Eynford Hundred: Thurning

THURNING.

The principal lordship of this village was, at the survey, farmed of the Conqueror, or took care of by Godric his steward, Ulf, a Saxon, lord of it in the days of King Edward, being deprived, when one carucate of land and 6 villains, 9 borderers, and one servus belonged to it; there were 2 carucates in demean, one and an half among the tenants, with 10 acres of meadow, &c. the moiety of a mill, 4 runci, 20 cows, &c. and 50 sheep; and 6 socmen had 16 acres of land, and a carucate and an half. The soc belonged to the King's manor of Folsham; it was at that time valued at 60s. at the survey at 100s. quitrent, and 10s. as a present, or free gift, was 5 furlongs long, and 6 broad, and paid 5d. to the King's gelt. (fn. 1)

Thurning-Manor.

In the 11th of King John, a fine was levied between Philip le Moyne, petent, and Berenger le Moyne tenent, of 3 hides and an half of land here, &c. and in the 13th, Petronilla, widow of Roger de Lenham, conveyed to Roger de Botevant, 2 knights fees here, &c. William, son of Ely, conveyed lands by fine, in the 7th of Richard I. to Ralph de Lenham.

Nicholas de Lenham in the 41st of Henry III. grants by fine, to William de Clare, an annual rent of six pounds out of this manor, for 11 years.

In the first year of Edward I. Nicholas de Lenham sold it to Robert Burnell, (after Bishop of Bath and Wells,) who in the said year granted it to Sir William de Estormy, Knt. for life; and in the 3d of that King, the jury present that Sir William had set up a ducking-stool; by a pleading in the 4th of that reign, it appears, that the tenants of this manor were free from toll in the mercate of Holt in Norfolk. In the 9th year the King grants to the Bishop, free warren here and in Ryston; in the said year he purchased of William, the prior of Norwich, 50 acres of land, with 27s. and 7d. rent, and the advowson of this church, by fine; (fn. 2) and in the 10th of the said King, it was found that he held this lordship by the service of two fees, and paying to Richmond castle 8s. 4d. per ann. (fn. 3) In the 15th of that King, the jury find that Roger Myniot held it of the Bishop for life, and claimed view of frank pledge, assise of bread and beer, a tumbrell, free warren, weyf, &c.

On the death of this prelate, his great estate descended to his nephew and heir, Lord Burnell; and Edward Lord Burnell died possessed of it in the 9th of Edward II. In this family it continued till the death of Edward Lord Burnell, in the 4th of Henry V. who left 4 daughters and coheirs;—Jocosa, who married Thomas Erdington; Catherine, who married Sir John Ratcliff, ancestor of the Earls of Sussex: and Mary to Sir Edmund Hungerford: on a division of the estate, this lordship came to Ratcliff; in which family it remained till Robert Ratcliff Earl of Sussex sold it in the 39th of Elizabeth, to John Hunt, LL. D. who in the 14th of James I. gave it in marriage with Ursula his daughter, to Lionel Pitts, Gent.; John Pitts, his son, married Ursula Thorisby, and conveyed it in or about 1666, to Erasmus Earle, Esq. and Erasm. Earle, Esq. presented to the church in 1688. Aug. Earl, Esq. died lord and patron in 176-, leaving Erasmus his son and heir, who dying unmarried, his sister and heir brought it by marriage to William Wigget Bulwer, Esq. now lord in 1764. See in Stinton.

The tenants of this manor paid, in 1616, 8s. and 6d. per ann. rent (Richmond fee) to the lord of Swafham in Norfolk.

Another lordship in Thurning was held by a freeman in the Confessor's time, who had one carucate of land, and there were in the whole 3 carucates and an half, 2 acres of meadow, &c. valued at 20s. but at the survey at 30s. and came to the Earl Warren, by an exchange for lands at Lewes, in Sussex. The lord of Thurning manor was charged or cessed as belonging to the King's manor of Sall, and was held by Ralph Earl of Norfolk, afterwards by R. Blund, and one year by Godric; at the survey by William de Warren; and the hundred witnesses that he who held it in King Edward's time was a freeman. (fn. 4)

In the 15th of Edward I. the jury find that John de Sanys or Save, a Norman, held in the reign of Henry III. 10l. per ann. rent in this town, Norton, Bintre, Dalling, Thymelthorp, Sparham, Weston, and Geistwade, which escheated to the said King, and was held then by Sir Thomas Gerbridge, who was ordered to be summoned, and enquiry to be made about it. This was part, as I take it, of the Luton fee; see p. 214 and 277.

John de Mauteby was lord in the 9th of Edward II.

In 1487, John Gross, Esq. by his will, dated at Irsted, March I, 1387, bequeaths to Margaret his wife his manor of Thurning, for life; after to the issue of his body; (fn. 5) remainder to Sir Henry Heydon, and his heirs, on certain conditions; proved September 17, 1488.

William Beaufoe Bishop of Thetford held in his right, as a lay fee, 15 acres of land, and half a carucate, and an acre of meadow, &c. valued at 8s. and possessed by a freeman in the reign of the Confessor. This was soon after united to the capital manor, as were 20 acres of land, and a carucate valued at 4s. held by a socman of Hagon at the survey, &c. (fn. 6)

The tenths were 5l. Deducted 1l. 10s.

Everard, son of Ralph de Geist, by deed, sans date, gave to the church of the Holy Trinity, of Norwich, for the use of the almoner, half a mark's annual rent, which Roger, son of Pagan, paid out of 24 acres and an half in this town, and Clipeshage, with the homage and service of the said Roger, for the soul of Roger, and Henry, sons of Maud, who had nursed him. (fn. 7)

The temporalities of Norwich priory in 1428, were 5d.; of Walsingham, 3s.; of St. Faith's of Horsham, 8s.; of Ely, 2s. 9d. ob.

The Church is dedicated to St. Andrew, and is a rectory; anciently valued at 14 marks, and paid Peter-pence, 6d. ob. The present valor is 7l.

It consists of 2 isles, and has a square tower with 3 bells, but the chancel is down.

On a gravestone before the reading desk,

Here lyeth the body of Peter Elwyn of Heveningham, who died April 8, 1681.

Also one,

For Matt. Elwyn, gent. who died June 23, 1682

Rectors.

1303, Henry de Hales instituted, presented by Sir Roger Miniot, Knt.

Robert de Nes, by the Lady Alice Burnell, lady of Thurning. In 1332, Robert Trott occurs rector.

1342, Henry de Becford. Ditto.

1354, Edward de Attone. Ditto.

1354, Henry de Becford. Ditto.

1361, Ad. Shehull. Ditto

John Dalby, rector.

1375, Clement Dolberyn, by Sir Richard Burnell.

1421, Thomas Fitz-Richard, by Sir John Talbot Lord Furnival.

1434, William Cuckow, by Sir John Radcliff, and Sir Edmund Hungerford.

1452, Richard Otterington, by John Ferrers, and Catherine his wife, late wife of Sir John Radcliff.

1457, John Hyvo, by John Radcliff of Attilburgh.

1464, Mr. Laurence Yerdesherse, by the Lady Fitzwater.

1468, Richard Mustarder, by Sir John Denham, in right of Elizabeth his wife.

1482, William Rokeland, a Carme, by John Radcliff Lord Fitzwater.

1484, John Prestwyk. Ditto.

1486, William Crane. Ditto.

1509, William Eton, by the Bishop, a lapse.

1520, Ralph Stuardson, by the Bishop, a lapse.

1562, Peter Langton, by Thomas Earl of Sussex.

1567, Simon Thompson. Ditto.

1608, Francis Catlyn, by William Catlyn.

1624, John Brown, by the assigns of John Hunt, LL. D. master in chancery.

1641, Robert Garret, by Lionel Pitts, Gent. and Ursula his wife.

1688, Arthur Gallant, by Erasmus Earl, Esq.

1692, Arthur Gallant. Ditto.

1706, Robert Wace. Ditto.

1740, Francis Aylmer, by Corpus Christi college, Cambridge.

1759, John Barnardiston, rector, presented by Corpus Christi college, Cambridge, the present patrons.