Mitford Hundred and Half: Reymerston and Calveley

REYMERSTON, and CALVELEY.

Reymerston is but once mentioned in the Book of Domesday, which is under the invasions of Hermerus de Ferrajjs, who had seized on the possessions of 5 freemen, who had in King Edward's time 30 acres of land, and a carucate of meadow, valued then at 10s. at the survey at 7s. (fn. 1)

The Lords Bardolf, descended from Hermerus, were lords; and in the 38th of Henry III. William Lord Bardolf had a charter of freewarren in his demean lands.

In the 15th of Richard II. the Lord Bardolf held the fourth part of a fee here, in Yaxham, Shipdam, Mateshale; and in the 5th of Henry VI. Robert Fishpool held it of the honour of Wirmegay, which in the 3d of Edward III. was possessed by Robert Attehaw, and always went with that honour.

The King's manors of Cranworth, and Flockthorp extended into this town; and Osbert de Mundeford, in the 18th of Henry III. held of the Earl Warren's manor of Letton, &c. the third part of a fee here, &c.

In 1277, it was found that the homage of the Earl performed suit of court to the Bishop's hundred court of Mitford.

In the 15th of Richard II. Richard Lord Poynings held it of the Earl of Arundel, and Reginald Cobham had an interest in it, in the 9th of Henry VI.

Sir Roger Woodhouse, in the 4th and 5th of Philip and Mary, conveyed to Thomas Crane, the manor of Reymerston, and Francis Sturgeas, Esq. was lord in the 33d of Elizabeth.

Wendling Abbey Manor.

In the reign of Edward I. the abbot held the 8th part of a fee of the Earl Warren, and William Wymark, in the 14th of Edward III. of Reymerston, sued the abbot for 11 acres of land, one of meadow, 3 of meadow, with the appertenances in this town.

Their temporalities were valued at 16s. per ann.

Calveley Manor.

Calveley was, in the reign of the Confessor, at the time of making the survey, a town or village, now and some centuries past destroyed, and all the lands belonging to it are included, and esteemed as parts of the township of Reymerston.

At the survey it was in the church of Ely, probably of the gift of Ethelwolf, Bishop of Winchester, in the reign of King Edgar, the Saxon King, and stands thus accounted for.

Berner held of the abbot of Ely the manor that St. Audrey, or the church of Ely, held in King Edward's time; one carucate of land, 4 villains, 11 borderers, one carucate in demean, half a carucate among the tenants, and it might be made up one, &c. 20 acres of meadow, one runcus, and one cow, &c. and 5 socmen had 20 acres, valued at 20s.

It was 4 furlongs long, and 4 broad, and paid 5d. gelt. (fn. 2)

Godric claimed this land belonging to the fee of Ralph, (Earl of Norfolk,) as holding it before he forfeited, and the hundred witnessed it.

William Longchamp Bishop of Ely, who was chancellor to King Edward I. and the Pope's legate, granted it to Robert Russell, his servant, and his heirs, all the land of Calveley, as an escheat: witnesses, Earl Roger le Bigod, Jeffrey de Say, Robert de L'Isle, Richard, archdeacon of Ely, Osbert de Lacy, Hugh Pipard, Alexander Barre, William and Hugh de Longchamp, and King Richard confirmed this grant as an escheat in 1194.

In the 32d of Henry III. William de Calvelegh and Sara his wife were impleaded by Hugh de Burdeleys, to stand to the fine made between William de Burdeleys, his brother, and Richard Russel, the late husband of Sara, of lands here, held of William, for 20s. per ann.

This was for 2 carucates of land possessed by Richard, who died without issue. William de Calvelegh, in the 41st of Henry III. held a fee in this town.

On August 29, 1259, William de Swathing, and William de Calvelegh, bound themselves on account of certain disputes, to stand to the arbitration of Ralph de Redkar, and he that refused to submit to it, was to pay the forfeiture, to the building of church of Westminster, then in building.

In the 16th of Edward I. John, son of William de Calveley, granted to the prioress of St. Radegund's in Cambridge, to present then to the church of Reymerston, with a salvo jure suo; and in the said year, William, son of John de Mareschall, claimed free warren, and a grant of a fair, in his manor here, every year, for five days, on the vigil, day and morrow of St. Margaret, and the two following days.

This must be on account of his lordship of Hingham, which he obtained of the King, in the preceding year.

Ela, widow of John de Calveley, granted a messuage and lands here for life, to William, son of Philip de Gurney, and Ellen his wife in the 3d year of Edward II. and Geffrey de Burdeleys conveyed to Oliver, son of John de Calveley, lands.

In the 35th of Edward III. John de Calveley, was found to have held this lordship, and Amicia or Alianore, wife of John Coroner, aged 30, was his sister and heir. Eschaet Rolls.

In the 43d of that King, Andrew Coroner held a moiety of this manor of the see of Ely.

In the 49th of that King, John (or Edward) Le Dispencer, son of Ela, sister and coheir of John Calverley, held a moiety with lands in Hardingham, and the manor of Northall in Wretham in Suffolk,

A moiety of it is said to be conveyed to John Coroner, and Alianore his wife, in the 3d. of Richard II. to John Rothwell; and in the said year, Thomas, rector of Hardingham, and his cofeoffees, were lords of this manor and Remerston.

Edmund Swathing, Esq. in the 3d of Henry IV. held the lordship of Calveley by one fee, of the Bishop of Ely, and in the 9th of Henry VI.

William Paston, Esq. of Paston, released to Robert Wetheringset, archdeacon of Ely, and Oliver Groos, Esq. all his right herein.

Francis Sturges, Esq. lord in the 33d of Elizabeth, and Thomas was his son and heir.

In the 4th of James I. Sir George Coppin, Knt. possessed it, and sold it soon after to Thomas Bateman, Esq. Anthony his son was found to die seized of the site of Calveley manor, on January 4, ao. 22 of James I. and left it to his daughter and coheir, Philadelphia. (fn. 3)

After this it came by Tayler, to Robert Rugg, Gent. his son, Thomas Rugg, conveyed to Robert Clayton, Esq. (afterwards Sir Robert) a moiety of the manor of Reymerston, alias Calveley Hall or Yards, with the appertenances, one garden, one orchard, 60 acres of land, 10 of meadow, 30 of pasture, and 40 of wood, in 1660, with 10 of heath.

Mr. Salter of London is the present lord.

The tenths were 3l. 16s. Deducted 16s.

The Church of Reymerston is a rectory, dedicated to St. Peter. The ancient valor was 18 marks. Peter-pence, 3s. 4d. the present valor 11l. 12s. 6d.

John de Reymerston conveyed by fine, in the 2d of Henry III. to Lettice, prioress of St. Radegund's in Cambridge, the advowson of this church.

Rectors.

Hugh de Cressingham occurs rector 22 Edw. I.

1325, John de Dicton, alias Trippelow, instituted rector, presented by the prioress.

1339, John de Staunton. Ditto.

1349, Nicholas Lange. Ditto.

1358, John de Glanvyle. Ditto.

1361, John Calstyn. Ditto.

1366, John de Herleston. Ditto.

1376, Regd. Sedewell. Ditto.

1400, Edmund Cobbing, by the Bishop, a lapse.

1401, Mr. Robert Braunch, LL. Lic. by the prioress, &c.

1403, John Toly, by Edmund Swathing.

In the 6th of Henry IV. a quare impedit was brought by Robert Fulborne, of Letton, against Edmund Swathing, &c. for the right of presentation, to this church; and before this, in 1422, Robert Folsham rector, resigned, and a quare impedit was then brought by Edmund Swathing, Esq. against John Manning, &c. who had presented Folsham, who said that the right belonged to an acre of land in their possession.

In 1603, Robert Hancock, rector, returned 120 communicants to be here, and that Francis Sturges, Esq. deceased, was the late patron.

1603, Henry Scot.

Mr. John Smith, rector, about 1662.

1728, Thomas Dalton, on Nathaniel Ganning's death.

1742, Robert Hudson, by Francis Long, Esq.

1761, John Long, presented by Francis Long, Esq.

The church has a nave, a north and south isle, with a chancel, and 5 bells.

On a gravestone with a brass, in the south isle,

Orate p. a'i'a. Robti. Tychepole, qui obt. Jan. 10, 1509.

In the chancel, a mural curious marble monument,

M. S. Induviœ Robi. Longe, Armigeri, hic juxta repositœ, quater maritus, ter quater pater, utroq; nomine felicissimus, qui pro votis uxorem accepit, ac filios debitum innatœ largitati patrimonium accepit. Dei benedictione suisq; studiis honeste et modice ditescens, sibi benefecit et caute vixit. Plura tantum appetens, quo plura daret, id unum habere reputans, quod effudasset. Vir negotijs solers, vitœ integer, pietate sanctus, cujus vitam si speculeris, ac mortem, dubites, an potuit vivere sanctius, an obire securius. Laboris et senij - - - - - dilerantis mundi pertæsus, somno profundo placide consignatus est morti, et in spem lætam resurrectionis paulo minor septuagenio occubuit. Ao. æræ Christianæ 1688.—Sumptibus Franc. Longe filii natu minoris.

In a north window are the arms of Lord Bardolf; and in the east window of the north isle, those of Swathing; in a south window gules, three covered cups, Argenton.

Here were the guilds of St. Peter, and St. Mary; the lights of St. Mary, St. Nicholas, and All-Saints.

Ralph, son of Edric de Mundeford, gave to the monks of Castleacre, all his lands, with the appertenances in Reymerston, sans date; witnesses, Maurice de Barsham, Ralph de Pinkeny, Hugh de Oteringhithe, Joceline de Hagebeche.

Reg. Castleacr. fol. 59.