Mitford Hundred and Half: Thurston, or Thuxton

THURSTON, or THUXTON.

William Earl Warren had the lordship, of which 10 freemen were deprived, who held half a carucate of land, 2 borderers, and 5 acres of meadow, and 2 carucates, valued at the survey at 20s. before at 10s.; the said Earl possessed also 9 acres, of which a freeman was deprived, valued at 2s. per ann.; the King had a lordship, which Godric took care of, as his steward, or bailiff, 4 socmen in Thurston, and 4 in Thurstanestuna, held lands belonging to the manor of Swathing, under which they stand valued and accounted, as may be seen in Cranworth and Swathing. (fn. 1)

It is to be observed that Thurston and Turstaneston, appear by this account to be two distinct places: Turstaneston was probably an hamlet to Turston. These manors of the Earl and of the King, were afterwards united, and so I shall treat of them together.

The family of De Thurston were early enfeoffed of the Earl Warren's manor. William, son of Robert de Thurston, conveyed to John, son of William de Thurston, in the 53d of Henry III. 2 messuages, 55 acres of land, 5 of meadow, 2 of pasture, and 18s. 6d. rent in this town, Reymerston, &c. (fn. 2) with all the wards, reliefs, escheats, homages, services of freemen, and villains; John granting to William, a messuage, and several lands,

Of this family was Eborard de Tuxton, who was living here in the reign of Richard I.

In the 4th of Edward II. Nicholas, son of Jeffrey de Stratton, conveyed by fine, to Gregory de Thurston, lands here; and in the said year, lands were granted to Robert de Thurston, in this town and Rundall; and in the 6th of that King, John de Gurney passed by fine, to Richard de Thurston and Ada his wife, 6 messuages, 115 acres of land, &c. with 15s. rent in this town, Runhale, &c.

The Gurneys were early enfeoffed of the manor that Godric held, as may be seen in Swathing; and the Thurstons held it of them.

John and Richard de Thurston, were lords in the 9th of the said King, and the patronage belonged to it.

In 1381, Edmund Gurney presented to this church; in 1384, John Gurney: in 1387, William, son of Richard de Thurston, was lord; and in the year 1472, John Ovy of Worstead, was lord of the manor of Thuxton, and gave it by will, (proved in the said year,) to Thomas his son, who died in the following year, and ordered it to be sold, to pay his debts; (fn. 3) and in 1500, William Gurney presented to the church.

In 1503, Sir Thomas Wodehouse of Kimberley was lord, and Wace's manor paid to him 6d. per ann.

Henry Palgrave, by his will, dated September 11, 1513, and proved January 14, 1517, appoints his manors and North Berningham, to remain in the hands of Sir Robert Brandon, William Paston, Esq. Ann his wife, and John his son.

Robert Newport, Esq. and Margaret his wife, conveyed in the 37th of Henry VIII. to Sir John Clere, the 3d part of this manor, with lands and messuages, in the Tudenhams; and Thomas Astley and Mary his wife, convey, in the 3d of Edward VI. a third part to Robert Richer.

In the 44th of Elizabeth, William Thursbye, Gent. had a præcipe to render the manor of Thuxton to Froximer Cocket, Gent.

Hermerus de Ferraris had invaded or seized on the property of 7 freemen, who had 100 acres of land, and 4 carucates, and 5 acres of meadow, in the time of King Edward, valued then at 20s. but now at 26s. 8d. (fn. 4)

This came to the Lords Bardolf, and was part of their barony of Wirmegey; in the 9th of Edward II. Thomas Lord Bardolf held it in capite; and in the 20th of Edward III. John Wace of Thurston held here and in Mateshale, a quarter of a fee of the Lord Bardolf.

In the 3d of Henry IV. Hugh Rovey, chaplain, &c. feoffees of Roger de Walsham, held here and in Matesale, lands and tenements, sometime John Wace's.

In the 8th of Henry VI. Henry Sharington, Esq. purchased it of Henry Periz, clerk, for 42l. 6s. 8d. Thomas Sharington, Esq, of Cranworth, was lord in the 19th of Henry VII. and paid wayt fee to the castle of Wirmegey, every 24 weeks, 1s. 6d.

Thomas Sharington, Esq. left it by his will, dated October 15, 1519, and proved Jan. 12, 1524, to William his son and his heirs, paying to his 4 brethren, Thomas, Henry, John and Anthony, certain legacies; and the said Thomas was buried according to his will, in the church of Cranworth. (fn. 5)

Robert Ball, Gent. had a præcipe in the 18th of Elizabeth, to render to Robert Duke, the manor of Wace's, with messuages, and lands in Thuxton, Matsale, Yaxham, Garveston, and Reymerston.

John Fuller, Gent. was lord of Wace's in 1640.

Roger Bigot had a lordship at the survey, which Rotbert was enfeoffed of by him, possessed by a freeman, in the reign of King Edward, consisting of 20 acres of land, a carucate and 4 acres of meadow; 4 socmen, and the moiety of another belonged to it, and held 10 acres, valued at 4s. and here was a church endowed with 16 acres, valued at 16d. (fn. 6)

This appears to be held by the family of De Thurston, in the 11th of Richard II. of Dame Catherine Bigot, and extended into Hardingham, Reymerston, &c.

The church of Ely had also at the survey, in this town, Thorp, and Yaxham, five socmen, who held 50 acres, and a carucate, valued at 8s. (fn. 7)

This seems to be part of the manor of Thorp, or Shipdam, and to go along with the Bishop of Ely's lordship there.

The temporalities of Westacre priory were 15s.

The tenths were 4l. Deducted 1l.

The Church is a rectory, dedicated to St. Paul, anciently valued at 10 marks. Peter-pence 8d. The present valor is 4l. 6s. 2d. and is discharged from first fruits and tenths.

In the 45th of Henry III. William, son of Robert de Thurston, granted by fine to John, son of William de Thurston, and his heirs, the advowson of this church.

Rectors.

John Swetnam, rector.

1381, Henry Barfoot, instituted, presented by Edmund Gurney.

1384, Bartholomew Haynes, by John Gurney.

1403, Thomas Wyght, by ditto.

In 1434, William Wednale, occurs rector.

1449, Robert Barker, by Thomas Gurney, Esq.

Hugh Randolf instituted rector, in 1500, presented by William Gurney, of Creyk, Esq.

Gregory Bachelor occurs rector in 1603, and returned 40 communicants, and Richard Thwayts, Gent. to be patron, and died in 1647.

1728, Thomas Dalton, on Nathaniel Ganning's death, by Francis Long, Esq.

1742, Humphrey Bickley, by William Salter of London.

1752, Charles Buckle, on the death of Sir Humphrey Bickley, Bart. by Charles Buckle, Esq.

Francis Long, Esq. patron in 1740.

Here was the guild of St. James, the lights of St. Mary. St. James, and St. Nicholas.

In the church was a gravestone,

In memory of John Futter, gentleman, late of this town, who died Janu. 1572.

A gravestone for

Catherine, 3d wife of Gregory Pagrave, daughter of — Pigeon, who died July 15, 1596.

For

Mary Sefoule, 2d wife of Greg. who died July, 1587.

In a north window of the church, party, per fess indented, sable and gules, three bears, passant, counterchanged, muzzled or, Whinburgh, impaling sable, two bendlets, ermine.

In the 19th of King Henry VII. Thomas Sharington of Cranworth, Esq. lord of Wace's manor, and having a good estate here, agreed with — Heyward of Norwich, to glaze a window in this church, at 7s. 3d. farthing per foot, which was to be painted with the history of the Transfiguration of our Lord, and his own picture, and his wife Catherine's, kneeling, in their coats of arms, and above in the said window, 6 escotcheons of the arms of their parents, to be given him by Thomas, who paid Hayward 6s. 8d. in hand.