Smethdon Hundred: Ringstead Parva; or Barret Ringstead

RINGSTEAD PARVA; OR BARRET RINGSTEAD.

The greatest part of this township was possessed at the survey by John, nephew of Waleran, and in King Edward's reign by Bou, (or Bowes) a freeman, when it contained four carucates in demean, afterwards three, then 8 borderers, afterwards 16, then 6 servi, afterwards 5, with 10 acres of meadow; and there was a carucate among the tenants, a mill, &c. valued in King Edward's reign at 4l. at the survey at 6l. per ann. (fn. 1)

This John, nephew of Waleran, had also a lordship in Hunstanton, under which the extent of it, with the Danegelt, is accounted for; it came soon after to the Giffards Earls of Buckingham, and by the marriage of a daughter and heiress of that family, to the Earls of Clare.

Another fee or lordship here was given to Will. de Scohies, by the Conqueror, and held at the survey under him, by Roger de Ebrois, who held also of the said William, the manor of Great Bircham, to which town I refer the reader. It consisted of one carucate of land, held by two freemen, and stands valued under Bircham aforesaid. (fn. 2)

In the reign of Henry I. Scohies sold it to Walter Giffard Earl of Bucks, and by a coheiress of that family came to the Earls of Clare. These two fees or lordships, belonging to one capital lord, I shall treat of them together.

Oger, son of Oger, and Anne his wife, in the 25th of Henry II. conveyed by fine, to Michael, son of Oger, and Sarah his wife, lands here, of the inheritance of William de Shelfanger, the father of Anne and Sarah, with the service of Hugh de Caldecote, and one knight's fee in Suffolk.

In the 18th of Henry III. Richard de Saham and Joan his wife, conveyed by fine the advowson of this church, and lands, to Henry Bataile; and in the 14th of Edward I. Alan de Meysy impleaded Maud Countess of Gloucester and Hereford, for a messuage, 100 acres of land, 57s. and 8d. rent, with that of 6 capons, and 24 hens, and a pound of cummin, in this town, Bircham, &c. as his right.

Richard Boyland and Elena his wife, daughter of Philip de Colvile, died seized in the 24th of that King, of a manor here, &c. and John was their son and heir; which John de Boyland and Emme his wife, were querents, and Richard Visedelew deforcient of 2 messuages, with one caracute of land here, in Holm and Hecham, in the 3d of Edward II.

By the escheat rolls, in the 8th of the said King, Richard de Boyland was found to hold half a fee; and in the said year, John de Boyland, (son of Richard) and Emme his wife, settled by fine the manor, with the advowson of a moiety of the church of Ringsted Parva, on their trustees, John de Reynham, with 2 messuages, 3 carucates of land, &c in Ringsted Magna and Parva, Hunstanton, Hecham, Shelfanger, Royden, and Winfarthing.

In the said year, William de Cachvache was found to hold here, in Holm and Buckenham, the fourth part of a fee of the honour of Clare, as Walter Tyle and William de Bemond also did of the said honour, here and in Hoim.

In the 13th of the same reign, Walter, parson of Ringsted Parva, settled by fine, 8 messuages, with divers lands here, in Hunstanton, Hecham, Tatterford, Taterset, with the advowson of Taterford, and that of the moiety of this church, on Richard de Boyland, and Alice his wife, and their heirs.

In the 20th of Edward III. John de Rysing held half a fee of the Lady Elizabeth de Burgh, lady of Clare, late John de Boyland's.

The said lady presented to this church in 1344, as capital lady of the fee.

Simon Barret, in the 3d of Henry IV. held two half fees here of the honour of Clare, 355 acres of land, 4 of pasture, 118 shillings rent in Hunstanton, Ringsted Magna and Parva, Holm, &c.

Edmund Mortimer Earl of March, &c. was found in the 3d of Henry VI to be the capital lord; and in the 36th of that King, the prior of Walsingham was found to hold here, &c. the fourth part of a fee; the heirs of William Beamond the 4th part here and in Holm; Matthew Cachevache the 4th part here, and in Holm, and John Boyland the 4th part of a fee here.

In the 9th of Henry VII. John Barret was lord of Ringsted Parva, held of the Dutchess of York, and Margaret was found to be his daughter and heir.

Soon after this, it came to the Le Stranges: and by an inquisition taken at Norwich, April 18, in the 36th of Henry VIII. Sir Thomas L'Estrange was found to die seized of the manor of Barret's Ringsted, held of the King, by one fee, and Nicholas was his son and heir.

In this family it continued, the Honourable Sir Henry L'Estrange, Bart. being the late lord.

Here is now only a farm house remaining. Ringsted gave name to an ancient family; Rolland de Ringsted held considerable possessions in the same, in the 15th of Henry III. Thomas de Ringstede Bishop of Bangor was born here, and probably of the same family, who died in 1365.

In 1428, the temporalities of Petreston in Ringsted Parva were valued at 3s. 4d.

The tenths were 2l. 3s. out of which 19s. 8d. were deducted.

The Church of Ringstead Parva (called also Barret Ringstead) had anciently two medieties or portions; Richard de Boylound was patron of one, of which Nicholas was rector in Edward the First's time, and the heirs of Hamon Byrlingham were patrons of the other, the rector of which served the cure, and had no manse or land belonging to the church.

This portion was Robert's, and valued at 5 marks and a half, and Nicholas's was valued at the same. Peter-pence 5d. ob. and the church was dedicated to St. Andrew. The present valor is 3l. 6s. 8d.

Rectors.

1308, John de St. Edmund, by Sir John Boyland, Knt.

1310, John de Reynham. Ditto.

1322, Thomas Forester. Ditto.

1343, Reyner de Whytewell, by Richard de Boyland.

Thomas Forester.

1344, Robert de Caldewell, to a mediety, by Elizabeth de Burgh, lady of Clare.

1349, William Atte Medwe, by Richard de Boyland.

1352, Seman. de Ipswich. Ditto.

1366, Js. Motte, by Simon, son of Robert de Fransham.

1372, Edmund Porker, by William Pere.

1376, Thomas Atte-Hethe, by John, rector of Harpele.

1377, John Dyx. Ditto.

1387, William Baxtere, by Simon Barret.

1395, Simon Barret, by William Sharneburne.

1405, William Twed, by Thomas Athelwald.

On October 16, 1420, John Bishop of Norwich united and consolidated Boyland's mediety of this church, by the death of William Twed, to the other mediety, called Rysing's, (formerly Byrlingham's,) possessed then by Simon Baret, with the consent of the patrons, Richard Baret of Hecham, and Cecilia his wife.

1432, Nicholas Walter, by Margery Baret, Richard Baret and Cecilia his wife.

1434, Nicholas Baret, by ditto, in right of the manor of Ringsted, which they held by the feofment of Thomas Lovell, Esq. &c.

1445, John Baret, by Richard Baret.

1447, John Ker, by Richard Baret, who recovered the right of presentation in the King's court against the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Walter Frye.

William Pakenham.

1474, Robert Wencelagh, by William Twyer, Thomas Shelton, Esq. &c.

1511, Simon Fincham.

1526, Richard Davy.

About this time it is called the church or free chapel of Ringstead Parva, valued at 66s. 8d. and has been dilapidated many years.

1720, James Macgill, by the King.

1751, Cha. Dix, by the Bishop of Norwich.