Hundred of South Erpingham: Burgh

BURGH,

Otherwise called Aylesham-Burgh, (fn. 1) is in the liberty of the dutchy of Lancaster; the capital manor was held by Marwen, a freewoman, in the Confessor's time, when it was a mile long and five furlongs broad, and paid 5d. geld, and was worth 40s. a year, and in the Conqueror's time it was worth 3l. a year, and belonged to Drue de Beuraria, and the Earl and the King had the soc; (fn. 2) and soon after, the King had this whole manor and advowson appendant to it, which continued in the Crown till Edward I. granted them to Sir John de Burgo or Burgh, senior, and it was always held in fee-farm, as ancient demean, and had a charter of free-warren from Edward I. and the tenants of the manor were free from toll, stallage, cheminage, pontage, paunage, murage, and passage, throughout all England; and the charter or exemplification of their liberties was renewed May 17, 1605, and again in 1625. (fn. 3)

Roger Bigot was lord of another part or manor here, which was 3 furlongs long, and 2 broad, and paid 2d. gelt. (fn. 4) I take this to be the manor called afterwards Gorge's of which John Bishop of Norwich died seized in 1498, and in 1616 was settled by Sir Thomas Coventry, Knt. and John Walter, on George Earl of Bucks, and is said by Mr. Le Neve, to be in the estate of the Elvins.

Of the capital manor, Sir John de Felton, Knt. was lord in 1315, and in 1330 King Edward III. granted it to Sir Robert Ufford, Knt. and his heirs, in recompense for his loyal service against Roger Mortimer Earl of March. In 1384 Anne Queen of England had it, and Richard II. granted it to Michael De-la-pole Earl of Suffolk, and it continued in that family, but was held of them about 1470 for a term, by Sir John Curson, Knt. In 1498, John Duke of Suffolk held it for life, the reversion being in the Crown by the forfeiture of John Earl of Lincoln, eldest son to the Duke; and accord ingly in 1523 Henry VIII. granted it to his mercer, William Botery, citizen of London, after the death of Margaret, wife of Edmund Delapole, it having been settled formerly on Sir Robert Drewry, Knt. for her use for life; in 1524, Botery settled it on Alice his wife, when the quitrents were 10l. 10s. per annum. In 1548 Thomas Shakerley had it, and then Alan Hord, at whose death, in 1554, Thomas Hord, Esq. his son had it, who conveyed it to Thomas Wodehouse, whose cousin and heir, Sir Henry Woodehouse of Waxham, had it in 1573, and mortgaged it to Thomas Crofts, Esq. of Felmingham, and afterwards sold it to Sir Edward Cook, who in 1616 settled it on Sir Robert Cooke, his son and heir, and heir trustees settled it, (in consideration of a marriage,) with many other manors, on Sir John Villiers, Knt. afterwards Viscount Purbeck, (fn. 5) and Frances his wife, daughter of the said Sir Edward Cooke, by Elizabeth daughter of Thomas Earl of Excester, and widow of Sir William Newport, alias Hutton, Knt. Sir John was succeeded by his son, by the said Frances, Robert Villiers alias Danvers, who married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Danvers; and his lady surviving him had it in 1686, (fn. 6) and was succeeded by their eldest son, Robert Villiers alias Danvers, (fn. 7) commonly called Viscount Purbeck, though Robert his father surrendered his patent by fine; and now Mr. Villiers is lord and patron.

Rectors.

1284, William Russell. John de Burgh, senior.

1321, William Cross.

1331, John de Sutton.

1349, Thomas de Burgh, he went to Marlesford. Sir Robert Ufford Earl of Suffolk.

1350, Arnulph Sone. Ditto,

Adam Goos of Thetford. Ditto. He changed in 1357 for Marlesford, and

Thomas de Burgh came hither again.

1361, William Browne.

1361, Luke Alibon.

1361, John Dey, who changed in 1368 for Dachworth in Lincolnshire, with

John de Wesenham, who was buried in the chancel in 1379; and Sir William Ufford Earl of Suffolk, gave it to

Thomas Cobbe, who in 1381 changed it for Holesle in Suffolk, with

John Alberd alias All-Beard. In 1384, Anne Queen of England gave it to

William Gerard, who in 1389 changed it for Kirbycane, with

Nicholas Jacob, who was buried in the chancel in 1419. In

1420, William Earl of Suffolk gave it to

John Bandesey, who exchanged it in 1437 for Banningham, with

Richard Goneld, and he in 1445 for a mediety of Ingworth, with

William Bettes. In

1490, Robert Smith had it, and in 1455 Edmund De la-pole Earl of Suffolk presented

William Ayerton: and the King, by De-la-pole's attainder in 1509, gave it to

Robert Malton, at whose death in 1516, William Botery gave it to

Henry Allen, (fn. 8) at whose resignation in 1548, Roland Shakerley, citizen of London, gave it to

Thomas Bower, at whose death in 1580, Thomas Crofts, Esq. presented

Robert Green, and in 1583, on his resignation,

George Bell; he died in 1625, and Sir Edward Cooke, Knt. gave it to

William Leedes. In 1638 Lady Elizabeth Hutton, alias Cooke, gave it to

Nathaniel Gill, (fn. 9) who was sequestered, but was restored in 1662, and the year following had Aylesham vicarage, which he held united to this to his death in 1669, when William Doughty, sen. of Aylesham, Gent. patron of this turn, gave it to

Daniel Burton, A. M. who held it united to Skeyton till his death, and in 1704 Peter Elvin, Gent. gave it to

The Rev. Mr. Jonathan Wrench, who held it united to Aylesham; and at his death, Mr. Villiers, the present patron, presented

The Rev. Mr. Thomas Gallant, the present rector, who holds it united to Blickling.

The Church is dedicated to St. Mary the Virgin, and was new roofed in 1524, for then Thomas Strutte was buried in it, and gave 10 marks towards the roof. There were 2 gilds of our Lady, and St. James; the ancient valuation was 15 marks, and it paid 4d. ob. Peterpence. There is a house and about 14 acres of glebe, it pays 9d. synodals, 4s. procurations, and 1s. 11d. visitatorial procurations to the Bishop; it stands thus in the King's books,

7l. 17s. 1d. Burrough, alias Ailesham-Borrough, rectory 35l. clear yearly value.

So that it pays no first-fruits nor tenths, and is capable of augmentation. The sacrist of Bury's manor in Aylesham extended hither, and he was taxed at 3s. and the town paid 2l. 12s. to every tenth, and it now pays 6s. 6d. to every 300l. levy of the county rate, and is valued to the land-tax at 250l. per annum.

The nave, chancel, and south porch are thatched, the tower is square and hath one whole bell and half another, on the whole one is,
Fac Margareta nobis hec munera Leta.

In a south window,

Robert Collet and Margery his Wife. Robert Yemys.

In a north window. Robert Ye[lverton] and Margery his Wyfe

There are the arms of, Ufford, Opsall, arg. a cross moline sab. with a bordure az. bezanté or, on a cross engrailed gul. five annulets between four escalops sab. with a crescent for difference, sab. a chevron between three owls arg. crowned and armed or.

There is a stone in the chancel, for Anne wife of Christopher Hardy, Gent. daughter of Isaac Paine of Norwich, Aug. 6, 1679.

A mural monument hath this,

In the Alley adjoining, lieth the Body of Edmund Burr, Gent. and Anne his Wife, and 3 of their Children, he died Nov. 26, 1720, 56. She June 24, 1708, 44, they left Issue, Ann, Margaret and Mathew, in hopes of meeting at the joyfull Resurrection of the Just. This monument was erected by Mathew their son.