Hundred of Forehoe: Bereford

BEREFORD,

Commonly called Barford, from [Bere], or [Bar], bread-corn, and [ford], a passage over the river, so that it is the village by the ford, famous for wheat or bread-corn. In the Confessor's days it was in two parts, the first belonged to Guert, as an appendant to his manor of Cossey, which at the Conqueror's survey belonged to Alan Earl of Richmond; it was seven furlongs long and six broad, and paid 13d. ob. gelt, as you may see under Cossey, at p. 407. To this part belonged a mediety of the advowson, which was in the gift of the lord of Cossey, till Alan de Rohan, lord there, gave it to Bon-Repos abbey in Normandy, and it was confirmed by Henry III. in 1226, and in 1234, Eudo, Abbot there, conveyed it to the Prior of the cathedral church at Norwich, Rich. de Siplon, dean of Hingham, and others, being witnesses; and in 1250, Walter de Suffield Bishop of Norwich appropriated it to the monks, who were to serve it by a stipendiary priest, (there being no vicarage endowed,) and to have the house and 12 acres of land, and all the profits, which were afterwards divided among them, part being settled on the Prior, part on the Almoner, and part on other officers in the convent, the whole of their spirituals being taxed at 6 marks, and their temporals at 6s.; and ever since this mediety hath continued in the church of Norwich, and this part of the town, with the manor of Cossey, to which it now belongs; the lord of Cossey being now [1739] lord paramount of it.

The other part was held by Stigand at the Confessor's survey, and by Ralf de Beaufoe at the Conqueror's, of whom Richard then held it; the soke or paramountship of this part belonged then to Hingham, as it now doth, Sir John Woodhouse, Bart. being lord of its leet, in right of his hundred, which is appendant to that manor. (fn. 1)

This afterwards became three manors, called Barford Hall, (to which the mediety of the rectory belonged,) Flint Hall, and Saham's, or Soham Hall.

Barford Hall Manor

Was held by Ribald de Midleham, (fn. 2) a younger brother to Alan sirnamed the Black, the second Earl of Richmond, who had the lordship of Midleham in Yorkshire given him by his brother, Alan, from which he took his name; he was succeeded by Ralf, his son and heir, and he by Robert, his son, whose son Ralph left it to his son and heir, who was also named Ralph; he assumed the name of Ralf Fitz-Ralf, and died in 1269, leaving his two daughters his heirs, Joan, the second daughter, married to Robert de Tateshall, and Mary, to Rob. de Nevile, who had the manor of Midleham, &c. with this manor and advowson; she survived, and held it to 1284, in which year she died, leaving it to Ralf Nevile, her son and heir, who died in 1330, leaving Ralf Lord Nevile and Raby, her son and heir, who presented here in 1355, and died in 1366; he sold it to Sir Robert Knowles, Knt. for life, who presented in 1406, at whose death it went to Ralf Nevile Earl of Westmoreland, grandson of the last Ralph, his father John dying in 1388, in the lifetime of Sir Rob. Knowls; this Earl died in 1425, but before his death, conveyed the lordship of Bereford, and the mediety, to George de Nevile Lord Latimer, his son by his second wife, (fn. 3) and he presented in right of the manor in 1435, and was lord at his death in 1468; Sir Henry Nevile, Knt. his eldest son, being slain the same year in the battle of Edgecotefield, Richard Nevile Lord Latimer, his grandson, son of the said Henry, succeeded him, and died in 1530, leaving John Nevile Lord Latimer, his son and heir, from which time the mediety of the advowson hath passed with the advowson of Fersfield, as you may see at p. 83, vol. i.; but the manor was sold from it, and afterwards was held by the Sedleys, along with Morley Hall in Morley, (fn. 4) till John Sedley gave it to Martine Sedley of Barford, his second son, who sold it to John Goose, with the united manors of Flint Hall, and Soham Hall; and now [1739] it belongs to Will. Brooks, Esq. Steward of Norwich, in right of his late wife.

Mikelker, or Flint Hall Manor,

Was sold in 1280, by Robert, son of John de Mickleker, (or of the Great Car,) in Bereford, to John Flint of Norwich, senior, at whose death, John, his son and heir, inherited; he held it in 1348 of the manor of Hetherset, by the eighth part of a fee, and the rent of 6s. per annum; in 1501, Thomas Bachecroft of Little-Melton gave his part of Flynt's manor to Christian his wife; in 1521, Edward Tillis gave his moiety of it to Avice his wife, for life; it was afterwards purchased and joined again by Henry Riches, Esq. who, about 1573, sold it to Martin Sedley, Esq. who united it to his manor of Barford Hall.

Esthall, Saham, or Soham Hall Manor,

Was held of the barony of Rhye, as of the manor of Hockering, at half a fee, and belonged to John le Botiler in the beginning of Henry the Third's time, and after that to Will. Bereford. In the year 1256, Brian, son and heir of John de Bereford, son of William and Julian his wife had it; at his death she married John de Esthall; (by whose name the manor was sometimes called;) in 1271, Hugh le Parker and Avice his wife sold it to William, son of Ralf de Saham, clerk, from whom it assumed its present name; this Avice was daughter and heiress of Brian de Bereford, which family continued here many years, the descendants from the younger children being numerous; Nich. de Bereford sold lands here to Rob. de Berford, and I meet with several knights of this name in the county. In 1283, Rich. de Saham was lord here; in 1363, James de Blickling of Norwich, and Christian his wife, sold it to Rob. Elys and Nic. Whitefoot, and in 1315, Christopher de Gelham had it; and in 1345, William, son of Rob, Curson, was lord for life; in 1374, William, son of John Elys of Great-Yarmouth, and Maud his wife, sold a mediety of it to Adam Humfrey of Repham, Maud his wife, and Giles their son, and his heirs, and in 1384, Sir Thomas Morieux, Knt. Rob. Garneys, Stephen Wyvil, Rob. Hethe, and Alice, widow of Sir Tho. Gerbrige, Knt. settled it on Wyvil, in trust; in 1401, William, son of Rob. Curson, and Rich. Blomevile, had it; in 1525, Sir John Heydon, Knt. was concerned in it; in 1545, Christ. Heydon, Knt. sold it to John Legat and Tho. Smith; and in 1564, Will. Legat, Gent. sold his half to Rob. Wyncope, who joined with Smith, and sold the whole to Martin Sedley, Esq. who joined it to Barford-Hall, with which it now remains.

In the Conqueror's survey it is said the Abbot of St. Bennet's in the Holm had 30 acres of land here, of which there is no mention afterwards. (Doms. 192.) (fn. 5)

The Church is dedicated to St. Butolph; Norwich Domesday tells us, that the rector of the mediety had a house and 12 acres of glebe, that each mediety was valued at six marks, and paid 6s. 8d. procurations, 2s. 1d. synodals, no Peter-pence, and 6d. ob. carvage; from all which the impropriate mediety was excused. Here was a gild in honour of St. Butolph, and there were two altars at the east end of the nave, one on each side; they were dedicated to St. Mary and St. Nicholas; the mediety stands thus in the King's Books; "Barford "Un' med" R. 4l. 8s. 4d." value, but being sworn of the clear yearly value of 22l. 19s. 8d. it is discharged of first fruits and tenths, and is capable of augmentation. This town paid 44s. to every tenth.

The church consists of a nave and chancel, both which are leaded, the south porch is tiled, the tower is square, and hath three bells, the nave is 32 feet long and 27 broad, the chancel is 26 feet long and 18 broad, and the tower is about 50 feet high.

In the chancel, on a brass plate, are Sedley's arms and crest.

Robert, second son of Martine Sedley of Morley Esq. by his second Wife, Daughter of Tho. Knyyett of Ashwell-thorp Esq. died June 30 1613.

Bridget, Wife of Martine Sedley of Barford Esq. Daughter of Sir John Pettus of Norwich, died Oct. 28 1652. The arms of Pettus.

Martine Sedley of Barford Esq. descended from the Sedley's of South-fleet in Kent, died Jan. 23 Anno Domini, 1652.

Spring, arg. on a chevron ingrailed between three mascles gul, three cinquefoils of the field. Eliz. wife of Jn. Sedley of Barfd. Esq. Dr. of Will. Spring of Pakenham, ob. 24 Nov. 1679. 57.

John Sedley of Barford Esq. died Sept. 28, 1681, æt. 71.

Mary Wife of Jeremiah Revans Clerk, Sept. 29 1711.

Clement Parke of Barford, Son of Clement Parke of Hingham, of the ancient family of the Parke's of Barford, died April 27, A. D. 1687, Æt. 53.

Rectors.

1308, Nic. de Hedersete. Mary de Nevile, Lady of Midleham.

1340, Will. de Rudham. R. Ralf Lord Nevile Lord Raby.

1350, Will. of York. Ditto.

1351, Tho. of Wilton. Ditto.

1355, Rich. Asorte. Ditto.

1406, Benedict Kyng, buried in the chancel in 1420. Sir Rob. Knowles, Knt. who purchased the manor of North-Pykenham, and this advowson of Sir Ralph Nevile, Knt.

1421, Sir John Prys. Sir Ralph Nevile Earl of Westmorland. Exchange for Depham.

1423, Walter Hert.

Sir John Loudman. R.

1435, John Fulbourn. R. George de Nevile Lord Latymet, in right of his lordship of Bereford, which Sir Ralph Nevile, his father, gave him.

1439, Sir Rich. Barbour. Ditto. He was deprived.

1441, Tho. Thurleby. Rich. Oldomer, Attorney to George Nevile Lord Latymer, who was in the King's service beyond sea. He resigned.

1451, Sir Tho. Alford, died R. George Nevile Lord Latymer.

1466, Sir John Brigge, who was buried in the chancel in 1481. Ditto.

1481, Sir Rob. Clerk, died R. The Right Rev. Father in God, Thomas, Cardinal of St. Ciriac in Thermis, Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Pope's Legate, for this turn only.

1504, Sir Tho. Skynner, died rector. Lapse.

1535, Sir Rob. Shypton. John Nevile, Knt. Lord Latymer. Rob. Shypton. He was deprived.

1554, Nic. Appleby, died R. Lapse.

1591, Will. Morvilte. Elizabeth, relict of Francis Downes, by grant from Rob. Constable, who had it of the Lord Latymer, but it was set aside.

1591, John Cook, on Appleby's death. Sir Tho. Cecill, Knt. and Dame Dorothy his wife, daughter and coheir of the Lord Latymer. United to Colton. He returned answer that he had 82 communicants, that he served one mediety as curate to the church of Norwich, to which it was appropriated. He died rector.

1637, Rich. Gammon. Richard Gammon, clerk, S. T. B. by grant from John Cook of Colton, clerk, who purchased it of William Piercy of London, Esq. the true patron. He died rector.

1637, Will. Bun, he was buried at Buxton, Feb. 3, 1661. Anthony Wingfield, Bart. coheir of the Lord Latymer.

1662, Sam. Harding, A. M. Sir Rob. Wingfield, Bart.

1693, Jeremias Revans. The Bishop; but it was proved the Bishop had no right, and the institution was voided.

1699, Jeremias Revans. Sir Henry Wingfield, Bart.

1727, John Wingfield, A. M. Anthony Wingfield, Esq. his father. He had a writ of quare impedit brought against him by Lord Rochford, and was outed.

1730, the Rev. Mr. Sam. Carter, the present [1739] rector, holds it united to Colton. Frederick Earl of Rochford, whose son, the present Earl of Rochford, is now patron.