Clavering Hundred: Gillingham

GILLINGHAM,

Called in the grand survey, Kildincham, 2 freemen of Guerd, King Harold's brother, had 30 acres, with half a carucate and an acre of meadow, and on their deprivation it was in the Conqueror's possession, and valued with the manor of Gorleston in Suffolk. Stigand had formerly the soc, and it is here expressed, that every church was valued with the manor, which shows that the presentations were at that time in the lords of the manors. (fn. 1)

Another part was in King Edward's reign, possessed by 12 freemen, who had 3 carucates of land, and 9 bordarers; there were also 8 carucates, &c. 12 acres of meadow, &c., a church endowed with 30 acres of free land; nine of these freemen were under the commendaof the predecessor of Ralph de Beaufoe, in King Edward's time, one under that of Alwin de Thetford, one, and the moiety of another, under the abbot of Bury, and the other moiety under Stigand. In the same town, 4 freemen had 15 acres and half a carucate; and Stigand had the soc before the conquest: this was added to, and valued with Stigand's manor of Ereham, and was measured with Stockton. William de Noiers was the King's steward of it at the survey

Out of these two fees, arose two lordships, with two churches; one was granted by King Stephen, to Hugh de Bigot, on his being created Earl of Norfolk, and to this belonged the patronage of the church of All-Saints; Roger Earl of Norfolk, dying s. p. in the reign of Edward I. gave it to that King, and was after granted to Thomas de Brotherton Earl of Norfolk, and came by marriage to John Lord Segrave, and to the Mowbrays Dukes of Norfolk. This was the capital lordship, and had the patronage of the church of All-Saints, and was that, which Stigand, Archbishop of Canterbury, was deprived of.

From the Mowbrays, it descended to the Howards Dukes of Norfolk, and being forfeited to the Crown, on the attainder of Thomas Duke of Norfolk, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, was granted by King James I. to Henry Howard Earl of Northampton, on June 17, ao. 1, from whom it came to Thomas Howard Earl of Surry.

Sir Nicholas Bacon, Bart. of Redgrave, was lord and patron, and gave it to his sixth son, Nicholas, whose descendant, Sir Edmund Bacon, Bart. enjoyed it in 1742, as after appears in the following lordship.

The other lordship, of which Guerd was deprived, had the patronage of the church of St. Mary, and was in Geffery de Ponte, or Pount, in the 55th of Henry III. but when granted from the Crown, does not appear. In the said year, Geffrey granted by fine, to Roger de Ponte, for life, the remainder to Geffery and his heirs, a messuage, 2 carucates of land, 20 acres of meadow, 50 of wood, 8 of heath, with the advowson of St. Mary's church; and in the 3d of Edward II. Alexander, parson of St. Mary's church, settled it, in trust, on Geffrey, son of Roger de Pount of Gillingham, and Robert his son.

In 1320, Bartholomew Bateman presented to the church, as guardian of Christiana, daughter and heir of William de Horford; and in 1344, Sir Bartholomew Bateman presented in his own right, as lord; and in the 35th of Edward III. Ralph Gerberge, son of Sir Edward Gerberge, released to Sir Laurence de Bremle and his heirs, all his right in the moieties of Martham and Gillingham, with lands in Winston, Windele, &c.

Thomas Bateman, Esq. (a descendant of Bartholomew) of South Elmham, in the parish of St. Mary of Flixton in Suffolk, by his will, dated April 8, 1485, was buried in Flixton church, by Elizabeth his wife; gives legacies to William and Richard, his sons, and to Elizabeth and Olive, his daughters; to Robert, his son and heir, his manors of Newhall and Sandcroft, with the advowson of Sandcroft, St. George's church, and the manor of Gelingham; and orders a tomb of freestone to be put over him. (fn. 2)

In the 28th of Henry VIII. Thomas Bateman passed it by fine, with the advowson, to John Everard. William Everard, Gent. in the first of Queen Elizabeth, was found to die seised of it, held of the Queen's manor of Stockton; and Edward was his son and heir. In the manorhouse were the arms of Everard; gules, a fess, undée, between three estoils, argent, impaling Heveningham; also impaling Appleyard; and or, three chevronels ingrailed, gules, Chauncey of Edgecote in Northamptonshire. Sir Clement Higham, and after him, Michael Hare, Esq. held it, ao. 44 of Elizabeth.

After this it was in the Bacons, and Sir Nicholas Bacon, Bart. was lord in the 9th of King James I. of Redgrave in Suffolk, premier Baronet of England, and eldest son of Sir Nicholas Bacon, lord keeper of the great seal; this Sir Nicholas, the Baronet, married Anne, daughter and heir of Edmund Butts, Esq. by whom he had several sons, &c.; to Nicholas, his sixth son, he gave this lordship, who married first Anne, daughter and heir of Sir James Weston, baron of the Exchequer, by whom he had a daughter, Anne, married to John Rous, Esq. of Honham in Suffolk; by his 2d wife Mary, daughter of Eustace Darcy, Esq. he had Nicholas, his son and heir created a baronet, February 7, 1661; by Mary his wife, daughter and heir of Richard Freeston of Mendham, Esq. in Suffolk, he left Sir Edmund, his eldest son, who died s. p. in 1684, and was succeeded by his brother Sir Richard, who married Anne, daughter of Sir Henry Bacon, Bart. son of Sir Butts Bacon, Bart. of Mildenhall in Suffolk, and dying s. p. in 1685, gave his estate to Sir Henry Bacon, Bart. of Heringfleet, his wife's brother. This Sir Henry, by —, daughter of Sir John Castleton, Bart. of Sturston, in Suffolk, was father of Sir Edmund Bacon, Bart.

Sir Edmund Bacon, Bart. died October 2d, 1738, and left his only son, Sir Edmund Bacon, Bart. who was lord and patron in 1742.

In this town were 2 churches. All-Saints was a rectory containing two isles, and a chancel thatched, with a square tower and three bells in the chancel was a grave-stone,

In memory of John Frebrygge, rector, who died 15xviii.

Also one,

In remembrance of Margery Smith, eldest daughter of Nicholas Garneys of Redsham-Hall in Suffolk, Esq. 2d wife of Thomas Smith of Winston-Hall in Norfolk, Esq. who died in 1656.

In the churchyard, by the south wall of the chancel, is an altar tomb, and against the wall, on a monument,

Thomas Smith of Winston, Esq; in his humility appointed this place for his burial, died June 6, 1639, and these arms, quarterly, in the first and fourth, barry, wavy of eight, argent and azure, on a chief gules, three barnacles, or, Smith;—in the 2d and 3d, argent, a chevron between three phæons, sable, on a chief of the 2d, a greyhound, currant, of the first, Roberts. Robert Towre, buried here in 1530, orders by will, a substantial window to be built of stone, with glass, by his executors. (fn. 3)

In the reign of Edward I. the Earl of Norfolk was patron; the rector had 34 acres, but no manse, and it was valued at 9 marks. Peterpence 12d. carvage 3d. ob.

Rectors.

In 1301, John of Royses Cross was instituted, presented by Roger Bigod Earl of Norfolk.

1302, Barth. Cook. Ditto.

1311, Walter de Maydenstone, by Alice de Hannonia Countess of Norfolk.

1314, Giles de Mount. Ditto.

1316, John de Bynch. Ditto.

1326, John Reignaud, by Thomas de Brotherton Earl of Norfolk.

1333, Robert de Petra. Ditto.

1334, Robert Dagget. Ditto.

1341, Thomas de Thurleston, by Sir John de Segrave.

1342, Simon de Kirkby. Ditto.

John de Tiveteshale, rector.

1352, Robert de Twyford, by John Lord Segrave.

1352, John Suwet. Ditto.

1353, Henry de Burgh. Ditto.

In 1440, John Salmon, by the King, on the minorty of Thomas, son of Thomas Mowbray Duke of Norfolk.

In 1440, Thomas Wright occurs rector.

In 1502, Thomas Goffe, nominated by the Bishop, presented by the King. William Freebrygg died rector in 1518.

1548, John Cock occurs rector.

Amos Stalworthy was rector in 1603, and returned 70 communicants; and the feoffees of the late Duke of Norfolk were patrons.

John Rose, rector about 1610, and the Earl of Northampton patron; the patronage was granted about June 17, ao. 1st of King James, to the Earl of Northampton, &c. late Thomas Howard's Duke of Norfolk, attainted.

Sir Charles Castleton, Bart. died rector in 1745, and Robert Athow succeeded, hac vice, by Christopher Athow, Gent.

1760, Edward Holden, to Winston and Windale, by Dame Susan Bacon.

The present valor is, together with Winstan and Windale, 5l. 6s. 8d. and is discharged; the church was demolished in 1748.

The church of St. Mary is a rectory valued, in Edward the First's reign, at 8 marks; the rector had 40 acres of land, but no manse, Peter-pence, 8d. ob. Carvage 3d. ob. and Jeffery de Ponte was patron.

In 1320, Brian de Orford was instituted, presented by Bartholomew Bateman, on the minority of Christiana, daughter and heir of William de Orford.

1344, Henry Lambekyn, by Sir Bartholomew Bateman.

1349, Hugh Attemyll, by Petronella, late wife of Sir Bartholomew Bateman.

1361, William Amory, by John Berney.

1361, Richard de Grymeby, by Simon de Rickinghale.

In 1603, Nicholas Lost was rector, and returned 42 communicants; and Arthur Everard, Gent. was patron.

John Rose, rector.

John Quash, died rector in 1662.

Sir Charles Castleton, Bart. died rector in 1745.

And Mr. Athow died rector in 1760, and Mr. Holden succeeded,

The present valor is 5l. 6s. 8d. and is discharged. In 1742, Sir Edmund Bacon, Bart. was patron.

The Church is a very antique building, a single pile, without any isles; at the west end, is the font; as you proceed is a four-square tower; then the body of the church, with the chancel, about the same breadth with the church, and ends in a semicircle; in the tower are three bells; the west end is tiled, and the rest covered with thatch.

As you enter the chancel, is a gravestone with a brass plate,

In memory of John Everard. Esq. who died October, 1553, and of Dorothy his wife, daughter of John Chauncey, of Chauncey Tower, in the town of Northampton, Esq.

Against the south wall of the chancel, is a mural monument of marble alabaster:

Nicholaus Bacon, baronettus, prosapiâ illustris, ingenio inclytus, literis ornatus famâ clarescens, corpore vieto, animo vegeto, præmaturè senuit et sapnit. Post xlii annos et mensis IX, quos vixerat prout virum nobilem, philosophum, Christianum decuit. Tandem fato cedens, quod habuit terrenum, terræ reddidit igne recoctum diei novissimi, denuo resumpturus, cælitus quod erat et patri et patriæ spirituum rediit; ecce cur marmor tanti nominis fastu gravidum tumescit, tanti viri fato frigidum nigrescit, tanti ingenii lævore politum splendescit. Vale lector et vivas, honore parili, obijt, m. dc. lxvi. Augi. iii.

On the monument are the arms of Bacon and Quaplode, quarterly; Bacon, gules, on a chief, argent, two mullets, sable, with an annulet for difference; Quaplode, barry of six, or and azure, a bend over all; also Bacon impaling, azure, on a fess, or, three leopards faces, gules, Freeston.

The tenths were 3l. Os. 4d. Deducted 14s.

Gill is an old British word, and signifies a rivulet; thus Gilling, a town and hundred in Yorkshire; Gilcross hundred in Norfolk; Gilden in Cambridgeshire; Guilford in Surry, &c.