Hundred of Wayland: Tottington

TOTTINGTON

Church, with the consent of Robert de Mortimer, was given by John le Strange to the priory of St. Mary and the nuns at Campesse in Suffolk, in 1196, (fn. 1) and was appropriated to that house in 1302; it was valued at 30 marks, and the vicarage at 6 marks; the Prior of Thetford had a pension of 40s. per annum, the procurations were 7s. 6d. ob. synodals 4s. 4d. and Peter-pence 2s. There were two gilds, one dedicated to the nativity of our lady, kept at her altar in the church, before whose image there was a light continually burning in service time. The church itself was dedicated to St. Andrew, who had also his gild kept in it, and a light before his image in the choir or chancel; there was also a light kept before the holy cross on the rood-loft. There is a house and half an acre of meadow only, belonging to the minister: In 1404, there was great complaint made that the profits of the vicarage were much impaired by the number of rabbits on the warren of John Fitz Rauf, so that it was not able to pay the whole tenth of 40s. The vicarage is valued at 6l. 14s. 9d. ob. and being sworn of the clear yearly value of 10l. 4s. 8d. it is discharged of first fruits and tenths, and is capable of augmentation.

The town paid 5l. 7s. 6d. to the tenths, and is now assessed at 366l. 13s. 4d.

Vicars.

1306, 6 non. May, Roger de Helmingham. The Prioress and Convent of Campesse, who presented always to their dissolution.

1354, 12 June, Richard Markant.

1361, 6 Oct. John Brust of Hokwold.

1361, 16 Jan. John de Hillington.

1404, 21 June, Tho. Buschel, resigned.

1416, 17 Nov. John Verjaunt, resigned.

1419, 12 June, Tho Wolde of Skulton.

1433, 6 Oct. Roger Full-of-Love of Quydenham, resigned.

1451, 19 Oct. John Goodwin.

1459, 9 Aug. John Boston, resigned.

1466, 13 Aug. John Knyght.

1469, 30 Dec. John Agges.

1473, 27 Jan. Rob. Bewafiz, died vicar.

1502, 8 Sept. John Hey, died vicar, and was buried in the chancel before the image of St. Andrew, and gave legacies to the lights of St. Peter, All-Saints, and Holy Cross, and to the repair of the new sepulchre and St. Peter's tabernacle.

1521, 6 Oct. Tho. Palmer, lapse, resigned.

1533, 19 March, Tho. Bele, was the last presented by the Prioress. John Watson, died vicar.

1548, 14 Oct. Alex. Lee, he was deprived. Richard Southwell, Knt.

1554, 21 March, George Prance, lapse.

1568, 11 Febr. Henry Goldeston, lapse, resigned.

1585, 22 July, Tho. Ireland, resigned. Sir Robert Southwell, Knt.

1587, 6 May, Rob. Gittinges. Ditto.

1611, 3 Feb. Tho. Lammas, A. M. The King, as guardian to Tho. Southwell.

1613, 13 Oct. Henry Bury, resigned. Ditto.

1616, 10 Dec. Clement Nurse. Ditto.

1623, 8 July, Peter Cockerell, A. M. Tho. Southwell, Knt.

1638, 22 Febr. Chericus Spackman. Samuel Uty. S.T.P. vicar of Chigwell in Essex.

1639, 14 Febr. Tho. Mould. The King, by lapse.

1648, Ric. Tuck, vicar; he was the last that ever was instituted.

1662, the vicarage was void.

1665, 20 Febr. John Blome, clerk, sequestrator, from which time it hath been held by sequestration only, as it now [1738] is, by

The Rev. Mr. John Verdon, the present sequestrator.

There were many religious concerned here.

The Prioress of Carrowe's temporals were taxed at 2s.

The Prior of Bromhill's at 3s. 4d.

The Prioress of Campesse's temporals, viz. their manor and rents, at 5l. 13s. 4d. and the spirituals of the said prioress, viz. the impropriation, at 20l.

In 1480, Gonvile-Hall in Cambridge was taxed for their tenement here.

The prior of the monks of Thetford's temporals, viz. their lands and rents of assize, were valued at 50s. 10d. and their spirituals, viz. the tithes of the lands of Warner de Totintona, and of their own demeans, at 40s. 4d. (fn. 2)

In 1342, John Brond held land in soccage of the Abbot of Bury, by the rent of 13d. per annum.

Mr. Le Neve in his Collections says, that this impropriate rectory was sold by Sir Tho. Southwell, Knt. to Tho. Hall, and that Francis Windham, Esq. was late farmer of it, at 1l. 13s. 4d. per annum, and that it was given by King James I. to the divinity professor in Cambridge, it being settled on Trinity College in Cambridge, in trust for him; it is said to be in trustees hands for the use of Chigwell school in Essex.

The Church here is large, and a good pile, having a nave and two isles, well leaded, and is well seated throughout alike, and the heads are all carved; on the back of one of the seats at the upper end of the south isle is this,
Drate pro Animabus,Walter Salter, et Alicie uroris cius et pro quibus tenentur.

This Walter Salter lived in Richard the Third's time, and William Salter in Henry the Sixth's time; the family had a good estate, and resided here for above 200 years, and were lords of a small manor here called Bokenham's or Macham's

On seats in the north isle,

Sumptu Edmundi Salter, et BrigittÆ nuper Uxoris ejus A° D. 1631.

1636, Thomas Salter and his wife Jane.

There is a black marble, for Robert Knopwood, who died 27 May 1723, aged 65.

At the east end of the north isle lies a loose brass; under the effigies of a woman and her daughter, is this inscribed,

Here lyeth interred the Corpes of Margaret Porey, whose Soul the Father of Spirites received into eternal rest the 5th. of April A° Dom: 1598, in the 54th. Yere of her Age. This monument was erected by Luke Unger her second Husband in token of a thankful and loyal Mind.

On the daughter's coat is E. U. for Elizabeth Unger.

The tower is square, and hath a spire and four bells; the chancel and south porch are leaded, and the north vestry is down; great part of the churchyard wall is topped with large coffin-stones, with crosses of various forms on them; they were formerly laid over the vicars or other religious persons, who were buried here, and have been since taken from their graves and applied to the present use.

Tottington, or Mortimer's Manor.

Alwi, a Saxon, was lord in the Confessor's time, and the Conqueror gave it to Roger Bigot, of whom Ralf, son of Herlewin, held it at the survey; it contained four carucates, three of which were demean; there was wood for 30 swine, a walk for 137 sheep, 24 goats, and at the Confessor's survey 63 mares, but now only 15; the manor was worth 80s. afterwards it fell to 60s. The whole town was better than four miles in length and two in breadth, and paid 15d. to the geld. (fn. 3)

It continued in the Bigots, and in King Stephen's time, Hugh Bigot owned it, who divided it, and gave part to the Prior of Thetford, which constituted their manor here, and the other part to John le Strange, who gave 20s. rent to the same convent, out of his part, in Richard the First's time, in exchange for lands in Bernham in Suffolk. But in a pleading in Richard the First's time, (fn. 4) it is said that Bygot was only the superiour lord of the fee, and that Herlewyne, who had it at the survey, left it to Ralf his son, who married Helwyse, daughter of Hugh de Plais, and left Reginald, sirnamed Le Brun, who was uncle to John le Strange, son of John le Strange, nephew and heir of the said Reginald le Brun; and it appears that part of it was conveyed to Warner or Warin de Tottington, who gave the tithes of his estate, which contained half a knight's fee, to Thetford priory; this Warin had it of Roger de Reymes, who had it of Bigot. In 1195, there was a dispute between Robert Mortimer of Atilburgh, and John le Strange of Hunstanton, concerning five fees in Hunstanton, Totington, Ringstede, Snitterton, &c. (fn. 5) and at the last, Robert released the whole to John, and John gave back this manor to Robert and his heirs, to be held of John by one knight's fee, save a 20th part, excepting also the church of Totington, and the rents and services that he had given to the nuns at Campesse in Suffolk; I have seen the deeds by which he gave the church to the nuns, with a messuage late Simon le Brun's, with all the lands belonging to it, with Katherine, daughter of the said Simon, and her family, Sir Roger Mustrell, William, son of Richard de Hunstanton, and others, being witnesses; excepting also divers rent and services, which constituted the manor called

Strange's,

Which continued in that family till John le Strange of Hunstanton, Esq. son and heir of Sir John le Strange, Knt. (fn. 6) by deed dated 5th Henry V. confirmed to Alice Corbet, Prioress of Campsey, and her successours, his manor in Totington called Strange's, with all thereto belonging, which John le Strange, his father, had given to Mary Felton, late Prioress there; this manor remained in the convent to the Dissolution, and was granted with the advowson, &c. to Sir Richard Southwell, Knt. and so united to the capital manor. (fn. 7)

In 1244, William de Mortimer, lord of Mortimer's manor, had the assize of bread and beer, weyf, trebuchet, and free-warren here, and in Scoulton; and in 1286, it was returned upon a quo warranto, that the said William, Petronil de Tony, (who was lady of the hundred,) Margaret de Ware, and Sarah de Bray, held in common among them the leet of this town, as partners with the said William, and that they had a tumbrell here.

Constantine de Mortimer of Sculton held this manor of Robert le Strange, he of Robert de Montealt, he of the Earl of Albermarle, and he of the King.

In 1339, he settled it on himself and Sibil his wife, with Scoulton and Stanford; in 1345, it was said that John de Thorp had this manor for some time; in 1378, Mathew de Bolton, vicar of St. Nicholas at Newcastle, held five fees in Hunstanton, Tottington, Ringstead and Holm, as trustees, I suppose, to Le Strange; in 1390, Sir John le Strange of Hunstanton, Knt. gave his estate here to Sir Robert Ufford, Knt. in trust only, for in 1401, John le Strange is said to hold it; this occasioned the account we have in the Atlas, page 344, which erroneously tells us, that Constantine purchased it not long before, of the Uffords, when the Mortimers were the real lords, and Ufford only lord of the fee, as trustee to Le Strange; it went with Atleburgh, and on the division of the Mortimers estate, passed with Scoulton to the Fitz Ralfs, and in 1402, Sir John Fitz Ralf, Knt. held the manor of Tottington, of John Strange, who held it of Isabell late Queen of England, wife of King Richard II. and he of the Earl of Albemarle, who held of the King; and at the same time the said John le Strange held here the 20th part of a fee; and from this time it passed with Scoulton; and in 1538, Sir Edward Chamberlain, Knt. had a moiety of it conveyed to him by Sir William Hussey, Knt. and Ursula his wife; and in 1544, Ralf Chamberlain and Elizabeth his wife sold it to

Richard Southwell, by the name of Mortimer's manor in Tottington, Stanford, Little Cressingham, Tomson, Sturston, and Threxton.

In 1558 the manors were all joined, for Sir Richard Southwell, Knt. suffered a recovery of the manors of Tottington, Stanford's, and Mortimer's, with the impropriation and advowson of the vicarage, to the use of himself for life, remainder to Elizabeth, wife of George Heneage, daughter of Sir Richard, for life, remainder to her heirs; and for want of such, to Thomas, son of Sir Robert Southwell, brother of Sir Richard, and his heirs male, remainder to Francis, brother of the said Thomas, and his heirs, remainder to Robert and Henry, other brothers of the said Thomas, &c.; and in 1572, George Heneage and Elizabeth his wife had them; it after came to Sir Robert Southwell, who sold it to

Edward Coke, Esq. and his heirs.

In 1635, the Lady Jane Harte, paid 20l. per annum out of these manors to John Harte, according to the will of Sir Eustace Harte, Knt. deceased; it after belonged to

Thomas Garrard, Esq. and after to Sir Nicholas Garrard of Langford, Bart. who died in 1727, leaving it to his widow, the present Lady Garrard, who holds all the manors at this time.

Stanford's Manor.

Alwin, a Saxon, owned this part at the Confessor's survey, and Roger de Ramis had it allotted him by the Conqueror; he gave it to Waregius, who held it at the Conqueror's survey, when it was worth 20s. per annum, it being fallen half its value since Alwin's time; it contained three carucates, one of them being demean. (fn. 8)

In 1275, Maud de Ebroicis granted to Thomas de Solarijs, for life, with remainder to herself and heirs, this manor, which then contained two carucates.

About 1290, Thomas de Ware held it at half a fee of Petronil de Vaus, and the said Thomas divided it, by granting one quarter of the fee to Hugh de Bokenham, who was to hold it of the said Petronil, who held it of the Earl Marshal, and the Earl of the King. This Thomas de Ware had it in 1285, of Margaret, widow of Stephen de Ware. In 1328, it was settled on Stephen de Ware and Alice his wife, by John Bardolf of Spixworth and Ricard de Holdich, feoffees of the Ware family.

In 1344, Osbert de Boyton died seized of this and Langford manor; and in 1345, John, his son and heir, held it of John de Narford, at a quarter of a fee, as of Richmond honour, and so it continued in 1401.

In 1466, it was settled in marriage by John Wyndham, Esq. the father, on John Wyndham, Esq. the son, and Margaret his wife, daughter of Sir John Howard, Knt. after Duke of Norfolk, and their heirs, remainder to Isabell and Ela, daughters of John Wyndham the father. In 1475, John Wyndham, senior, devised it to John Wyndham of Felbrigge, his son, and his heirs, and afterwards it was purchased by

Sir Richard Southwell, and joined to Mortimer's manor, with which it now [1738] continues.

Campesse Manor,

At the dissolution of that house, devolved to the Crown, with the impropriation and patronage, and was given by King Henry VIII. in 1530, with all the house, lands, &c. belonging to that monastery to

Richard Southwell, and his heirs, who was to hold it of the Crown by the annual fee farm rent of 3l. which is now paid to Horatio Walpole, Esq. and was lately the Earl of Tankervile's, it being granted from the Crown, with many other fee farm rents in the county.

Thetford Monks' Manor,

At the Dissolution, was granted by Henry VIII. in the 32d year of his reign, to Thomas Duke of Norfolk, to be held in capite, who sold it to the Southwells, and so it united to the other manor.

Bokenham's, Martham's, or Macham's Manor,

Had its rise out of Stanford's manor as aforesaid, when Thomas de Ware settled half of it on

Hugh de Bokenham, in 1345; and in 1401, Hugh de Bokenham and Alice his mother held a quarter of a fee of the Nerford family; it seems to have been divided soon after, for in 1402, Tho. de Tottington held a part of it of the honour of Richmond; (fn. 9) he had also a sort of free tenement or manor, which had been in his family ever since Warine de Tottington's time, which now united to this, and was a part of the land granted to Warine, as you may see under Mortimer's manor. Mr. Neve says, that it came to the Salters, and that Edmund Salter was lord in 1629, and that about 1714 it was sold by Edmund, son of Robert, along with their estate, to Mr. Evesdon.

The site of the rectory joined to the east part of the churchyard, where now is the rectory barn.

There is also another barn about two furlongs north-west of the church, which is moated in, and had a good fishery belonging to it; by this place are several ruins of buildings, which I take to have been the old manor-house.