An Essay Towards A Topographical History of the County of Norfolk: Volume 5. Originally published by W Miller, London, 1806.
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Francis Blomefield, 'Hundred of Depwade: Moringthorp', in An Essay Towards A Topographical History of the County of Norfolk: Volume 5( London, 1806), British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/topographical-hist-norfolk/vol5/pp285-295 [accessed 5 December 2024].
Francis Blomefield, 'Hundred of Depwade: Moringthorp', in An Essay Towards A Topographical History of the County of Norfolk: Volume 5( London, 1806), British History Online, accessed December 5, 2024, https://www.british-history.ac.uk/topographical-hist-norfolk/vol5/pp285-295.
Francis Blomefield. "Hundred of Depwade: Moringthorp". An Essay Towards A Topographical History of the County of Norfolk: Volume 5. (London, 1806), , British History Online. Web. 5 December 2024. https://www.british-history.ac.uk/topographical-hist-norfolk/vol5/pp285-295.
In this section
MORINGTHORP,
Commonly called Mourning-Thorp, was known by the name of Thorp only in the Confessor's time; and to distinguish it from the many villages of that name, it began to be called Moring-thorp about the Conqueror's time, from the mere, mare, or more, it was situated by.
It was given before the Confessor's survey, to the abbey of St. Edmund at Bury in Suffolk, by Thurketel, a Danish thane or nobleman, along with the town of Castre by Norwich; (fn. 1) and the abbot held it as a manor, having one carucate in demean, of 20s. a year value, to which belonged a church and 20 acres of glebe; but before the Conqueror's survey, the whole, (except the advowson, lete, and some small parcels which always attended the abbey to its dissolution) was infeoffed by Abbot Baldwin, in Robert de Vals (fn. 2) or Vaux, who held it of the abbey by knight's service; it was then risen to 30s value, and the town was a mile long, and three furlongs broad, and paid 1d. ob. q. to the geld or tax.
Rectors of Mourning-Thorp, presented by the abbots of Bury.
Richard.
1285, Peter de Shotesham.
1309, John of St. Albans, res.
1320, John Bastard, priest, changed for Chigwell in London diocese. (See Newcourt.)
1331, Luke Walrod.
1349, Roger de Halesworth; he resigned to
John Martyn, who in 1370, changed for Hoxne, with
Sir John Doget; in 1370, he was succeeded by
Ric. Parlben; he resigned in
1402, to John Spenser of Bury, in exchange with Hemenhale, who in 1404, changed with Robert Bailly for Henham in London diocese; he resigned in
1408, to John Bette, who exchanged the same year with Henry Turner for Beauchamp vicarage in the patronage and jurisdiction of the Dean of St. Paul's London, and he in 1409, changed for Hardwick, with
Robert Scherwynd, who resigned in
1431, to Will. Herdegrey.
1437, Will. Deye, ob.
1438, John Scherwynd, res.
1445, Will. Marriot, res.
1451, Edw. Woodrowe, res.
1452, Tho. Turner, res.
1454, Robert Steward, res.
1460, Robert Drayton, ob.
1465, Sir Giles Tilney, chaplain, res.
1470, Nic. Denton.
1482, Master James Manners, lapse.
1486, Mr. Will. Pooley, bachelor in the decrees, res.
1492, Will. Lister, alias Haule, priest, canon, ob.
1524, John Penwyn, or Penneon, A. B. ob.; he was succeeded in
1530, by Sir John Blomefield, chaplain, who was presented by Sir John Shelton, Knt. John Garnish, and John Dade, Gents. by grant of the turn from the Abbot.
At the Dissolution the advowson vested in the Crown, and still remains there.
Rectors presented by the Crown.
1543, Sir Robert Gainsborow, chaplain, on Blomefield's resignation.
1551, Henry Glyre.
1554, John Longworth, united to Brasworth in Suffolk.
1574, Herbert Alman.
1585, John Bennet; he returned 58 communicants in this parish.
1619, Will. Bennet, A. M. who was succeeded by Chris. Hatley, A. M. for whom see Walker's Sufferings of the Clergy, Part II. fo. 271; at his cession in
1679, Andrew Hatley, A. M. succeeded.
1681, John Starkey, A. M.
1692, Will. Smith, on whose resignation in
1708, (fn. 3) William Stevenson, A. M. had it, and held it united to Taseburgh, and at his resignation in
1723, The Rev. Mr. Thomas Howse, the present rector, had it, and now holds it with the rectory of Thorndon in Suffolk.
The church is dedicated to St. John the Baptist, who had a gild kept in it to his honour. The rector had a house and 9 acres of glebe, when Norwich Domesday was made; it was valued at 11 marks, and the Prior of the Holy Trinity at Ipswich had a portion of tithes valued at 32s. per annum; it paid 6s. 8d. archdeacon's procurations, 9d. synodals, 7d. ob. Peter-pence, and 3d. carvage; and the village paid clear to every tenth, 1l. 13s. It now stands in the King's Books by the name of Morningthorp rect. valued at 7l. but being sworn of the clear yearly value of 45l. it is discharged of first-fruits and tenths, and is capable of augmentation.
The temporals belonging to Bury abbey here, were assigned to the use of the sacrist of that monastery, and were taxed at 4s. 6d. The Prior of Dunmowe in Essex, had a mill, lands, and rents, of 35s. 2d. per annum. The temporals of the Prior of Norwich, were taxed at 5s. 11d. (fn. 4) and those of the Prior of Wimondham abbey, at 7d.
There is a pension of 18s. a year, paid by the rector, to the rector of Stratton St. Michael; (fn. 5) and in 1612, I find another pension of 6s. 8d. per annum was paid out of this rectory, to the rectory of Stratton St. Miles.
The steeple is round, the church is leaded, and the chancel tiled. There is an altar monument in the south part of the churchyard, for John Roope, Gent. of this parish, who died Febr. 11, 1686, aged 77.
Roope, gul. a lion rampant within an orle of eight pheons arg.
In the church, there are memorials for the following persons,
Hammond, or, on a chevron sab. three martlets of the field, impaling quarterly.
Hic infrà jacet depositum mortale Francisci Hamond Generosi, Viri qui ob pietatem Deo charus, ob Prudentiam Reipublicæ utilis, ob gravitatem morum, omnibus venerabilis, maximum vixit hujus Comitatûs Ornamentum, et maximum est ejusdem jam defunctum desiderium, nascebatnr 7mo die Decemb. 1687
In the steeple window are two shields,
Arg. three bars sab. in chief three annulets or.
Gul. three bugle horns sab. stringed or.
On a black marble in the chancel, Roope impaling barry of ten on a canton a helmet. It being in memory of John Roope, junior, Gent. June 30, 1685. Eliz. Roope, wife of John Roope, Gent. died Nov. 15, 1680.
Hodie mihi, Cras tibi.
Martha Daughter of Will. Smith A. M. Rector of this Parish, and Mary his Wife, died Aug. 8, 1699, aged 7 Months.
There is a brass for John Garnish 19 March, 1626.
A black marble hath this inscription, and two shields:
1, Garnish impaling Rudge or Rugge, a saltier erm. between four eagles.
2, Ditto impaling Soame, gul. a chevron between three mallets or.
Here resteth the Body of John Garneys of Boyland-Hall Esq; who departed this Life Dec. 15, 1661, in Expectation of a joyfull Resurrection, as also the Body of Charles Garneys of Boyland-Hall Esq; (Father of the said John Garneys) and some Time High-Sheriff of this County, who departed this Life Jan. 30, 1657, in the 89th year of his Age.
Mrs. Anne Garneys eldest Dr. of John Garneys Esq; died 29 March 1668.
Eliz. eldest Dr. of John Garneys Esq; by the last Wife, died March 13, 1675.
Charles Garneys Son of Clere Garneys of Kenton in Suffolk, died June 25, 1678.
He learn'd to die, while he had Breath, And so he lives ev'n after Death.
Garneys impales Richmond.
P. M. S.
Heic juxta situm est pium Depositum Annæ Garneys Uxoris
Wentworthi Garneys de Boyland-Hall in hâc Parochiâ
Filiæq; Dni: Caroli Gawdij Equitis Aurati de Crowshall in Comitalû Suffolciæ, denata est Mensis 7bris die Septimo, A. D. 1681.
Garneys and Gawdy impaled.
Mary only Dr. of Charles Garneys Gent. and Mary his Wife, buried June 12, 1684.
Susan Dr. of Charles Garneys Gent. Jul. 1, 1685.
On an altar monument in the chancel,
Hic conditur mitis et beatæ Animæ Domicilium Marthæ Raworth Johannis Garneys de Boyland-Hall in Comitatû Norfolciæ Armigeri, Filiæ; Roberti Raworth, Mercatoris Londinensis conjugis dilectissimæ; quæ cum Deo unice servierat Parentibus morigera, et marito (Quem tribus Filijs Henrico, Roberto, et Johanne, Filiâque Elizabethâ beavit, præter Annam, in ipsà Infantiâ ereptam, Totterigiæ in Agro Hertfordiensi Sepultam) rarum Pudicitiæ, morumq; suavitatis Exemplar, omnibus Bonis benigna, et amabilis mariti dum vixit deliciæ, nunc Dolor, seculi immortalis cupida, et Cœlo matura, diutino Languore detrita, Animam Deo Authori, et quicquid hic charum fuit illius Tutelæ commendavit et placidè in Christo obdormivit, 22° die Augusti 1694. Annoq; æt. 36°
Raworth, on a fess dancettè between six cross croslets fitché three anchors, impaling Garnish.
Nine coats quartered: 1, Garnish. 2, Ramsey. 3, Wellytham. 4, Kenton. 5, Fraunce. 6, Denston. 7, Waunton. 8, Toppesfied. 9, Churche.
Garnish with a crescent impales Berney. Ditto impaling Tirrel. Ditto impaling on a chevron five martlets.
On a white mural marble monument, with the arms of Gostlin and Garnish, on a coat of pretence;
To the Memory of Dame Mary Gostlin, Dr. of John Garnish of Boyland-Hall in the County of Norfolk Esq; Sister and Coheir of Wentworth Garneys Esq; who died Jan. 23, 1723, in the 69th Year of her Age; she left Issue, one Son Charles, and one Dr. who married Sir Hen. Bendish of Steeple-Bumpstede in the County of Essex. Also near this Place, lieth the Body of her Husband Sir William Gostlin Knt. who was Alderman and Sheriff of the City of London.
Against the north chancel wall is a mural monument with this
John Howse Esq; died 1737.
He was a pious Man, and the World the better for him.
Howse, arg. a chevron between three griffins heads cooped sab. quartering, arg. a lion rampant gul. in an orle of pheons sab. impaling Keddington.
Howse's crest is a demi-griffin issuing from a crown proper.
John Howse, Esq. hath a seat in this town; he married Barbara Sidnor, daughter of the Rev. Mr. Thomas Sidnor, rector of Hempstede cum Eccles, and vicar of Hunningham, who was descended from a brother of Richard Sedenore's alias Sydnore, Archdeacon of Totnes in Devonshire, who in 1519, had a grant of the following arms from Thomas Wriotsley, Garter, and Thomas Bevolt, Clarencieux, viz.
Arg. a fess undè az. between three de-lises placed upon three crescents sab. in a bordure ingrailed gul.
In 1429, John Howes, Esq. did homage to Bury abbot, for his estates in Ashfield in Suffolk. (Regr. Curteys, fo. 51.)
There is a mural monument against the south chancel wall, for
John Warmoll Gent. of this Parish, Jan. 4, 1729, 45. He was an excellent Husband, Father, Neighbour, Friend; he lived beloved and esteemed, and died lamented by all who knew him. Eliz. Warmoll Senior, Dec. 22, 1721, 63. Eliz. Warmoll Junior, Nov. 20, 1723, 14. Mary Warmoll May 24, 1728, 21.
An altar tomb on the same side of the chancel, hath the arms of John Roope, Gent. who died Febr. 11, 1686, 77.
There is a town-house, and 20 yards of land in length, and 14 yards in breadth held of Moringthorp, or Thorp-hall manor; and a messuage and 13 acres and an half of land, of which, three acres and an half lie in Shelton-Field, and the rest in this parish, the clear yearly profits of which are to be laid out about the repairs and ornaments of Moringthorp church.
The honour of Richmond extends hither, and did so at the Conquest, for Alan Earl of Richmond had a freeman, and other services here, valued at 4s. per annum. (fn. 6)
Moringthorp, or Thorp-Hall Manor,
Passed in the Vauxes, who held it of the Abbot of Bury at one fee; the Abbot always being superiour lord, held a lete, which at the Dissolution vested in the Crown, and was granted to the Sheltons, and added to the manor, which, as I read in the Register of the Sacrist of Bury abbey (fo. 49,) was settled by fine levied in 1186, on Henry son of Joceline, who had it of the Vauxes by the Abbot's consent; and in 1198, Henry settled it on Wido son of Roger, and nephew of Robert de Shimpling, in which family it continued long, all of them releasing to the Abbots all right in the advowson; Seman the priest being then rector; in 1202, this Wido, Guido, or Guy, had assumed the sirname of Thorp, (fn. 7) from this his manor. In 1274, the heir of Roger de Shimpling had it, and was in the custody of Richard de Boyland, and had assise of bread and ale, and free-warren allowed to the manor. In 1286, William de Schimpling had view of frankpledge of all his tenants in Moringthorp, to be held in the presence of the bailiff of the hundred, paying the King by him 12d. a year, and also assise of bread and ale, and weyf; and in 1287, he held it at one fee, of John de Vallibus or Vaux of Tharston, which, at his death was assigned to Petronel his daughter and coheir, wife of William de Ros, and they held it of the Abbot of Bury. In 1363, Isabel Shimpling held the third part in dower, and conveyed it to John de Esthall, on condition to marry her, (fn. 8) but he not performing his promise, she was forced to sue for her lands again; and in an action brought in 1401, it appeared, that Roger Shimpling died seized of this, and Shimpling and left three daughters and heiresses; Isabel, married to John Kirtling, Katerine, to Will. Elingham; (fn. 9) and Joan, to whom this manor was alloted in 1412.
And soon after, it was purchased by the Sheltons, (fn. 10) and continued in that family, till Sir Ralf Shelton, Knt. sold it to the Garneyses of
Boyland-Hall
In this parish, and ever since, it hath been united to Boyland-Hall in Mourning-thorp, for at the Conqueror's survey,
Boielund, (fn. 11) was a separate vill, and afterwards was united, part of it to Freton, (fn. 12) and the greater part to this town; Torn the Dane owned it in the time of Edward the Confessor, when the demeans and manor were worth 20s. and Ralf Bainard had it at the Conqueror's survey, when it was worth 40s. a year, and had the soc and sac belonging to it, with lete, (fn. 13) and all other jurisdictions; and it passed in this family as Merton and Bunwell, (fn. 14) till they sold it about 1190, to Ralf, who settled here, and took the name of Boyland from this place: in 1218, Richard son of Ralf de Boyland owned it; and in 1250, Roger de Boyland and Alice his wife had it, and Sir Richard de Boyland, their son, succeeded them; he built Boyland-hall in Bresingham, and settled there, as at p. 57, vol. i. and from his time it passed in that family, and continued with Boyland-Hall in Bresingham, till about 1534, (fn. 15) and then it was purchased by
John Garnish, late of Mendlesham in Suffolk, and joined to Mourning-thorp manor, which he purchased as before.
The family of the Garneys or Garnishes, is and hath been many ages, esteemed one of the principal families of the county.
In 1384, Robert Garneys was one of the lords of Soham-Hall manor in Bereford, (fn. 16) whose son
Robert Garneys of Heveningham in Suffolk, in the year 1400, was married to Catherine, daughter and heir of John Blanchard (fn. 17) of the same town, by whom he had two sons; Will. his second son, (fn. 18) married Eliz. daughter of Sir Ralf Bigot of Stockton, Knt. (fn. 19) by whom he had Ralf Garneys, Esq. who died without issue in 1446, and
Sir Peter Garneys, his uncle, was found to be his heir; he married Eliz. daughter and heir of Ralf Ramsey of Kenton Hall in Suffolk, Esq. by Alice his wife, who was only daughter and heir of Roger Wellisham, Esq. and by this match, Kenton came to the family; (fn. 20) they had two sons; Edmund their second son, had Tho. Garneys, who lies buried at Blonorton, with Alice his wife, as at p. 248. vol. i.
Thomas Garneys of Kenton-Hall, eldest son of Sir Peter Garneys, Knt. married Margaret, daughter and coheir of Hugh Fraunceys of Giffard's-Hall in Suffolk, who outlived him, and remarried to Thomas Peyton of Iselham, Esq. and of Peyton-Hall in Boxford in Suffolk; (fn. 21) they had two sons,
Richard, his second son, settled at Mendlesham, and married Elizabeth daughter of Will. Toppesfield (fn. 22) and Eleanor his wife, who who was daughter and heir of Richard Churche, Esq. (fn. 23) of Gislingham, by whom he had
John Garneys, who having purchased the manors of Moringthorp and Boyland-Hall, as before, removed from Mendlesham and settled here, and by Ursula his wife, daughter of Thomas Berney, Esq. of Redham, had four sons, (fn. 24) of which the eldest was
Ric. Garneys, Esq. of Boyland and Mendlesham, who built the present fabrick called Boyland-Hall, (fn. 25) which he finished in 1571, as the date on the portal shows, on which is the full coat of Garnish, supported by two mermaids; and in the windows is his motto, in which, every word begins with a B. the initial letter of his name, viz.
Sancta Maria ora pro nobis.
The full coat hath a crescent, to show he was of the second branch of the family; the arms are,
1, Garneys. 2, Ramsey. 3, Wellisham. 4, Kenton. 5, Fraunceys. 6, Denston. 7, Wanton. 8, Toppesfield. 9, Churche.
And in the hall windows, Garnish with a crescent, is impaled with Ramsey, Fraunceys, Toppesfield, Berney, and Tirrell.
Ramsey, Wellisham, Kenton, and Garnish quartered.
Garnish and Tirrell quartered. Barney impaling Southwell, arg. three cinquefoils gul. on each five annulets or.
Garneys, Fraunceys, Denston, and Wanton quartered.
Garneys quartering Churche, impaling Tirrel.
Carew, or, three lions passant in pale sab. langued and armed gul. impaling
Kelley, arg. a chevron between three billets gul.
Tirrel and Kelly quartered, impale
Fitz-Pain, arg. twowings conjoined gul.; besides others defaced and lost.
He married Margery daughter of James Tirrell, Esq. of Columbinehall in Suffolk, but dying without issue, all his inheritable lands went to Nic. Garneys of Kenton, who descended from
John Garneys of Kenton, Esq. eldest son of Tho. Garneys and Margaret Fraunceys aforesaid : he married Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Sir John Sylyard, Knt. (fn. 26) one of the King's judges, and sister and next heir of Sir William Syllyard, Knt. and died about 1524, and she about 1527, and are buried at Kenton, and had two sons; Thomas, their second son, married Margaret, daughter of Sir Hen. Bedingfield of Oxburgh, Knt. who after his death, remarried to Brice Rookwood; they had John Garneys of Metingham in Suffolk, who married Mrs. Chiselden, and by her had Nicholas Garnish, their only son and heir, who married a daughter of Mr. Dade, of Tannington in Suffolk.
Robert Garneys of Kenton, eldest son and heir, married Anne, daughter and coheir of Tho. Bacon, Esq. (fn. 27) of Spectishall and Baconesthorp, and had
John Garneys of Kenton, who married Anne daughter of Edmund Rookwood, of Ewston in Suffolk, Esq. by whom he had Anne, married to Anth. Drury of Besthorp, Esq. (fn. 28) and four sons, of which, Robert, the third son, and John, the second son, who was lord of the manor of Hammond's in Micklefield in Suffolk, died without issue.
Thomas Garnish of Kenton, the eldest son, married Frances daughter of Sir John Sylyard of Wethersden, Knt. who afterwards remarried to Mr. John Lentall, (fn. 29) and
Elizabeth, their only daughter and heiress, married first to Mr. Jernegan, and secondly to Nic. Strelley of Strelley in Notinghamshire, (fn. 30) and had one only son and heir,
Nicholas Strelley, who died without issue, and his inheritance went to his great uncle,
Nicholas Garnish of Kenton, who was fourth son to John Garnish and Anne Rookwood, and now sole heir of the family; In 1592, he was high-sheriff for Suffolk, and his estate in Kenton, Moringthorp, Ringsfield, Redesham, &c. was above 1200l. per annum; he married Anne, daughter of Charles Clere of Stokesby in Norfolk, Esq. (fn. 31) and died about 1599, left six sons, and five daughters. (fn. 32)
1. Charles Garnish of Kenton, Esq. the eldest, removed to Boyland-hall, and settled there; he was high-sheriff of Norfolk in 1652, and married Elizabeth, daughter of John Wentworth, Esq. sister of Sir John Wentworth of Somerly-town in Suffolk, Knt. (fn. 33) the great lawyer, who bought it of Jernegan; and on her brother's death without issue, the said Charles had it in her right, as one of the coheirs to Sir John; he was buried at Moringthorp in 1657. Thomas, the second son, married the relict of — Ford, Esq. of Raveningham. 3, John Garneys married Margaret Jackson. 4, Edward. 5, Nicholas of Redisham in Suffolk, Gent. 6, Clere Garnish, who married Anne daughter of John Jolly of Southwold, merchant, (fn. 34) and had several daughters, and three sons; John, the youngest, Clere, the second, and Charles Garnish, the eldest, who married Mary daughter of John Richmond of Hedenham in Norfolk, Gent. (fn. 35) and was buried at Moringthorp in 1678, (of whose issue more will occur under Hedenham.)
John Garneys of Boyland-hall and Somerley-Town, only son of Charles Garnish and Eliz. Wentworth; had two wives, first, Anne daughter of Will. Rugge of Felmingham, Gent. by whom he had Anne, who died unmarried, and was buried here in 1688; and Thomas Garnish of Redisham, who died without issue. His second wife was Eliz. daughter of Sir Stephen Soame, alderman of London, by whom he had three sons (fn. 36) and five daughters; (fn. 37) he died in 1661, aged 54, and was buried here, and
Wentworth Garnish, Esq. his eldest son, succeeded him, (fn. 38) and married for his first wife, Anne daughter of Sir Charles Gawdy of Crowshall in Debenham, Knt. who died in 1681, and is buried here, but left no child; and for his second wife, Mary daughter of Sir Tho. Abdy (fn. 39) of Felix-hall in Kelvedon in Essex, but had no issue; he died in 1685, and is buried here, leaving Boyland-hall and this estate, to his sisters, and it is now in the heiress of his fourth sister,
Martha, then married to Robert Raworth of London, merchant; she died in 1694, and is buried here, leaving one daughter, Elizabeth, and three sons, Henry, Robert, and John; and it is now in
William Drake, Esq. of Shardeloes in Bucks, member in the last parliament for Agmondesham in that county, who in 1746, married the heiress of the Raworths, a young lady of a large fortune.
The manor called
Hoo Hall, Blomefield's, and Seaman's,
From the names of the several owners, belonged to Sir Will. de Hoe, Knt. and Alice his wife in 1372; and in 1479, to Thomas Hoe, Esq. who infeoffed Sir Thomas Arundel, Knt. and others, in it and Worthing manor, and also in the manors of Frenchcourt, Farlegh, Pittehoseland, Stovene, and Catfield, in Sussex: and in 1565, John Blomefield conveyed it to Philip Tirrel, Esq; and he to Ric. Garneys, Esq. and it hath been ever since joined to Boyland-hall manor, in Moringthorp and Freton; the site of it is between Moringthorp and Hemenhale, into which it extended; as also into Stratton, Taseburgh, and Saxlingham. (See p. 274).