Hundred of Henstede: Ameringhall

AMERINGHALL,

So called from Almaric, its Saxon owner: this manor was a berewic to Thorp by Norwich; at the survey it belonged to the Conqueror, and was under Godric's management; the village was five furlongs long, and three broad, and paid 8d. to the geld or tax. (fn. 1) It continued in the Crown till given to one Flahald, with the manor of Lakenham, and his son Alan gave it to the church of Norwich; and it was settled by Bishop Herbert, with the King's consent, on the prior and monks there. In 1206, 8th of King John, Robert, the chaplain of Ameringhale, settled 70 acres of land here, and seven acres in TrowseNewton, on the prior and convent, after his own, and his wife Estrild's death, and the death of their son John. In 1281, Edward I. licensed Richard de Swerdeston and Isabell his wife to convey and settle many lands in this village, on the prior and convent of Norwich. In 1285, the prior had view of frankpledge, and assise of bread and ale belonging to this manor, which continued till the convent's dissolution in the monastery, and was regranted to the dean and chapter, who are now lords; it hath been leased out by them, to the families of the Mingays and Hernes, and Sir Horace Pettus of Rackhithe, Bart. hath the present lease.

The Prior was anciently taxed for the manor, rents, and lands, at 11l. 13s.

And for his impropriate tithes and spiritualities, six marks, and 8d.

The church is dedicated to St. Mary the Virgin, and was appropriated by John de Grey Bishop of Norwich, to the chamberlain of that monastery; (fn. 2) the rectory was valued at six marks, and the vicarage at 40s. and was not taxed; it paid 3d. carvage, but no synodals, procurations, nor Peter-pence; it being exempt from the archdeacon's jurisdiction: the Dean and Chapter hath probate of wills, and all archidiaconal power, (fn. 3) but at the appropriation the Bishop reserved to himself and successours, all pontifical and parochial jurisdiction, and gave them liberty to serve the church by their chaplains, removeable at pleasure; but yet they were forced to endow a vicarage, to which the Priors of Norwich presented the following

Vicars.

1313, Sir Ralf, the first vicar.

1314, John de Mendlesham.

1347, Hugh Grubbe, res.

1348, Roger Lefstan, res.

1348, Tho. Ethelyn.

1349, Ric. Benetin.

1355, Rob. Hey of Castor, res.

1360, Hugh Magges of Shropham.

1378, Will at Church of Couteshale.

1381, Roger Calf, res.

1382, Peter de Winch, who exchanged for Hales vicarage.

And he was the last that I find instituted till

1579, and then Thomas Serleby was presented by the dean and chapter, and held it united to Trowse, and since there have been no vicars, but the church hath been served (as it now is) once every fortnight, by a perpetual curate, nominated by the dean and chapter, who pay him an annual stipend: it is now served by the Rev. Mr. John Brand, vicar of Easton. (fn. 4) See vol. ii. p. 395.

Here was a small chapel dedicated to St. Andrew, now demolished; it stood at a place called Belhawe.

The church is eleven yards long, and five and an half broad, the chancel is seven yards long, and the same breadth as the church, and are both thatched; there is a square tower about 35 feet high, and three bells, but no isles or porch.

On a brass plate in the altar rails,

Johannes Stanhowe et Anna Uxor ejus.

(I find that John Stanhowe, Gent. lived here in 1583.)

On a stone in the chancel,

Here lieth interred the Body of that Religious and Charitable Gentlewoman Mrs. Jane Stannowe, first the Wife (fn. 5) and Widow of Nic. Herne, Esq; and lastly of John Smith, Esq; (fn. 6) who exchanged this Life the 27 of Mar. A. D. 1649, aged 62 Years and upwards,

Vivit in Æternum quæ Christo vivere novit, Mortua, non moritur, pulvere, non perijt.

Arms of Brereton. John Brereton Apothecary of Norwich, ob. Aug. 26, 1710, 30. William Brereton, Gent. 5 Apr. 1700, 71. Ric. Brereton 17 Aug. 1708, 39. Susanna Wife of William Aug. 17, 1714, 66.

Johnson, a fess, over all on a saltier five crosses moline. Will. Johnson 9 Aug. 1705, 74.

On the south side of the altar is a mural monument with the arms of

Heron, or Herne, sab. a chevron er. between three herons, or hernes, arg.

Crest, a herne's head and neck erased arg. gorged with a ducal coronet or.

Pitt, az. three bars, in chief three stars or.

Siste Gradum, Viator, dum præconis vices hoc marmor supplet, et quisquis es, velim ut Scias: Hoc non indignum scitu, Lapis noster in humum vergens, ac de humo loquens humilis est, et ideo non quid intus latitat, sed quid extra jacet, narrat Ævo præsenti et futuro, Johannis Hernij Armigeri, depositum in tumbâ propinquâ dormit, totum scilicet Hernij quod dormire potuit: Si quæris Quis, et qualis fuit? Gentem et Mentem indicabo. Joannis Hernij de Hendon in Agro Middisexiœ, Juris consulti celebris, Regis et Ecclesiæ in nuperis nostrorum Motibus Hyperaspistis strenui et inmoti, Filius vere primarius et primogenitus Collegij Sancti Johannis apud Oxonienses, necnon Hospitij Lincolniensis Alumnus merilissimus, ingenio subtilis et placidus, Concilio Cautus, et Nervosus, Eloquio promptus, disertus, ordinatus. Ast! quum Annos nondum 46 numerâsset, proh Dolor! Dolorum Catervis, Febri, Scrofulâ, Podagrâ, Scorbuto, Calculo, Dyssenteriâ, exhaustus, exustus, obrutus, abreptus; sexto Martij Anno Salutis Reparatæ 1664. Unicæ et Lectissimæ Conjugi, sex Filijs et tribus Filiabus valedixit, animam Christum spirantem, Christo reddens.

Mæstissima Vidua hoc Mausoleum erexit in Memoriam Mariti interiti, seu potius avolati, tanquam pignus amoris non interituri, alteram Folij paginam, cum Deus, Vitæ et necis arbiter evocaverit, ipsa cum ipso lubenter divisura.

In the other column.

M. S. MariÆ Herne Filiæ Georgij Pitt de Harrow super Montem, in Agro Middlesexiensi, Armig. Conjugis dilectissimæ Johannis Herne de Ameringale Norf Arm. quæ 33 Paulò minus annos viduata viro cursum hunc peregit fæliciter, nempe Deo, Devota, Virtuti, Pietati, Fidei, Amica, Pauperibus tantum non prodiga, nec tamen suis Parca, spe certâ annisque tandem plena, exoptatâ requievit Morte. Jan. 31, A^o Ætatis suæ 74. Dom. 1697

Vive quasi quotidiè moriturus, Morere, ut vivas perpetuo.

Hec te scire volo, nil te moror amplius, hujus et memor humanæ Conditionis, Abi.

I find that Nicholas Herne of Tibenham in Norfolk, had Nicholas, his eldest son, who came and built a good seat at Amringhale (which is the house now standing) and settled there: he was clerk of the Crown, and raised large fortunes, and had two wives, but leaving no issue, his estate descended to his brother, Richard Heron, or Herne, Esq. alderman of London, who married Alice, daughter of — Pascke, D. D. of Cambridge, by whom he had two sons, Nicholas, his eldest, and John Herne of Lincoln's Inn, his second son, to whom he gave Ameringale; he married Susan, daughter of John Woodward, Esq. grocer, and alderman of London, by whom he had John Herne aforesaid, who was buried under this monument, and by Mary, daughter of George Pitt, his wife had six sons and three daughters: 1, Susan, married to Luke Clapham of Ludlow in Shropshire. 2, Mary, to Benj. Stone of London, merchant, but died without issue. 3, Catherine, unmarried in 1708. The 6th son, Lionel, was a merchant in London, had a deputy teller's place in the Exchequer, and died a widower without issue in 1714, and was buried in St. Andrew's Holbourn, London. Robert, the 5th son, was fellow of Clare-hall in Cambridge, and died without issue; as did Thomas, the 4th son, and George, the 2d son.

John Herne, the eldest son, married first, Mary Cotton, and is buried in the altar rails under a marble, with the arms of Herne and Cotton impaled, and this,

Here lieth interred together, the Bodies of Mary the Wife of John Herne, Gent. (and one of the Co-heirs of Lucking Cotton, of Starston in the County of Norfolk, Gent. 29 Apr. 1674, 24. And of John their only Son, who died two Days before his Mother, being 21 days old.

His second wife was Dorothy, daughter of William Cooke of Broom, Esq. who is also buried by her, under a black marble with the arms of

Herne impaling Cooke, or, a chevron ingrailed gul. between three cinquefoils az. on a chief of the 2d, a lion passant guardant arg.

Mortales exuviæ Dorothea Herne, Filiæ natû maximæ Gulielmi Cook de Brome, Armigeri, Uxoris charissimæ Johannis Herne de Amringhall Armigeri, et Filia, Uxor, optima. Ecclesiæ Anglicanæ devotissima alumna, omnimodis Virtutibus Christianis, morumq; Elegantiâ ornata, ætate Florente, pietate Integrâ, puerperio discessit. A^o. Ætatis suæ 23, Dom. 1679.

Leaving no issue by his wives, his estate at his death, about 1616, went to

Franois Herne, his third brother, who was a Spanish merchant, and married a Flatman, by whom he had Eliz. Anne, and Frances; and a son, Francis Herne, Esq. who sold Ameringale to Dame Eliz. Pettus, mother of Sir Horace Pettus, Bart. the present owner.

Here is an acheivement of

1, Herne. 2, Pitt. 3, Barry of six or and sab. a canton gul. 4, On a pale ingrailed gul. three de-lises or. 5, Arg. a bend between three bees sab. on an inescutcheon of pretence, sab. a chevron between three wiverns heads arg. 6, Cooke. 7, Or, a cross between three cocks gul. 8, Gul. a crescent erm. between 8 martlets or. 9, Vert, nine de-lises arg. 10, Arg. a fess between three crescents sab. 11, Shelton. 12, Brome. 13, Or, a fess chequy arg. and az. 14 as 1.

To the southern part of this town joins