolved in the 2d of Henry V. among other alien priories, and so came to the Crown, and Sir Thomas Erpingham having a grant of it for life, died possessed of it in the 6th of Henry VI. the said King in his 19th year, on his foundation of his college of St. Mary, and St. Nicholas (now called King's College) in Cambridge, gave it to that society, who are the present lords and patrons.

In this parish is a river that runs underground about a furlong, and over it the land is ploughed.

Here was also a little fee called Cattes: Henry Catte had a charter of free-warren in his demeans here, in Heveningham, and South Walsham, in the 10th of Edward II.

Sir Thomas Wyndham, conveyed by fine, a moiety of the manor of Cattes to Elizabeth Yaxley, in the 11th of Henry VIII.

Sir Edmund Thimblethorp died possessed of it in 1618, as did Barbara his daughter and heir, under age, in the 17th of King James I.

Roger Townsend, son of Thomas Townsend of Testerton. Esq. had a lordship here, by Anne his wife, daughter of Edward Morisoon, of Lincolnshire, Esq. had Thomas, his son, who married Bridget, daughter of Sir Charles le Gross of Crostwick, who died s. p. 1662: Anne his second wife, was daughter of Nevill Cradock, Gent. of Kent.

This Thomas sold it to Thomas Ayde, Gent. father of John Ayde, Esq. of Lincoln's Inn, living in 1694, and had a grant of arms from Sir Edward Walker (garter) or, a fess counterembattled, between three lions heads, azure; and married Elizabeth, daughter of Nathan Knevit, Gent. in 1666, whose son was lord in 1729.

The tenths were 4l. 18s.

The Church is a rectory dedicated to All-Saints, and was valued at 20 marks.

The abbess of Caen had a portion of tithe valued at 5 marks and a half.—Peter-pence 11d.; carvage 6d. ob. and the patronage was in that abbey: the present valor is 7l. 10s. and pays first-fruits, &c. the provost and fellows of King's college are patrons.

Rectors.

In 1300, Walter de Reymes instituted, presented by the proctor of the abbess, &c. of Caen.

1334, William de Yateminster. Ditto.

1349, Roger de Chesterfield, by the King, the temporalities of that abbey then in the King.

1351, Richard de Chesterfield. Ditto.

Thomas Herteskeyn, rector.

1397, Henry Randolf.

John Clerk, rector.

1444, Hugh Vowet, by the provost and fellows of St. Mary's College of Eaton.

Walter Attewell, rector, &c.

Wellys, presented in 1447, by ditto.

1476, Mr. Henry Falk, decret. doctor, by King's College, Cambridge.

1484, William Boun. Ditto.

1505, John Jerveys, B.A.

1520, Nicholas Colborn.

1535, Steph. Ferne.

1554, John Cocke.

1556, Richard Dixon.

1571, Nicholas Ayland, by the promotion of the last incumbent, presented by the Queen.

1608, Richard Sutton, S. T. B. by King's college.

1619, Henry Howgrave, S.T.B.

George Goud, compounded for his first fruits in May 1646.

Thomas Jenner, occurs rector in 1657.

1658, Grindal Sheaf, S.T.P.

1661, Dan. Warren.

1700, John Layton.

1728, Gilbert Borroughs, by King's college.

1740, Robert Parr, rector Ditto.

1760, Thomas Carter, on the death of Mr. Parr, by the provost, &c. of King's College, Cambridge.

1760, William Hanmer (on Carter's death). Ditto.

On a gravestone in the chancel,

Hic jacet Ric Sutton, S. T. B. rector hujus ecclesiœ, qui per decem annos dum hic vixit doctrinâ, et exemplo vitæ integerrimæ, docebat et ducebat populum, ob. Apr. 16, 1619.

One

In memory of Elizabeth, wife of Ralph Ward, the elder, Gent. daughter of Thomas Croft, Esq; who died Feb. 14, 1649; aged 77, and these arms, Ward, azure, a cross, between four eaglets displayed, argent; crest, a doe couchant, impaling quarterly, p. fess indented, azure and or a lion passant guardant of the 2d in the first quarter, crest, a hon passant, guardant, Crafts.

Here lies interred Muryel. the wife of Ralph, son of Ralph Ward Gen. daughter of Sir Charles Le Grose, Kt. who dyed July 7, 1652, aged 24.—Ward impaling Le Grose.

Audrey Horsnell, wife of Geo. Horsnell, Gent. deceased March 5, 1644.

Hic jacet expectans resurrectionem justorum corpus Joh. Townshend, Generosi, filij primo geniti Rogerj Townshend, armig. et Elizabe. uxoris suœ, qui expiravit animam, 29 Decem. 16- -, œtat. 45; and the arms of Townsend.

Hic secundum Christi redemptoris adventum in expectat. requiescit Henricus Warde de Horstead in comit. Norf, generosus fdias et hare Ric Warde de Golston in comit. Suff. gener. ex Anna fina et coha rede Ric. Gonvile, Armig. duxit uxorem Annam, filiam Tho. Crofts de Felmingham in comit. Norf. Armig. ex Anna, filia Joh. Townsend, filia primogeniti Rogerj Townsend, Militis, ex Alianora, filia Joh Heydon, Militis; qui pietate, probitate, candore animi et affectu, temperantia spectatissimus, Polilioris literatur œ studijs excultus, postquam din firma valetudine animi et corporis, in hujus mundi diversorio versatus esset, tandem senio confectus Deo animam placide redait, 4 die Matij 1645, œtat. 85;—and this shield, on a brass plate. Ward and Gonville, (argent on a chevron between two couple closes indented, sable, three escallops, or) quarterly, impaling Crofts.

Brigetta filia admodum dilecta Caroli Grose, Militis, uxor desideratissima Tho. Townshend de Horstead, Gen. quæ languentj morbo graviter afflicta et tandem consumpta, fide tamen et putientia invicta animan in gremium Christj salvaloris alacriler resignavit 7°. die Feb. 1662, œtat. 36, and this shield, Townsend, impaling Le Groos.

Interred here Nicholas doth rest, Whose surname hight hylande, He painfull pastor at the last, Years forty fowre did stand. Whose vertues cause him live, though he, From mortal eyes, heer hydeen be.

Obt. Jan. 14, 1607, œtat. 66.

Robert and Cecil, sons of Cecil Tircehit, Esq; and Ann his wife, died Oct. 7, 1746.

Ann, daughter of Thomas Waller, Esq; and Elizabeth his wife, died July 26, 1637.

Ann, daughter of John Townsend, Gent. and Frances his wife, died Feb. 17, 1636.

Frances Townsend, wife of John Townsend, Gent. died Oct. 26, 1637, in the 23d year of her age.

The roof of the church is ornamented with black eagles, the arms of the Emperor of Germany.

In the church was the light of King Henry VI. who was esteemed as a saint, as appears from the will book, called Register Wight, Norw. p 499.

Alice Cook of Horstede, wife of Robert Cook, wills to be buried in the churchyard of Horstede.

Item. I will have a man for to go these pylgrymages:—To our lady of Refham.—To Scynt Spyrite.—To St. Parnell of Stratton.— To St. Leonard, without Norwich.—To St. Wandrede of Byskeley.— To St. Margaret of Horsted.—To our Lady of Pity of Horsted.—To St. John's head of Trymingham, and to the Holy Rode of Crostewheyt.— Reg. Caston, Norw. fol 71.

The prior of Westacre had a patent in the 15th of Edward II. for a messuage, 80 acres of land, 4 of meadow, 40 of heath, and 15s. rent, in Narford, purchased of John de Horstead.

Footnotes

  • 1. Terra Stigandi Epi. quas custodit W. de Noiers, in manu Regis—Horsteda ten. Stigand. T.R.E. iiii car. tre. t'nc. xviiii vill. p'. et mo. xvi semp. ix bor. t'nc. viii s p'. et mo. iiii semp. ii car. in d'nio t'nc. x car, hom. p. et mo. vi et xii ac. p'ti silva lx por. semp. iii mol. et i r. et ii an et vii por. et xx ov. t'nc. xxx cap. mo. xl et semp. i vasa apum. t'nc. jacebant huic manerio xviii soc. de iii car. tre. qui fuer. libati. Rob'to Blancardo mo. su't ad feudu' Rog. Pictaviensis.