Hundred of Forehoe: Wiclewood

WICLEWOOD

Had two churches; the first was dedicated to All the Saints. Thomas de Blundevile Bishop of Norwich, in 1226, appropriated to the monks of Norwich, a moiety of this church, (fn. 1) which Agnes de Riflei gave them, after the decease, or cession, of Rob. de Brokedyss, parson of the mediety, and Will. de Rifley, then vicar; (fn. 2) and in 1235, the same Bishop appropriated the other mediety to them, which they had of the gift of Nigel de Hapesburgh. (fn. 3)

When Domesday was wrote, it was held by the Almoner of Norwich, who had a house, manor, and carucate of land belonging to the rectory, which with the vicar's portion, was valued at 8 marks, and paid 6s. 8d. procurations, 1s. 1d. 0b. synodals, 4d. 0b. Peter-pence, and carvage with St. Andrew's church, 3d. 3q. the vicarage being not taxed.

The terrier hath a house and 32 acres of glebe: in 1690, they had license to sell a bell; and in 1697, the vicar was discharged for dilapidating a barn.

King Henry VI. A^o. 1440, granted a market and two fairs to the town of Wiclewood. (fn. 4)

St. Andrew's church is now dilapidated; it stood in the same churchyard; it was in the patronage of the abbey of Bromholm; the rector had no house, but 16 acres of land; it was valued at nine marks, paid 6s. 8d. procurations, synodals 13d. Peter-pence 4d. 0b. and carvage as above. In 1341, Edm. Ufford le Frere (or the Earl of Suffolk's brother) was patron, and had license to settle it on the Prioress and Nuns of Campsey, but that license being not confirmed, in 1364, the King licensed Edmund aforesaid to give it to the Prior of Norwich, and appropriate it to the Almoner's office, which took effect, and Thomas Bishop of Norwich appropriated it accordingly in this year, July 6. (fn. 5)

Rectors of St. Andrew.

1202, Will. de Nuiers and Tho. de Mountcorbin, patrons of a mediety, sold it to Thomas, son of Henry.

1219, Michael de Thurston, and Agnes his wife sold the advowson to Nicholas le Ewe.

1341, Reginald Purs. Edm. de Ufford, brother to Robert Earl of Suffolk.

1342, Rob. de Coneweston. Ditto.

1349, Nigel Shirreve. The Prioress of Campseye.

1364, It was appropriated as above.

1367, 23 June, Thomas Bishop of Norwich consolidated it to AllSaints, and united them both to the Almoner's office; there was no vicarage assigned to this church, because both churches were in one yard, and St. Andrew's, which was much decayed, was soon after demolished, on condition the vicar should find a chaplain in All-Saints church, to celebrate for the parishioners of St. Andrew's, and therefore there was 18 acres of ground belonging to St. Andrew's and all the alterage of the church added to the vicarage.

1424, John Bishop of Norwich dispensed with the vicar, and released his finding a chaplain as aforesaid, for ever; and thus the whole became one vicarage, as it still remains.

Vicars of All-Saints.

1300, John de Wiclewood. The Prior of Norwich, who presented till the Dissolution.

1338, Rich atte Haghe.

1339, Will. Grey, R.

1352, John Lenn.

1356, Hen. Fort,

1356, John Heryng, Change with Catton.

1356, Walter Spilwind. R

1357, Rich. Muriel.

1361, Will. Lewyn. In his time the whole was united.

1414, Will. at Fenne,

1416, John Blakenham, Change with Hardgrave.

1417, John Tilly, R.

1421, John Richer.

1424, John Taylor.

1426, Tho. Andrew, R.

1438, Tho. Brown, R.

1440, John Nevile, R.

1440, Peter Bramston. O.

1446, John Borell.

1447, Rob. Theyn.

1489, John Gurle. R.

1502, Tho. Toky, the last presented by the Prior.

1541, John Emyson. Lapse.

1555, John Cottam. Lapse. John Wadmoll, parish chaplain.

1564, Rich. Godfry. Rob. Multon, Esq.

1594, Christ. Garey. Tho. Bradbury, Esq.

1600, Ignatius Holderness; in 1603, he returned that there were 100 communicants here, and that the impropriation was worth 30l. per annum, and the advowson belonged to it, with a court called Ampner's.

1613, Rob. Cowell. Tho. Skipp, Gent.

1652, Elisha Ket. John Skipp, Gent. O.

1688, Rich. Clark. John Jubbs, Gent. R.

1697, Will. Hawys. Martin Jubbs, Gent. O.

1701, John Echard. Martin Jubbs, Esq.

1734, the Rev. Mr. George Howes on Eachard's death, who is now [1739] vicar, and holds it united to Hunningham. Christ. Bailey, Gent. who is the present patron.

There were the gild and tabernacle of St Andrew, the gild of St. John Baptist, and the Sepulchre and Virgin's light in the church.

The vicarage stands in the King's Books by the name of Whittlewood, alias Wicklewood; it is valued at 6l. 3s. 11d. 0b. but being sworn of the clear yearly value of 28l. 6s. 7d. it is discharged of first fruits and tenths, but it still pays procurations, and 2s. 3d. synodals, and the town paid 3l. 14s. to every tenth.

The Church now standing, is that dedicated to All the Saints; it hath only one isle, which is covered with lead, and there are two bells. In 1465, John Porteman was buried in the church, and gave 10l. to repair it; and in 1535, Tho. Dowe of this town gave 20s. to repair the bells, and a messuage and croft by the church, to the churchwardens, to keep his obit yearly for ever.

On a brass in the church,

Orate pro Animabus Johannis Doffeld et Angnetis uroris eius quorum animabus propicietur Deus Amen.

Hic jacet corpus Bartholomei Stone, nuper de Wicklewood in Comitatu Norfolciæ Generosi, qui obijt nono die Julij, Anno Dni: 1708, atque Ætatis suæ 63.

A stone in the chancel with Wright's crest and arms, is laid, for Rich. Wright, Gent. who died 13 March 1711, aged 24.

These arms are in the east chancel window,
Sab. a chevron erm. between three round buckles arg. quartering Walcote.

Arg. a chevron between three chess rooks sab.

Gul. two bendlets or, impaling arg. a bend az. a billet between six cross croslets or.

Arg. three pair of wings or, impales

Grimston of Essex, arg. two fesses sab. on each three mullets or:

The Prior of Canterbury was laid for his temporals here, at 13s. 8d. it being a small part of his manor of Deepham that extended hither.

The church of St. Andrew, was given by Neel or Nigel de Ryfley, with a messuage, 40 acres of land, and the services of divers tenants, to the Prior and convent of Bromholm, who conveyed the advowson to the Uffords, and sold the house and lands to Rich. Starcolf, who owned them in 1328, but they reserved the rents to themselves, for which, in 1428, this convent was laid at 7s. 10d. to the tax.

Agnes de Rifley gave the monks of Castle-Acre two acres of land here, which were taxed at 3d.

In 1286, the Prior of Windham had free-warren allowed him in his lands here, for which he was taxed at 24s. 2d.

The temporals of the Prior of St. Faith's in Wiclewood were valued at 11s. 10d.

In 1382, Thomas de Flicham and others aliened to the priory of Flitcham, a messuage, 4 tofts, 133 acres of land, and 45s. rent in Flitcham, Appleton, Hillington, Deepham, Morley, Attleburgh, Wiclewood, and Great-Elingham.

Ampner's, or Almoners Manor,

Was so called, because it was appropriated to the office of the Almoner in the cathedral at Norwich; it was made up of divers parts; John, son of Will. de Caili gave to Roger the Prior, and convent of Norwich, all his land here which Walter Fitz-Robert confirmed to John de Caily, and John purchased of Nigel de Riflei, Knt. who gave the almoner the service of Roger, son of Hubert of Wiclewood, with all his family; and further, he granted the monks a free fald-course, free bull, and free boar, in his manor here; and Isabel, his daughter, gave them the service of Stephen Bryne, which her father had given her, as I learn from the second Regr. (fo. 36, 38, &c.) of the Prior of Norwich, now in the hands of the Dean and Chapter.

The Prior had 24 acres of the Fitz-Walters fee, called Tulland or Frelund, which Aymer, son of Walter Frelund, held in 1198, and perhaps gave it the convent, which had 62 acres in all, given them, which belonged to this fee.

Nigel de Hapisburgh, chaplain, gave to the church of the Holy Trinity at Norwich, to the use of the almoner there, one messuage, and the mediety of the advowson of the church of All-Saints in Wiclewood, to be appropriated to the almoner's office, who was bound, out of the yearly profits, to find a chaplain daily, serving in the chapel of St. Catherine in Thorpwood by Norwich, for his soul, and those of his ancestors; and Robert, son of Aunger of Wiclewood, and Robert, son of Roger of Wiclewood, confirmed that gift.

Gilbert Malet, and Agnes de Reflei, his wife, gave the other moiety of that advowson, for their souls, to the said church; Rob. de Reflei, her son, and Nigel de Reflei, her grandson, confirmed her gift, to which Jeffry Archdeacon of Suffolk was a witness; so that it was given about 1190, and it was confirmed by Pandulf Bishop of Norwich in 1219. (fn. 6)

Richard, son of Nicholas de Aqua of Wiclewood, gave to Nicholas Prior of Norwich, and his convent, divers lands in Wiclewood, which his father held of the church of All-Saints there; this was in 1267, The said Richard gave also more lands to William the Prior, and his convent, about 1272, and Alice de Aqua released her dower in it; and at this time, another Richard, who was son of Stephen de Aqua, (or At Water, now Waters,) was a benefactor.

Alice, formerly wife of Ralf Horncastle of Depham, released all her right in dower, in those lands that Ralph her husband gave to Henry the Prior, and his convent, about 1290; Walter Horncastle of Depham, Ralf his son, and John his son, confirmed their ancestors gifts. (fo. 38.)

Stephen le Neve, son of Gilbert de Estwell, gave the Prior the field called Northfield, and John his son confirmed it.

Nic de Brampton Prior of Norwich, and the convent there, granted to Roger, son of Hubert of Wiclewood, for his homage and service, and 40d. per annum rent, all his messuage, which the said Hubert held of Gilbert, son of Peter of Wiclewood, and all that tenement which they formerly held of Nigell de Riflei, and his ancestors. (fo. 85.)

Sir Ralf Urri of Depham, Knt. gave to Nicholas the Prior, and convent, for his own, and his father's soul, a piece of land in Wiclewood, about 1267, and Robert, son of Aunger of Wiclewood, Mabel, Basil, Maud, and Dionise, his daughters, released their right. (fo. 86.)

Catherine, relict of William Hubert of Wiclewood, released to Robert the Prior, and convent, all her dower in those lands, which her husband gave to the convent, about 1318. (fo. 87.)

William, son of William Bardolf, gave to the almoner of Norwich convent 28 acres of land, which Stephen, son of Gilbert Trine, held of Nigel de Riflei, of the fee of the said William in Wiclewood, and Cringlethorp; and the said William engaged that he would indemnify the prior against the Earl Warren from all scutage and aids, whether levied to make his eldest son a knight, or marry his eldest daughter.

In 1347, the Almoner was distrained in the court at Morley, by the Lord Morley, to shew by what right he raised a fald in Wiclewood, who proved his right so to do, and to have in his fald not only sheep of the inhabitants, but of strangers, if he pleased. (fo. 7.) In this Register, at the same place, there is a charter of King Edward III. granting free-warren to the convent in all their demeans here.

The spirituals of the Prior of Norwich, for Wiclewood All-Saints, were laid at 8 marks. For St. Andrew's 9 marks.

The temporalities in both parishes 3l. 7d. 0b.

It continued in the Prior and Convent, till King Henry VIII. exchanged and took away some of the estates belonging to the monastery, and then it went to the Crown; and in 1st Edward VI. was let for 9l. 4d. a year clear; but in 1550, William Ruggs and Peter Gering had a grant of it.

In 1562, Thomas Reeve and Ralf Sherman had it; the rectory and advowson of the vicarage then belonged to it.

In 1563, Rich. Robson had it.

In 1564, Rob. Moulton of London, Auditor for her Majesty for Wales, owned it, and presented to the vicarage; he married Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas Woodford of Britwell in Berkshire, and of Alice or Mary, daughter of Sir Richard Blount, Lieutenant of the Tower; she was widow of John Fisher of Buntingford, Esq. and of George Weldon, and by her he had two sons; William, his youngest, of Moulton, and Thomas, his eldest, of Wiclewood, who married Elizabeth Gourney; he sold this manor to

Tho. Bradbury of Ashill, Esq. in 1595; and in 1600, Martha Garey had it.

In 1613, Tho. Skypp, Gent. owned it, and in 1652, John Skipp, Gent.

In 1688, John Jubbs, Gent. owned it, and in 1701, Martin Jubbs, Esq. and now [1739] it belongs to

Christopher Baily of Mendham, Gent. who is lord, impropriator, and patron.

At the time of the survey there were two manors; the biggest was held by Olf, a freeman, in the Confessor's time, but the Conqueror gave it to Ralf Bainard, of whom Ralf Sturmin held it at the survey, the soke or superiour lordship belonging then to the manor of Hingham, as it now does to the hundred, which is appendant to that manor; it was worth 40s. in the Confessor's, and 60s. in the Conqueror's time; the whole town was a league long, and seven furlongs and a perch broad, and paid 18d. 3q. gelt. (fn. 7) The church of All-Saints belonged to this manor, which was held of the Banyards, and afterwards of the the Fitz-Walters, (fn. 8) and their heirs, at half a fee, as of their manor of Hemenhall.

The other manor belonged to William Earl Warren, was worth 20s. at the Confessor's survey, and 40s. at the Conqueror's; (fn. 9) the advowson of St. Andrew's church belonged to it; it was afterwards held of the Bardolfs, as parcel of their honour of Wormegey, at half a fee, but the paramountship belongs to the hundred.

The record called Testa de Nevil tells us, that Robert Fitz-Walter had a fee here belonging to his barony of Baynard castle, and that Nigel de Riffley held one half of it, and Rob. Aungers, or Robert, son of Aunger of Wiclewood, the other, and Matthew de Morley held two fees in Wiclewood, &c. which Aliva Marischall holds. The Roll of the honour of Wormgeye says, that Sir Neel or Nigel le Riffley, Knt. held lands in demean, and services here, and in Morley, Crungethorp, and Depham, with the advowson of St. Andrews of Wiclewood, of the Lord Bardolf, lord of that honour, by half a fee, and other services; but he sold several tenements, parcel of his manor, that laid in Hackford, Crownthorp, Windham, Morley, &c. to divers persons, and gave a messuage and 30 acres of land here to the priory of Kersey, and that house infeoffed Roger, son of Jeffry de Morley, in it, who was the ancestor of Edmund de Norwiz, who held it in Edward the Third's time, when the Lord Bardolf made it free land, paying 12d. yearly, it being part of the fees the Lord Bardolf held of the Earl Warren, as of his castle of Acre. The heirs of William de Morley and his tenants, viz. Rich. de Hales, Rich. de Aqua, &c. held lands here by knight's service. Hales's manor, was held by a quarter of a fee of Fitz-Walter's fee, and a quarter of Bardolf's fee.

In 1257, John de Dagworth settled two messuages, 60 acres of land, and 20s. rent on Michael de Newton and Isabell his wife.

In 1274, Rich. Goby held a free tenement here, which Nigel de Rifley formerly sold to Mathew de Morley.

In 1302, Rich. de Aqua settled his part on Walter his son.

In 1306, Richard de Hales and Alice his wife purchased lands, and added them to their manor.

In 1327, Robert Fitz-Walter's fees were divided as follow: Will. de Hales and his tenants had half a fee; Rob. de Rifley and his tenants a fourth part of a fee; Adam de Morley a fourth part of a fee; John Hochede an eighth part of a fee; and the Prior of Norwich had the rest.

In 1334, Will. Jurdan of Leringsete settled the manors of Wiclewood and Warham, and the moiety of the manor of Testerton, with other lands and rents in divers towns, on Will. de Hales and Katerine his wife, with remainder to Stephen, Richard, and William, their sons; Wiclewood to remain to the heirs of William, the rest, if issue failed, to revert to Katherine, they being of her inheritance, she being daughter of Jurdan.

In 1343, Rob. de Hawe of Wiclewood confirmed to Sir Thomas Uvedate, Knt. and Richard, John, Thomas, and Ralph, his sons, and Margaret, his daughter, divers lands here, but it was not a manor.

In 1343, Will. de Hales held a quarter of a fee of John Fitz-Walter, which Richard de Hales lately held, and the Prior of Norwich, John Cok, chaplain, Will. Randolf, and Thomas Phillip, held the twentieth part of a fee of him; and Rob. de Morley and his tenants, viz. Will. de Hales, Rob. de Hagh or Hawe, Rich. de Aqua, and the heirs of Ralph Wikes, held a quarter of a fee of the manor of Hockering; and in 1381, I find that many of these tenants were to have housebote and haybote from Wiclewood Forest.

In 1401, Tho. de Hales held his manor at a quarter of a fee of the Earl of Rutland; and the Prior, John Cok, and John Skulton, held their twentieth part of a fee of that Earl, to whom it belonged in right of his wife; and then Sir Rob. de Morley, Knt. and his tenants, viz. Tho. de Hales, Alice, late wife of Robert Hobert, and the heirs of Ralf de Wikes, held their quarter of a fee of the manor of Hockering, which Sir Thomas Morley, Knt. held of the King, as parcel of his barony of Rye.

In 1443, Hales's manor was sold by William Calthorp and others, to Will. Rookwood, Esq. and Elizabeth his wife, who sold it to

John Windham, Esq. who, in 1466, settled it on himself for life, remainder to John Windham, Esq. his son, and Margaret his wife, who was daughter of Sir John Howard, Knt. after Duke of Norfolk, and the heirs of their body, in whose issue it still continues. In 1547, Sir Edmund Windham was lord, in 1570, Rog. Windham, Esq. and now, Ash Windham of Felbrigge, Esq.