Gallow and Brothercross Hundreds: Kettleston

KETTLESTON.

Hauvile's, or Pomfret's Manor.

Called Ketestuna, and Kettlestuna, in Domesday Book. Kat, or Cat, is the name of a river, or water, thus Catwick in Yorkshire, Catworth in Huntingdonshire, &c. and Catter, or Catre, a river in Rutlandshire.

Part of this town was a beruite to the King's manor of Fakenham, at the survey, and held by King Herold, before the conquest, who had one carucate of land, with 3 bordarers, and a carucate and 2 acres of meadow, &c. and was valued in Fakenham. (fn. 1)

This was granted to Ralph de Hauvile by King Henry II. to be held of the Crown, by petit serjeanty, the keeping the King's falcons, together with Dunton, as may be there seen at large.

By the account of Richard de Rodney eschaetor, on this side of Trent, in the 15th of Edward II. Thomas de Havile had sold to Thomas de Mileham and Beatrix his wife, 15 messuages and tofts, one mill, 156 acres of land, 5 of meadow, and 25s, rent in this town Snoring, Parva, and Dunton, which were seized on by the said eschaetor. After this it was possessed by Sir Robert Knollys, and was settled on his hospital, or college, at Pomfret; and in the 3d of Henry V. John Stedman, &c. as master of that house, was seized of a moiety of this town, anciently royal demean, and no part of the dutchy of Lancaster, and the bailiffs of the hundred of Gallow and Brothercross having distrained for rent, as parcel of the said dutchy, on an inquisition taken at Walsingham, before Henry de Nottingham, the King's feodary, in this county, it was found that they had no right to demand 4s. per annum of this manor of Haviles, and that no lord of the hundreds aforesaid had a right to the same, the same manor being held in capite, by the service of keeping one gerfalcon, without paying any other service to the King, as Duke of Lancaster, or lord of the hundreds.

After the dissolution of the aforesaid hospital it was granted, May 17, in the 3d of Edward VI. to Sir William Farmor, and Sir Richard Fulmerstone, and Sir William died seized of it, in 1558; on whose death Catherine, his lady, possessed it, and brought it by marriage to Nicholas Mynne, Esq. and by an indenture dated October 1, in 21st of Elizabeth, it appears that Nicholas Mynne, Esq. held this lordship of Pomfrets, with that of Rochford, lying in this town, Snoring Parva, and Clipston, paying 100 comb of barley rent.

Sir William Drury was lord in the 22d of Elizabeth, and aliened it with the Queen's license, to Thomas Taverner, who by his will dated April 10, 44th of the said Queen, grants the manor of Pomfrets to his wife Mary, for life, and dying June 11, in the said year, was found to hold it in capite, by the 100th part of a fèe; and the manor of Rochford, by fealty of the manor of Hindringham; and Robert was his son and heir, aged 31, who dying September 5, 1612, left by Anne, his wife, a daughter and sole heir, Mary, being married to Francis Shouldham, Esq. son and heir of William Schuldham, Esq. who died April, 1655, aged 84, whose immediate heir and descendent, Robert Schouldham, M. D. (fn. 2) is the present lord, in 1764.

Francis abovementioned was son of William Shouldham, Esq. and brother to Humphry Shouldham, Esq. the sons of John Shouldham, Esq. lord of Marham and Shouldham, which John died in 1551, and Humphry died lord in 1566; this William married Dorothy, daughter of John Smith of Blackmore in Essex, Esq.

Rochford's Manor.

Part of this town belonged to the Earl Warren's lordship of EastBarsham, held by Toke, the Saxon lord; there were 8 socmen in this town, 2 in Snaring Parva, and 4 in Clipston, belonging to it, who had half a carucate of land, and was measured in Barsham; also 3 carucates, and two acres of meadow, a church, with 8 acres, valued at 40s. afterwards 3l. and paid 10s. gelt. (fn. 3)

The family De Hyndryngham had anciently an interest herein: Ralph and William de Havile confirmed by deed, sans date, to William, son of Hamon de Hyndryngham, all the rent which they were to receive of their tenants in Keteleston, with the homages, services, &c. —Witnesses, Sir Guy de Rocheford, &c. James, son of Richard Osborn of Clipston, confirmed to the said Hamon, his lord, 10d. rent here; and John Coury, and Helewisia his wife, daughter and heir of Hamon de Kaldewelle, released to William, son of Hamon de Hindryngham by deed, sans date, several rents issuing out of several lands, with several villains; afterwards it was possessed by the Rochfords; and in the 28th of Edward III. Sir Saier de Rochford conveyed it to Ralph de Rochford, his son, and Maud his wife; from whom it came to the Welbys, &c. as may be seen in Rochford manor in East-Barsham. Sir William Farmer died possessed of it in the 1st of Elizabeth, and his lady Catherine brought it to Mynns, and so came to Taverner and Shouldham, as is above shown, being united to the manor of Havile's or Pomfret's.

The lordship of Fulmodeston extended into this town, and was held by the Grancourts. Thomas de Grancourt, in the 25th of Edward I. by his deed dated there, on Sunday next after the feast of St. Michael, confirmed to Hubert Bishop of Keteleston, lands here, with liberty to dig 3000 turfs, per ann. in Clipston moor, and common of pasture for as many beasts as belong to his tenement, at 12d. per ann.

It went with the lordship of Fulmodeston, and was in the Crown, on the death of Henry Stafford Duke of Bucks, in the reign of Richard III.

The tenths, with that of Clipstone, were 3l. 5s.—Deducted 10s.

The temporalities of Fakenham-dam priory were 6d.

The lete fee to the lord of the hundred was 10d.

The Church is dedicated to All-Saints, a rectory, valued formerly at 21 marks, present valor 10l. and in the patronage of the Crown.

The priory of Castleacre had a portion of tithes, valued at 2 marks per ann.

In the 29th of Edward I. William Attechirche conveyed by fine to Thomas de Grancourt, and Agnes his wife, several messuages, 260 acres of land, 4 of meadow, 50 of pasture, 8 of wood, and 6s. rent, with the advowson of this church.

In the church, a grave-stone:

In memory of Francis Schuldham, son and heir of William Schuldham, Esq. who died April —, 1655, aged 84.

The present lord of this town is Robert Shouldham, M. D. son and heir of Robert Shouldham, by his wife, daughter and heir of — Brady of Norfolk, who is single, and has a sister married to — Edgar, of Watlington, Gent. another to Mr. Walter Rolf, rector of North Pickenham, and a third to Mr. Prithero, rector of East-Barsham.

Walter de Grancourt was patron in the reign of Edward I. when the rector had a manse, and 10 acres of land, valued, with the portion formerly Omers, at 21 marks; the prior of Castleacre's portion of tithe was valued at 2 marks. Peter-pence 12d.

John de Arderne was rector. See in Fulmodeston.

1360, John de Bolyngton, presented by William de Bohun, Earl of Northampton.

1386, William de Oxeburgh, by John de Waltham, agent for that Earl.

1393, James Cole, by Thomas Duke of Gloucester.

1501, Thomas Makhayt, by Edmund Bishop of Exeter, Thomas Earl of Worcester, Thomas Stanley, clerk, &c.

1512, Robert Andrew, by William Bourchier, Knt.

1544, William Osgodby, by the King.

1574, Robert Waryng, by the assignees of the Queen.

1721, John Brathwait, by the King.—Here was the gild of St. Erasmus.