Loddon Hundred: Wooton

WOOTON.

A freeman of Ulketel had 20 acres, and a freeman under him, with one borderer, held 4 acres and half a carucate, with a church, valued always, the land at 32d. and the church endowed with 12 acres at 12d.; (fn. 1) this was given at the conquest to Roger Bigot, ancestor of the Earls of Norfolk.

In the 20th of Henry III. the heirs of Roger de Clereband were found to hold the 20th part of a fee of the Earl of Norfolk, and in the reign of Edward I. Sir James, son of Clereband, was lord and patron, and in 1300, Tristam de Kettleburgh, his son, a minor, held it in 1313.

Thomas de Kettlebrigg held it in the 20th of Edward III. of the honour of Forncet, by the 20th part of a fee, late Clereband's, and at the same time the abbot of Langley, Phil. Peyvre, and Geff. Miniot held here, &c. 3 quarters of a fee of John Verdon, he of the honour of Forncet, which the said abbot, and Pauline Peyvre formerly held; and in the 3d of Henry IV. the Lord Thomas Mowbray held, as capital lord, in Wadeton, in demean, the 20th part of a fee, called Clareband's, belonging to his manor of Fornset.

About this time John de Esterford held it under Mowbray, and presented to the church in 1393.

After this William Bekeswell, Esq. and the Heydons, presented as lords, from whom it came to the Sucklings: Robert Suckling, Esq. presenting to the church in 1576.

This Robert was son of Richard Suckling, alderman of Norwich, buried in the church of St. Simon and Jude of Norwich in 1552, by —,daughter of—Swaney of Yorkshire: Robert was mayor of the city in 1572, and 1582; by Elizabeth, daughter of— Berwick of Suffolk; he had a numerous issue, Edmund, his eldest son, D. D. dean of Norwich, and Sir John, his youngest, was secretary to the Earl of Dorset, master of the requests, and receiver of the alienations, &c. and dying March 27, A^o. 3d of Charles I. was buried by his father and wife in the chancel of St. Andrew's church at Norwich, where are monuments erected to their memory.

Sir John, by Martha his wife, daughter of Thomas Cranfield, merchant of London, was father of Sir John Suckling, the poet, who was principal secretary of state, comptroller of the household, and privy counsellour in the reigns of King James, and Charles the First. But I do not find that either of these two knights had an interest in this lordship, which descended to Charles, the eldest son of Robert aforesaid, by Joan his 2d wife, daughter of William Cardinal of Bromley Magna in Essex, Esq. which Charles was lord, and presented in 1624, and died in 1644, and left by Mary his wife, daughter and heir of Steph. Drury of Aylsham, Robert, his son and heir, who was living in 1664, and high sheriff of Norfolk in that year, and died full of years about 1690; he married two wives; first, Anne, daughter of Sir Thomas Woodhous, Bt. of Kimberley; second, —, daughter of Sir William Doyley of Slottesham, Bart. and had issue by both, but was succeeded in his estate here by Robert Suckling, his son and heir, by his first wife, and lord in 1693; who by Sarah, his wife, daughter of Maurice Shelton of Barningham in Suffolk, Esq. was father of Robert, who was lord in 1700, and left by Anne his wife, daughter of John Berney Esq. of Swardston, Robert Suckling, Esq. lord and patron in 1740, and Denzil Suckling, Esq. in 1754, was lord.

Suckling bears p. pale, gules and azure, 3 bucks trippant, or.

At the survey Isaac held the lands of two freemen, who were only under the protection of Godwin, in King Edward's reign, and had livery from the Conqueror, consisting of 60 acres, and 2 carucates, with half an acre of meadow, then valued at 10s. at the survey at 5s.; the King and the Earl had the soc. (fn. 2)

This came afterwards as an escheat to the Crown, and granted to the Bigots, and so united to their manor before mentioned.

Eudo, son of Spiruwin, had a lordship, which the Conqueror granted him, and eleven freemen of Godwin, &c. held it under King Edward and Guert half a carucate of land; and 4 borderers belonged to it, with 3 carucates, an acre and half of meadow in King Edward's reign; the soc belonged to the hundred. (fn. 3)

Of this Eudo, and his descendants, lords Tatteshale, see at large in Topcroft, of which town they were lords, which they held united with this lordship.

In this town one freeman, under Godwin's commendation, and 5 other freemen (three of them under Hagane's, and two under Algar's) held among them, a carucate and a half of land, and 12 borderers, also 5 carucates and 4 acres of meadow, the whole was valued at 4l. at the survey at 8l. quitrent, and paid by tale 20s. as a fine per ann. These six freemen paid 27s. 4d. of this 8l. (the other part was paid by the lord of Bedingham). It was one leuca long, and half a one broad, paid 11d. gelt, whoever was lord, and King Edward had the soc of these freemen, but Earl Ralph at the time of his forfeiture unjustly held it. Godric at the survey took care of this manor for the Conqueror.

In Wodetuna, 2 freemen had in King Edward's time 12 acres belonging to, and valued in, Adeton, which I take to be some town, or place near to it. (fn. 4)

Widetuna, and Uuddetuna, and Adetona, all set forth a town seated by the water; this was also part of the aforesaid manor.

How long this lordship was in the Crown does not appear, it probably was granted by King William II. to William de Albini his butler, Lord of Rysing castle, &c. in Norfolk, ancestor of the Earls of Arundel, and on the death of Hugh de Albini, the last heir male of that family, came to the Lord Tateshall, by the marriage of Mabel, his eldest sister and coheir, who had this part of inheritance assigned to him, and so was united to his other lordship.

Robert Lord Tateshale had the assise, &c. in the 14th of Edward I. and so descended to his heirs, as in Topcroft manor.

Hugh Earl of Chester had a grant of the lands of two freemen, and the moiety of another, of whom Algar had the protection, containing half a carucate of land, 2 villains, one borderer, with a carucate of meadow, &c. valued then at 40s. at the survey at 4l. Stigand had the soc; it was one leuca long and one broad, and paid 8d. gelt. (fn. 5)

This manor was afterwards held of Earl Hugh, by Roger Bigot, and at length came to the Earls of Norfolk, and was united to this lordship abovementioned.

John de Ratlesden had an interest, and held the fourth part of a fee here, of Robert Benhale and Eve his wife, and in the 3d of Henry IV. the Earl of Suffolk was found to hold the same as lord of Horsford in Norfolk, of the honour of Eye in Suffolk.

The tenths were 3l. 16s.—Deducted 12s.—Temporalities of Sibton abbey 11s. 6d.—of St. Faith 3s. 4d. and of Langley 14s. 8d.

The Church is a rectory dedicated to All-Saints: in the reign of Edward I. Sir James, son of Clereband was patron, and the rector had a manse, with 30 acres of land, valued at 10 marks, Peter-pence 18d. carvage 8d.

Rectors.

In 1300, Arnold de Escot instituted, presented by Tristram de Ketelburgh.

1313, John de Hoo, by John de Hoo, son of Gerard, on the minority of Thomas de Ketleburgh, on a grant from Thomas de Brotherton Earl of Norfolk.

1333, Walter de Nottingham, by the lady Isabel, Queen Dowager of England.

1349, Ralph Gosse, by John de Hoo.

1393, Robert Mauclerk, by John de Esterford.

1432, William Peper, by John Bekeswell, Esq.

1456, Robert Coseler. Ditto.

1465, Robert Spenser, by John and Henry Heydon.

And. Chayte, rector.

1470, Henry Heton, by H. Heydon, Esq.

1484, Robert Whylter, by Henry Heydon, Esq.

1514, Thomas Draper.

1541, Henry Manuell, prebend of Norwich, by Sir John Heydon.

1550, John Fox, by the assignees of Sir John Heydon.

1554, William Denes, by Anne, relict of Sir Christopher Heydon.

1559, John Madewell. Ditto.

1562, William Colyson, by Sir Christopher Heydon.

1576, John Silby, by Robert Suckling.

1584. Thomas Weston, ditto; in 1603, he returned 524 communicants.

1624, Christopher Spendlow, by the assignees of Charles Suckling, Esq.

1666, Henry Nuthall, by Robert Suckling.

1670, Ralph Osborne, by Robert Suckling.

1680, John Brown.

1701, Maur. Suckling, by Robert Suckling.

1730, Matt. Earbury. Ditto.

1735, Robert Clipwell, by Mrs. Dorothy Suckling, widow of Robert Suckling, Esq.

1743, Robert Buxton, by Denzil Suckling, Esq.

1744, Thomas Missenden. Ditto.

The present valor is 6l. 13s. 4d. and pays first-fruits, &c.

On the north wall of the chancel is an alabaster monument, with the pourtraiture of a woman on her knees,

For Anne, wife of Robert Suckling, Esq; by whom she had 5 sons, and 4 daughters; she was daughter of Sir Thomas Woodhouse of Kimberley, Bt. and Dame Blanch, daughter of the lord Cary, Baron of Hunsdon.