Hundred of Depwade

THE HUNDRED OF DEPWADE.

The hundred of Depwade takes its name from the Depe-ford (fn. 1) over the river by Taseburgh, which though now of no great remark, in early days was otherwise; the river Taüs being then very broad, and fordable in no place in this hundred, but here only. The hundred is bounded on the north, by the hundreds of Humbleyard and Forekoe; on the east, by Hensted and Loddon; on the west, by Shropham; and on the south, by Diss and Earsham hundreds. The fee of it was in the Crown, till King Richard I. gave it to Gundred the Countess; Roger son of Will. had it after; and in 1225, King Henry III. gave it for life to Roger de Hadisco; and in 1249, it was valued at nine marks a year; in 1274 it was in Edward the First's hands, and was worth 6l. per annum clear; and this King settled it on John de Clavering for a term of years; and in 1315, Edward II. assigned it to Sir Walter de Norwich; but in 1327, Edward III. granted it to Sir John de Clavering, with Cossey, &c. and his heirs; (fn. 2) since which time, the inheritance of it attended Cossey, and was afterwards sold by divers of the lords there; the several lords of the manors purchased the royalties and letes belonging to their manors; by which means the hundred court failed. This hundred paid 65l. 13s. 11s. clear to every tenth, and now raises annually to the land tax at 4s. in the pound, 3057l. 14s. 9d. viz.

The annual payment of each town in this hundred to the land tax, at 4s. in the pound.

The quarterly payment for each town to the justices of the sessions, &c. for quarterage, vagrant-money, bridge-money, &c.

These villages make up the deanery of Depwade, which contained 23 parishes, and was taxed at 16s.

Deans Of Depwade,

collated by the bishops of norwich.

1216, Laurence the dean.

1314, Ralf de Upgate of Tharston, priest.

1323, Master Robert de Stratton, subdeacon.

1334, Sir John de Hovedene, priest.

1350, John de Heygate of Trunch, fellow of Trinity Hall in Cambridge.

Thomas de Ravenser, resigned.

1359, William de Daventre, he changed for Anderby in Lincolnshire, with Ravenser.

1359, Roger de Haldenby, clerk.

1375, Robert de Topcliff, Shavelyng:

1380, John de Roseworth.

1392, John atte Brigge of Salle, clerk.

1393, John Ram.

1405, Alan Ram.

1422, Thomas Ash.

1431, Thomas Holdeyn.

1447, Sir Ralf Somerby, chaplain, who got this consolidated to Humbleyard deanery, see p. 2.

1496, Mr. Will. Portland, A. M.

1498, Mr. Tho. Wolsey, A.M. the last rural dean of these deaneries.

This hundred being so near Norwich, it hath not any place where there is a market now kept. The soil is rich and well enclosed, and hath much wood and timber in it, but the roads (as a necessary consequence of good land) are dirty and bad.