Hundred of South Erpingham: Lammas

LAMMAS,

La Mers, or the Marsh; so called from its situation, the churchyard being washed by the river Bure: at the Conqueror's survey it was part of Buxton, (fn. 1) and valued with it, all but 20 acres, which a free woman then held; it is now in the liberty of the dutchy of Lancaster.

It was parted from Buxton very early, and became a separat manor, and a church was consequently erected on it, it being now divided from Buxton by the river that runs between them, the lord of Lammas having free fishery, as far as the bounds of the parish extends on the Lammas side, as the lord of Buxton hath, as far as that parish extends on the Buxton side.

It was first granted by Ralf de Bellafago or Beaufoe, to Osbern, who his said to have founded the church, and to have given the advowson to Holm abbey, to which it was confirmed by King Henry I. in 1177, and by Pope Lucius II.; but notwithstanding this, Reginald le Gros, (fn. 2) lord here in 1227, presented to it, and held it of the honour of Rhye, and Roger le Gros also had it; but in 1248, Stephen de Redham, and Robert Abbot of Holm had a long suit, which was settled before the itinerant justices (fn. 3); when Stephen agreed, to hold his land in Scotthow, Lammas, and Riston, of the abbey, by the yearly rent of 50s. and 50 bushels of barley, and he released to the abbot all his right in a carucate of land in Scothowe, and the abbot released to Stephen all his right in this manor and advowson. Bartholomew, son of Stephen, succeeded his father; and in 1281 sold the manor and advowson to Oliver de Ingham, (fn. 4) there being then 120 acres in demean, and 15 messuages held of the manor; John son of Oliver succeeded, and had it in 1309. In 1327, Mariona de Ingham was lady, as was Joan, relict of Sir Roger le Strange, Knt. in 1349. In 1350, Sir Miles Stapleton, Knt. of Bedale in Yorkshire had it, and settled it on himself and Joan his wife for their lives, remainder to their son John, and Isolda his wife and their heirs, and it continued a long time, in this family, as you may see in Ingham at large, which manor it constantly attended, through the Stapletons and Calthorps, till William Calthorp, Esq. sold it about 1561 to John Culpepper, Esq. and not long after, it was conveyed to the Allens of this town; John, Rich. and Robt. Allen, brothers, were lords in 1579; the last of these sold it to Mathew Sparrow, Gent. and it after belonged to Mr. Thomas Sadler, who died in 1667, whose daughter Susanna carried it to her husband, Edward Eyre, Gent. who was buried here in 1709, and Mary his only daughter married Thomas Damant of Lammas, Gent. who was lord here, (but not patron, the patronage being sold from the manor,) she died in 1709, and the said Thomas, in 1731, leaving it to Mr. Thomas Damant, the present lord, his only son by Alice Sancroft, his second wife.

The Church is dedicated to St. Andrew, whose image stood in a tabernacle in the chancel, in the east wall on the north side of the altar, which was the station or place of the principal image in every church, (fn. 5) under which the officiating priest always stood, and so doth at this day; the rubrick of the communion service enjoining the priest to stand at the north side of the table.

Here was a gild also kept in honour of that saint, which supported a light always burning before his image. There was also an altar of our Lady in this church, (fn. 6) and a light burning constantly before her image, there was also a light kept up before the rood on the rood-loft, and another before the brown-rood.

There is a rectory-house and six acres and two roods of glebe; it paid 8d. synodals, 4d. Peter-pence, and 4s. archdeacon's procurations, but now it pays with Hautbois-Parva, which is consolidated to it, 12d. synodals, 6s. archdeacon's procurations, and 21d. visitatorial procurations, it standing thus in the King's Books:

7l. Hautbois vulgo Hobbies parva cum Lammas rectory, 43l. clear yearly value.

And being discharged, it is capable of augmentation. The religious concerned her were, the Prior of Bromholm, whose temporals were taxed at 7s. 2d. those of the Prior of Norwich at 18d. and those of the Prior of Hickling at 4d. The whole village paid 30s. clear to every tenth, besides 16s. paid by the religious for their revenues here. It is laid with Hautbois-Parva at 276l. 15s. to the land-tax, and pays 6s. 6d. to every 300l. levy of the county rate.

There is a low square tower and four bells; the church hath no isles, and is thatched, as is the chancel, the south porch is tiled.

In a north window is painted the last judgment, the blessed standing under the judgment-seat on the right hand, with this over their heads:

Unite Benedicti Patris mei.

Over the wicked, on the left hand:

Oui fariunt ista, non percipiunt Regna celestia.

Ite Maledicti in Ignem Cternum.

In other panes of the window, is the blessed Virgin, feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, giving drink to the thirsty, and entertaining the stranger; and these sentences,

First pane,

The Hungry Man says, For Hunger Bredy.

The Virgin answers, The to Fede, In me nogh reedy. (fn. 7)

Second pane,

The Naked calls out, For Cold J Oual. (fn. 8)

The Virgin answers, Doo on a Cloth the Marme withall.

Third pane,

The Thirsty saith, For Thirst J Cleve.

The Virgin says, Habe Drynv for the Lord that ye Lebe. (fn. 9)

Fourth pane,

The Stranger cries, Hostel, J Crabe. (fn. 10)

She replies, Cine wery in and you shall have.

In a north window is a priest in his habit, kneeling in a praying posture, and this,

Pray for the Sowll of Sic Adam Mylkynson Prest:

On a brass plate,

Orate pro animabus Chome Dowys, et Agnetis uxoris sue quorum animabus propicietur Deus Amen.

In the chancel window, Marshal's arms, gul. a bend lozengè or, and there were formerly the arms of White, Stapleton, Morley, and Ingham, which last still remains.

There are stones for Mr. Thomas Sadler, 23 September 1667. Katherine his late Wife, 13 May 1649. Susanna his second Wife, 3 June, 1676. Susanna Wife of Mr. Edward Eyre, only Child of Mr. Thomas Sadler, by Susanna his Wife, January 20, 1693.

Crest, a dove proper. Eyre, sab. a chev. between 3 de-lises arg. impaling

Damant, sab. a turnip proper, a chief or, guttè de l'armes. (See Guillim abridged, vol. i. p. 318.)

Hic jacet sepultum Corpus Edvardi Eyre Generosi, obijt 2° die Febr' A. D. 1709, Æt. suæ 76. Hic jacet sepultum Corpus Mariæ Damant, uxoris Thomæ Damant de Lammas Generosi, et Filiæ unicæ prædicti Edwardi Eyre, obijt decimo die Maij, Anno Domini 1709. Æt. suæ 39.

Damant impales Sandcroft.

Sacred to the Memory of Thomas Damant, Gent. who died the 8th of July 1731, Aged 62 Years; here also lie the bodies of three of his Children, by Alice his Wife, viz. William-Sandcroft, buried April 16, 1713. Allen, Nov. 23, 1715, and Alice, 16 March, 1716.

On a brass,

Hic iacet Corpus Marie uxoris Willelmi Banspoole tunioris, que mortua est secundo die Oct.A.D.1611.

Here Resteth what was Mortal of William Harstone, Gent. April 6. 1694. 55.

Harstone, per chev. ingrailed O. S. in chief 3 stones, in base, a hart passant counterchanged, which cannot fail of making Hartstone.

Hic jacet Corpus Gulielmi Sparrow, quondam Rectoris hujus Parochiæ qui obijt Febr' 25, An^o Dni. 1645. Dorothy Daughter of William and Dorothy Sparrow, Aug. 24, 1642.

On a mural monument in the churchyard, against the south church wall,

About six Foot from this Wall, resteth in Hopes of a joyful Resurrection, the Bodies of Robert and John Scales, Father and Son late of Hauteboys parva, of the same Occupation, as was their blessed Saviour and Redeemer; Robert departed this Life the 12 of November 1727, Aged 79 Years, and John died the 28th of January 1727, in the 40th Year of his Age.

As in a Moment we are gone, And whilst our Time doth fly, Let us always prepared be For blest Eternity.

Rectors of Lammas only.

1328, Robert Brown. Lady Maryona de Ingham.

1349, Thomas Coyn. Joan, relict of Sir Roger le Strange, Knt.

1352, Walter de Brandon de Fundenhall. Sir Miles Stapleton, Knt. who presented the following Rectors:

1383, Thomas Russell.

1384, John Hamerton.

1389, William Evenwood.

1409, Robert Steel.

1413, Alan Smith, resigned.

1414, Robert Pays resigned.

1414, Hugh le Fen of Wickmere, who resigned to Thomas Atte Fennne.

1428, Thomas Clerk. Henry Earl of Northampton, Sir John Talbot, Thomas Scales, Ralf and Henry Grey, and Thomas Kerdeston, Knts. William Paston, John Roys, William Ascogh, Edmund Stapleton, Esqrs. and John Brakeley, friar, (fn. 11) feoffees of Brian Stapleton.

1446, John Clerk. Sir. Miles Stapleton, Knt. who presented the three following rectors:

1447, Thomas Marum, resigned.

1449, William Durant, ob.

1460, John Prentice.

1470, Stephen Dobson, resigned. Sir Richard Harcourt, Knt. in right of Catherine his wife; and now Little Hautbois was consolidated to it.

Rectors of Lammas with Little-Hautbois.

1481, Robert Childerhouse, resigned. Ditto.

1494, William Wooderys, in exchange for Brampton. Elizabeth wife of William Calthorp, Esq.

1514, Richard Clerkson. John Call, assigne of Sir Francis Calthorp, Knt. and Edmund Calthorp, Esq.

1541, James Winder. Ditto. Buried in the chancel in 1561, when John Culpepper, Esq. presented

John Johnson, who was deprived in 1578, and John, Richard, and Robert Allen, presented

Thomas Sommerfield; and in

1581, Thomas Elvin.

1609, Thomas Wilson, A. M. Robert Allen, senior.

1611, Philip Hatley. Ditto.

1618, William Sparrowe, buried here. Matthew Sparrow, Gent. 1645, Thomas Edwards, who purchased the advowson from the manor, presented

Edward Warnes, who died rector in 1700: he was a great benefactor to Norwich city, on which he settled Little-Hautbois-Hall, &c. and to Yarmouth. His will, and an account of him, occurs in vol. iv. p. 93, &c.

1700, John Barker. Israel Long, Esq. He died rector, and was succeeded by

James Taylor, who purchased the advowson, and resigned; and

In 1738, the Rev. William Lubbock, B. D. late fellow of Caius College, was presented by James Taylor, (fn. 12) patron in fee simple, and it was united to Stalham vicarage, which Mr. Lubbock since resigned, and now holds it by union with Scothowe vicarage.