Mitford Hundred and Half: East Tudenham

EAST TUDENHAM.

Hermerus de Ferrariis was chief lord of this town, when Domesday book was made, on the deprivation of Turchetel, who held it in the reign of the Confessor, with 66 acres of land, 3 servi, 2 villains, and a carucate in demean, one acre of meadow, the moiety of a mill, one cow, 140 sheep, 38 swine, a church endowed with 20 acres, valued then in the whole, at 16s. at the survey at 20s. It was 7 furlongs long, 6 broad, whoever should possess it, and paid 22½d. gelt. (fn. 1)

All the churches belonging to Hermerus's land are valued with the lordships.

Hermerus had also seized on 100 acres belonging to 6 freemen, who lived under protection only, in King Edward's time, held by 15 borderers, and 2 servi, 3 acres of meadow, and 3 carucates belonged also to it, valued at 26s. 8d. then, but at the survey at 24s.

Cockfield's Manor.

Turchetel had large possessions, and was succeeded therein, on his deprivation, by this Hermerus, by the gift of the Conqueror; from him descended the Lords Bardolf, Barons of Wirmegay; and the ancient family of De Melton, alias Constable, lords of Melton Constable in Norfolk, were early enfeoffed of it. Peter le Constable de Maelton, was lord in the reign of Henry II. and in this family (of whom see in Melton Constable) it remained till on the death of Geffrey, son of Peter de Meauton, the inheritance came to his 3 sisters and coheirs:

Isabel, married to Adam de Cokefeld, Alice, to Robert de Cokefeld, and Edith to Sir Thomas de Esteley, or Astley; Maud, their mother, was living in the 41st of Henry III. and then the wife of Jeffrey de Burnaville.

In the 35th of the said King, Robert de Cockfeld and Alice his wife, Adam de Cockfeld, and Isabell his wife, impleaded Alice le Mareschal, lady of North Tudenham, for fishing in their fishery of EastTudenham, from the old mill of Hikering, to the mill called Gladwar; but it appearing that the fishery was the right of Alice's father, Hubert de Rie, and all her ancestors, and that her husband held it, judgment was given for her.

In the 41st of that reign, Adam de Cockfeld conveyed by fine to John his nephew, his 3d part of this manor, and held then, with Stephen de Estley, one fee of the Lord Bardolf.

This John married a wife named Postulina, and was living, and a knight, in the 10th of Edward I.; he left a son, Sir John, lord in the 9th of Edward II.

In the 15th of that King, Sir John Cockfeld, and Margaret his wife settled it by fine on themselves for life; remainder to John and Thomas their sons. Sir John was living in the 26th of Edward III. and paid 40s. on the creation of Edward Prince of Wales, then a knight.

He was succeeded by Sir Thomas de Cockfeld, who kept his first court as lord, in the 30th of Edward III. when all the free and customary tenants swore fealty to him.

Sir Robert Cockfeld was his son and heir, and kept a court here, in the 5th of Richard II. and in the 3d of Henry IV. he married Cecilia, daughter and heir of Robert de Charnels, and had Sir John de Cockfeld, who kept his first court in the 4th of Henry V. and again in the 3d of Henry VI.; he married Margaret, daughter of Thomas Foljamb, and died sans issue, about the 30th of Henry VI. In the 35th of that King, his widow had an interest herein, and was then the wife of Sir Ralph Monboucher.

On the death of Sir John, Agnes his sister was found to be his heir, the wife of John Talboys of Stallingburg in Lincolnshire, Esq. by whom he had his son and heir, John, who by Catherine his wife, daughter of Sir William Gibthorp, was father of Marguret, his only daughter, who married John Ascough, Esq. son of Sir William Ascough.

This John was lord in the 8th of Edward IV. and sold it to William Paston, Esq.

Sir William Paston, (4th son of Sir William the judge,) was lord in the said reign, and by the Lady Anne his wife, daughter and coheir of Edmund Duke of Exeter, left two daughters and coheirs; Agnes, married to Sir Gilbert Talbot, of Grafton in Worcestershire; and Elizabeth, to Sir John Savile, who held the same; and Sir John Savile held a moiety in the 19th of Henry VII.

In the 37th of Henry VIII. May 20, Robert Newport, Gent. of — in Warwickshire, and Margaret his wife, one of the daughters and coheirs of Sir Gilbert Talbot, conveyed their right and interest herein, to Sir John Clere of Ormesby, with the manor of Melton, as Sir John Savile's interest; and Mary, another of the daughters and coheirs of Sir Gilbert, married Thomas Astley, Esq. who conveyed his part to Thomas Wodehouse of Waxham, August 1, in the 2d of Edward VI. which soon after came also to the Cleres; and Edward Clere son of Sir John, sold the whole, on June 10, in the 4th and 5th of Philip and Mary, to Thomas Harleston, yeoman, of Burgh by Mateshale.

Thomas was son of John Harleston, of Mateshale, and married Margaret, daughter of —; his will is dated August 5, 1558, wherein he gives to two of his daughters and coheirs, Mary, the wife of Thomas Peade, and Susan, the wife of William Turner, the manors of Cockfeld's, &c. (fn. 2)

Margaret their mother, had an interest in it for life, and remarried Richard Boulden; but by deed, dated in 1573, they, and the rest of their sisters and coheirs, convey it to Robert Tylney, of East-Tudenham, Gent. who, by Mary, daughter of Robert le Neve of Ringland, in Norfolk, (and living in 1588) was father of Robert, who died sans issue, in 1602.

Robert (fn. 3) Tilney, Esq. of Grey's Inn, in London, and of Rotherwick in Hampshire, by Margaret, or Ursula, daughter of Henry Haddock, of Hampshire, had Francis Tilney, Esq. of Rotherwick, and of this town, and was by Dorothy his wife, daughter of Sir Robert Henley, father of Frederick Tilney, Esq. lord of this town, and of Rotherwick, who dying October 4, 1725, left, by Anne, daughter of George Pitt of Stratfield Say in Hampshire, Esq. an only daughter and heir, Elizabeth, married to the Right Honourable Will. Lord Craven. Frederick was member of parliament for Winchester, &c.

The Tilneys are descended from the eminent family of that name in Lincolnshire: Robert, who purchased this manor, was 2d son of Richard, who was son of William Tylney of North-Creke, living in 1470.

Robert died 1589; Robert, his eldest son, was a justice of the peace, married Elizabeth, daughter of Francis Rugge, of Felmingham, and died s. p.

The Ascoughs lived in Lincolnshire, and bore sable, a fess, or, between three asses, passant, argent; and they quartered the arms of Cockfield, azure, a cross componé, argent and gules; Talboys, argent, a saltire, gules, on a chief of the 2d, three escallops of the first; and Charnells, or, two chevronels, gules, in a bordure, argent;— Gibthorpe bore quarterly, 1st and 4th, ermin, 2d and 3d, checque, or and gules.

Astley's or Holywell's Manor.

Sir Thomas de Estele, or Astley, gave name to this lordship, in right of Edith his 2d wife, 3d sister and coheir of Geffrey de Meauton, alias Constable; by Edith he had Thomas, his first son, Stephen, the 2d, &c. Thomas died before his mother, who remarried to Robert de Holewell, and from him this manor is frequently called Holywell.

Stephen de Astley had a grant of free warren in this town, in the 14th of Edward I. and he, with Sir John de Cockfeld, held one fee of the Lord Bardolf. Of this Stephen, and the family of Astley, I refer the reader to Melton Constable.

In this family it remained till Thomas Astley, Esq. and Mary his wife, daughter and coheir of Sir Gilbert Talbot, sold it in 1548, to Thomas Wodehouse of Waxham, Esq. and soon after it came to the Cleres.

Edward Clere, son of Sir John Clere, sold it in the reign of Philip and Mary, to Thomas Harleston, as is observed in Cockfeld's manor, and so came to the Tylneys, and was united to that lordship.

Ralph de Beaufoe had a lordship of which 6 freemen were deprived, who held half a carucate of land and 3 acres, and one of those freemen had 4 borderers; there were also a carucate and an half, with 2 acres of meadow, valued at 14s. and 8d.

All this Ralph had livery of, as his predecessors had.

Barry's Manor.

Sir Henry Berry, son of Sir Ralph, was lord of it in the reign of Ed. I. by his marriage with Anne, daughter of Sir Hugh Todenham, and was father of Hugh Berry, who married Cecil, daughter and coheir of Edmund Hengrave.

In the 52d of Henry III. Ralph de Berry granted by fine, to Sir Henry a messuage, and 100 acres of land, in East Tudenham, with all the land he held in Hokering, Barnham, Bykerston, Matsale, &c. in demean, with the homages, reliefs, rents and services of freemen and villains, wards, &c. and Henry regranted them to Ralph for life, on condition that he should not mortgage, sell, or any ways dispose thereof.

In the 3d of Edward II. Hugh de Berry and Cecilia his wife, had conveyed to them by Peter, parson of Tudenham, their trustee, 5 messuages, 142 acres of land, 10 of meadow, 16 of pasture, 37s. 6d. rent, one quarter of barley, and 6 hens, rent, here and in Hokering, &c. settled on Hugh and Cecilia, and their heirs; and in the 23d of Edward III. Hugh grants to Edmund his son, and Alice his wife, a messuage, with all his lands and tenements in East Tudenham, Hokering, &c.

This Alice is by some said to be daughter and coheir of Sir Thomas Craven, and by others, daughter and coheir of Robert Micklefield of Suffolk.

Sir John Berry, probably his son and heir, was living in the reign of Henry IV. and married Elizabeth, daughter and coheir of Sir Robert Wachesham, by Joan, daughter and heir of Simon de Hetherset, (this Elizabeth married Sir Thomas Gerbridge,) and had by her Sir Edmund Berry, who according to his will, dated in 1433, was buried in the chapel of St. Mary, in the church of the Carmes at Norwich, as was the Lady Alice his wife, daughter and heir of Sir Thomas Gerbridge; and the said Sir Thomas, and the Lady Elizabeth, mother of Sir Edmund, 3d wife of Sir Thomas.

By the Lady Alice, he left a daughter and coheir, Agnes, married to Sir William Paston of Paston, one of the King's justices, in the reign of King Henry VI. and Alice, his other daughter and coheir, married to Sir Thomas Bardolf of Elgh in Suffolk, in right of his wife.

On a division of Sir Edmund Berry's inheritance about 1454, this came to Bardolf in right of Alice his wife, by whom he had a daughter and sole heir, Elizabeth, married to Thomas Aslake, Esq. who was living in the 16th of Ed. IV. Elizabeth, by her will, dated April 13, 1503, (fn. 4) then a widow, gives this lordship to Thomas her first son, remainder to William, her 2d son.

Thomas dying sans issue, William inherited it, and married Agnes, daughter of John le Vile, of Bastwick, in Norfolk, by whom he had 2 sons; Richard, who died sans issue, and William, who left Dorothy, a daughter and heir, married to Christopher Playters, Esq. of Somerley in Suffolk.

This lordship was sold ao. 1st of Elizabeth, by William Playters of Holme by the Sea, (in Norfolk,) to Thomas Hoo, by Burnham in Norfolk; Thomas conveys it to his father, Richard Hoo, in the following year, ao. 2d of Elizabeth; and in the 3d of that Queen, Richard released it to Thomas, who resided in this town.

By an inquisition taken after his death, in the 13th of that reign, the jury find that he died seized of the manor of Berry's in this town, a water-mill, and lands here; and in the said year, the Queen guardian of Richard Hoo, then a minor, kept her court here.

On April 8, in the 34th of Elizabeth, Richard Hoo, of Scarning, Esq. Thomas Feveryere of Wesenham, in Norfolk, Gent. Mary his wife, Robert Curson of Cressenhale in Norfolk, Gent. and Anne, his wife, (fn. 5) sold it to Robert Tylney, Gent. and so was united to the other manors abovementioned.

Aphaw's Manor.

Henry de Apehawe was witness to a deed of Peter de Mealton, sans date; and in the 41st of Henry III. Roger, son of Henry de Alderford, and Agnes his wife, granted a messuage, and lands to William, son of Henry de Apehaw. At a court held in the 19th of Edward III. the jury at the court of Sir John de Cockfeld, present that Henry de Apehaw held a capital messuage, 30 acres, &c. of land, and that Robert, son of Thomas de Apehawe, was next heir; and in the 28th of that King, Sir John de Cockfeld, as capital lord, had the custody of the heir of Thomas de Apehawe.

Henry Apehagh of East Tudenham, and Eleanor his wife, conveyed it in the 19th of Henry VI. to William Paston, Esq. of Paston; and his son, William, possessed it in the 10th of Edward IV.

After this, from Savile, &c. it came to Thomas Harleston, Gent. who, by his last will, in 1558, devised the site, &c. of it, to Margaret, one of his daughters and coheirs: she married William Forby, Gent. his son, Hillary Forby, of Mileham, and Jane his wife, conveyed it in the 30th of Elizabeth, to Roger Wotton, Gent. and Thomas Cocket, Gent.

Thomas granted his moiety of it to Henry Wayte of King's Lynn, in the 42d of that Queen; and Henry, in the said year, grants it to Roger Wotton: Roger Wotton had Edward his eldest son, who gave the whole to his brother Roger.

This Roger, in the 14th of King Charles I. was a merchant of London, and married Elizabeth, daughter of Humphrey Howlet of Hunston, in Sussex; and on October 20, in the 23d of Charles I. sells it by fine, to Francis Tilney, Esq. father of Frederick, and so was united to Cockfield's manor, &c.

Alan Earl of Richmond, had also a lordship in this town, as I take it; it belonged to his great manor of Cossey, in the hundred of Fourhoe, and consisted of 10 socmen, of the said lordship, held by Earl Guert, King Harold's brother, and slain at the battle of Hastings; these socmen had here 40 acres of land, 3 of meadow, also a carucate and a half, and was valued with Cossey.

The said Earl had also in Tudenham the moiety of a socmen, who held 12 acres of land, with half a carucate.

This is placed in the hundred of Eynford, and so, most likely, was East Tudenham.

This was held under the Earls of Richmond. In 1256, the bailiffs of Peter de Savoy Earl of Richmond were sued for subtracting the suiters of the towns of East Tudenham, Thuxton, Yaxham, and Westfeld, from the hundred court of Mitford, belonging to the Bishop of Ely, to Cossey, to which it was found they did not belong.

The family of De Tudenham had an interest herein. John de Todeham held two fees here, &c. of Matthew de Leyham, he of the lady of the honour of Angre or Angar, in Essex, as by a deed sans date: the lady here mentioned, was most likely of the family of De Briton, from which family it came by marriage, to the family of De Riparijs or Rivers.

In the 8th of Richard I. William, son of Eudo, conveyed by fine, to William Fitz-Walter, half a carucate of land, in East and West Tudenham, by which the 6th part of the mill of Gladewar was granted to William, son of Walter, who probably was son of, or related to, Sir Walter Fitz-Robert, who married Maud, the eldest daughter of Sir Richard de Lucy, lord chief justice of England, in the reign of Henry II. and to whom King Stephen had given the honour of Angre, which came by Aveline, (2d daughter of the said Sir Richard Lucy,) to Richard de Riparijs, or Rivers.

Sir Ralph le Briton and Sir John le Briton, were lords, of Sporle, which Sir John was living in 1274, and was lord of Westfeld in this hundred, both which lordships were held of the honour of Richmond, and (as I conceive) lord also of this town, which came to the Rivers family, by Maud his daughter, on the death of her brother, John le Briton, about the year 1310.

Of the Britons see in Westfield.

Starcolf had at the survey, 40 acres of land, held by 3 borderers, with a carucate and 3 acres of meadow, valued at 10s. per ann.

This Starcolf was (as I take it) a Dane, and had the lordship of Bernham Brome, in Forehow hundred, in the reign of the Confessor, and of this; and for his services to the Conqueror, against King Harold, held them as we find at the survey.

In the 17th of Edward II. William Gambon and Cecilia his wife, had 44 acres of land, 27 of meadow, 7 of alder, and the rent of 27s. here and in North Tudenham, (as it is said) Yaxham, Hokering, Welborne, &c. and Richard was their son and heir.

John Gambon died seized of it in 1432, from whom it came to the Sternes; Robert Sterne was lord, and Thomas his son died possessed of it in 1460, and Henry his brother succeeded.

King James I. June 29, in the 16th of his reign, granted to Richard Tilney, Esq. the letes of this town and North Tudenham, Mattishale cum Bergh, and the East part of Shipdam.

Tod or Tud, is the name of a river; hence Todwick in Yorkshire, Tudworth in Wiltshire, Tuddiford in Hampshire, &c.

The tenths of this town were 5l. Deducted 26s. 8d.

The temporalities of Coxford priory were 4s. 4d.; of Norwich priory 9s. 2d; of Pentney priory 18s.; of Wrongey priory 7s. 8d.

The priory of St. Olave's of Heringflete in Suffolk, was taxed at 20s. 6d. per ann. In 1428, Sir Giles Talbot held them; and in the first of Edward VI. Henry Jernegan, Esq. grants to Sir John Clere, all those messuages in East and North Tudenham, late belonging to St. Olave's priory, at 10s. 8d. per ann. And after this, Thomas Harleston held them.

The Church of East Tudenham is dedicated to All-Saints, has a large broad nave and chancel, the nave covered with lead, the chancel tiled, and a square tower embattled, and 4 bells at the south-west end of the nave.

In the reign of Edward I. the prior of Wermegeye was patron, granted by fine ao. 15 King John; the rector had a manse, with 40 acres of land, and was valued at 21 marks; the prior of Wyrmegey had also a portion of tithe valued at 15 marks. Peter-pence 22d. ob. The present valor of the vicarage is 7l. 6s. ob. On the appropriation and settling the vicarage, the rectory was valued at 15 marks, and the vicarage at 6 marks.

Rectors.

Hamo de Gatele occurs rector in the 22d of Edward I.

1312, John de Bassingham, instituted, presented by the prior and convent of Wirmegeye.

1332, John Cok, rector, by ditto.

Vicars.

In 1339, it appears that there was then a vicarage, and Robert de Drayton was instituted into it on the nomination of the Bishop, and presented by the prior and convent.

1339, William de Colvyll, vicar, by ditto.

1345, John de Brom, vicar, by ditto.

Anthony Bishop of Norwich, appropriated this church to the prior and canons of Wirmegay, in the reign of Edward III. and in 1468, that priory was united to the priory of Pentney.

1349, Peter Styward, collated by the Bishop of Norwich.

1357, John Gale, vicar, by the prior and convent of Wirmegaye.

1368, William Walwyne, on the nomination of the Bishop, and presentation of the prior and convent of Wirmegeye.

1373, Henry Peyrecourt, by ditto.

1398, John Davy, by ditto.

1434, John Astel, by the prior, &c; buried in the chancel, 1479.

1479, John Makerness, ditto; buried in the chancel, 1503.

1503, Richard Harecroft.

Richard, vicar, by the King.

1554, John Bushe, by Sir John Clere, Knt.

1560, William Kirwoodde, by the Bishop, a lapse.

1570, John Neshe, by Robert Tilney, and Richard Neave.

1582, Thomas Whitby. Ditto.

1585, Thomas Buxon, by Robert Tilney, Esq.

1599, William Breden. Ditto.

1617, Abraham Baist, by Richard Tilney, Esq.

1677, Thomas Baist, by Edward Baiste.

1694, Jer. Revans, by Fred. Tilney, Esq. died in 1727; on his death, Henry Prior, by William Lord Craven.

1750, Henry Carrington, on Prior's cession, by Henrietta Lady Townsend.

1753, Thomas Duquesne, by Charles Townsend, Esq.

In the chancel south window, was checque, or and gules, a chief, ermine, Lord Tateshale; also azure, three cinquefoils, or, Lord Bardolf.

In a north window of the church, checque, or and gules, a fess, ermine, Calthorp; azure, a cross, compony, gules and argent, Cockfield.

On the south side of the church under the pulpit, is the effigies of a knight in armour, with a heart between his hands, a lion at his feet, said to be for Sir Edmund de Berry.

In the church a gravestone,

In memory of Abraham Baist, minister of this parish full sixty years, departed August 8, 1677, aged 86.

On an old stone the effigies of a man and his two wives in brass, but no inscription.

In 1603, here were 148 communicants.

Here were the guilds of St. Mary, All-Saints, St. Andrew, and St. John Baptist. The patronage of this church was granted by the Lords Bardolf to the priory of Wirmegey, before the 25th of Henry III. when Hugh de Heyvile, who was guardian of Peter le Constable of Mewton, then a minor, sued the prior on account of the right of presentation.

At the Dissolution, the appropriated rectory was granted July 1, ao. 7 Edward VI. to William Mingay; and William Necton of Norwich, soon after, conveyed it August 20, ao. 1st and 2d of Philip and Mary, to Sir John Clere; his son, Edward, and Frances his wife, sold it in the reign of Queen Mary, (ao. 5th and 6th of Philip and Mary,) to Robert Tilney of this town, and Richard Neve of Ringland, who had each a moiety.

Robert Neve, son of Richard, gave his part by will, in 1639, to Richard Neve his son, rector of North Tudenham, who sold it, 1639, to Francis Tilney, Esq. who held the other part or moiety; and in 1694, Frederick Tilney, Esq. possessed the whole rectory.

In the 27th of Elizabeth, I find the vicar had a pension of 40s. per ann. paid him by the impropriator.