Eynford Hundred: Ringland

RINGLAND.

William Beaufoe's lordship of Helmingham extended into this town, and was the capital manor of it, being that lordship which he held in his own right, as a lay fee, and granted to him by the Conqueror, on the expulsion of Renold, as may be seen there: as the same lords at all times possessed it, I refer the reader to that town.

Walter Giffard Earl of Bucks had also a small fee, out of which 3 freemen were ejected, who had 60 acres of land and a carucate, with 2 carucates and 2 acres of meadow, valued at 10s. The soc belonged to the King's manor of Folsham, in King Edward's reign, but now belonged to Walter. (fn. 1)

Adam de Lions held part of this in the reign of Henry III. (see Lions manor in Weston,) and Simon Est, in the said reign; see East's manor in Helmingham.

In the time of Henry VI. the Atmeres had an interest in a lordship belonging to this fee, held of the honour of Clare, and was called

Brockdish Manor

William Atmere, and Alice his wife, had an interest here, 25th of Henry VI. and in the 1st of Edward IV. William Atmere paid a fine of 20l. on his entry to part of it, and Thomas Atmere in the 22d of Henry VII. paid a fine to John Earl of Oxford, high steward of the honour of Clare.

William Atmere of Ringland paid 20l. fine on his entry on part, (on the death of his father Thomas,) in the 6th of Edward VI. June 25, and Firmin Neave paid his fine in the 20th of Elizabeth, to Nicholas Bacon, Esq. then high steward, on his purchasing this part of Thomas Atmere, and the Le Neves possessed it in 1640.

Firman Neve and Mary his wife sold all his lands here to Francis Neve of Wichingham, Esq. on March 14, 1634; and Francis in 1640, gave them to Henry, son of his late brother Robert; and Francis, son of Henry, gave them to Oliver le Neve of Wichingham.

The tenths of this town with Helmingham were 3l. 15s. 8d.—Deducted 6s. 8d.

The Church of Ringland was formerly a rectory, valued at 9 marks, and paid Peter-pence 12d. Julian de Swathfield, lord of the manor under Bishop Beaufoe, gave this rectory to the abbey of West Derham, which was confirmed to them by King John in his 2d year, but in the 27th of Edward I. an assise was brought by Thomas de Helmingham, against the abbot for this church, wherein it is set forth that Julian de Swathfield, his ancestor held it, who had issue, Thomas, who had William, father of Peter, who had Thomas, the present petent, but the abbot maintained his right, producing the grant of Julian, and the confirmation of the appropriation of the church by the Bishop and prior of Norwich, so that the church was appropriated at that time, and probably on the grant of it in King John's time, when a vicarage was settled, valued in 1293 at 26s. 8d.; the present valor is 3l. 16s. and is discharged of first fruits and tenths.

Vicars.

Thomas, occurs vicar, in 1288.

1318, John Tylly instituted, presented by the abbot, and nominated by the Bishop of Norwich.

1330, Robert Graunt. Ditto.

1349, John de St. Faith's. Ditto.

1349, John Brian. Ditto.

1359, Robert de Stedey. Ditto.

1361, John Gardener. Ditto.

1368, Henry Attemoor. Ditto.

1375, Henry Chedryk. Ditto.

1383, William Enges. Ditto.

1392, Nicholas Howton. Ditto.

1400, Rich. Heringflet. Ditto.

1435, Richard Causton. Ditto.

1439, John Symonds, presented by the abbot, &c.

1481, Godfrey Penyston. Ditto.

1514, Thomas Same alias Gorham.

1546, Thomas Church, by the King; this came to the Crown on the Dissolution of the abbies &c.

1555, John Whight, by the Bishop, a lapse.

1558, Richard Blackburn. Ditto.

1598, George Burton, by the Queen.

1608, Thomas Parlington, by the King.

1605, Samuel Bush, by the Bishop of Ely, who on the exchange of lands belonging to his see, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, had the impropriate rectory granted to him, and his successors.

1626, Miles Harman. Ditto.

1662, John Gibson. Ditto.

1667, John Sheffield. Ditto.

1715, Phil. Smith. Ditto.

1733, Charles Ames. Ditto.

1755, John Jeffrey. Ditto.

The Church has 3 isles and a chancel, a square tower and 5 bells.

In the middle isle,

Orate p. a'i'a Joh. At Mere et Elizabethe uxor. suæ, qui quidem Joh. obt. 3°. die Nov. A. D. 1506, &c.

Hic jacet Robertus Neve, filius et heres Joh. tertio geniti Rob. Le Neve de Tyveteshale, Gen. qui obt. A°. Dni. 1558.

Here lyeth the body of John Leverok, Gent. buried Janu. 27, 1657, in the grave of John Laverock, his great grandfather, Æt. suœ 64.

Orate p, a'i'a. Rob. Outlaw.

In the east window of the north isle, several persons kneeling before a crucifix, and with labels—S'ca Trinitas, unus Deus, miserere nobis—Underneath—Orate p. fratrib; et sororib; gilde S'ce Trinitatis, qui fieri fecerunt isram fenestram.—In the church was also the guild of St. Mary: mention is made in 1467, of a cloth to cover the image of the holy spirit, in this church. (fn. 2)

In the east window of the south isle, gules, three cups, or, at the top of each, a plate, (or wafer,) the arms or emblem of the sacrament, here was St. Peter's guild; near to this, against the wall, on a marble monument.

Orate p. a'i'a. Johanne Smalpiece, que obt. 29, die mens. Aug. 1502, &c.

Here lyeth the body of Barnard Utber, Gent. who died Dec. 4, 1657' with his arms, two bars each charged with 2 - - - - - -

In the chancel, on 2 black marble gravestones, with the arms of Le Neve in a lozenge, argent on a cross sable five de-lis, of the first,

In memory of Alice Le Neve, sister of Francis Le Neve, Gent. she died Apr. 7, 1685.

In memory of Alice, wife of Hen. Le Neve, Gent. who lyeth in the chancel of Great Wichingham church, she died Sept. 6, 1691.

In the window, the arms of Delapole Duke of Suffolk, impaling, argent, a chief, gules, over all a lion rampant, or.

John Atmere of Ringland, in 1506, wills that the heir or purchaser of his head place shall fynde a light of waxe brennyng before the high rode, as other lights are kept in the said church perpetual. (fn. 3)

In a house called Blackborn's-house, was the coat armour of John Salisbury, D. D.—gules, a lion rampant, between three crescents or, impaling argent, a fess between 3 mullets, sable, Barret.—He was dean of Norwich, Bishop of the isle of Man, and was the last prior of Horsham, and married.

King John, in his first year, confirmed 15s. rent per ann. out of the mills here, to the canons of West Derham.

Aunger, by the patience of God, abbot of Derham, confirmed to Humphry, son of Everard, a messuage and 4 acres of land here, which his father held of the church of Ringland, paying 12d. per ann. and to the vicar 2s. per ann. witnesses, William of Helmingham, Adam de Lyons, &c.

The temporalities of West Derham abbey were, in lands, a mill, and a fishery, 26s. 6d.-Wendling abbey temporalities, 4s. 6d.-of Longevile priory 4s.—Norwich priory 12s. Sautre abbey spiritualities 12d.

Roger de Cressi gave half a mark rent out of his mill, and Muriel de Gloz 4d. rent in land.