Gallow and Brothercross Hundreds: Testerton

TESTERTON

Was the lordship of Peter de Valoines at the survey, out of which Toka, a freeman, was expelled at the conquest; and Richard held it under Peter; 7 bordarers had half a carucate of land, and one servus: there was one carucate in demean, and one amongst the men; but at the survey, half a carucate, with an half acre of meadow, valued at 10s. (fn. 1)

It is called, in Domesday Book, Estretuna, being seated by a running water, or river, that comes from Fakenham.

Christiana de Thorp held here the moiety of a fee in Henry the Third's time.

The family of De Snaring, lords of Snaring Parva, seem to have enjoyed it, under the family of De Valoines. In the 13th of Edward I. Richard Le Bule of Snoring Parva, and John Le Strange, of Litcham, conveyed to Henry de Wirham, and Richard Le Rus, by fine, the advowson of the church of Testerton. Richard Le Bule, and John Le Strange, married Matilda and Basilia, two of the daughters and coheirs of Sir Philip de Snaring, of whom see in that town; and in the 31st of that King, Fulk de Munpinzun and Jane his wife were querents, and Edmund de Munpinzun deforciant, in a fine, of a messuage, 30 acres of land, one of meadow, and 4s. rent in this town, Colkirk, and Pudding Norton, settled on Edmund.

In the 14th of Edward II. Thomas de Grimston held the 4th part of a fee; but in the 9th of Edward III. the moiety of this lordship was settled by William de Hales and Catherine his wife, with the manors of Wicklewood, Warham, and lands in Kelling, &c. on themselves in tail, remainder to Stephen, Richard, and William, their sons; and this lordship, with that of Warham, &c. were to revert to the heirs of Catherine, (fn. 2) as her inheritance; and in the 20th of the said King, William de Hales, Richard Clerk, and Agnes his wife, John le Rous, and William Pavilly, held the moiety of one quarter of a fee, which Christiana de Thorp formerly held; and John le Rous of Reynham presented to this church in 1346, as Sir Stephen Hales did in 1351.

Joan Rous, one of the daughters and heirs of John Rous of Reynham St. Mary, quit-claimed to James de Billing ford, Roger Rautyn, of Norton, and John Champneys, her right in a messuage, and 32 acres of land, with the appertenances in Testerton, and the advowson of the church, late her father's, on the 16th of December in the 19th of Richard II. and on July 10, in the 12th of Henry VI. Richard Bosoun, Esq. John Champneys, clerk, &c. released to Thomas Champneys, clerk, all their right in it, with the manor of Stiberd, which they had of the feoffment of John Conesby, clerk, with the said Thomas.

Roger Rawlyn was lord, in 1395, and presented to the church.

William Rokewode, junior, of Warham, Esq. son of William Rokewode, Esq. by his will, dated October 21, 1474, bequeaths to Alice his wife, the moiety of this manor, remainder to his daughters, Agnes, and Margaret, remainder to his sisters, Margaret Wase, and Margery, wife of James Gresham, remainder to the right heirs of Elizabeth, his mother; proved November 8, 1474. (fn. 3)

Agnes, his daughter, married Sir Nicholas Appleyard, of Braken, in Norfolk, who died lord in 1511; and in the 9th of Henry VIII. being then a widow, settled this lordship, with that of Warham Hales, and Holt, on her son and heir, Roger Appleyard, and his heirs. Roger married Elizabeth, relict, as is said, of Sir Terry Robsert, (fn. 4) of Sedistern, in Norfolk: he died on the 8th of July, in the 20th of Henry VIII. leaving John, his son and heir, aged one year: his will is dated in 1528, and proved December 7, 1529, wherein he gives to each of his daughters, Anne, Frances, and Bridget, 200l. to be paid out of his manors of Warham, Holt, and Testerton-Hales.

John Appleyard, Esq. was lord in the 2d of Edward VI. and had livery of this manor, with those of Brakenash, East Charlton, Holt, Stanfield in Windham, Hethill, Newton, &c. in Norfolk, and Byron in Hertfordshire. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Robert Hogan, Esq. of East Bradenham, was high sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk, in 1558, and bore for his arms, azure, a chevron or, between three owlets, argent. This John sold to Thomas Townesend, Esq. this lordship; and in 1572 John Stanley, gentleman, is said to hold it in right of his wife, (probably relict of this John,) the reversion being in Thomas Townesend, then a minor, son of Thomas Townesend, who purchased it of Appleyard, and was a younger son of Sir Roger Townesend, Knt. of Raineham, by Anne his wife, daughter and coheir of Sir Thomas Brewse; which Thomas Townesend, Esq. married Elizabeth, daughter of John Calybut of Castleacre, Esq. and left Thomas, his son and heir, who by Elizabeth his wife, daughter of Richard Catlyn of Huningham, serjeant at law, had Thomas Townsend, Esq. and by Elizabeth his wife, daughter of Richard Timperly of Hintlesham in Suffolk, Esq. left Dorothy, his daughter and heir, who brought this manor by marriage to Thomas Bedingfeld, Esq. whose son and heir, Anthony, married Anne, daughter of—who was his widow in 1621. Thomas Bedingfeld, Esq. his son, died in—, and left Anthony Bedingfeld, Esq. lord of this town, and of Holm-Hale, and dying in 1707, Francis, his son and heir, sold it to John Curteis, Gent. Margaret, widow of Antony, died in 1722, and was buried by her husband, in the church of Hale; Anthony, brother of Francis, was a Jesuite, and a missionary in England.

Mr. Benoni Mallet, of Dunton, is the peresent lord, 1757.

The tenths were 2l. 4s.—Deducted 14s.—Lete fee to the lord of the hundred 4s.

William Prat, and Beatrix his wife, conveyed to Sir Roger Towncsend, the manor of Wrights, in Testerton, Riburgh, and Puding Norton, in the 19th of Henry VIII. This was united to the aforesaid lordship, and family, and so conveyed with it.

The Church of Testerton, is dedicated to St. Remigius, and is a rectory, formerly valued at 8 marks; the prior of Bynham's portion was 10s.—Peter-pence 5d. q. The present valor is 5l.

1324, Richard de Elyngham, rector, presented by Stephen de Warham, &c.

Richard Markaunt.

1346, Thomas de Etton, by John Rous.

1351, John Stawer, by Sir Stephen de Hales.

1358, Roger Charlepoint. Ditto.

1366, William Wyth, by the attorney of Sir Stephen de Hales.

1384, Richard Gery, by John Skot.

1395, John Major, by Joan relict of Sir S. Hales.

1395, Charles Aleyn, by Roger Raulings.

1411, Thomas Hervy, by Sir Robert Berney, Knt.

1457, John Fakenham, by the Bishop, a lapse.

1460, Robert Zunytehed, by William Rookewood, Esq.

1477, John Malyney, by Thomas Howard, Esq.

1482, Richard Fenwick, by Charles Wright.

1504, Palph Calton.

1513, Thomas Davyson, by the Bishop, a lapse.

1517, Pichard Oldeman. Ditto.

1567, John Hewet, collated by the Archbishop, a lapse.

1615, Thomas Barsham, by Thomas Townsend, Esq.

1617, Leonard Helgh. Ditto.

1645, Richard Mason, by Roger Townsend, Esq. and G. Jervis, Gent.

1680, William Briggs, by Ant. Bedingfield, Esq.

1709, John Frankling, by Fr. Bedingfield, Esq.

1711, Thomas Turner, by Henry Curteis, merchant.

1749, Anthony Carr, by William Lake, merchant, Thomas Weatherhead, clerk, and John Curtis, Gent.

Gild of the Holy Trinity, and St, Remigius.—The crucifix light.— St. Mary's, St. Nicholas's, St. Christhopher's, and St. Erasmus's.