Happing Hundred: Sutton

SUTTON

Was a very considerable large manor, and extended itself into many towns Edric de Laxfield possessed it in the reign of the Confessor, but the Conqueror gave it to Rog. Bigot, who was lord of it at the survey; in Edric's time there were 3 carucates and an half of land, belonging to it, 6 villains and 17 borderers, with 2 carucates in demean, 3 among the tenants, paunage for 60 swine, 39 acres of meadow, half a salt pit and 2 runci, 23 breeding mares, 12 cows, &c. 180 sheep, and 4 skeps of bees, two socmon also had 12 acres and an half, and there was a church endowed with 10 acres, and the King and the Earl of Norfolk had the soc. (fn. 1)

Edric appears to have enjoyed many lordships in this neighbourhood, in the reign of King Edward I. that he was a Dane by extraction is probable, and perhaps bore some relation to that remarkable Edric, the traitor to King Edmund Ironside, of whom all history makes mention.

One thing is remarkable of Edric, the lord here; that he had, after the custom of the Normans, assumed his name from a town, probably Laxfield in Suffolk, a practice begun in the days of King Edward, and after the conquest generally followed.

Agnes, widow of Warine de Monte-Canisio, or Lord Montchensy, held it in dower, of Roger Bigot Earl of Norfolk, in the 30th of Henry II. valued at 16l. per ann. and in the 20th of Henry III. Warine de Montchensy held it by one fee; in the said year, Richard de Wendover Bishop of Rochester, Sir Robert de Lexington, William de York, William de Culeworth, and Henry de Bath, the King's justices, were witnesses to the release of the advowson of the church of Swanscomb, in Kent, (the head of the barony of Montchensey,) to this lord, from the prior of Southwark, on the payment of 5 marks pension per ann.

In the 20th of Edward I. Sir Hugh de Veer and Dionysia his wife, daughter and heir of William Lord Montchensy, claimed the assize of bread, &c. view of frank pledge, a tumbrell, &c. and in the 34th of that King, one part of 500 acres of waste and marsh ground here, in Catfield, Ludham, and Heigham Potter, were assigned to them, and 2 parts to the abbot of Holm, as lords of those towns. Adomare de Valentia Earl of Pembroke, was lord in the 9th of Edward II. and died in the 17th of that King, and was then found to hold it of the Earl of Norfolk.

After this it descended to the Hastings Earls of Pembroke, and in the 41st of Edward III. Juliana Countess of Huntingdon, late wife of John Hastings Earl of Pembroke, died possessed of it; and in the 49th of that King, John Hastings Earl of Pembroke dying beyond sea, Ann his wife, daughter and heir of Sir Walter de Manny, held it in dower, valued at 21l. 2s. 8d. per ann.

From the Hastings it came to the Greys, Lords of Ruthin, and in the 21st of Richard II. Richard Earl of Arundel, and Philippa his wife, were found to be lords: the said Philippa was widow of John Hastings (the last of that family) Earl of Pembroke, and held it in dower; and on her decease, Reginald Lord Grey of Ruthyn enjoyed it, together with Brumsted, and valued at 50l. per ann. but in the 14th of Henry IV. Joan, widow of William Beauchamp Lord Abergavenny possessed it, and it descended to Elizabeth, daughter and heir of Richard Earl of Worcester, son of Will. who was married to Edward Nevill, fourth son of Ralph Nevill Earl of Westmoreland, and Edward Nevyle Lord Abergavenny presented to the church in 1436; in this family it still continues: see in Bergh-Apton, in Loddon hundred.

In the 35th of Henry VIII. Thomas Alverede was found to hold the manor of Osmond's in Sutton, 100 acres of land, &c. of the Duke of Norfolk, and left two daughters and coheirs, Margaret, and Anna, the wife of Richard Holditch, Esq.

The tenths were 3l. 8s.—Deducted 8s.

The Church is dedicated to St. Michael, consists of two isles, a square tower, with three bells, and a south porch, with a room over it, and is a rectory.

In the reign of King Edward I. William Lord de Montchensy was patron, when it was valued at 10 marks, the rector had a manse with 12 acres of land, Peter-pence 12d. and the abbot of St. Peter de Dyna had a portion of 13s. 4d. paid by the rector. In the 10th of Richard I. the sheriff of Norfolk certified that he had taken possession of the advowsons of this church, and of Brunsted, with the moiety of Catfield church, for the King, which William de Monchensy claimed against the abbot of St. Peter, sup. dinam, and that abbot quit-claimed to William de Montchensy, and his heirs, all his right in the said advowsons, on a grant of 40s. per ann. to be paid by the rectors of the said churches, A^o. 12 of Richard I. &c. The present valor is 6l. 16s. 8d. and is discharged.

Rectors.

John Hasting occurs rector, A^o. 10 Richard I. &c.

1300, John de Haverhill, instituted, presented by Sir Hugh de Veer.

1304, Jeff. de Brundeleis.

1312, Martin de Fakenham.

1343, Edmund de Clynton, by William de Clynton Earl of Huntyngdon.

1346, William de Draicote.

1354, Robert Filcot, by Juliana Hastyngs, Countess of Huntyngdon.

1361, John Russel.

William Honey, rector.

1377, Roger Cubulf, by the King, guardian of the heir of the Earl of Pembroke.

1391, John Clerk. Ditto.

1391, Henry Atte Milne, by the King.

1408, Edmund Berry, by Sir William Beauchamp.

In 1431, William Jekington, LL.B. was rector.

1436, Godfrey Burgh by Edward Nevyle Lord Bergavenny.

1439, William Dalton.

John Ceton, rector.

1443, William Lovel.

1454, Robert King.

1489, Robert D'Engayn, by George Lord Bergavenny.

1504, John Heydon.

1520, Thomas Percival, by Lord Bergavenny.

1530, George Maxwell.

1533, Jeff. Kingsman, by Sir George Nevill.

1538, John Saunders, by the King, as guardian to the Lord Abergavenny.

1559, John Ryvers, by the Bishop's vicar general, hac vice.

1586, John Jones, by Edmund Nevill Lord Abergavenny.

In 1603, communicants 86.

1617, Thomas Heath, A.M. by Thomas Dod, and John Butcher.

1625, Bertram Doyly, A.M. by Edward Doyley, by a grant of the Lord Abergavenny.

1640, Edward Green, by the chancellor, &c. of the University of Cambridge.

1671, Robert Lord, A.M. by Mary Lady Abergavenny.

1729, John Gardener, by Lord Abergavenny, on Berefd. Baker's resignation.

1732, Thomas Williams. Ditto.

In the chancel a gravestone

In memory of Mary, daughter of Robert Lord, rector of Sutton, and Hester his wife, who died 1683. Orate pro a'i'a Roberti King. quo'd. rector' hujus eccles. qui obt. 25, Feb. 1485.

One

In memory of Mary, late wife of Edward Doyley, Esq; who died October 4, 1649.

In the church were the arms of Nevill Lord Abergavenny, gules, on a saltire, argent, a rose of the first; also Nevill, quartering the Earl Warren and Surry, in the 2d quarter;—in the 3d quarter, the Earl of Clare, and Spencer Earl of Gloucester, quarterly;—in the 4th quarter, gules, a fess between six cross croslets, or.- - -Beauchamp, in the chancel east window.

Here were the guilds of St Michael and Corpus Christi.

Lights of the Trinity, Crucifix, St. Nicholas, St. Mary, and St. Michael.