Hundred of Depwade: Little Moulton

LITTLE MOULTON,

At the survey, was in two parts, that held of Forncet by Alger, belonged first to Ralf, and then to Rob. de Agnellis, and the whole was held of Forncet at a fee, but part of it the lord of Forncet held of the honour of Gloucester; and in 1212, Lambert Teutonicus, called also le Almain, (fn. 1) who afterwards took the sirname of Moulton, agreed with Roger Bigot Earl of Norfolk, the capital lord of the town, and purchased divers rents and lands from the manor of Great Moulton, of Bertram de Verdon, of whom it was settled, this manor should henceforward be held; so that by this purchase the quitrents of this manor became 5l. per annum.

In 1235, Richard de Brewse and Oliver de Redham, were concerned in it, and in 1246, the said Richard, jointly with Eleanor his wife, held a court-baron; in 1306, Reginald le Gros, settled it on Oliver de Redham and Joan his wife; it had then three messuages, 113 acres of land, five acres of meadow, and 20s. 11d. quitrents. In 1309, William son of William de Walcote, settled it on Thomas de Multon and Margaret his wife, who held it in 1315, of Richard de Brewse, and in 1345, it was purchased by William del Park, and joined to his manor called Parks in Wacton, and from that time, there hath been no court kept in this parish.

The advowson, from the Conqueror's time, belonged to the Abbot of St. Bennet at the Holm, (fn. 2) who was taxed at 28s. 6d. for temporals here, but had no manor, only free-rents or pensions paid out of such lands as belonged to him, which were granted to be held free.

Rectors presented by the Abbots of Holm

1322, Walter Duce. Henry, Abbot there.

1330, William Lessi.

1350, William Bercher of Mendham, res.

1360, Richard Uptoft, change with Calthorp.

1372, Richard Ugman, change with Rockland Minor.

1373, John de Iselford, change Belings Parva.

1404, Roger Turner of Wilby.

1408, Rob. Devenysh, change with Leighs in London diocese.

1409, Thomas York, change with E. Dene, Chichester diocese.

1412, William Bale, change with East Basham.

1425, Richard Wilby. Lapse.

1434, Clement Chevyr, deacon.

1436, William Stele, A.M. Lapse.

1438, Jown Howard.

1452, John Leghton.

1484, William Mene. Lapse.

1494, Reginald Cooper. Ditto.

1504, William Mene. (fn. 3) Lapse.

1512, John Thirewall.

1520, John Dawson, ob.

1525, Thomas Percivale. (fn. 4)

1533, Francis Woode, ob.

1535, Sir Robert Mathew, (fn. 5) chaplain, was the last presented by the convent.

Rectors presented by the bishops of Norwich, (fn. 6) as Abbots of Holm.

1550, Tho. Welles, alias Martin, united to St. Michael Robert Rugge, alderman of Norwich, by grant of Will. Rugge Bishop of Norwich.

1555, Rich. Clegge. Ditto, as to union, presented by the Bishop.

1566, John Seman.

1570, John Hill, ob.

1581, William Matchet, A.M. united to St. Michael.

1620, Will. Roy. Ditto, ob.

1640, Thomas Stevenson. Ditto.

1663, John Worthington, S. T. P. (fn. 7)

1671, John Beale, united to Drayton.

1674, Sam. Williams, held it with St. Michael.

1689, John Richardson, A.M.

1720, John Paul, A.M.

1725, John Gardiner, now LL. D. and rector of MassinghamMagna. He resigned, and was succeeded by

The Rev. Mr. George Kenrick, vicar of Horning, who is the present rector.

The church was dedicated to all the Saints, and when Norwich Domesday was wrote, the rector had no house but 13 acres of glebe; it was valued at three, and after at four marks; the Abbot of Holm's portion was 4s.; it paid 12d. procurations, 1s. 10d. synodals, 18d. Peter pence, and 2d. ob. carvage. The church was in use till 1570, and then was totally demolished; the site of it is still called All-Saints churchyard. It is capable of augmentation, being returned of 30l. value, is discharged of first-fruits and tenths, and now stands thus in the King's Books:

4l. 3s. 1d. ob. Moulton Omnium Sanctorum, alias Parva Rect. 30l. clear yearly value.