Ncrn- 'f, ON 'lliE P'Af^lSIi OF DHN HALL WITH fiA.RLESTON. By Charles Candler.. . , K. R. Cann, liookseller, Ilarlestoii. OF THE U N I VLR5 ITY Of ILLINOIS C I Con / NOTES ON THE PARISH OF REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2015 https://archive.org/details/notesonparishofrOOrede REDENHALL CHURCH, 1896 Notes on the Parish of Redenhall with Harleston In the County of Norfolk, Compiled Chiefly from the Records in the Town Chest. BY CHARLES CANDLER. LONDON : JARROLD AND 'SONS, lo & ii, WARWICK LANE, E.G. PREFACE. — ■ It will probably be objected to this little book at the outset that it should have been compiled, if at all, by a professed antiquarian, and not by one whose occupations in the present have left him little leisure to enquire into the past. To this I can only say that if a piece of work has to await the man who can do it best, it very often never gets done at all Certainly I do not claim any special fitness for this task, but having some materials at hand, and believing that opportunity entails responsibility, I have set out and arranged my notes to the best of my ability, and must leave the result to the kind indulgence of my readers. It would, of course, have been an easy matter to have extended these notes and extracts to a much greater length, and I confess I should have liked to have made the book a little larger. But no man goes printing without counting the cost. To save the ship I have been obliged to jettison the cargo — and the necessity will no doubt be a subject for con- gratulation to most of those into whose hands these pages may fall A singular fatality seems to have attached to Harleston ^ manuscript. Edmund Gillin^water, George Carthew, and i George Rayson, all made more or less extensive local Il.lt T "2 TIT 1 O IV. FRFM R A T T r^HTTRPI-T 26 V. The Rectory and Rectors VI. The Churchwardens VII. The Churchwardens' Accounts 60 VIII. The Overseers' Accounts 94 IX. ThF ^TTRVFVn APT'OTTMXQ _ T '7 T X. Briefs - - _ - 124 XL The Redenhall Bells - 135 XIL Church Goods and Plate 149 XIII. The Old Harleston Chapel - - 154 XIV. Some Old Harleston Houses 178 XV. Edmund Gillingwater - I if 5 Notes on the Parish of REDENHALL with HARLESTON. 1. REDENHALL, HARLESTON, WORTWELL. The parish of Redenhall with Harleston lies nearly in the centre of the hundred of Earsham. It is in form an oblong running north and south, with a length of a little less than four miles, and a mean breadth of about a mile and a quarter. At the north-west corner of the oblong our boundary touches Hardvvick. Starting from this point the parish is bounded by Shelton on the north, by Alburgh and Wortvvell on the ea^t, by Mendham on the south, and by Needham and Starston on the west. There is only one _^break in the regularity of the outline, and that is the penin- sula projecting into Needham just w^est of the town of Harleston. Redenhall with Harleston and Wortwell taken together, closely resemble a human foot, Harleston lying at the heel, Redenhall church at the centre of the arch, and Wortwell towards the toes. It will be understood that this description applies only to the ancient parish of Redenhall. To this, for all civil KEDENIIAIJ. WITH H/iK},KSTON. purposes, the portion of Mendham in the county of Norfolk, was united by an order of the Local Government Board, which came into force on the 25th March, 1885. The origin of the town of Harleston, considered as distinct from the mother parish, cannot now be traced, nor can its bounds in early times be definitely ascertained. The tradition is that the old town comprised only the houses known as the Middle Row. A more interesting question, and one equally difficult to answer is — what was the real import of the division? Did a householder in Harles'on proper possess any rights, or was he subject to any habilities which were not common to the entire parish? It is, I think, most probable that the stale of things has a connection with the manorial system, and if we could re- cover the early records of the Manor of Harleston, some hght might be thrown upon the subject. It has been said (though I have not been able personally to verify the state- ment) that a central group of houses in the town was never held of the Minor of Harleston, which comprised at one time nearly all the surrounding tenements. This suggests a settlement of a date anterior to the formation of the Manor, and a conseq lent exemption from the lord's dues. But many other explanations will suggest themselves, and the truth is that we have no sufficient basis for any theory. All we can say is, that from time immemorial a few blocks of houses, an ancient chapel and a prescriptive market, lying within the parish of Redenhall, but with no separate organization apart from that parish, and, as far as we can go back, no s[)ecial privileges or obligations, have always been described and known as Harleston. It is almost needless to say that for all practical purposes the distinction has long ceased to have any significance ; a man who owns or occupies a house in the Middle Row, being in every respect exactly on the same footing as his neighbour on the KKDENMALL, HARLKS'lON, WOR'tWFJ.L. opposite side of the street. Harleston, as the term is generally used, comprises a good deal more than the area above mentioned. The boundary of the old parish of Mendham curves through the middle of the town. Mr. Pratt's house, the Magpie Hotel, the Corn Exchange, the Congregitional Chapel, and all the houses between them are wiihin that parish, and this arrangement is at least as old as the Domesday Survey, when Frodo held thirteen acres of Harleston zvhich belonged to Mendham. A few words may be said here as to the relative positions of Redenhall and Wortwell, though the latter parish does not fall within the scope of this little work. Wortwell is a separate and distinct parish with its own parochial officers, and, now, its own parish council. But fof" ecclesiastical purposes it is united with, but not merged in, the parish of Redenhall. Tne two parishes have a church in common, through which their division line passes. The parishioners of Wortwell elect one churchwarden to represent their interests and discharge their duties in matters touching the church. The Rector of Redenhall has the tithes, and is responsible for the cure of souls in Wortwell. The old parsonage house stood in that parish, and we shall see that when the churchwardens made out their rate for church expenses, three-fourths of the amount was raised in Red:;n- hall and one-fourth in Wortwell.''' It will be seen from the above rough sketch, that the parish with which we are concerned, is one of those com- posite groups which at once bewilder and delight the student * There was formerly a close connection between Wortwell and Alburgh. In 1624 the people of Alburgh were (as now) in difficulties about their parish charities, and an enquiry was held under a "commission to charitable uses." It was found, amongst other things, "that the town of Alburgh comprised the parish of Alburgh and the hamlet of Wortwell, which was part of the parish of Redenhall." REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. of English local institutions. If we were to bring into the enquiry the Market and the Manors, we should find scarcely any element of complication wanting, and we have, un- fortunately, little or no material to help us in the task of unravelling the story of the growth of our parish in early times. II. TOE RIVER WAVENEY. There are no heaths, fens, or (so-called) waste lands in Redenhall. Except the woodlands about Gawdy Hall, the whole parish is enclosed and cultivated. It is all arable or pasture land, devoted to utilitarian purposes, and there are no wide commons or open spaces where one may walk or ride with a sense of freedom. In one respect, however, the parish is fortunate. The river is close at hand, and though the valley is but a slight and shallow trough, with gently faUing banks, it is a most welcome feature in a level land- scape. There are curves and reaches in the Waveney here, bordered by timbered meadows, osier-grounds, and reed- beds, and backed by bluffs of gravel, which possess a peculiar beauty, and can scarcely be matched by any stream in these counties. A very general impression prevails here that the Waveney was, at some not very distant time, navigable up to and beyond Harleston. Blomefield takes this view. Brockdish, according to him, is broad ditch ; and Syleham, across the river, was, he says, in Edward III.'s time, sayl holm, " I make no doubt," he continues, but that it was then navigable for large boats and barges to sail up." ( F. 332). Gillingwater refers to this passage, and says in corroboration that anchors have been dug up in the marshes at Syleham. rilDenhall with HARLESTON". I'here is also a tradition that anchors have been found some time or another at Hoxne. These stories would be very significant if they could be proved to be true, but until ihey can be better supported, they must be received with caution. Suckhng, again, says that during Kett's rebelhon a pinnace was ordered up from Yarmouth to Weybread, This statement has been often repeated, and has actually been taken as indicating that the river was navigable in the Tudor period. But Suckling's authority is Swinden, and a reference to the latter's History of Great Yarmouth shows that the pinnace was to be sent, not to Weybread near Harleston, but to Way bridge, which must be Wey bridge at Acle, on the Bure.* In such a question as this, the present aspect of the valley goes for little. There is a prevalent idea among people not acquainted with river action that every flat stretch of alluvium along the course of a valley proves the existence at no very remote date of a sheet of water of the same breadth and extent. Hence the hazardous theories about lakes and navigable channels to be found in so many popular books. As a matter of fact, it is most unsafe to say without evidence, and judging from present appearances only, that the condition of any valley has gready changed during the historic period. The indications of a once different state of things relate back in most cases to a time long anterior to the dawn of human history. The evidence of such a document as the Yarmouth Hutch Map is valueless. The map only illustrates the belief prevailing in the time of Elizabeth as to the condition * The passage is, " Item, The small pinnace to go up to Waybridge, being victualled for four days^ having 26 men in her/' —Swinden^ p. 939, note. VWK RIVER WAVKNKV. of the estuary five hundred years before. Harleston is placed in Suffolk, on the right bank of the river, which appears as a broad inlet, and directly opposite Gillingham. It has been suggested that this inlet represents not the Waveney, but the tributary stream locally called "the Beck," which joins the main valley at Homersfield Station. This is ingenious, but hardly good enough to save the cartographer's credit. Domesday Book has, I think, some bearing on this question. No one reading the record can fail to be struck by the frequent mention of mills in the parishes abutting on the Waveney. I imagine there were more mills in these parishes in the eleventh century than there are to-day. These were all water-mills, and their presence shows that the stream had then, as now, a con- siderable fall, for otherwise they could not have been effectually and profitably worked. Of course the level of the water may have been, and most probably was, arti- ficially raised to secure the necessary water-power, as it is at the present day. The embankment round the bend of the river at Weybread Mill, to which is due the splendid reach of deep water above, has every appearance of antiquity. But these works would in themselves cause a serious obstruction to the passage of craft, and would involve frequent portages or the construction of numerous locks, of which no trace remains. However we look at it, - the existence of this series of mills at the time of the great survey is against the theory that the river was then navigated. i So also is the position of such buildings as * Mr. J. Teasdel, whin he surveyed the river for the Waveney Valley Drainage Commissioners in 1878, found a fall of about 67 feet between Hoxne Mill and Beccles Bridge. t Note also the permanence of the fords. Shotford is Scotoford in Domesday. No cratl coutd now be worked up tht»e shallows. i6 RKDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. Mendham Priory and Syleham Church, for they shew that the features of the valley have not appreciably altered since they were built. The site of the Priory is indeed described as an island in King Stephen's time, but this niay well mean that it was isolated by undrained morasses. Even if taken literally, the term would not be quite inapplicable at the present day in time of flood. The case of Syleham Church is stronger. Its position is extraordinary. The churchyard appears to be only just flush with the marsh arcund, and it is constantly cut off from approach by the rise of the water. The church has a very interesting round tower, which is undoubtedly of early character. It may date back to the tenth century, and it is difficult to see how the river could have stood at a much higher level then than it does to-day. It may be argued that the site of Syleham Church was chosen for the very reason that the river afforded means of bringing up materials. This, however, is inconsistent with the view held by so many that these round towers of flint rubble are found in places remote from communications, and that the difficulty of transporting free-stone for angle work is the reason why the circular form was adopted. With regard to this theory, it is curious that we have here a group of four round towers, all close to the river — Needham, Weybread, Syleham, and Thorpe Abbotts. The theory as to their construction just men- tioned may or may not be tenable, but at any rate we must not blow hot and cold in the matter. We must not say that the towers were built round because there was no road or river at hand to transport material for the quoiraS, and then, when we find a typical round tower on the verge of a stream, declare that it was built there for the facility of water carriage. In modern times many schemes have been put forward for extending the Waveney navigation. An earl\' proposal THE RIVER WAVENEY. 17 of the kind is contained in a curious pamphlet adJressed by Francis Mathews to OHver Cromwell in 1656. Mathews proposes to connect the Waveney with the Little Ouse by a cut at Lopham, and he urges upon the Protector the advantages which would accrue to the neighbourhood from the completion of such a w^ork. Chief among these would be the facility for importing coal to supply the defect of wood, so much consumed these latter years." Eight market towns — Brandon, Thetford, Diss, Harleston, Bungay, Beckles, Lestof, and Yarmouth would, he declares, reap benefits from his water-way. What a blessing and ease," he •continues, " would this afford to all the inhabitants near adjoining upon all Market Daies (as they do in Flanders) to carry themselves and their commodities by water (avoyding those deep waies in the w^inter season, especially on the Suffolk side) from town to town, from market to market, at such rates as will not be considerable if com- pared to their charges and trouble in going by horse and ■cart." Early in the present century the matter was still seriously considered, and I have seen an auctioneer's poster, dated about 1820, pointing out the great prospective value of some cottages by the river-side at Brockdish, the gardens of which would form admirable sites for wharves and quays.'" The time for such an enterprise has now gone by, and there is little likelihood that the quiet reaches of ^the Upper Waveney will ever be disturbed by passing barge •or wherry. * The river was surveyed by Mr. Smith in 18 17, and a plan prepared for Ihe promoters of the Bungay and Diss Navigation Scheme. B III. THE DOMESDAY RECORD. Every enquirer into the early history of an Enghsh parish instinctively turns his attention first to Domesday Book. Unhappily the pages of this unrivalled record are intelligible to few. Scholars have spent a lifetime in its study, and made no great progress, and a dim and vague apprehension of its significance is the most that we desultory readers can hope to attain to. The mass of returns from which the record is compiled is so closely condensed, that stores of information are packed into every phrase, and disclosed only in proportion to the critical faculty of the student. Working from the photo-zincographed facsimile, published by the Ordnance Survey Office, I have taken out the passages relating to Redenhall and Harleston, and have then extended the contractions. In doing this I have, no doubt, made some errors, but I could not reproduce in type the original text, and the common method of quotation without the distinctive signs of the record itself, is not very satisfactory. Moreover, there are many who would not understand the contractions of Domesday, whereas the Latin set out at length is plain to all. I have added an English translation and a slight commentary, for which I do not claim any value. It would be impossible, with the scanty materials at hand^ THE DOMESDAY RECORD. 19 to draw even a tolerably faithful picture of Redenhall as it was in Domesday times. Of the physical aspect of the country — of the dark spreads of forest on the clay uplands, and the view from the brow of the valley over the then furze-clad gravels and wide marshes of the Suffolk side — something might no doubt be said. But of the dwellers in the clearings we know next to nothing, and we strain, to no purpose, after some clearer knowledge of their ways of thinking and living, of their beliefs and their aspirations. Most people, probably, under-rate our population at this period, and picture the county as wilder and more solitary than in actual fact it was. Just over 27,000 men are regis- tered in Domesday as being then concerned with the tenure of lands or houses, or the cultivation of the soil in Norfolk. If we multiply this by five we get a total of 135,000, which is probably short of the actual population of the county at that time. We have now a population of about 460,000, so we are brought to the startling conclusion that 800 years ago there were nearly one-third as many people in Norfolk as there are at the present day. There is no mention in Domesday of a church at Reden- hall, but we must not by any means infer from this that none existed. Churches are only noted incidentally in the Survey. One only — at Thorpe Abbotts — is recorded for the hundred of Earsham, though fourteen are given for Depwade and six for Diss. It is almost certain that there was a parish church at Redenhall at this time. THE LATIN TEXT EXTENDED. TERRE REGIS QUAS GODRICUS SERVAT. Dimidium Hundredum Hersam — Radanahalla tennit Rada i liber homo Edrici commendatus tempore regis Edwardi [dej 2 carrucatis terre . Tunc 30 villani postea et 20 RKDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. modo lo . Semper 6 bordarii . Tunc 4 servi, postea 2 et modo I . Semper 2 carruce in dominio . Tunc 6 carruce hominum, postea et modo 2 et dimidia . Tunc silva 60 porcorum modo 20 et 8 acre prati . Semper i molendinum . Semper 6 animalia et 30 porci ; 12 capre . Tunc valuit 60 solidos, postea et modo 8 libras blancas . Et habet i leugani et dimidiam in longo et dimidiam et 3 percas in lato . Et de gelto 10 denarios . In Radanahalla 2 liberi homines . de 100 acris . Semper i carruca . Episcopus W. calumpniatur 20 acras de istis 10, et hundredum testatur . Et agneli tenet 80 acras . In Redanahalla 20 liberi homines Rade commendati de 80 acris terre . Isti homines tunc valuerunt 4 Hbras, modo 8 . Radulphus Comes adcensavit, postea Ivo Tallebosc . Semper 5 carruce et 4 acre prati . In eadem i Uber homo Edrici commendatus [de] i carrucata terre . Semper 2 villani et 8 bordarii . Tunc et postea 2 carruce in dominio, modo i . Semper 2 carruce hominum . Silva 20 porcorum et 3 acre prati . Et sub eo 5 liberi homines et dimidius de 20 acris terre . Semper 2 carruce . Tunc valuit 20 solidos . Tempore Comitis Radulfi reddiderunt homines sui et ludikellus 30 solidos sed ipse erat quietus de aula quia erat ancipitrarius Comitis, postquam Radulfus se forisfecit et fuit in manu regis sub Godrico sed nihil reddidit et reclamat regem defensorem . TERRE STIGANDI EPISCOPI QUAS CUSTODIT WILLELMUS DE XOIERS IX MANU REGIS Hersam Dimidium Hundredum In Redanaha 7 liberi homines Stigandi commendati tempore regis Edwardi de 60 acris terre, et 2 bordarii . Tunc 3 carruce, postea et modo 2 . Silva 4 porcorum et 2 acre prati . In Redanahalla et in Dentuna 2 liberi homines Stigandi cum soca [de] 23 acris terre . Semper dimidia carruca et dimidia acra prati . Appretiatum est cum aliis . THE DOMESDAY RECORD. 21 TERRA ABB AT IS DE SANCTO EDM UN DO H c r s a m D i m i d i u m H u n d r e d u m In Herolvestuna i liber homo Sancti Edmundi commcndatus et soca Stigandi in liersa [de] 12 acris terrc . Valuit semper 20 d . In Herolvestuna tenet Frodo i villanum et dimidium de 13 acris . Et pertinet in Mendham . TRANSLATION. Lands of the King which Godric holds. Half Hundred of Earsham — Rada held Redenhall. One freeman under the protection of Edric in the time of King Edward [with] two carucates of land. Then 30 villeins, afterwards and now 10. Always 6 bordars.'-' Then 4 serfs, afterwards 2 and now one. Always two plough -teams in the demesne. Then 6 plough-teams of the men, afterwards and now two and a half. Then wood for 30 hogs, now for 20, and 8 acres of meadow. Always one mill. Always 6 beasts ; and 30 pigs ; 12 goats. It was then valued at 60 shillings, after- wards and now at 8 pounds, white money. And it is a league and a half long and half a league and 3 perches wide. And in a gelt [it pays] ten shillings. In Redenhall two freemen with 100 acres. Always one plough-team. Bishop William claims 20 acres of these 10 [100?] and the Hundred [Court] attests it. And Agneli holds 80 acres. ^ In Redenhall [there were] 20 freemen dependents of Rada with 80 acres of land. These men were then valued at 4 pounds now at 8. Earl Ralph assessed them [?] ; afterwards Ivo Tallebosc. Always five plough-teams and four acres of meadow. * The exact status of the bordarius is not known. He had a hut or cottage and plot of land, and performed occasional services to his lord in return for maintenance and protection. As to the special terms used in the Survey, see the very useful Popular Account of Domesday Book, by Mr. W. de Gray Birch, published by the S.P.C.K. 22 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. In the same [town there was] one freeman a dependent of Edric, with one carucate of land. Always two villeins and 8 bordars. Then and afterwards two plough-teams in demesne, now one. Always 2 plough-teams of the men. Wood for 20 hogs, and three acres of meadow. And under him five free- men and a half with 20 acres of land. Alwa3^s two plough- teams. It was then valued at 20 shillings. In the time of Earl Ralph his men and ludikellus [paid] 30 shillings, but he himself \i.e.^ I suppose ludikellus] was free of the hall because he was the Earl's falconer. After that Ralph made forfeiture and it was in the King's hands under Godric, but he has paid nothing and calls the King [to be] his own defender.'-' Lands of Bishop Stigand in the King's hands, which William of Noiers keeps. Earsham Half Hundred. In Redenhall 7 freemen, dependents of Stigand in the time of King Edward, wdth 60 acres of land, and two bordars. Then 3 plough-teams, afterwards and now two. Wood for 4 hogs and two acres of meadow. In Redenhall and in Denton [there were] two freemen of Stigand with soc [with] 23 acres of land. Always half a plough -team and half an acre of meadow. This is valued with others. Lands of the Abbot of Saint Edmund's. Earsham Half Hundred. In Harleston one freeman, a dependent of Saint Edmund, and the soc Stigand's in Earsham [with] 12 acres of land. Always valued at 20 pence. In Harleston Frodo holds a villein and a half with 13 acres. And this belongs to Mendham. i * I cannot hit on any satisfiictory translation of this passas:e. Fostquain where one would expect postca, creaies a difficulty. The last words may mean that the falconer paid notliin^-, and a])pealed to the King^ to protect him in his holding against Ciodric. This seems to be Blomefield's view. t In Shotford, Mendham, called Scotoford, are described lands of Robert Malet, and lands which had belonged to Roger of Poiciiers. THE DOMESDAY RECORD. 23 It will be seen that all the lands in Redenhall noted in the Survey, had fallen into the hands of the King. These lands, which comprised, of course, but a fraction of the present area of the parish, are entered under two headings — those held by the King's Steward Godric, and those in charge of William de Noiers. The latter are described as '^terrse Stigandi episcopi," and no doubt formed part of the confiscated territory of the Archbishop. According to Munford's analysis, this Godricus Dapifer (who is believed to have been the ancestor of the Calthorp family) was steward of 67 crown manors in Norfolk, and tenant in capite of considerable property besides, while William of Noiers held 14 manors for the King. Taking now the lands in Godric's keeping, we find first a detailed account of what, in the Confessor's time, had been the holding of a certain Rada. Rada, says Domesday, held Redenhall. The area over which he had paramount rights is said to have been a league and a half long and half a league and three perches wide ; and without going into the vexed question of Domesday land measures, we may roughly estimate this tract at something over 700 acres. About Rada himself we can say nothmg safely. The mists of antiquity have ages since closed around him, but he has given a name to an English parish, and his memory has been so perpetuated. This early account of Redenhall has many points of interest, and suggests too, innumerable "questions and difficulties. We see that the number of subordinate tenantry, or tillers of the soil — the bordarii, villani, and servi — had fallen from forty, with their six plough-teams, in the Confessor's time, to seventeen, with two and a half plough-teams at the date of the Survey. The woodland had decreased in area, and would feed but twenty pigs, as against sixty in King Edward's time, and it looks as if in the meantime eight acres of wood had been 24 R EDEN HALL WITH HARLESTOX. converted into meadow. There had always been one mill ; it may have stood along the course of "the beck," or it may have been on the river, perhaps in Wortvvell, which does not appear in Domesday. The inventory of live stock we must take for what it is worth. Though the chronicle says emphatically always six beasts, thirty pigs, twelve goats, these numbers must have varied from week to week, and perhaps represent roughly the normal wealth of the tenantry in this particular, or the usual feeding capacity of their holdings. The valuation of these lands had risen from sixty shillings to eight pounds. We have next a concise note of two holdings or groups of holdings, of which the first, under two free-men, com- prised as much as one hundred acres, though equipped with but a single plough-team. " Episcopus W.," that is, no doubt, the William who succeeded Arfast as Bishop of Thetford, claimed twenty acres out of this, and Agneli held the remaining. This Agneli was, says Blomefield, grand- father of Henry de Agneux, who held the Manor and half the advowson of Redenhall in Henry II. 's time, so it is probable that we have here the embryo of the future Manor. The second of these two holdings is stated to comprise eighty acres, which in King Edward's time were in the hands of twenty freemen, dependents of Rada. The valuation had doubled since the Confessor's time. In the same township, continues the record, there was a freeman protected by Edric (who may have been Edric of Laxfield), with a carucate of land, and under him five other freemen with a moiety of a sixth ; the account is now obscure and difficult to follow. Earl Ralph obtained the lordship and his tenants, with a certain ludikellus — who is here unexpectedly imported into the story — paid thirty shillings, but ludikellus held free of suit and service, because he was THE DOMESDAY RECORD. 25 the Earl's falconer/'^ On the Earl's outlawry his estates came to the King, but it seems, however we read the passage, that nothing was paid in respect of these lands, and the matter was referred to the crown. Blomefield says that Earl Ralph's falconer was a certain Roger, and to his tenure he traces back the existing Manor of Hawkers. It is curious that in his extract from Domesday, Blomefield omits the entire line containing the reference to ludikellus. This concludes the tale of lands in Godric's stew^ardship. The record of the lands held by William of Noiers is- very brief. Two holdings are referred to — one of sixty acres, which had been farmed by seven of vStigand's free- men, and the other of twenty-three acres under two more. This last, however, was partly in Denton, and is reckoned in with other lands. The Archbishop had the soc, that is, the men came to his court, or his representative, for justice. But a few lines of the Great Survey are devoted tO' Harleston. The Abbot of Bury St. Edmund was Lord here then. There was a freeman with twelve acres of land? valued at tvv^enty pence, who owed service to the Abbey, but was within the jurisdiction of Stigand's Earsham Court. Frodot had one villein, and shared with someone else the rights over a second, with thirteen acres of land, which behnged to Mendham. This reference enables us to locate approximately Frodo's land, and is a witness to the great antiquity of our parish boundaries. * Judichel occurs among the Domesday undertenants for Wilts and Bedfordshire. Mr. Hubert Hall suggests a Scandinavian origin for ludikellus, and reminds me that falcons came from the north. t Frodo, brother of Baldwin, Abbot of Bury and ancestor of the Nedhams. IV. REDENHALL CHURCH. A GREAT church in a scantily-peopled district is generally pointed at as a witness to departed wealth and a vanished population. Perhaps a better explanation of its presence would often be found in the prevailing spirit of the Middle Ages. It is in so many cases (where no decayed port or old seat of manufacture is in question) difficult to believe that a church was planned with any reference to local requirements. It seems as if its builders raised it with cost and labour, and dedicated to Heaven the actual fabric as something valuable and acceptable m itself. It was their way of worshipping God. There was no measuring up of floor spaces with a view to sitting accommodation. These observations, however, are made here by way of parenthesis only. They scarcely affect Redenhall, for our church can hardly at any time have exceeded the needs of a large parish and substantial market town. Redenhall is a typical example of the class of almost pure Perpendicular churches with which Norfolk and Suffolk abound. The merits of the style are perhaps better appre- ciated by outsiders than by East Anglians born. We see a great deal of Perpendicular work, much of it poor and plain, and though in this case familiarity may not beget the sentiment with which it is so often associated, still, as we contemplate the endless repetition of up and down lines, Ave do sometimes long for a little more of the warmth and richness of the earlier styles. REDENHALL CHURCH. 27 The present church stands on the site of an older building, of which no traces above ground now remain. Archdeacon Ormerod has left a memorandum, under date 8lh August, 187 1, that when in 1858 excavations were in progress in connection with the heating apparatus, " the lines of a former church were clearly traced under the nave arcades and chancel step, with those of a circular tower close to the steeple turret door. The foundations of the former north wall were now dug through, and not without difficulty, in excavating from the present wall to the middle aisle.'"'' These indications of a smaller and earlier church with a round tower are extremely interesting. The oldest portion of the existing church is probably the chancel, which is ascribed to William of Newport, instituted Rector in 13 19. His tomb on the floor is noted elsewhere. The waggon-roof is a restoration by Archdeacon Ormerod, who also opened out the tvvo-hght Early Decorated window in the south wall, with the sedilia beneath, and repaired the chancel throughout. The four-light Decorated east window, of plain glass put in by Archdeacon Oldershaw in 1825, bore at one time several coats of arms. The stained glass, on its removal, was preserved by the Archdeacon in his house at Starston, and bequeathed by him to his successor. The fine brass double-headed eagle lectern, and the wooden eagle within the altar rails, are worthy of notice. Their dates and history are unknown. Neither is mentioned in the inventory of 1553. The rood stair is now filled in. A portion of the screen, comprising twelve panels with painted figures of the Apostles, may be seen in the vestry. The vestry had formerly an upper chamber, which was taken do wn in 1634. It has four small square-headed windows, and contains some good old oak furniture; in particular, * Archdeacon Perowne has kindly shewn me tliis memorandum. 28 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. one very richly-carved chest. Here, in another plain and comparatively modern chest, are kept the records — the subject of these pages. The Gawdy Chapel, to the west of the vestry, has no old monuments except the tomb, without inscription, ascribed to Sir Thomas Gawdy, who died in 1588-. The nave, of four bays, the north and south aisles, and the clerestory, are Perpendicular and very plain. The piers are octagons, and the moulding of the capitals simple. At the east end of the south aisle was a chapel ; the piscina remains. The nave has a very good open timbered roof, the corbel tables and the bosses, both of nave and aisles, being carved. The font (of very late character) is octagonal. In the panels of the bowl the eagle and winged lion alternate w^ith the usual figure displaying on a shield the symbols of Christ's sufferings. There is no old stained glass in the church, nor does a single brass remam there, though the inscriptions of several are given by Blomefield. There is a double chalice upon a slab in the north aisle ; perhaps the tomb of an old rector. The tower arch is obscured by the organ and west gallery, which also hides in part the monument to Tobias Frere, 1655, as grotesque an example of the art of the period as it is possible to conceive. There is a Sanctus Bell Turret at the east end of the nave, the preservation of which we owe to Archdeacon Ormerod. The north porch is interesting. It has two Decorated side windows and a vaulted roof, with carved bosses, springing from shafts in the angles. The front is richly panelled. On either side of the doorway is a stoup, and * The Chapel had a gable which was removed in 1825, the roof being levelled with that of the north aisle. t The roof was repaired in 1738. In 1813 again ;^3oo was spent upon the wood-work and hammer- beams. rb:denhall church. 29 above is a canopied niche. There is a chamber over this porch approached from the church by a newel stair. The chief feature of the church is, of course, the splendid tower, which can be matched by very few in the same style."'' The proportion of the successive stages, and the balance and disposal of the panelling are perfect. The generally accepted date for its commencement is 1460, and the rebus of Richard Shelton (instituted Rector 15 18) on the south- east pinnacle is thought to mark roughly the period of its completion. The west doorway is ornamented with shafting. On either side is a canopied niche. Above is a label bearing seven shields, and there are shields in the spandrils, all vacant. In the panels round the base of the tower the rose and leopard's face alternate. On the respective doors are carved a horse-shoe and hammer, and ,a horse-shoe and pincers, the significance of w^hich is a matter of dispute.t * It has been compared locally with Laxfield, but the ashlar work of that tower gives it a totally different appearance ; and also with Eye, but there the upper stages are too heavily ornamented. Redenhall tower has suffered much from storms. It was struck by lightning in 1585-6, 1616, 1680, and 1834. In 1616 the tower was split and anchored up with iron braces. The N.W. turret was destroyed in 1680 and 1834. t Several illustrations of the tower and church have been published. I know the following: — Tower, west view, engraving by P. Fourdrinier, inscribed to Bishop Haytor (1749 — 1761) ; Tower, from a little south of west, engraving: by Fourdrinier, inscribed to the Earl of Efhngham, and published by Booth, Norwich, ist October, 1778 ; Tower, west view, engraving by T. Prattent, inscribed to Bishop Bagot (1783 —1790) ; Tower, from a little north of west, lithograph, George Fitt, 1833; Interior, litho- graph, W. E. Bishop, 1833 ; Church, north-west view, lithograph, W. D. Coe, 1846 (in corner of plan of parish) ; S. Woodward (Norfolk Topog- japher's Manual), mentions engravings by W. Deeble and Marshall, which I have not seen, and the lithograph by Ladbrooke in Armstrong's "Norfolk." Kerrich's MS. notes on the church in the British Museum (6754 / 157. and 6755 /• 306) are unduly disparaging. He says of the tower and north porch, " there is no great elegance in the form of either." He gives two rough sketches of details in the south aisle roof. V. THE RECTORY AND RECTORS. We first hear of the advowson of Redenhall associated, as one would expect, with the Manor, and in the hands of the famines of Argentein and De Agneux. I know nothing of the benefice at this early period except what may be gathered from Blomefield, and he certainly does not give materials for a clear history. It is not until we find, in 1319, the patronage vested in Thomas Brotherton, that we feel w^e are on firm ground. Thomas Brotherton had two daughters, Margaret, afterwards created Duchess of Norfolk for life, and Alice, who married Edward de Montagu, and died childless. On her father's death, Margaret inherited the advowson of Redenhall, and in 1347 she settled it upon the Benedictine Nunnery at Bungay. The King's license for this alienation in mortmain was obtained, and a papal bull sanctioned the acceptance by the Nunnery of the grant, which was confirmed by Margaret's sister and co-heiress and her husband. So far the religious house got nothing except the right of appointing the rectors who remained in enjoyment of all the emoluments of the benefice. In 1349, however, the Convent got something more substantial out of the parish. It was the terrible year of the Black Death, and it is probable that the Rector of Redenhall, Reginald of Donyngton, was, as were so many THE RECTORY AND RECTORS. 3' of his brother clergy, carried off by the pestilence, leaving the bishop and the patrons free (as things then were) to dispose as they thought fit of the benefice. The Bishop of Norwich at this time was William Bateman, a man of much character, energy, and ability. He asserted strenuously his episcopal authority over the regular clergy, and his claims involved him in more than one serious contest with the more powerful of the religious houses. But it was to these foundations and not to the beneficed clergy, whose capacity or sincerity he appears to have doubted, that the Bishop looked to carry out the pastoral work and maintain the spiritual life of his diocese. And so, as Dr. Jessopp says, he "lost no opportunity of alienatnig the endowments of a country cure and handing them over to a decaying religious house." Such an opportunity was afforded Bishop Bateman by the present position of matters at Redenhall, and on the 7th August, 1349, he granted the church and rectory, v>uth its revenues, to the Nunnery of Bungay/'' reserving to himself a pension of three-and-a-half marks, and the perpetual right of nominating the vicars to the convent for presentation. Some provision was made for the un- fortunate vicars by a deed dated i6th October, 1349, by which they were assigned a dwelling-house with the small tithes, rights of common, fees, and other casual profits of the benefice, and thirty acres of land in the South Field (which was then divided into three parts — Harleston-feld, Overgate-feld, and Wottewale-feld). Owing probably to the havoc made among the East Anglian clergy by the plague, there appears to have been some difficulty in filling up this not very remunerative post. At least there is no record of any institution to the new * Just at this time the Prioress of Bungay herself fell a victim to the plague. 32 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. A^icarage until 1375. From that date, until 1441, when the benefice was disappropriated, twelve vicars were instituted, which gives them an average tenure of office of a little over five years each. In 1441 John Ingham was vicar; he seems to have been a person of some influence,"- for he •contrived to get through an arrangement with the Bungay nuns decidedly to the advantage of himself and his benefice. By a composition dated nth August, 1441, the Bungay Nunnery released their claim upon the great tithes and revenues of Redenhall, in consideration of an annual pension of forty shillings, to be paid to them by the rectors for ever. The right of the bishop to nominate the incum- bent, and the duty of the convent to present him for institution, were not affected by this arrangement. Of the many rural benefices \vhich fell into the clutches of the monastic houses, few^ indeed were rescued before the deluge of 1536. Fortunately for us, Redenhall was one of them. On the dissolution of the Bungay Nunnery, its estates were granted to the then Duke of Norfolk, by whose representa- tives the function of presenting to the rectory the bishop's nominee has since been exercised. It will be seen, there- fore, that since the settlement of the benefice by the daughters of Thomas Brotherton in 1347, the Bishop of Norwich has been the actual effective patron.t While the head of the Norfolk house is a Roman Catholic, his church patronage — nominal as w^ell as real — passes to the University of Cambridge, and when a new rector is appointed, the seal •of the university is, by virtue of a grace of the senate, set to his letters of presentation. * He was perhaps a kinsman of Thomas Ingham, Mayor of Norwich in 1425 and 1431, and M.P. for the city 1427. t Norwich Domesday says of Redenhall, Archidiaconus Jakendenensis •est Patronus ejusdem." I do not know who this personage was, and cannot explain the statement at all satisfactorily. THE RECTORY AND RECTORS. 33 My list of the Rectors (and Vicars) of Redenhall, giving their succession for the last six hundred years, is based upon Tanner's epitome of the Institution Books so far as this work goes. The manuscript bears Blomefield's mark, and from it he appears mainly to have compiled the list comprised in his history. But for Tanner's invaluable manuscript I should have been at a loss what to do in this matter, for Blomefield is full of inaccuracies, and as the original Institution Books are imperfectly indexed, I could never have found time to go through them page by page to take out the Redenhall institutions. After the name of each Rector (or Vicar) I have given my authority for his insertion in the list. As a rule I have accepted Tanner's references to the Institution Books ; but in many cases of uncertainty or special interest I have gone to the original records, and on every such occasion have found Tanner's accuracy absolute. Tanner's list ends with Charles Robins, 1 69 1, the sequence of whose successors I have verified from the Institution Books.''' A few words as to the old parsonage, the residence of so many of the parsons of Redenhall, will not be out of place here. The house stood on the south side of the Low Street in Wortwell. In the 14th century it was, as Blomefield says, "very large, and moated in with a great portal at the enterance." In a plan of the Redenhall glebe prepared by H. Tilney, from a survey made in May, 1773, the house and buildings are shewn enclosed by a broad moat, with a causeway opposite the road, and the outline of this moat, which has been long since filled in, may still be traced by a growth of rough sedges upon the meadow. The situation of the house, remote from the church. * I have to thank Dr. Bensly and Mr. L. G. Bohngbroke for much kind assistance and courtesy. C 34 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. and upon a low, wet marsh, must have rendered it at all times a most inconvenient and indeed scarcely habit- able residence. The tradition is that Henry Mingay, instituted 1672, was the last rector who occupied the building, where in all probability he died. In the Terrier of 17th June, 1784, the house is described as "the Par- sonage House situate in the Hamlet of Wortwell, a common plain Building two Stories high, having its walls of clay covered with thatch, the ffoundation whereof is 54 ffeet in length and 19 ffeet in breadth." The house was finally taken down under a faculty dated 5th February, 1804, and its materials used in the construction of buildings near the present rectory. RECTORS OF REDENHALL. 1264 (circa) RICHARD de ARGENTEN. {Ta?i7ier.) Blomefield says Richard de Argentine owned half the Manor and Advowson of Redenhall in Henry H.'s time. 1300 WILLIAM DE LA DOUNE. [Tanner. Institution Book I. 2.) Presented by Lady Margaret, the widow of Sir Hugh de Brandeston, Knight. The complex title of Sir Hugh and his wife to the Manor and Advowson of Redenhall will be found set out by Blomefield, though in a very obscure and involved manner, under the heading, " Redenhall Manor." 1309 ROBERT PONTERELL. [Tanner. Institution Book I. 35.) Presented by William de Bergis (Knight, Lord of Redenhall. Blomefield.) Blomefield here inserts William de Dyntynshall, priest, 131 1, upon what authority he does not state. Tanner does not mention this William, and I can find no institu- tion to Redenhall recorded for the year 131 1. 1319- WILLIAM DE NEWPORT. [Tanner. Institution Book I. 82.) Presented hv Thomas Brotherton, Earl of * Blomcfiekl's date 131 1 is an error. THE RECTORY AND RECTORS. 35 Norfolk. The chancel was, according to a firm tradition, built by this Rector. Blomefield says, " He lies buried in the Chancel under a Stone robbed of an Effigies in Brass in his proper Habit ; the Brasses of the Circumscription are picked out, but the remaining impressions shew that they were antient Capitals ; much may be read now, from which and a copy taken long since, I have made out this : * Ici gist Sire Will de Neuport Jadis Persone de ceste Eglise Prebend de Credington et de Welles Qui . . . . Mil C.C.C Priet pur I'Alme que Dieux en eit Merci Amen.' " Tanner could not make out so much as this. He says, "On a broad marble stone below the steps to the altar in old Gothic letters round ICY CIST, an old Rector who was Dean of ... . (as ye tradition)." Very little can be deciphered now. In 1325, according to Blomefield, Thomas Brotherton and Alice his wife settled the Manor of Redenhall on William de Neuport and Richard de Bursted, Rector of Stonham, upon trust for the heirs of Alice. William de Neuport in 1326 exchanged Redenhall for the Rectory of Framlingham Castle. 326. JOHN DE WY. {Tanner. Institution Book II. 7.) Presented by Thomas Brotherton, Earl of Norfolk. He exchanged Redenhall with the next Rector for Netherfield, Chichester. 328. WILLIAM DE SHOTESHAM. {Tanner. Institution Book II. 23.) Presented by Thomas Brotherton, Earl of Norfolk. Note — Tanner indicates that the last three Rectors followed in direct succession. 338-g. 13th February. REGINALD de DONYNGTON. {Tanner. Institution Book III. 20.) Presented by King Edward III., who then held the lands of Thomas Brotherton, his tenant in capite, who died in 1338. the RECTORY APPROPRIATED. Note — The succeeding Vicars and Rectors down to and including Richard Shelton, were nominated by the Bishop of Norwich, and presented by the Prioress and Convent of Bungay. 36 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. VICARS. 1375. nth September. JOHN de SLOLEY. {Tanner, Institution Book VI. 36.) 1378. nth April. ADAM MAKEL. (Taiuier. Institution Book VI. 56.) 1389-90. i8th March. JOHN CLERK^:^ de GRESSEN- HALE. {Tanner. Institution Book VI. 145.) 1402. 29th December. OLIVER SHELTON. {Tanner, Institution Book VI. 289.) (Sir Oliver Shelton, Deacon^ BIo7neJield.) THOMAS BOLTON. {Taniier. Institution Book.) Edmund Beylham, the next Vicar, is recorded to have taken the benefice on the resignation of Thomas Bolton. Beylham gave "Herdwyk" (Hardwicke), Ely, for Reden- hall.f I have searched the Institution Books from VL 289 to VII. 9, but can find no entry of Bolton's institution. During this short interval, which could not have exceeded five and a half years, even allowing nothing for Shelton's tenure, the See of Norwich was vacant from the death of Bishop Despenser, 23rd August, 1406, to the con- secration of Bishop Tottington, 23rd October, 1407. It is quite likely that Bolton was instituted during this vacancy by the Archbishop of Canterbury, in which case his institution would be found in the archiepiscopal records. 1408. 9th June. EDMUND BEYLHAM. {Tanner, Institution Book VII. 9.) " The names of Clerk and Clarke appear in the Records of the Manors of East Lexham and Herfords Gressenhall, as cited by Carthew, about this period. See History of Launditch. f Chop Church (licclesiarum Permutatis), says Jacob's Law Dictionary, is a word mentioned in a statute of Henry VI., by the term of which it was in those days a kind of trade, and by the Judges declared to be lawful. He refers to a Litera missa omnibus Episcopis, etc., contra choppe churches, 1391, cited by Spelman. ''Church chopping" was certainly a practice well known to the old rectors of Redenhall. THE RECTORY AND RECTORS. 37 1410. 13th August. JOHN DE AYLSHAM.- {Tanner. Institution Book VII. 31.) 1420. 7th September. JOHN FRYDECOK. {Tan7ier, Institution Book VIII. 55.) In exchange for Couteshale (Coltishall ?). 142—. JOHN SWARBY. {Tanner. Institution Book.) It is stated in the Institution of the next Vicar that he took the benefice on the resignation of John Swarby. Tanngr could find no entry of Swarby's institution. 1429. 24th November. ROGER BLAKENHAM, otherwise BRIGHTMEY, S.T.B. (Tanner. Institution Book IX. 37.) 1429-30. ist March. JOHN INGHAM, S.T.B. (Tanner. Institution Book IX. 38.) 1436. ist October. JOHN INGHAM, S.T.B. (Tan7ier. Institution Book IX. 87.) If this is the same man as the John Ingham last mentioned, I cannot explain his second institution. Possibly he resigned the living with some other project in view, and, his plans falling through, was obliged to seek reinstitution. THE RECTORY DISAPPROPRIATED. RECTORS. T441. 9th September. NICHOLAS STANTON, LL.B. (Tanner. Institution Book X. 40.) He appears to have exchanged Toft, Ely, for Redenhall with John Ingham. --^1462. 17th August. THOMAS BECCLES, A.M. (Tanner. Institution Book XI. 127.) He exchanged Blickling for Redenhall. He was instituted to Redenhall " cum capella annex." These words may refer only to one of Masters' (History of Corpus Christi College, Cavibridge J records a imember "Aylsham, John, Norfolk, 13 — , M.A.," and says there was a Prebend of the College of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the Fields, Norwich, in 141 8, of this name, who was also Vicar of Little Melton in 1430, and was buried there in 1447. It would, however, be mere guess-work to identify our vicar with either of these men. 38 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. the chapels in Redenhall church, but the phrase certainly appears more applicable to the old chapel at Harleston. If taken in this sense the words have an important bear- ing on the question of the position of the chapel with regard to the mother church, and are at variance with the often repeated statement that the Rectors of Redenhall were not, until quite recent times, instituted to the chapelry. 1500-1. 13th January. RICHARD STOKES, Bachelor in Decrees. {Ta?iJier.) 1518. 22nd October. RICHARD SHELTON. (Tannej^, Institution Book XIV. 148.) Master Richard Shelton is said to have completed the tower of Redenhall about 1520. A stone shield, bearing his rebus, an escallop above 2l iiin^ is conspicuous upon the south-east pinnacle. 15—. MILES SPENCER, LL.D. {Tanner. Institution Book.) No record of his institution remains, but his successor is stated to have come in upon his resignation. He may possibly have been instituted during the vacancy which followed the death of Bishop Nix in January, 1536. Some particulars of Miles Spencer are given by Blome- field (III. 633). He had the rectories of Hevingham, Wilby, and Redenhall, the vicarage of Soham (Cambs), and the Archdeaconry of Sudbury ; he was Vicar General 1537, ^he last Dean of the College of Chapel Field, the assets of which he managed to appropriate. A picture of him, at the age of go, remained in Blomefield's time. He was buried in the Cathedral between the sixth and seventh south pillars, " and over his grave is an altar tomb covered with a sort of touch-stone, which is robbed of its brasses and much split, but was formerly taken notice of because people used to try their money upon it, and the chapter demanded certain rents to be paid upon it." Dr. Spencer resigned Redenhall. 1548-9. January. RICHARD WHEATLEY. {Tanner, Institution I3ook XVII. 138.) Presented by Sir John Godsalve, Knight, to whom this presentation had been granted by the Bishop. Sir Richard \\'heatley was, says Blomefield, chaplain to the Bishop of Norwich (William Rugg). He was also Rector of Alburgh, and was deprived of both livings after Mary's accession, "for being a married man and no favourer of the mass." THE RECTORY AND RECTORS. 39 1554. i6th June. JOHN WHITBY, S.T.H. {Tanner. Institution Book XVIII. 57.) Presented by the Duke of Norfolk, but vacated — notes Tanner — because the nomination belonged to the Bishop. This is curious. Thomas Thirlby was an easy-going prelate, and appears to have made no difficulty in instituting the Duke's presentee. But perhaps John Whitby was not a persona grata to Queen Mary, in which case it is likely that the Bishop acted under orders in revoking the institution and standing thus late upon his rights. Whitby may have been one of the married clergy so obnoxious to the Queen who abounded in Norfolk and Suffolk. 1554. 12 August. JOHN SALISBURY. {Tanner. Institu- tion Book XVIII. 72.) Presented by the Duke of Norfolk on the nomination of the Bishop. John Salisbury was perhaps the most notable man who ever held the Rectory of Redenhall. He belonged to a Denbighshire family, studied both at Oxford and Cam- bridge, and entered as a monk the Benedictine Abbey of Bury St. Edmunds. He appears to have been one of those men in whose minds the spirit of the age instinctively awakens opposition, for when at Bury he was in trouble with Wolsey, owing to his supposed sympathy with the new ideas, and many years later, in Elizabeth's time, when great in wealth and position, he was suspected of reactionary tendencies. Few men were more fortunate in the matter of preferment. In 1534, the King made him Prior of St. Faith's Horsham. On the 19th March, 1536, two months after the death of Bishop Nix, he was con- secrated suffragan Bishop of Thetford. In 1539 he was Dean of Norwich, Archdeacon of Anglesey, and the holder of several other benefices. Being a married man, he lost his preferments in Queen Mary's reign (being deprived of Redenhall, 12th August, 1555), but he had a powerful friend in the Duke of Norfolk, who managed to secure him the substantial benefice of Diss. With Elizabeth he came back to his deanery, and in 1571 was holding the Bishopric of Sodor and Man, the Archdeaconry of Anglesey, the Deanery of Norwich, and the Rectories of Diss and Thorpe-on-the-Hill in Lincolnshire. He died an old man at Norwich in September, 1573, still apparently in the active exercise of his functions, for Dr. Jessopp finds him ordaining for Bishop Parkhurst as late as the 13th of August in that year.* ^ For a fuller account of John Salisbury, see Dr. Jessopp's One Genera Hon of a Norfolk House^ p. 37. 40 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. 1555. i8th September. THOMAS. Synod. Episcopus Suffraganeus. [Tcmner. "Liber Adm. B. 122"? and Institution Book.) Dr. Jessopp thinks that this Bishop Thomas was Thomas Chetham, Bishop of Sidon (Thomas Sydo7iiensis). In Cooper's Athence Caiitabrigietises I. 177, there is the following account of him : — "Thomas Chetham, a canon of the order of S. Augustine, proceeded B.D. 1525, and was a brother of the priory of Lyddes, Kent, and as such, with other members of that convent, acknowledged the king's supremacy, 22nd December, 1534. Afterwards he became suffragan to Bonner, Bishop of London, under the title of Bishop of Sidon, and loth October, 1553, was collated to the penitentiaryship of S. Paul's, with the annexed prebend of S. Pancras. On 8th March, 1557-8, he had a commission from Cardinal Pole, to be his suffragan for the diocese of Canterbury, and on the 21st of the same month, the cardinal collated him to the rectory of Wrotham, Kent. He died about July, 1558, at Greenwich, or as some say at Lambeth. His death was occasioned by his falling downstairs, just after he had received the cardinal's blessing."-" Bishop Thomas re- signed Redenhall in 1557, as appears from the record of his successor's institution. 1557. 22nd June. RICHARD BLAUNCH, A.M. {Tanner. Institution Book XVIII. 157.) Nominated by the Bishop and presented by the Duke of Norfolk. 1563. 24th November. THOMAS LANCASTER, A.M. {Tanner. Institution Book XIX. 100.) Nominated by the I3ishop and presented by the Duke of Norfolk. 1584-5. loth February. JOHN HUTCHINSON, S.T.B. (Tanner. Institution Book XX. 116.) Presented by the Earl of Arundel on the nomination of the Bishop's assignee. Resigned in 1594. "Master hutchenson " gave xii^. towards new casting the 6th bell in 1588. 1594. 2nd August. EDWARD YARDLEY. {Tanner. Institution Book XX. 229?) Presented by the Crown, the Norfolk house being under attainder, on the nomina- tion of Archbishop Whitgift, the See of Norwich having been vacant since Bishop Scambler's death, 7th May, 1594- * Of course no sequence of ciiuse and elfect is suggested. THE RECTORY AND RECTORS. 41 Edward Yardley was buried at Redenhall, 25th August, 1595- 1597. 5th August. RICHARD MORE, M.B. and S.T.B. {Tanner. Institution Book XX. 255.) Presented by the Crown on the nomination of the Bishop of Norwich. He was in 161 1 presented to Alburgh, and held both rectories. He "returned answer that there were 600 communicants in this parish " (Blomefield), which may be taken as nearly representing the then adult population.-- 1629. i2th November. PIERRE de LAUNE, S.T.P. {Tanner, Consignation Book, 1636.) Presented by Thomas, Earl of Arundel, on the nomination of the Archbishop of Canterbury. Pierre de Laune, of the ancient family of De Laune, of Belmenil, in Normandy, was born at Larie ; he settled in England, and in 1601 was appointed Minister of the Walloon Church at Norwich, an office he held for more than half a century. f He appears to have been a scholarly man of some mark, for on the 5th February, 1635-6, the University of Cambridge conferred on him, under a Royal Mandate, the degree of Doctor of Divinity. His pastorate at Norwich was much troubled, for not only was he in- volved in constant difficulties with the native born sons of the refugees — who tried to evade their dues on the not unreasonable ground that they were obliged to contribute in their own parishes to the support of the Anglican clergy — but he was harassed by the action of Pierre d'Assigny, his niece's husband, a turbulent spirit, against whom we find him appealing for protection to the Mayor's Court in 1645. De Laune qualified himself for preferment by taking Anglican Orders, and in 1628 petitioned Charles I., that he might be presented to the rectory of Stanford Rivers, which had been granted him " by Letters Patent from his late Ma^ie for recompense for translating the English Liturgie into French." He did not get Stanford Rivers, but on the translation of Bishop Harsnet from Norwich to York in November, 1628, Archbishop Abbot claimed his " option," chose Redenhall, and conferred it, * " 1604, Giles Bedingfield and his pretended wife, Marie Skeet, were married in a prohibited tyme w'out Licence in an unlawfull place, viz., at Rushall, by an unlawful Minister, viz., one Nicholas, a Tayler Richard More, Rector Scripsit." Redenhall Registers. t See The Walloons and their Church at Norwich^ their History and Registers, 1565 to 1832, by Mr. W. J. C. Moens. 42 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTOX. when vacant, on Pierre de Laune/''- In November, 1655, the French Church at Norwich granted their Pastor 40^-. a month as long as he remained among them. Two years later he was living with his son-in-law, Mr. Dalle, in Lincolnshire, and the consistory withheld his stipend because he was not " chez nous." In the parish register of Hagworthingham, Lincolnshire, is this entry : — " Burials. Peter Delaune, Doct. of Divinity, was burijed ye sixteenth day of October, 1657. Late Pasteur of ye French congregation in Norwich." De Laune married Jeanne Fen, a native of Norwich, and had four children, of whom Nathaniel, the eldest, graduated at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, and at twenty-one published a translation of Peter de Moulins' Eleme7its of Logic. \ De Laune is mentioned at least once in the parish records. In 1638, there is this entry: — Itm for the doctors dinner at the time of pambulation ij-." So it is possible he paid us a visit at that time.]; In 1642-3, again the overseers acknowledge Mr. Doctor de Laune his guift £\ 6 8," from which we may infer that he was still Rector in that year. As a Protestant refugee he is not likely to have felt scruples as to the Westminster Confession, and I really see no reason, in the absence of evidence to the contrary, to doubt that he held the living till his death in 1657. Between Pierre de Laune and Henry Mingay, Blomefield inserts tw^o rectors — Henry Bridon, 1636, and William Smith. Though he officiated at Redenhall, I have no evidence of Henry Bridon's institution to the rectory, and much reason on the other hand for believing that in 1636 De Laune was still Rector. As to Smith the case is different. He was certainly here ; he was in Holy Orders, and he is referred to in contemporary documents (affi- davits of burial in woollen and so on) as Rector of Redenhall. Whether in that troublous period he was legally instituted or not, he must be provisionally included in our list of Rectors. In the Parish Registers, under date 2gth May, 1660, are these interesting entries : — Tanner notes ''The ^rant of the option under Bp. White's hand and Epal seal and the nomination under the Archbp's. hand and seal shewn me by Mr. Le Neve, April, 1715." How did Le Neve get thtse documents? f See Masters' History of Corpus Christi College, Caynhrid^e, where this Nathaniel de Laune is stated to have been Pastor of the French Con- gregation at Norwich in 1647. X George Rayson, however, takes "the doctor" to be Dr. William Smith. THE RECTORY AND RECTORS. 43 Register of Baptisms. Reduce Rcge, omnia rcstituta,. Hinc cleris aiictoritate apostolica prccditis, nec av€v roO iniaKoTTov, baptismi. Register of Marriages. Reduce Rege, omnia rcstituta et connubia stabilita secundum antiquas Reipublicae leges. Register of Burials. Reduce Rege, omnia rcstituta, Hinc inviolata sepulchra, Inferiae rite celebratae. I do not know by whom these entries were made. We may gather from them, as from the churchwardens' accounts, that here, as elsewhere, there had been con- fusion and disorder, and that some person, not in orders, had been intruded into the benefice, and had purported to exercise the Rector's functions. i6— ? WILLIAM SMITH. S.T.P. [Blomefielci] ? He was, according to Blomefield, born at Paston, edu- cated at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, and installed Prebend of Norwich i8th October, 1670, and was also Rec- tor of Cotton and Vicar of Mendlesham. From Masters' History of Corpus Christi College I find W^illiam Smith was admitted to that college 1632, and proceeded D.D. 1665. He was the author of A Fitticre World, etc.y Demonstrated by Rational Evidence^ etc., and of several sermons. 1672. 8th August. HENRY MINGAY.f (Tanner, Institution Book.) Presented by Henry, Lord Howard, on the Bishop's nomination. Henry Mingay was resident, and is said to have been the last rector who occupied the old rectory house in Wortwell Low Street. He took an active part in parish affairs, and his signature may fre- quently be noted in the records. On the 13th April, 1683, Robert, son of Henry and Bridget Mingay, was baptized in the parish church, and on 14th March, 1686, James, another son, was christened. Mingay died rector. * Archdeacon Perowne has kindly shewn me the Registers for this period. In another hand are entered memoranda of the regulations of the Parhament, prescribing the forms of marriage and the fees to be paid for registration entries. t One Henry Mingay, a Fellow of Clare Hall, proceeded A.B. 1667, and- A.M. 1671. This may be our Rector. The dates agree well. 44 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. 1691. 17th April. CHARLES ROBINS * (Institution Book). Presented by the Crown by lapse. Robins held also Broome {Blo??tefield). Here Tanner's list ends. 1724. 4th February. WILLIAM TANNER. (Institution Book). William Tanner was the third son of Thomas Tanner, Vicar of Market Lavington, in Wiltshire. He was born on the 8th August, i6Sg, matriculated Queen's College, Oxford, 30th June, 1707, and proceeded B.A. iSth April, 171 1. He w^as Vicar of Griston, 1713 ; of Stamford, 1718; and Rector of Topcroft, 1723.1 He held the latter benefice, with Redenhall, from 1725 till his death. William's eldest brother, Thomas, was the well-known author of the Notitia Moitastica. He eventually became Bishop of S. Asaph, and was Chancellor of this diocese from 1700 to 1 73 1, during which period he compiled the invaluable epitome of the diocesan records now preserved at Norwich. He visited this parish in 17 18, and it is a comfort to find (from the churchwardens' accounts) that they gave him a good dinner on the occasion. The second son of Thomas Tanner (the elder) was John, Vicar of Lowestoft and Rector of Kessingland ; and there was a daughter, Grace Symonds, who is buried in Lowestoft church. William Tanner lived, I imagine, at Topcroft, where his signature appears in the parish books from 1725 to 1740. He kept touch with, and frequently visited Redenhall, and I noted the following letter from him pinned to the churchwardens' account for 1732 : "April 9th, 1732. Gentlemen, In case I should not be at your Town 'meeting to-morrow at Reddenhall church, I give >oa hereby to understand that I nominate and appoint Mr. J no. Sawer unto the office of Church- warden for )e year ensuing. I am your most affectionate ffriend, well-wisher, and humble servant, Will. 1 anner, Rr. of Reddenhall-cum- Harleston, To Y Parishioners and Inhabitants of Reddenhall-cum- Harlestone. " Tanner married Matilda, daughter of Joseph Peake, IM.D., and Mary IMighells, a member of an old Lowestoft family. They had no children. ^Irs. Tanner survived * One Cliaries Robins, of Pembroke Hall, A.B. 168 1, A.M. (as Robyns) 1658, may be our Rector. t Dr. iMagrath, the Provost of Queen's College, Oxford, has kindly given me these dates. THE RECTORY AND RECTORS. 45 her husband, and married WilHam Baker, Rector of Hedenham. Our Rector died in 1742, and was buried in the chancel of Topcroft church, where, upon a stone in the floor, is an inscription to him and his wife, who was afterwards laid beside him. He will be chiefly remem- bered here for the fact that during his tenure of the benefice the present grand peal of eight bells at Redenhall was completed. 1743. 24th February. MATTHEW POSTLETHWAIT. (Institution Book). The Postlethwait family came from Millom, Cumberland. I know nothing of the father of Matthew, who appears to have been educated and pro- vided for by his uncle, John Postlethwait, the master of S. Paul's School. John Postlethwait purchased the advowson of Denton from the Duke of Norfolk, and vested it in the Archbishop of Canterbury upon trust to present from time to time a Fellow of Merton College. Matthew Postlethwait was appointed to Denton in 1714, and died there on the 27th June, 1745. He is buried in Denton church, where his arms may be seen impaling those of Robert Rogerson, his predecessor, whose daughter he married. He was Archdeacon of Norfolk from 1742. Two of Matthew Postleth wait's published sermons may occasionally be met with — one demonstrating the necessity of understanding the grounds of belief (on Hebrews v. 12) ; another, preached in Norwich Cathedral, 5th November, 1718, on the "impossibility of Protestant subjects main- taining their liberties under Popish princes," with evident reference to the Jacobite movement. 1745. 26th December. JOHN NICOLLS, M.A. (Institution Book.) It is a far cry from Harleston to Oporto, but we must make the journey if we are to find John Nicolls, who had the cure of souls here in Blomefield's time, and was, at the same time, as he records with unconscious humour, "resident chaplain to the merchants of Oporto." John Nicolls was English chaplain at Oporto from September, 1731, to November, 1756, and there is still in the English church there a silver-gilt alms dish inscribed, " The gift of the Revd. Mr. John Nicols, Chaplain to the Factory at Oporto, 1739.* * I am indebted to the Rev. T. S. Polehampton, the present chaplain at Oporto, for this inforiLation. 46 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. In the Register of Merton College, Oxford, of which Nicolls was a Fellow, I have unexpectedly found an explanation of his short tenure of Redenhall."^ It seems that he was, on Matthew Postlethwait's death, presented by the Archbishop to De?tto?t, but, probably before insti- tution, he agreed to vacate that benefice in favour of John Postlethwait (Matthew Postlethwait's son), on condition that Bishop Gooch would give him the vacant living of Redenhall. This arrangement was carried out. In the Merton College Register is this further note: "Mr. Nichols had afterwards a Prebendary of Ely, and I think, in lieu of this Rectory, both conferred by Bishop Gooch, successively Bishop of Norwich and Ely, and both, I think, to accommodate his Relation, Mr. Postlethwait" (Mr. Kilner, Fellow of Merton). 1748. 27th October. HENRY STEBBING, D.D. (Insti- tution Book.) Of Catharine Hall, Cambridge, A.B. 1708, A.M. 1712, D.D. 1730. Rector of Rickinghall, Suffolk, about 1714; Chaplain in Ordinary to the King, Preacher and Lecturer to Gray's Inn, 1732; Archdeacon of Wilts, 1733 ; Chancellor of the Diocese of Sarum, 1739 ; Preacher of Gray's Inn, 1749; died 1763. Such is the career, as briefly recorded in the successive volumes of the Gentle- man's Magazine^ of Henry Stebbing, a divine of weight in the last century. He seems to have risen into some note in the controversy which followed the unfortunate utter- ances of Bishop Hoadly. Dr. Stebbing of course took the orthodox side, and Mr. Leslie Stephen! records an encounter between him and Thomas Chubb the deist. Stebbing accused him, in the course of the argument, of suppressing the text in which Christ orders the young man to sell all that he has and give it to the poor. Chubb replied that the text could hardly be meant literally, or the doctor's conduct would be " very preposterous, who has not onW added to those worldly advantages which arise to him from his two livings in Norfolk, and from his being preacher at Gray's Inn, what arises to him from the Archdeaconry of Wilts, but is also adding what arises from the Chancellorship of Sarum." Stebbing was a friend of Bishop Sherlock, who gave him the Salisbury * I am indebted to Mr. W. Esson, Senior Bursar of Merton College, for kindly sending me extracts from the Register, f Hours in a Library, 2nd Series, 1876. THE RrXTORY AND RECTORS. 47 Chancellorship. He preached the Boyle's Lecture, and published, besides, two volumes of practical sermons, with a folio volume of controversial pieces. His personal connection with Redenhall was probably slight, but he occasionally visited the parish, and his signature appears in the records.* 1763. March 3rd. THOMAS WARBURTON, M.A. (Diocese Book.)! Archdeacon of Norfolk, 1768. The long series of absentee rectors is at last interrupted ; Thomas Warburton was resident in Harleston, and lived in the house in which these pages have been written. He was also Vicar of Elmstead in Essex. He died ist November, 1797, aged 77, and is buried in the chancel at Redenhall. Arch- deacon Warburton married Maria, daughter of Thomas Potter Everard, Esquire, of Brightlingsea, who survived him. 1798. April 2nd. JOHN OLDERSHAW. (Diocese Book.) Thomas Warburton was succeeded by John Oldershaw, who was Rector of this parish for nearly half a century, and is still remembered with affection and respect by many old residents. His family was for many years settled at Loughborough, where their monuments may be seen in the parish church. We afterwards find them at Leicester, and here John Oldershaw was born on the 27th May, 1754. His father had for a long time practised in the town as a surgeon, and had attained distinction in his pro- fession. From Oakham Grammar School Oldershaw went to Emmanuel College, Cambridge. He had a distinguished University career. Graduating B.A. in 1776, he was Senior Wrangler of the year, though hard pressed for the honour by Gilbert Wakefield. Soon after taking his degree he was elected a Fellow of his college, and was subsequently appointed public tutor, an office which he held for fifteen years. One of his early private pupils at Cambridge was Charles Manners Sutton, afterwards Dean of Peter- borough, and ultimately Archbishop of Canterbury ; and when Dr. Sutton became Bishop of Norwich in 1792, he ^ There was another Henry Stebbin^ in the i8th century, whose hfe ran a singularly even course with that of our Rector. Both were Catharine Hall men, both Chaplains to the King, both preachers at Gray's Inn, both instituted to a Norfolk hvingin the same year (1748). This other Henry Stebbing died in 1787. ^ A summarized record of recent institutions in the Diocesan Registry. 48 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. appointed his old friend his Examining Chaplain. John Oldershaw married, after a long engagement, Anne,, daughter of Sir John Hynde Cotton, Bart., of Maddingle>\ and, severing at last his connection with Cambridge, took the curacy of Harpley, in this county. In 1797 he was appointed Archdeacon of Norfolk, and next year Dr. Sutton gave him the rectory of Redenhall, which he held until his death. Mrs. Oldershaw died on the i6th February, 1829, aged 79. Her husband survived her twenty years, and died on the 31st January, 1847, at the venerable age of 92. They are buried in Redenhall churchyard, under the east window of the church. A cross of box, enclosed by a low stone coping, marks their graves, and in the wall above are two lozenge-shaped slates inscribed only with their initials and the dates of their deaths. The simplicity of this monument is quite in accordance with the traditions of the character of the Archdeacon, who was a great opponent of burial within church walls. In the chancel at Redenhall is a mural monument bearing the arms of Oldershaw impaling those of Cotton with an inscription. The coat may also be seen upon the vestry door. Archdeacon Oldershaw lived at Starston in a house close to the rectory, since pulled down. There he had as neighbours, first, the naturalist. William Whitear, and after that gentleman's tragic death in 1826, his successor, William Pakenham Spencer. The Archdeacon was in church matters an Anglican of the old school.* He was noted for an urbanity and courtesy of manner, combined with great candour and directness of speech. He was very hospitable, and alwa3^s had a good fund of anecdote at the disposal of his guests. He was an active magistrate and a zealous worker in the parish, taking special interest in the school, which he visited two or three times a week. When about his duties he generally rode. His death was hastened by an acci- dental fall, and though he reached such a patriarchal age, he retained his mental powers to the last hour of his life,, when he solemnly bestowed his benediction upon his assembled household. 1847. 26th April. THOMAS JOHNSON ORMEROD. (Dio- cese Book.) Archdeacon Ormerod was, like his prede- cessor, a man of great intellectual attainments, though As to his efforts to improve the tone of public worship at Redenhall, see the preface, dated 1812, to the little collection of psalms and hymns he printed lor the use of the parish. THE RECTORY AND RECTORS. 49 representing a different school of thought. He was, too, another instance of inherited abihty, being the eldest son of George Ormerod, D.C.L., F.R.S,, the historian of Cheshire. He was born at Great Missenden, Bucks, on the 27th July, 1809, was a pupil of Dr. Arnold at Laleham, and graduated at Brasenose College, Oxford, taking a First Class in Literse Humaniores in 1829. he was elected a Fellow of his college, and appointed Hebrew Lecturer next year. He was ordained by Bishop Bagot of Oxford in 1834, was subsequently Curate- in-charge of Madley, Herefordshire, and then successively Vicar of S. Mark's, Lakenham, and Rector of Framingham Pigot, where he built the present rectory house. From 1837 to 1857 he was Examining Chaplain to Bishops Stanley and Hinds. In 1845 he was Select Preacher before the University of Oxford, in 1846 Archdeacon of Suffolk, and in 1847 Rector of Redenhall. Archdeacon Ormerod was a worker in many fields. He was well known as an Oriental scholar, and as such con- tributed the article on the Semitic languages to Smith's Dictiojiary of the Bible ^ 1863. He translated several theological works from the German, and wrote the article on the German Reformation in the E)icyclopoedia Metro- politana, besides publishing numerous charges, tracts, and papers on theological and historical subjects. The Archdeacon married, in 1838, Maria Susan, eldest daughter of the late Sir Joseph Bailey, Bart., M.P., of ■Glanusk Park, county Brecon. They had six children. Mrs. Ormerod died in 1871, after a long illness, and is buried in Redenhall churchyard. Archdeacon Ormerod's life at Redenhall was simple and active. He was an early riser, and generally secured an hour or more for reading and writing before breakfast. The morning he always devoted to the schools, where he taught both secular and religious subjects, and to his parish rounds; and the afternoon was usually spent in further parochial work. He was a magistrate and Chairman of the Harleston Bench. During the Archdeacon's incumbency the present rectory house was built, partly at his personal expense ; the parish schools and the present church at Harleston were erected ; the interior of Redenhall church restored ; and the churchyard enlarged. On resigning Redenhall in the spring of 1874 the Archdeacon retired to the family estate, Sedbury Park, Chepstow, where it was hoped many years of useful life awaited him, but on the 2nd December of the same year D so REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. he succumbed suddenly to an attack of pneumonia, while still in the full enjoyment of his povvers.^-^ 1874. ist May. THOMAS THOMASON PEROWNE, B.D. (Diocese Book.) Fellow and Hebrew and Divinity Lec- turer, Corpus Christi College, Cambridge : B.A. (Wrangler) 1847; M.A. 1850; B.D. 1858; Archdeacon of Norwich 1878. NOTE ON OLD HARLESTON SCHOOLMASTERS. In the Institution Book IX.,/. 65, at Norwich, there is this entry : — Itm die decimo mensis Octobf anno domini supra- scripto (1433) apud Hoxne p*^ scriptus Rev endus Pater Dns Willus dei gracia Norwiceft Epus contulit regimen custodia scolarum gramaticalum de Harleston Nor- wicefl dioc vacant^ ad collacionem ipius Rev'-^endi Patris pleno jure spectantium domino Willmo Kyng presbitero Iprn q5 magrum prefecit canonice in eisdem." In the margin opposite the entry : — *' Scole g9 maticales \ dhs mist de Harleston j feoda. This record of the collation of William King, priest, to the Mastership of the Grammar Schools of Harleston, at so early a date as 1433, is very interesting. W^e know nothing of any building or educational endowment at this time, and yet the entry is something more than an episcopal license to teach at Harleston, and implies the existence of some organized school. There is a marginal note that Bishop Alnewick remitted the fees, from which we may gather that he was in sympathy with the work, or that the master's office was not expected to be very remunerative. From this time it is probable that some educational work, of however humble a kind, was always going forward at Harleston. We shall hear of Archbishop Sancroft's school in connection with the history of the Old Chapel. Then came John Dove's benefaction. By his will, dated 21st January, 1 7 12, he gave £200 to be laid out in land towards supporting * For the particulars of Archdeacon Ormerod's Hfe in the above sketch L am indebted to members of his family. THE RECTORY AND RECTORS. 5^ a schoolmaster "to teach to write, read, and cast accounts," such children as his Trustees, John Wogan, Anthony Kerrich, and John Kerrich, should appoint. The gift is now repre- sented by a farm at Rushall, but since 1826 Dove's School has, in effect, been merged in the National School of the parish. At a later date Tilney's private school did some good work. Here was educated Samuel Vince (son of John Vince of Fressingfield), who went up from Harleston to Caius College, was Senior Wrangler in 1775, and in 1796 Plumian Professor of Astronomy. His history, however, is well known. Of less note was another of Tilney's boys — Gooch, the only child of a Brockdish barber, who was astronomer to Captain George Vancouver's expedition, and, with Lieutenant Hergest, was murdered by the natives of Woahoo in the Sandwich Islands, in May, 1792. I am also informed that another great astronomer was for a time under Tilney's tuition — Dr. John Brinkley (son of John Isler Brinkley, of Woodbridge), who graduated B.A. from Caius College 1788, was Senior Wrangler of his year, Astronomer to the University of Dublin 1792, and Bishop of Cloyne 1826. Ui^JVERSITY OF liUm^ VI. THE CHURCHWARDENS. The following list was compiled by George Carthew, apparently from the headings of the yearly churchwardens* accounts, and was entered by him, with some " parochial annals," in a little book preserved in the parish chest, and which has from time to time been posted up to date. The list is not complete, but few indeed are the parishes which have preserved any record of the succession of their chief officers for so long a period. All will be struck by the great number of men who, in the i6th and 17th centuries, took their turn at the office. From 1575 to 1670 there are only two instances of a church- warden being re-elected, and not a single instance of a man serving three years in succession. Myles Herring, gent., was the first man re-elected a second time. He was churchwarden for the years 1670- 1-2, and about this time the practice of calling on a man to serve his parish for a second or third year became common. John Sawer was the first man to hold the office for a long term of years. He was churchwarden from 1721 to 1745. The common law of England is that both the church- wardens of a parish should be appointed jointly by the minister and people. From this has grown up in many parishes a custom that the minister should appoint one of THE CHURCHWARDENS. 53 these officers and the parishioners the other. But this is a special custom at variance with the general law, and it must be strictly proved if it is to be upheld. There is clear evidence in this parish that the custom was observed at least as early as the incumbency of Henry Mingay, whose nominations of his warden appear regularly in the books. Memoranda of appointments by subsequent rectors or their curates are frequent, but there is no unbroken record. In the ensuing list the first name may be taken to be the minister's, and the second the people's repre- sentative, though I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this for the earlier years. Where a third name is given, it is that of the churchwarden of Wortwell, for which no com- plete list is forthcoming. 1553 William Tompson John Barne William Alen [From the Inventory of 6 Edward VI.] 'l^ j"f >:< >it 1573 John Corbold 1575 Xpofer Muriell Jaffery Cooke 1576 Thomas Warde 1577 Robert Beare Robert Kyrke 1578 Edward Kent Richard Brown 1579 Thomas Moulton Edward Tompson 1580 John Warryne John Chrybbes 1581 Thomas Fuller Thomas Corbould 1582 Edward Kent Richard Botwryghte 1583 John Becham Robert Peasegrave 1584 John Bawles Thomas Cooke 1585 William Cooke Thomas Benton 1586 Xpofer Murill Thomas Fuller John Pidgeon 1587 William Hasylton John Pereson William Corbyn 1588 Wilham Burton John Chrybbes 1589 John Jaye Thomas Corbould 1590 Thomas Corbould Thomas Gowen 1 591 John Lodge William Rothewell 1592 William Smith William Hasylton 54 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. 1593 John Pesgrave Esdras Smythe 1594 Nicholas Cooke Wilham Warde 1595 Nathanell Graygoose John Person 1596 John Thompson John Gurney 1597 John Corbold James Hall 1600 John Clewes James Hall 1608 Francis Pearse 1609 Nicholas Cooke 1610 John Barber 1611 James Hall 1612 William Fuller 1613 Christopher Burley Robert Lord William Cooke John Kynge Robbertte Browne Thomas Elmey Thomas Evered 1616 William Cooke William Fuller 1619 Richard Childriss 1620 Xpofer Burley 162 1 Timothy Damatt 1622 1623 Nicholas Coke 1624 William Gra3^goose 1625 Thomas Peck 1626 Thomas Prymrose 1627 John Chalker 1628 Thomas Fuller, sen. 1629 John Cooke, sen. 1630 Richard Rogers 1 63 1 William Woods 1632 John Wolmer 1633 Xpofer Burley, sen. 1634 Joshua Fisher 1635 Thomas Hannor 1636 Thomas Corbould 1637 Christopher Burleigh 1638 Henry Tubby 1639 Richard Rogers, sen. 1640 Thomas Elmy 1641 Thomas Fuller 1642 Richard Rogers, sen. 1643 John Leman Richard Walker George Wharton William Stubbs Francis Lowde Thomas Fuller Robert Browne James Newson John Allen Thomas Elmye Thomas Russells William Thompson George Wharton Thomas Peck John Sutton Lyonell Carr Jeoferie Stimson Robert Hayle John Seaman William Garrold John Chalker, jun. Edmund Jermyne Henry Goodale James Seaman Thomas Fuller, jun. William Buck THE CHURCHWARDENS. 1644 Christopher Burleigh 1645 Anthony Greene 1646 Robert Whiting 1647 Robert Gower 1648 John Dove 1649 John Pilkinton 1650 ThomavS Corbold 165 1 John Browne, sen. 1652 Richard Rogers, sen. 1653 John Farrow 1654 Thomas Spratt 1655 Wilham Buck 1656 Henry Goodale 1657 Thomas Davy 1658 Tobias Frere ^659 Jeremy Howard 1660 William Stubbs, sen. 1661 William Rogers 1662 Abraham Aldhouse 1663 Robert Bransby 1664 John Dove (the elder) 1665 John Corbold 1666 Jeremiah Howard 1667 James Girling 1668 Samuel Wood 1669 Nathaniell Owen 1670 Myles Herring 1671 1672 ^673 Jeremy Howard 1674 1675 1676 Francis Skinner 1677 Thomas Pake 1678 i6^g Edmond Herring 1680 John Dove 1681 Henry Fenn 1682 Richard Cogsdill - 1683 1684 1685 Thomas Leman 1686 William Stubbs 1687 1688 James Twist, jun. 1689 John Calfe Nathaniel Owen Thomas Hyndes Edmund Jermyn Thomas Wales Thomas Lunham James Girhng Samuell Corbold Richard Burleigh Thomas Locke Abraham Aldhouse Thomas Graygoose Thomas Neech Charles Woollnough William Garrold Francis Grange Eleazar Dunkon John Hobbard Robert Hayle Henry Fenne William Stubbs Cleare Sewell John Corbold John Mapes Stephen Freeman Thomas Neech Eustace Walker John Farrar, sen. John Aldhouse William Browne Jeremiah Howard Christopher Chapman , Thomas Leman : ^ John Fosdick John Mitchell George Woollnough John Wright John Tyte John Dove Samuel Corbyne John Fosdick Peter Wales Peter Capon Richard Wiseman, sen 56 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. 1690 l6gi 1692 1693 1694 1695 1696 1697 1698 1699 1700 17OI 1702 1703 1704 1705 1706 1707 1708 1709 1710 1711 1712 I713 1714 1715 1716 1717 1718 I719 1720 1721 1722 1723 1724 1725 1726 1727 1728 1729 1730 1731 1732 1733 1734 1735 Samuel Corbold Richard Calver John Fosdick John Wogan James Adams Henry Youell Thomas Wales Thomas Baylie John Dove (only) John Witherby Richard Sutton Thomas Baylie Richard Meen Thomas Wiat Jonathan Browning John Sawer Thomas Reeve John Sawer John Calfe John Witherby Samuel Browning John Fosdick William Smith Simon Fuller John Darby Henry Smith Walter Kerrich Thomas Sadd ») Peter Capon Henry Youell Thomas Reeve Richard Calver John Witherby James Barnes Edward Hart Richard Manthorpe Robert Blake Peter Flatman Richard Calver Thomas Dixon Edward Hart Simon Kerrich John Wogan (elected, but did not serve) Thomas Reeve Samuel Fuller Richard Sutton Thomas Reeve John Jackson Robert Revnolds THE CHURCHWARDENS. 5T 1736 1737 i73« 1739 1740 1741 1742 1743 1744 1745 1746 1747 1748 ^749 1750 1751 1752 1753 1754 1755 1756 1757 1758 1759 1760 1761 1762 1763 1764 1765 1766 1767 1768 1769 1770 1771 1772 1773 1774 1775 1776 1777 1778 1779 1780 1781 John Sawer John Hunt John Edwards John Wright James Wright William Aldrich George Applewhite John Henley Thomas Redgrave John Peck Samuel Tubby Jonathan Saunders Christopher Wiseman John Edwards John Hunt John Wright John Peck John Edwards John Bond Daniel Sayer Robert Sayer (on his deatb Robert Tricker) Robert Tricker >> William Redgrave Thomas Self John Bond John Kerrich Matchett Smith John Green John Bond John Poole Thomas Hunt John Doughty 58 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. 1782 Godfrey Gooderham Stephen Haberton 1783 Jonathan Johnson Samuel Cunningham 1784 Samuel Hugman Moses Barnes 1785 Samuel Bennet Richard Leatherdale 1786 ,, Peter Smith 1787 Edward Bacon 1788 „ Peter Card 1789 Jeremiah Bowling 1790 James Aldous 1791 1792 1793 Thomas Denny 1794 j» >5 1795 John Buxton 1796 1797 Richard Leatherdale ,, 1798 1799 1800 1801 1802 „ 1803 1804 „ „ 1805 1806 Edmund Gillingwater „ 1807 „ „ 1808 1809 „ „ 1810 „ „ 181 1 Samuel Sharman „ 1812 1813 1814 „ „ 1815 1816 1817 1818 1819 James Aldous 1820 1821 1822 1823 Francis Tilney „ 1824 1S25 1826 ,, 1827 „ ?> 1828 „ THE CHURCHWARDENS. 59 1829 Francis Tilney 1830 1831 1832 „ 1833 1834 James Aldoiis 1835 1836 1837 1838 1839 5, 1840 ,, 1841 . „ 1842 1843 1844 „ 1845 1846 „ 1847 „ 1848 - „ 1849 „ 1850 1851 1852 1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859 i860 1861 1862 1863 1864 1865 1866 1867 Samuel Chappell William Martin Hazard 1869 to 1896 James Aldous John Gcdney William Bancroft Holmes (and on his death John Gedney) John Gedney Pelham Corbould William Robinson George Squire John Sancroft Holmes Josias William Hare Josias William Hare, and on his death (6th Novem- ber, 1868) John Pipe John Pipe VIL THE CHURCHWARDENS' ACCOUNTS. The earliest volume of churchwardens' accounts remaining in the parish church at Redenhall bears on the cover two labels. The low^r is inscribed : — " In the Town Chest belonging to the parish of Harleston is contained the Churchwardens accounts of the said Parish from the year 1573 to 1768 in a regular Succession in two Books Except three years entries near the beginning of each Book which are lost out thereof. Collected together Sep. 5. 1786 by me "Edmd Gillingwater Saml Bennett Overseer Churchwarden " Gillingwater's estimate of the contents of this volume was not very accurate, unless indeed some more pages have been *Most out thereof" since his time. The book has a later endorsement above a well-known signature : — "Church Wardens' Book I. Commences with 1573, No accounts for the years 1574, 1575, 1576, part only for 1577, and no accounts from that time till 1587 — it contains accounts from 1587 to 1597 inclusive (1598 and 1599 wanting) — contains accounts for 1600, 1608, 1619, 1620 to 1626 inclusive — from 1629 to 1642 both inclusive (no accounts for intermediate years, nor for 1643) accounts regular from 1644 to 16S6 (next 4 years wanting) accounts 1690 to 1699 inclusive. " Geo Carthew 1850" THE churchwardens' ACCOUNTS. 6 1 This statement appears to be correct, except that the book contains also accounts for the period 1609 to 1613, as noted on the cover by a later investigator. For the years 1575 to 1584, both inclusive, an acquittance to the church- wardens in general terms is recorded, thus : — ■ 1575 Xpofer Muriell & Jafery Cooke church wardens for Reddehall delyvered up there Accopt As Appereth by ye olde booke Ano 1575. It will, of course, be understood that the following ex- tracts comprise but a small fraction of the bulk of entries in the original books. I have tried, as far as possible, to select such items as are representative of the different classes of expenditure, and also to include all references to public events ; these are very numerous, and often signifi- cant and interesting, especially during the Commonwealth and Restoration periods. The various purposes for which the churchwardens' rate was applied, will appear from a perusal of the accounts. Amongst the charges defrayed may be mentioned : — the repairs of the church fabric and fittings ; the provision of the books and accessories of Divine Service, e.g., surplice, Master of Arts' hood, tippet ; the provision of the bread and wine for the Sacrament ; the entertainment of the ecclesiastical visitors ; the relief of poor travellers, mariners, and the like, but no^ of the settled poor; the maintenance of the bells and payments to the ^ ringers on days of rejoicmg ; the cost of the churchwardens' attendance on the ordinary at his visitation ; the expenses of perambulating the parish boundary. Entries will occasionally be noticed which should clearly have been included in the overseers' statement, and the accounts do not appear to have been subjected to much criticism. From time to time, indeed, resolutions were passed at the vestry meetings objecting to certain payments, as, for 62 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. scouring the eagle, and for the perambulation. These were duly entered in the books, and then forgotten or ignored. No particulars are given of the assessment or receipts for each year. The total raised is entered at the foot of the account, and then there is a note of the contribution paid by the churchwarden for Wortwell, which parish was by ancient custom liable for one-fourth of the total expenditure of the united parishes — the proportion being based roughly on the population of the respective areas. The wages of the parish clerk were not (at least for some years) paid out of the general fund, but were provided for by a special rate. In transcribing these entries, I have adhered closely ta the original, and have aimed at an exact letter for letter copy, except only that I have uniformly used Arabic figures in the margin." Perfect accuracy, however, in copying old documents, often soiled, torn, and illegible, can scarcely be attained, and many — I hope unimportant — slips and in- accuracies will, no doubt, be found in my work. For these I ask the indulgence of which all who embark on similar ventures will certainly stand in need. Many traces of our rich vernacular will be welcomed in these parish officers' accounts — for hayniiige the seat, and so on— and the spelling is often phonetic. There are some entries for which I can- not claim any historic interest, but which, nevertheless, will stand very well upon their own merits. Such are, " for stopping out y^ owles at y^ church," "for cleaning the Church Causeways against y^ Bishop came past," and many of the like.1 * This, when too late, I regret. It was, I think, an error in jurigm^nt. t A few extracts from the churchwardens' accounts were printed by George Ra)Son in the East Angliar, IV., pp. 54, 106. THE churchwardens' ACCOUNTS. THE CHURCHWARDENS' BOOK. No. i. FROM 1573 TO 1699. 1573- Itm Collected upo Plough Mndaye - - - i o i [The first Monday after Twelfth Day, when the labourers returned to work after the Christ- mas holidays. It was an old custom to draw a plough from house to house, and ask for contri- butions for a froHc. — Brewer.] Rec of Bucke for house fearm - - -80 Itm Payde to John little for ye scripturyg of ye church [Probably the walls had been previously white- washed, and any mural paintings which existed covered over. Cf. Cratfield Parish Accounts^ 1583, "for Scripture setting upp in the curch "J ItDm payde for papo and wafer breade - - 8 Itm payde for spylyng ye bille . . . y Itm payde for wrytyng bylle of Regester - - 14 Itm payde for ye regystrg ye sayde bylle - - i O' [Probably the duplicate register of baptisms, marriages, and burials, which shoii/d be trans- mitted yearly from every parish, and deposited in the Diocesan Registry.] Itm payde for wyne at Easter and washying of ye Lynyn ...... Itm payde for j bushell and d of lyme & ye fetchyng 1585. Payde unto ye Masons for Ankoryng of ye stepell - 12 o O' [The tower was this year damaged by a storm — probably struck by lightning — to what extent is not recorded.] 21 quarts of malmsey at igd. and i quart of claret wine at lod. - - - - - - . . . ^Skorg ye Lectorn - - - - - . . . [This is the first reference to the great brass eagle which figures so frequently in these ac- counts.] Reed of Mr. Brabon for ye buryall of two of hys chyldri in ye churche - - - - 13 4 [A fee of 6/8 was regularly charged and paid to the churchwardens for a burial in the church.] Reed of John Cooke for burying his brother Thoms Cooke in ye churche - - - - 6 8 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. Reed more of Jane Moulton exer of ye last wyll & testamt of Thorns Moulton late of Harleston deceased which was given by the last wyll & testmt of ye sayde Thomas - - - 3 4 John Hutchenson, Rector. 1587-8. Receyved of Machyn ye drov^ for repairs of his ffathers grave ..... ^ Receyved of Edward baken gen^ for his chyld's grave - - - - - - 6 8 1589. Itm given to one Raph Mason his breefe dwelling without Temple Bare Court Middlesex - - 6 Itm given to John Young of Burcham County Somer- set Marchant for his loss at sea - - - 10 1590. Ite Resayved of Thomas Corbyn for a legases given by hys fatheres will towardes the repreationes of pryshe church of Rednall - - - - 10 o Ite payd for the witchcraftes of the Corte at Stratton i 4 Ite Resayved for Bread & wine - - - 12 8 Ite Resayved for clarkes wages - - -116 Ite Resayved of John Mendam for the fort part of bread & wine & other charges - - - no [This last item refers to the one-fourth part of the church expenses payable by WortwelL] 1591- Payd to a gather for the lose of a shepe - - 10 payd for viij pyntes of mascadin - - - 8 2 payd for bread for the comnyon - - -10 payd to Tho Fayle in Norwiche for the Relefe of the presoners ...... 8 payed to Johen Wards wyfe for bread & bere for the Rengers on the crownasion Da3^e - - -10 [Queen Elizabeth was crowned 15th January.] 1593- Itm laid out for bread & wine w^^ other chargs about the church & Beells - - - - i 13 4 Itm laid out for iij lodes of strawe for the towne howse wl^ the car}'ing of the strawe - - 16 THE churchwardens' ACCOUNTS. 65 [Probably the old town houses on Jay's Green. An act in 1572 had directed the reg- istration of impotent poor and their settlement in fitting habitations.] Itm pd to Bucke for his wags and clarckshipe - i 6 pd him more for his wags . . . . g ptl to harlye being sexten for one yere - - 8 1594- Imp9 mis j new Service booke - - - 7 6 It for the prayer booke .... 5 It laid out for j sytacion - - - -10 1595- Payde for Docktar bylson's booke - - - 3 6 [Probably the work, On the Perpetual Govern- 77ieiit of Christ^ s ChurcJi^ published in 1593, by Thomas Bilson, afterwards Bishop of Win- chester.] payde for ye X commandements - - -16 Payde to Robart Ray of hingom [Hingham] coleccion for burnan 4 1596. Itm pd for a prayr booke for the Queens majestey - 2 Itm pd att the Byshoopes visittacon for o^ captives in Turky - - - - - - 2 6 [Bishop William Redman, 1595-1602.] Itm pd at London for a byble & the cariage of the same - - - - - - - i 13 4 j ould Byble was sould vnto Baxter by Ja^ Tomson for - - - - - - - 10 o 1597- Itm payd to bryante doggete for pulpete raysinge 2 8 Itm payde to John Stuntlye for hayninge the seate 10 Itm pd for a prayer boke - - - 6 Itm pd for a dose [doss = cushion] for the mynesters seate 5 Itm to Symonde Warnere gatherer for the por house of Walsyngam - - - - - . . . Itm to crystofere maners for a burninge - - . . . Itm to Thomas Cranwode gatherer for the hospytall of myllende - - - - - - . . . Itm to Thomas Carrowe of claydone gatherer for a borninge - - - - . - . . . E REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. Itm to gorge raynwolde gatherer for the pore house of donstable - - - - - - . . . Itm to Richard more gatherer for the pore house of Saynte Steevens - - - - - . . . Itm to Richard Joynte gatherer for the pore house at Madlynge - - - - - - . . . Itm to a pore man on new years day gatherer for pore howse at saynte telHngs [Saint Helen's?] - . . . 1600. [The account for this one yesn I have tran- scribed in full.] The accounte of John Clewes and James Hall churchwardens for harlstone and Rednalle in ann dom 1600 as ffollowethe Ite to the goodman warde the Counstable for the mayned sowldyers And the pryshners the vth day of June for the halfe yeere - - - - - - - 23 5 [The churchwardens' accounts for each year begin with payments for the maimed soldiers, poor prisoners, marshalsea, King's Bench, &c. To explain these entries we must refer to the Act 35, Eliz. c. 4, by which, and subsequent statutes, a tax was ordered to be raised in every parish towards the relief of maimed soldiers and mariners. So, by the Acts 14, Eliz. c. 5, s. 38, and 43, Eliz. c. 2, s. 14, a similar tax was im- posed " for the relief of the poor prisoners of the gaol King's Bench and Marshalsea." Quarter Sessions were bound to enquire if the churchwardens of any parish had not every Sunday levied the money for relief of the prisoners in the gaol, and once in every quarter paid it to the constable of the hundred. See Toulmin Smith's T/ie Parish^ 2nd ed., p. 98 and Ite layde owt at ye vysytacyone - - - 10 Ite layde owt at Straton Corte for demysyon fee - i 6 Ite layde owt for our charges ther - - -10 Ite layde owt for a belle rope and a belle ropes ende 3 4 Ite layde owt to the glashere for glashinge of the wynderes - - - - - -86 Ite layde owt to him for vii^i Icade and one li sowdere - - - - - 28 THE churchwardens' ACCOUNTS. 67 Ite layde owt to him for too dayes woke - - 18 Ite layde owt for iiijli grease for ye belles - - 14 Ite layde owt for the bylle Indentede - - 14 Ite layde owt for takinge in the bylle at the corte - 6 Ite layde owt for the Churche lynynge washinge - i o Ite layde owt for the lectone scourings - - 10 Ite layde owt for x cante raylles x fete longe apecc - 6 4 Ite layde owt for ix posts at ix^ apece - - 69 Ite layde owt for iij score fete of planke - - 56 Ite layde owt for xxiiij fete of ray lie - - -20 Ite layde owt for iij ... of planke - - 26 Ite layde owt for ij raylles for the gate - - 10 Ite layde owt for iij store & xiiij sawne pales - g 6 Ite la3^de owt for iij hundred naylls - - -16 Ite layde owt for the carryinge of the timbere - 2 o Ite layde owt for a bushell of lyme - . - 6 Ite layde owt to Bryant Doggett for xij dayes worke and a halfe - - - - - - 12 4 Ite layde owt to Thomas Bucke for iiij dayes worke 2 8 Ite layde owt to Thom Stowklye for the setinge of the stayrs - - - - - -18 Ite layde owt for breade and wyne for the holle yeare - - - - - -170 Ite layde owt for naylls for the palls - - > 4 Receyved by our rate made for thes charges vjli Recevd of the goodman Stantone churchwardene of wortwelle ende for the forthe part of this charge xxijs Received of hime for breade and wine vijs iijci i6og. Impmis paid to the cheiffe constables for the mayned sowldyeres - - - - - - 3 5 o pd for dimission fee for ye deseis of the kinge - 2 8 pd for breade & wyne for the whole yeare - - i 1 1 o 1612. Impmis paid for a booke called M^^ Jewells workes for the church - - - - -160 [Probably the edition of Bishop Jewel's col- lected works printed in one folio volume in i6og.] Itm for claspes for the booke of Martires - - 10 Rec of Moore for breaking the church for Mr . Hollond - - - - - - 6 8 [John Holland bupied 17th August, 1612.] REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. 1613. Jtm p<^i to John Allen for the frame of the ourglasse - 3 1622. Jte paid for a hower glasse for the Chappell - - 10 [They may still be occasionally seen upon the pulpit in churches. Nowadays they are not needed.] 1623. Memorand : ther was used in lead wch belongeth to the Church wch was at this time used about the mending of ye church 88ii fower score and eight pounds to Mr John Baseley to th'use of my Lord of • Arundell by Nicholas Cooke for want of a cookes- tole - - - - - - - 10 o [The Norfolk family as Lords of the Manor of Harleston were concerned in maintaining the public peace and good morals of the parish, and here is a penalty levied and actually paid because the ciickmgstool^ then deemed a neces- sary engine of ordinary village justice, was not forthcoming.] pfl Ellet for leathr to new bottom ye Tankard - 3 o pd Bungy for mending the Tanckerd - - 26 p(i for mending a guld pace . . . . 6 1624. Ite paid Gyles Harcock for a rope for the great bell 3 o Ite paid him more for one other bell rope - - 20 Ite paid for the turning the leades of the church - 4 4 Ite paid for bread & beere at that tyme - - 4 Ite given to 3 passengers at 3 severall tymes - - 16 Ite given to Irish people at another tyme - - 10 Ite given to John Bucke for keeping the clocke for the whole yere - - - - -50 [This is an annual charge.] Ite given to John & Richard Bourck Irish people their wives and children - - - - 2 6 Ite given to Katharine Dismond Ellen Dismond & Joan Dismond Irish people - - - -20 Ite given to Irish folkes passed by Ires of comcn- dacon - - - - - -10 THE churchwardens' ACCOUNTS. 69 Ite paid for claspes for the booke of martyres" ■ 4 Ite given to Elizabeth Smyth and Anne Ripley com- mended by the baylifes of Yarmouth - - 20 1625. for 2 bookes for the fast - - - -20 [Perhaps for the Plague, of which there was a great outbreak this year in London.] Paid for wyne & suger for the Justices - - 10 paid for pcla3'^ming the fast in 2 marketts - - 8 paid for writing the bills for the alteration of the Markett - - - - - -20 paid for a boke of articles . - - - 6 1626. Ite paid to the ringers on coronacon daye - • 10 Ite given by John Allen to two Irish travellers - i 4 1629. It layd out for bread & wine at Christtide - - 34 pd for bread & wyne the 22 of March - - 610 4th of Aprill - - 10 8 It for clasps & mending of the book of Martors - 2 o 1630. Charges for bread & wine upon the following days : — Whitsuntide, the 3. day of October, the 26. day of December, the 3. day of April, Easter day, the Sunday after Easter. Pd for one prayer booke for the Queene - - 2 Pd for a booke of thanksgiving for the Queenes deliverance - - - - - - 2 [Upon the 29th May, 1633, the Queen was brought to Bed of a son, Prince Charles, to the exceeding joy of the Subjects; and the same day a bright star appeared shining at noon-day in the east. — Whitelock.f] Pd for II yards & halfe a quarter of hollon cloth for a surples at 2/3 a yearde - - - -150 The church still possesses an old copy of the Acts and Monuments, It is a quarto, printed in black letter with double columns, 2,008 pages. The first few pages are unfortunately missing. The book has been rebound. t The references to Whitelock are to the original edition, folio, 1682. 70 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. Pd for one prayer booke for the Coronation day - 8 Pd for one yeard & a halfe of elbrode [ell broad] Canvas & one yearde of narrow cloth to lyne the Kynges armes with - - - - - 2 3 It p<^^ for iiij yards of hollond to make ye Communion Cloath and for making of it & a pillow beere to keepe the surplice ene - - - -go 1632. Maymed sOuldiers and marshall seas - - -350 Bread & wyne: — Whitsuntide, St Mychaell, Christ- tide, Palme Sunday, Easter dale. Sabbath following . . . Given to Frances Botrite at 3 tymes in her neede - 6 It pd for the mending ye Church dore Key and for a staple for ye Chaine of the booke of Martirs - 6 pd for Thos Sheldrakes wives rent ended at o^ ladie 12 o pd for the widd Skidmore's house rent for the halfe yeere - - - - - -60 pd for 10 paire of Indents for the apprentice putting forth - - - - - - 15 o pd to the parritor - - - - -20 Reed for breaking up the church for the buriall of Nichs Cooke & his wife & James Spalding -100 1633- Itm pd for the comnion table and the fetching of it - 130 It pd for a prayer booke for the Queen's salfe delivy 4 [October 13th. The Queen was brought to bed of another son, James ; who was created Duke of York, the title reserved for the second sons of the King. — Whitelock, p. 18.] It pd for a holy daye book - . . - 6 [Possibly the book confirming and renewing the Proclamation of 1 618 as to Sunday sports.] It pd for washing the surples 3 tymes & sweete water to take away ye sent of sope - - -40 It pd for p'fume candle 2d and sweet poulder for ye surples 2d ----- - 4 It given to 2 travellers James Smyth & Morris Dennys that came distressed out of the fleete [the Fleet prison?] - - - - - -10 Pd for a claspe the chcene for the book of martirs 6 THE CHURCHWARDENS ACCOUNTS. 71 1634. Itm layd out for timber for repayring of the vestric & for the carrynge of it - - - - i 19 9 more for 200 bords & for the carrynge - -100 pd to Mr. Barwell for a license to take downe the chamb9 ov9 the vestrie - - - - 13 4 layd out more for a chaldre of lime - - - 10 o layd out more for lime - - - -10 pd for the carrynge of the lime into the belfry - 4 layd out to the mason for his worke - - - i 2 10 pd for making of a sawing pit to sawe the timber - i 2 pd to Skiner for carpenter's work - - -166 layd out to the plumer for . . . for newe leade - 215 6 pd for 8li & . . . of speekinge to nayle the lathes 3 4 pd to the plumer for shooting of the leade & for his workmanship of laying it on - - - -200 Pd to the carter for carrying & fetching the lead from Pulham Markett - - - - -70 layd out for bread & beer when he came to take the lead off the vestrie ----- i 6 layd out for wood to melt the leade - - - 2 6 layd out for ou9 diners & for bread & beere for work- men - - - - - - -30 for OU9 owne paynes at Pulham when ye leade was shooting - - - - - -20 pd for the plumers horsemeat at Church & for bread & cheese for them yt holpe to draw up ye lead - 2 7 pd for 2^^ 32 of nayles to nayle on ye lead - - 14 pd to John Rochester for glasing the vestrie - - 106 pd for beere for the mason 2d & to a boye going twice to Harleston - - . . . 4 layd out for 4 bushels of heare - - -10 pd to Ro Brock for 5 days work about the vestrie - 5 o layd out for a default found in the vestrie before ye repayring 8 layd out by the church warden of wortwell for the work he did - - - - - - 2 4 1635. It pd for writing the centences on the walls in the church - - - - - - I 10 o [And other chosen sentences shall at the like charge be written upon the walls of the said churches and chapels in places convenient. — Canon, 82.] 72 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. It given to a poor man taken by the Turks & dd out of slavery March 6 - - - - - i o [1634. Our coasts were much infested by Pirats, even by Turks and Algiers men, to the great prejudice of trade. — Whitelock, p. 22.] to Roger Brock to fetch Elmer from Bungaye - 6 Pd for the sending of money colected for ye dis- tressed minists . . - - . 6 [Probably the ministers of the French Protes- tant refugees, who, about this time, were hardly dealt with by Archbishop Laud, particularly in Kent and Norfolk. Many who would not comply with the Archbishop's requirements were com- pelled to give up their pastorates, and some fled to New England.-'' It will be remembered that the Rector of Redenhall at this time was himself a French refugee, though in Anglican orders.] Given to 4 distressed passingers w^h came together - 8 Given to 2 other passingers . . . . Given to an Irishwoman and to anothe womn w^h 2 children the 12*^ of July . . . . y Layd out to a poore man in the church the 26th of August - - - - - -10 Given to a poore man undone by shipwreck Varnon Corbett 29 August - - - - -10 Given to 3 sev^all passingers - - - - 11 Given to a poore man by consent at Christide - 2 6 To another poore man by consent in the church - i o Given to 2 distressed men the i^t of Februarie - 1 o Given to 2 poore women w^^ 2 children much dis- tressed - - - - - - I 2 Itm Pd the 27 of May for 25 pints of wine for the Comunion - - - - - - 12 6 More for 16 pints of wine and a halfe the of October - - - - - - ^ 3 The 25 of December for 17 pints of wine - - 8 6 For 16 pints of wine the ii^h of Aprill - - 80 For 22 pints of wine the 17 of Aprill and 3 - 114 For 26 pints of wine the 24th of Aprill - - 13 ^ [There are many entries similar to the above, which I have set out at length, as indicating a practice and a sentiment with regard to the * Mr. A. G. Browning, F.S.A., Hon. Sec. of the French Hospital, and Mr. Kershaw, Librarian at Lambeth Palace, have kindly sent me a number of interesting notes as to the position of the French refugees in 1635 and 1699. THE churchwardens' ACCOUNTS. 73 Eucharist differing much from those now pre- vaiHng.] Pd for bread for the Comunions aforsaid - - 50 Layd out to make up the constables rate - - 34 1636. for want of a Booke of Hommiles - - - . . . and for want of a booke for minestar - - . . . and for not rayHng in of the Communion table - 2 o It to goodman Linn for the Raile making & removing the Deske & other workes in the church - -100 [This was done in (probably unwilling) obedience to Archbishop Laud's injunction, published after his visitation in 1635. " The removing of the communion table out of the body of the church, where it had used to stand, and to be applied to all uses, and fixing it to one place in the upper end of the chancel, which frequently made the buying of a new table to be necessary; the inclosing it with a rail of joiner's work, and thereby fencing it from the approach of dogs and all servile uses ; the obliging all persons to come up to these rails to receive the sacrament, how acceptable soever to grave and intelligent persons, who loved order and decency (for acceptable it was to such), yet introduced first murmurings amongst the people, upon the very charge and expense of it." — Clarendon's History of the Kebelli07i, I. 168.] Given for the releife of a Frenchman - - 2 Layd out at Norwich for my absolution - - 14 To Burman for the matt & dosses - - -16 1637- For Mr. Bridon's [Henry Bridon, minister] dinner at the time of the prambulation - - - 10 For goodman Brock's [the parish clerk] dinner at the prambulacoii - - - - - 10 [The perambulation of the bounds of a parish was originally observed as a religious ceremony by the Minister, churchwardens, and parish- ioners about Ascensiontide. There was a homily for the occasion,'-^ and the 103rd and ^ An. Homily for the days of Rogation Week, in four parts, of which the last is "An Exhortation to be spoken to such parishes where they use 74 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. 104th Psalms were appointed to be read. Later on the proceedings assumed a purely secular character, and were often rough and boisterous, and there are now very few parishes where the old custom of "beating the bounds" has not been long obsolete. "The right," said Lord Denman, in his judg- men in Taylor v. Devey, "to perambulate parochial boundaries, to enter private property for that purpose and to remove obstructions that might prevent this from being done cannot be disputed. It prevails as a notorious custom in all parts of England, is recorded by all our text writers, and has been confirmed by high judicial sanction."] For the Kings Armes - - - - - i 11 o For the hoode and making it - - - - i g o For an excommunication xxijd ij demission fees xvj^ 3 2 For an inditement between Redenhall and Starston - 7 6 For frankincense for the church & sweet wood - 6 For writing a note of the ministers names - - 10 to Jno Norton and Nathaniel Owen for ingrossing the register - - - - - -40 Charges disbursed for the sidemen and questmen of Redenhall ^ A grave for Richard Frere & a child of Mr Tobias Frere - - - - - 10 o 1638. Itm for the doctors dinner at the time of pambulation i o Itm for new binding of the booke of Martirs - 10 o Itm for searching of div9 jpsons in the time of ye small poxe - - - - - -50 1639. For ye Doctour & his wife for ffranke & his wife for My Barryes Daughter & for Roger Brocke theire dinners at the p'ambulacon - - -60 their Perambulation in Rogation Week for the oversight of the Bounds and Limits of their Town." God's wrath is denounced upon those "which use to grind up the doles and marks whicli of ancient time were laid for the division of meers and balks in the fields," and upon those "which do turn up the ancient Terries of the fields that old Men before time with great pains did tread out, whereby the Lords' Records (which be the Tenants Evidences) be perverted and translated sometimes to the disheriting of the right owner." There is much more of great interest in this Exhortation. THE churchwardens' ACCOUNTS. 75 Given to 6 poore Irish men and women is to a poore minister 6*^ - - - - - - i 6 Itm for bread and W3^ne for 6 severall Communions - 212 o Itm For an hourcglasse . . - - 8 1640. Itm for the ministers and clerks dinf} at the pam- bulation For bread and wine for 6 several Communions - 217 5 1641. Pd Lynne for taken doune the organe Casse & settige up the skreane and ffor mendinge ye stoles at the lower end of the church by the South dore - 7 2 Itm layd out at Whitings for Communion wyne taken the i^t of Maye nyne quartes at xvjd the quarte - - - - - - 12 o Itm Pd for the bread for the Communion at several times .... - - 53 1642. Pd for Mr Mowyrs dyff and Roger Brocks when the perambulation - - - - -20 1644. May 4^11 — for writing out the covenant - - 10 [Sept. 25, 1643 — The House ordered the Covenant to be taken the next Lord's-day by all persons in their respective parishes, and the Ministers to exhort them to it. — Whitelock, p. 70.] May 6 — for a coppy of the rate for collection given in to the Committee for the raysing 20o,oooii ... 20 [A Committee of citizens was appointed to consider of borrowing 20o,oool. here or beyond ^ seas. — Whitelock, p. 84.] May 14th — for taking downe the crosses from of the ends of the chappell .... 8 for taking downe the pictures within the chappell and defacing others - - . . . 9 [May, 1644. A New Ordinance passed for abohshing all Popish Reliques fixed to Tombes or other places, and all Organs, Images, &c.— Whitelock, p. 83. If the work were done in pursuance of this order, it shews indeed a ready alacrity.] 76 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. June 24 — to an antient soldier for his relief - - 2 July 17 — to a poore woman dwelling near poole being stript - - - - - -10 July 26 — to 4 poore men that came out of Lincoln- shire releefe Aug 7 — to a poore man of Thetford comended to us by Mr ffranke - - - - -20 the same day to a tradesman of Alsford who was plundered 6 Aug 9 — to a poor man of Olteram in the County of Six noere Hamburgh - - - - -10 Aug 13 — to Ellen Welsh who came out of Glouces- tershire 8 Sept 6 — to John Horslye of Saltfleete in Lincolnshire 6 Sept 9 — to William Walter out of Shropshire - 6 5, 20 — to Richard Herbert of Brimmingham where was an hundred fifty & five dwellinghouse burnt by Pr Rupert - - - --60 Sept 27 — to Ellen ffoster a Captaines wife and to her 2 children - - - - - -10 Nov 4 — to May Meredith who came out of Ireland - 6 Nov 5 — to the ringers given - - - -50 Same day to Daniel Jones of Hainingham in W^or- cestershire and to his wife and 7 children - - 8 Nov 7 — for glazing the windows at the church house 500 Nov 8 — to Anne Jones and Dorothy Beales vi^ - 6 Nov 22 — to William Becke and Robert Becke of South Ferry in Lincolnshire - . . ^ Dec 2 — to Wiling Browne xii^ Dec 9 — to Margarite Browne & 2 children iijd - - - .13 164I Jan 20th — to Honora Murrey, Mary Towgood 6 children and a maid theire lose 15001b . - 10 March 21 — To a mariner that was lame ivd March 22 — To John Stonehean his wife and 2 children ivd 8 March 24 — To John Starkye of Lancashire with his wife and 3 children loss ;^'i500 ... 6 1645. For making the pulpit cloth and the cushion 2^ — for a dosse for the pulpit 6^^ - - - - 2 6 For 2 skinnes for the cushions 14^^ for nayles and speekinge 2^ - - - - -14 For removing the pulpitt and the deske - - 7 THE churchwardens' ACCOUNTS. 77 For the sound board and setting it up - -140 Received as followeth for things sold : For lead - - - - - -158 Reed for the 3 poasts that stood about the fount - 2 o RecA for the surplice 14s and for the hood 6s 8^^ -108 To a poore woman that came out of Ireland - 6 To sixteen poore travellers for reliefe - - 10 Expenses when I went to Norwich to carry e the money that was gathered for Leicester- - - 10 1646. P(i to goodwife Haythorpe for keeping of old good- man Skipper - - - - -20 To Thomas ftield of Glossop in the county of Derbye cofhended by Mr. Rand'-' - - - -20 To Anne Mullenax come out of Ireland for her releefe - - - - - -10 To Elizabeth Ladale come out of Lincolnshire with 5 children - - - - - -10 To John Hayle for releefe having divDS of the Par- liamts hands to a stificate - - - -20 To Anne Mowling out of Staffordshire xii^ To a poore woman out of Ireland xii^ - . -20 To 4 lame soldiers for releefe - - -10 Given to 72 poore people at sevDall times whereof many lame soldiers - - . . 91 for sallitt oyle [for the clock] and grease for the bells [an annual entry] - - - - --20 1648. given to an Irishman for releefe 6^ to James Welsh for releefe 4^ - - - - - 10 given to Mary Spenser & Elizth Spenser for releefe - 8 to Anne Hunting & her foure children for releefe - 8 to John Brucks & Thomas Bruckes theire wives and ^ children 5 to William Grymes wife that came to have lefte a breefe to gather - - - - - o For an houre glass for the chappell - - - 8 1650. Itm to the Upper Bench & Marshallseas - " 3 5 o Itm for taking downe the late King's Armes & send- ing to Denton - - - - -10 * Perhaps John, late painful preacher of the Gospel, buried in Redenhall chancel. REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. 1651. Paid to a company that had an order under the hands of the comittee for the Irish affairs directed to the church Wardens for releefe - - -20 1658. It WilHam Stubs for a pubHck bason . - 3 4 1659. Reed of mr ffrere for breaking up the church 6s 8ci The Hke mr Granger 6s 8d I 660- I. to the Ringers upon Coronation day - - -40 [Charles II. crowned 23 April, 1661.] Paid for Mr Frost's diner when he went p^ambulacon 2 o gave to foure distressed seamen going home - i o gave to another in the same want ... ^ for Brock when he went ppambulacon for his diner - i o 1661. for Running Sooo^i weight of Lead at 4s 8d ,p cent 18 13 4 ffr Wyne & bread for the Sacrament - - 58 [The first such entry since 1641.] 1662. pd for the King's Armes at London 4^1 5s for a box & bringing downe 2s - - - -470 for a frame for the King's Armes - - -go for help to set up the King's Armes and for making cleane the Spread Eagle - - - -50 paid to John Browne for glazing the church before the great wind - • - - - 2 6 6 For an acte made for the King's preservacon - 4 paid for the surplice - - - - 160 1663. Itm to John Morley for drawing the tcnne Com- mandements [See Canon 82] - - -50 Itm for a Master of Arte his hood for the T^Iinister -160 Itm paid to Thomas Neech for a Towne chest -100 Itm for writing a certificate of non-communicants - . . . Itm to Goodman Barker for carrying tS: bringing again the font from Norwich - - -170 THE churchwardens' ACCOUNTS. 79 Itm to Marline Morley for stone and for fitting & setting up the font - - - - - 13 15 o To Mr Edwards an Essexman pDsecuted by the pope from Sylesia ..... 6 To sevl p9sons coming from the Isle of Wheedy - 2 o [Perhaps Whiddy Island at the head of Ban- try Bay.] 166^. 4 January the 12th — to a Captain's wife and a Doctor's wife Irish ppsons - - - - -16 1664. Given to Capt Hickey and his servant who were to be releeved according to his Maies order - - 16 Given unto two women whose husbands are in slavery in Turkye - - - - - -16 for scouring the flaggon and the communion cup - 2 1665. To the Apparitor for two books for thanksgiving for the victory ov*^ the Dutch . - . . 6 [This was the great sea fight off Lowestoft of the 3rd June, 1665. I may be excused for recalling the most notable incident of the engagement — the tremendous duel between the opposing flagships, the Royal Charles and the Eejidracht^ in the course of which a shot plunged through a group of officers on the English vessel, killing the Earl of Falmouth, Lord Muskerry, and Richard Boyle, second son of the Earl of Burlington. The Duke of York himself was smothered with the debris, and his hand is said to have been actually wounded by \ a fragment of Boyle's skull. Soon after noon ^ the Dutch flagship blew up, and Opdam with 500 of his men perished. Later in the day a son of the Earl of Berkshire was landed mortally wounded at Lowestoft, and the news of the victory must have been carried through Beccles and Harleston before night.] Charges — " when I went to pay the money collected for the releefe of Yarmouth " [Probably a contribution in aid of the sufferers from the plague. The epidemic was imported 8o REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. from Rotterdam in November, 1664, and did not die out until March, 1666. The mortality was very heavy.] for a quart of sacke and a jugge of beere for the visitors - - - - - - 2 2 Received by the Order of the Justice of the Peace by the hands of William Rogers for Obadiah Skinner in absenting himselfe from the Parish Church 3s ; of fferdinando Reade for his wife for the like 12^ ; of the wife of Symon Jacob 12^ for the like; and of Henry Smith 3s for the like — in all - - - - - -80 distributed to the poor .... 1666. To Thomas Smith for a chaine padlocke & staple for the booke of Martirs - - - -10 to the Apparitor for the book & proclamation for the victory o^- the dutch .... 6 [The four days' fight in June was at first reported as an English victory, though about equally disastrous to both fleets ; but this entry probably refers to the engagement off the North Foreland in July, when the Dutch lost 20 ships and 7,000 men.] Given to a Doctor of Phisicke & others who came out of the Isle of Iser in Ireland - - -10 1667. To Nathaniel Owen for writing the certificats twice about taking off the charge of Hearth money from the poor - - - - - - 3 ^ The Charge at the Sessions about taking the hearth money of from the poore - - - .56 [The obnoxious "chimney tax" of 2/- per annum upon every "fire hearth and stove" was imposed in 1663, and repealed in the first year of William's reign.] 1668. For planks and worke about Lush's bush and cutting of it - - - - - - 7 6 [Lush Bush, or " the Bush," about half way between Harleston and Redenhall church, where the lane from Gawdy Hall joins the high road. This was the traditional burial-place for suicides, and the legend is that the old tree known as THE churchwardens' ACCOUNTS. 8i "the bush," now cut down, sprang from the stake driven through a murderer and suicide of the name of Lush. As recently as 1813 an unhappy woman, who poisoned herself under suspicion of having murdered her child, was buried here. The story has been told me many times, with details too ghastly for repetition, by an old man, still living, who witnessed the scene as a boy. Creeping between the legs of the men who stood close round the grave, he saw in the gloom of the evening the parish constable fix the stake in position, while another drove it home with a heavy beetle, "Mr. Oldershaw" sitting his horse in silent charge of the pro- ceedings. A subscription was made in Harleston for this woman's daughter, and the girl was sent to a " Refuge for the Destitute," in London. Her subsequent career was not happy, for in 1828 the Superintendent writes to Henry Fox, *' I am sorry to say that A. T. has been pre- vented by the Laws of her Country from pro- ducing the fruits of gratitude therein ; " a quaint paraphrase explained by Fox's brief endorse- ment, "A. T. is gone to Botany Bay." The whole story seems scarcely to belong to the present century. The hideous practice was prohibited by an Act passed in 1823.] to two Travellers having losses at Sea by certificate 2 10 for a burning at Loddon 2 6 to a distressed Minister ^i8d - - . - - - -40 given to severall Passengers whereof divers Irish people and some seamen with passes - - i o g i66g. July 1 8th to John Davis A wyne Cooper of london ^ lost 400oii - - - - - - 2 6 August the 25th to Mi-s Butler widow of Captain Wilham Butler aged 80 years i8d & yd for her dyet 2 i [One would like to identify this officer w-ith one of the Butlers of the Civil War, but their name is legion. A Butler was killed on the King's side at Copredy Bridge, in July, 1644; another was cut off by the Irish near Trim, in August, 1647.] December 14th to Richard White A Souldier under Major gerJall Lambert .... 5 F 82 REDENHALL WITH HARLES'J'ON. 1670. 3. April Collected for 6 slaves in Sallcy redeemed by Thomas Oneby merchant . . . . 8 i January the 2T^t to Christopher Coborne gent son in law to Coll fhtzwilliam - - - -16 1671. Laid ont to the Ringers when the King passed by - 50 [In the Alburgh parish registers I find the following entry : — Memorandum That on Wednesday September the 27, 1671 Kinge Charles the Second did come through Harleston in his Progresse to Yarmouth and so from thence to Norwich.] 1674- 5. payd to Goodman Poole for killing of three foxes - 3 q 1675- 6. Itm for goeing to Bungay to speak the plummer for the Boule for the Font for my horse & horse meat i 6 in releef to a Seaman . . . . 5 pd in relief to 3 Seamen that traveled by certificate 6 A large outlay this year for lead including : — The bowel for the font weying 2V 23!^ at 3d per lb - 199 1675- It pd to Samuell Knights for goeing twise downe to Captaine Freeston's for the Porch Key - - 6 1676. It layd out to an ancient man that came with cer- tificate ...... 5 1677. Laid out the 7^^^ of November at ye Bishops Court for four men & their horse .... Journeys for Mr. Mingaye's [Henry Mingay, Rector] diner and expenses - - - -192 1678-9. Laid out the day of perambulation — by Fdnumd Herring 6^ 8^ lS: by John Wright 5^ 8^1 - - 124 THE churchwardens' ACCOUNTS. 83 [This item was challenged at the next parish meeting. The payment was allowed for that time because the churchwardens had not referred to their predecessors' accounts, " but this never to be drawn into precedent hereafter Nor anything allowed but for the Minister Clark and a fitt number of boys that attend y^^ in going the bounds of the parish."] Given to a family that suffered great loss by fire - i o For mending the Tippet . _ . . 8 For making clean the Sprid Eagle to Robt Buxton & for carriage and recarriage - - - 150 Paid Robt Buxton for making clean the church clock 12 o [It seems that the great brass lectern was frequently taken dow^n to Harleston to be scoured and made bright. What with the polishing and carriage of the " sprid eagle," beer for them that holp to put it in the cart and beer for them that holp to take it out, the charge on the parish was considerable. The money was paid this year, "but never to be allowed so much hereafter."] 1680. Item for want of a Booke of Homelies and a plate to sett the Comunion Bread on Both p^sented by vissiters - - - - - -20 Payd Samuell Knights for gathering up the stones which fell from ye steeple - - - -10 [The north-west pinnacle of Redenhall tower has a stone inscribed : " This Spire was demol- ished in the Year 1680 and Rebuilt in the year 1681 by Hen. Fenn and John Dove, Church Wardens, John Fenton Mason, Ed Knights."] 1681. Disbursed by Henry Fenn Gent : Expended at the half Moone [now the London and Provincial Bank] upon M^" Fanton when we made a bargaine with him for rebuilding of the Turrett of Redenhall Steeple - - - -60 Paid Isaack Tooley for Two bottles of Tent wine for the Communion The day before Whit Sunday & for 2 breads - - - - 4 10 Paid for a Bottell of Clarret for the Vissitors - i o 84 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. Expended upon Fanton and his men att severall times whilst they were doeing their work at the Church - - - - - - 4 lo Paid for a bond for Mr Fanton to seale to for main- taining the Speer or turrett of the Steeple - 6 Expended at the sealing the bond and the concluding of all - - - - - - I o Paid Peter Caton for two bottles of Tent wine for Coinunion at Christtide and for 4 breads - - 50 Paid Mr Fanton for building the turret of the Steeple and other worke done about the church on my part 14 o o Disbursed by Mr John Dowe Paid to Mr Brigstock for viewing of the turrett of the Steeple & ezpenses - - - - - 14 o P "care of the poore in time of the small-pox." Perhaps the most serious of the incidental charges thrown upon the poor-rate, was the expense occasioned by the often severe epidemics of small-pox, which broke out in the town at frequent intervals. The following figures may be THE overseers' ACCOUNTS. lor of interest, though, as they refer only to persons reheved by the parish, they will not give us any idea of the total amount of sickness. In 1638-9 and 1642-3, there were slight epidemics, one family being relieved in each year. In 1666-7, we find disinfecting work paid for, suggesting a suspected case of small-pox, or possibly plague. In 1670-T, there was a serious outbreak, involving nine families, and causing general alarm in the neighbourhood, so that the fear of infection kept people away from the town. In 1675-6, there was another epidemic of equal gravity, in which again nine families were relieved by the overseers. In 168 1-2 one parish family was afflicted. During the two years 1 688-1 690, small-pox again prevailed in Harleston, ten families were relieved, and there are indications that the number of cases was very considerable. The epidemic of 17 12-3 is noted later on. The overseers had another source of income which I have not yet mentioned. At the end of each year's accounts is an entry of the fines imposed by the magistrates for various offences, and paid over by them, as prescribed by law, for the use of the poor. These offences include swearing, absence from church, Sabbath-breaking, drunken- ness, being disordered," tippling on the Lord's-day, keeping alehouses without Hcense (20s.), not selling beer according to statute (15s.), "laying on" beer to unlicensed houses, and so on. The repetition of names suggests the idea that pubhcans under some circumstance found it cheaper to pay the fines — which do not seem to have been progressive — than to provide themselves with alehouse licenses. 1619-20. The total rate this year amounts to £z'-j 13 5. The highest assessment is that of Lady Gawdy 7s id a month; then came Roger Gybbes 8^, John I02 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. Corboiild 5^'? John Bancroft i^, Thomas Cotton 8all tymes in her sickness - - - - - - 3 2 La3^d out for a syeth & a shovell for Jo Branch - 4 6 for Francis Crane for shoes & stockings - 32 „ for Cooks girl for her gown & overbody - i 8 for Sara Gooding for aparell & in her tyme of sickness at sev^all tymes - - - 17 3 Layd out to Xpofer Bird for stockings and at his need - - - - - - - 2 10 Layd out to Robt davy for his chimney - - 4 ,, for burying of John Botwright - ■ - 16 for ij Rates makeing & a payre of Inden- tures for one of Digerson's children - - 40 Layd out for this Booke for the Towne - - 10 to Abraham Baly by the consent of S^" Clipsby Gawdy & Cotton for the bynding forth of Richard Digerson out of the collection money - 3 13 10 Layd out for writeinge the accompt & for copying it in the Booke - - - - - 2 6 1620-1. Laid out to Heny Jacobb for mending of clothes for the poore - - - - - -20 Laid out at sev£)all tymes for makeing & mending of clothes hose & shooes & ij smocks for Sillett - 5 6 Laid out at sevDall times for Rich Botwrights wife in her sickness, for a sheete to bury her & church duties - - - - - - 5 THE overseers' ACCOUNTS. Laid out to parnell dunnett in her sickness & con- fnent - - - - - - 9 2 Laid out to Eliz meene at sevDall times in her sick- ness & for a sheete to bury her - - * 7 5 Laid out to the widd. Robinson at her husband's death - - - - - - 2 8 Laid out for fetching wood for John Branch - i o ,, for Barbering of poore children - • - 4 for makeing & fetching of wood for the poore - - - - - - 5 2 Laid out to WiUrn Stubbes towards apparell for AUce Seversame who he hath taken apprentice - 20 o Laid out to Jo Egmer towards apparrell for Eliza Beddingfild who he hath taken apprentice - 24 o 1621- 2. Laid out to Anthony Davy in his sicknes - - 26 for a sheete to bury him - - - 4 2 for laying him forth & other chargs at his buriall - - - - - - 8 10 Laid out to Henry Jacob for housrent & at his need - 6 8 for Sara Gooding for a smockcloth - 2 2 ,, unto Thomas ffuller to distribute unto the poore - - - - - -50 Laid out to Tho Buck for church duties for Pernell donett Anthony davy & Syllett - - - 2 6 Laid out to Bungay for ringing the bell twice - 8 for wood & stacking of it for the poore -147 for horsehire & chargs to Si" . Arthurs ^ i 8 [Sir Arthur Heveningham] ,^ chargs at Norwh for Willm Tompson & myselfe - - - - - - 2 5 Laid out to Benefilds boy at Stratton - - 2 for my Lords Orders - - -10 for obteyning my Lords warrt for M> Baxter - - - • - - 7 6 1622- 3. pd to Robert Dogett for 30 fagotts - - • 40 Robert Browne for stouringe & makinge the woode on the Causye - - - -16 pd for a mattock which we lent to Robert Davy - 2 6 1623- 4. pd for 4 yards of Carsey for John Branch & his wife 7 o „ for a sheete to bury Nicholas Benton^s wife - 20 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. p:l for fetching the beere & carying lier to churrch & laying her forth - - - - - 3 6 pd for making the grave & church duties for Bentons wife JO pd for a warrent for Robte Ellett for refusing to pay the collection ..... ^ Alsoe delivered to the new Overseers a towne mattock to lend unto the poore Reed 26s of the brewers for fynes 1624- 5. Fines received : — Reed of Amy Leverige for sweareing an oath before the Justices - - - - - -10 Reed of Francis Lord for suffering of people to be drinking in his house in ye tyme of devine service 5 o Reed of Richard Drake by the appointment of Mi" Cotton for disorders in his house - - - 10 o Reed of Thomas Browne for disorders at yt tyme - 3 4 of Willm Ould by the appointment of Cotton for his misdemeanor - - -40 Reed of Rob-e Bucknhain for swearing an oath - i o 1625- 6. paid Tho Elgoods wife for of towe for her - 2 o for a wynding sheete & thred for John Lud- brooke wch dyed at Bakers Barne - - - 2 2 [A locality in Redenhall still known by the same name.] paid more to Rob^e Buckingham for cureing of old Buckes legge - - - - -50 paid to E. Killip [?] Bungay & another traveller in the sicknes tyme - - - - -20 [It was a plague year.) Money laid out to employ the poor to worke wth hemp & other comodities . . - . To Willm Meenes wife and others - - -30 Fines received : — Daniel Andrews for being absent from church - i o Stephen Elmy, Bartholomew Watling, John Corbyn, Francis Lord, John Gowing, & Roger Carver, Ale- housekeepers for not selling beere according to the Statute - - - - - - 4 10 o THE overseers' ACCOUNTS. THE PLAGUE IN HARLESTON, 1 62 6. There can be little doubt that the malady which visited Richard Middaye's household in 1626, was the true bubonic plague of the period. 1625 was a great plague year in the metropolis, and the mortality there was terrible. In June," writes Whitelock, "by reason of the Plague in- creasing, the Parliament was adjourned to Oxford.'' In the same year occurred the great outbreak at Norwich. The infection is said to have been brought from Yarmouth in the end of Tune, but the presence of the disease in the latter town is not recorded. The death-rate from plague in Norwich reached a maximum of seventy-three per week. "The infection," says Dr. Creighton,''' "lingered on until December, 1626, and the total number of victims was 1,421." There was also a plague at Lynn in the end of 1625. The severity of these outbreaks gave rise to a feel- ing of apprehension and uneasiness throughout the country, and there are frequent references to this period in the records of parishes not themselves afflicted, as "the time of sickness," and so on. Fasts were observed, and prayers offered for the cessation of the scourge, and I think it probable that "the alteration of the Markett" at Harleston, in 1625, may have been some measure of precaution against infection. The town was, of course, in almost daily com- munication with Norwich, and the risk was certainly great. The contagion was brought at length by a stranger, who sickened with the plague at Richard Middaye's house, and died there, apparently in October. He was buried by the overseers for greater safety in a coffin — with one exception, the first mentioned in our accounts, the general practice then being to bury the poor in a simple winding sheet. * History of Epidemics in England^ II., 525. io6 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. Middaye and his family were strictly isolated in a building referred to as " the watch house," and one, Richard Buck, was employed to look after them. For this he received the liberal pay of 3s. 6d. a week, and the whole party were amply supplied with food and drink, firing, and all other necessaries. By these precautions the plague was confined to Middaye's family, though a child of Robert Gooding was at one time under suspicion. In the single household visited, however, there appear to have been three deaths.'*' The entries cease at the end of December, when "the watch house" was cleaned, fresh daubed with clay, and generally renovated. The ordinary resources of the overseers were insufficient to meet this outlay, and a special rate was levied ; the assessment is headed : — The Coppie of a Rate made by ye inhabitants of Harlston the 30th daye of October ao 1626 for & conserning the Releife of Richard Middaye & his family in the tyme of their Vissitacon of the Plague Colected by Simon Turpen & Joshua ffysher Colectors for the poore the said yeere. Lady Gawdy is charged is. 3d., three times her usual monthly assessment. The total amount raised was jQ6 13s. od. The names of the persons rated follow: — Allen Clarke Elmie G owing Burley Cole Edmonde Gower Buck Crosbie Frere Garrold Burie Churchyard Fuller Harvie Barber Chandler Faynt Harcock Cooke Corben Fisher Keepas Chalker Carver Fulcher Lord Corbould Drake Gawdie Lovell Catermole ElUott Gooddale Moore Chapman Egmer Graygoose Major * Mary and Jane, daughters of Richard Midda, were buried iithand 14th November, 1626. THE overseers' ACCOUNTS. 107 Newson Southouse Wales Jarmy Owing Smyth Woode Tubbie Primrose Sent Westgate Wright Parker Stimson Wharton Stearling Pidgion Stubbs Watling Selling Peele Spalding Dawson Peek stronger Smyth Roger Sunham OUTDWELLERS. (jrrudgfild Rochester Smyth Stanford Russels Thirloe Gotten Damett Raspars Tompson Harcock Flatman of Sheppard Turpen Jermy Shelton Seman Turner Tharson Manning Afterwards appears an account of the expenditure of the money : — The accompt of the monyes before Colected by Simon Turpen & John ffisher viz : — Inpmis Layd out for a cofer to bury the stranger in that dyed at Middayes - - - -60 It given to goodmii middaye ijd to bye him beere - 2 It pd to Jo Go wen for ij G & di of billets for Richard. midday the 30. of October - - - -50 It pd to wm Ghapmn for a ferkin of beere for him - i 6 It pd more for a Gheese for him - - -14 It pd to goodmn Gorbould for a stone of beife - 2 o It pd to Goodman Buck for bread & beere - -16 It pd more for milke, oatmeale, Gandle & salt - 11 Itm pd to goodmn Buck ye 8 of November for him- selfe - - - - - - - I 6 It pd for a pint of Butter - - - - 4 ob It pd to goodmn Gorbould for ii^i of beife - -16 It pd to John Seely the gth of November for worke that he did at the wat*^ house - - -14 It pd for spices suger Gandle & strong water the 10 of November 8 It more the same daye for dragon water & treacle - 4 It the II of November for bread, beere, milk, salt, scope, and for fetchying the beere - - -20 [The bier for the child Mary.] It more pd for a rack of mutton & a li of Gandle - 9 ob It more November the 11 for a Goofer - -18 It pd more to Ric buck for himselfe - - -16 It pd more for bread, beere, butter, cheese, milke, strong waters, and soope November 15 - - 3 1 io8 REDFNHALL WITH HARLESTON. t ptl more to Richard Buck for himselfe - -30 t for a bord to Carry the Child on - -02 [Probably Middaye's daughter Jane.] t pel the 18 of November for a loyne of mutton - o 9 t pd to margaret Hall the 20 of November for searching of Robt Goodings child - - -06 t pd the 22 of November for bread, beere, and other releife for them - - - - - 3 4 t pd more to Richard Buck for himselfe - -40 t pd him more for Candle - - - -02 t pd from the 22 of November, to the 29 for 3^^ of Cheese - - - - - -06 t for Candle, soope, milk, oatmeall and for halfe a pint of Butter - - - - - o 8 ob t pd for bread & beere - - - - 3 8 t pd for Honie, pep|), ginger, pins and strong water o 7 t pd for a pint of butter & small beere - -05 t pd for yli of Beife - - - - -11 t pd to Richard Buck - - - - -36 t pd to Jo Gowen & James Newson for 5 hundred of billitts - - - - - - 9 7 t pd for of Cheese for them December the 3d -10 t more for beife - - - - -15 t pd for beere - - - - - - 2 9 t for bread and for flower - - - -12 ;tm p^ for a quart of butter 3^1 of cheese, pepp, milke, oatmeall, salt, & small beere - - - i 8 ob ;t pd to Ric buck, december the sixt - - -36 ^t pd the same daye for To we for the w : church - o 8 [t pd the 9 of december for a peece of porke - -10 [t pd more for beere & bread - - ■ 3 ^ [t pd for beere, bread, milke, oatmeale, a li of Candle, soope, pepp, strong water and small beere o 11 ob [tm pd to Ric Buck the 13th of December - - 3 ^ [t pd the same daye for a quart of Butter and for 4^1 of cheese - - - - - - i 5 [t pd the 17 daye for di stone & jli of beife - -11 [t pd the 20 daye for bread & beere - - -31^ [t pd for Candle, soope, pepp, salt & oatmeale - o 6 [t pd more to Rich: Buck the same daye - - 3 ^ [t pd the 27 daye for beere - - - - 2 5 It pd more for bread & fflower - - -12 It pd for Candle, pepp, ginger and oatmeale - ' ^ It pd for a peece of Beife - - - -08 It more pd for Beife - - - - -16 It pd for Cheese and a pint of Butter - - -14 It pd to Ric Buck the 27 daye- - - - 3 ^ THE overseers' ACCOUNTS. It to Jo: Seirian for Carryage of billitts It to the widd : Church at ij sevDall tymes It to Tho: Buck for 3 buryings and 3 graves It pd more to Chapmn for a vessell of Beere It pd to Tho : Stonhm for bords to repaire the watch house with ------ It pd to Middaye the first daye he went It pd to Jo : sent & goodmn Gibbons for daubing It pd for Claye to daube it wth all - It pd for splent yarne and strawe It pd to Tho : Church for making cleane the house & going to church w'^ ye Corse It pd more to James Newson for billitts It pd for a pinte of Butter . - - . THE overseers' ACCOUNTS CONTINUED, 1626- 7. It to Rich Sewell for his bloud letting more layd out for a fleeme to lett horses bloude - ,, pd m^^ Smyth for a of cloath for ye Souldier ,, given to ffayth Crane to paye for the healing of her Legg ------ given to the souldier at his depture out of ye Towne This year nine persons are fined is. each for being absent from church. Robt. Keepas fined los. *'for selling of brackett on the Saboth day in sermon tyme." 1627- 8. Fines received : — Isack Noyse & John Parkers being found drunk Francis Churchyard for suffering company to drinke in his house in the tyme of divine S^vice - Barthol: Watling for suffering of company to be drunk in his house ----- Deliv9ed into the hands of Jo Westgate one mat- tock of the Townes 1628- g. This year relief is given at the rates of 4d., 6d., 8d., I id., and i6d. per week. In most cases 2d. per week more is allowed for the twenty-eight weeks of winter. I lO REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. Layd out about the Towne house for Strawe & workmens wages - - - - - 4 4 1630-1. Fines received : — For drawing beer without license, for laying in beer to an unlicensed house, for swearing, and for sabbath breaking. Payments : — pti for new laying ye towne mattock ... 10 pd to Tho Corbold for a horse for ye widd Gooden to Norwich - - - - - -14 Special rate made 20. Feb. 1631 for putting forth of a towne childe being the daughter of Frances Botwright & other extraordinary charges for the poore amounting to - - - - - 6 8 8 1632- 3. Laid out for Laurence Crane to Ric Stronger to redeeme his bedde ye 10 dale of december Given to Laurence Crane for to paie for his lodging to Strouger and some other releife for him Fifteen persons are in receipt of regular relief the entire year. Fines for keeping alehouses without license : — Thomas Assie 20s, W"^ Chapman 20s, John Lowe 20s Levied of the goods of Giles Beddingfield for the like offence to the value of 15s Given back again to the said Tho Assie being a poore man lo^^ ; and to the children of the said John Lowe being poore 20^^ 1633- 4- Laid out for cloathing for Crane los, for stockings i^, for clasps for his hoose i^y for making his suite 2^ pd for Aldred to helpe him out of Norw^h Jayle p;^ Redenhall with Harleston, though not made under a brief, follows naturally in this place. A Just Account of all such sums of money as was given ffrom severall parishes and perticular psons as there charety towards the Reliefe of many psons and ffamelys afflicted with the small pox & otherwise in the parish of Redenhall & Harleston with Mendham end, and was paid into the hands of us Mr Thomas Baylie & James Barnes Church Wardens in the time of our office and distributed by the order of the Chief Inhabitants afforesaid as Appeare one the other side of this Leafe ImpDmis Received ffrom Beckles in Suffolke - Received ffrom Alburg. in Norfolk Received ffrom ffresingfield in Suffolk Received from Mendham & ffrom John HerneEsqr & from Richard ffreston Esqr Reed, ffrom Dickelburg and Langmer Reed, ffrom PuUham St Mary Magdelen Norff. & ffrom Mrs Mary Starkey Reed ftrom Saylhome in Suff - Reed ffrom St petus in Norwich Reed ffrom St Andwos in Norwich Reed ffrom the Close in Norwich 19 02 3 06 00 0 09 08 3 04 00 0 03 10 0 00 13 4 «5 09 5 05 02 6 01 00 0 04 00 7 08 07 3 04 05 0 06 I z 0 BRIEFS. Reed ffrom St Giles in Norwich - 03 00 3 Reed nrom St Hellm s m Norwich - 00 10 0 Reed nrom Mr James Kerrich m Norwich - 01 10 f> Reed nrom Weybread m Siinolk - 07 08 (> Reed ffrom Denton in Norft'k - 09 00 ft & nrom M«^^ John Wales - 00 10 0 Keed rirom Crattiielu m bun k - 03 14 0 Reed ffrom Linstead Magna in SufPk - 00 10 6 Kecd nrom Brockciisn in Norn k - 02 GO 6 & nrom tne Keva Mr 1 no ralgrave - 01 01 6 Reed ffrom Mouton in Norff'k - 01 1 1 4 Kecd nrom btraabrook m bun k - 05 10 /: Reed ffrom Winkfield in Suffk - 05 00 9 & ffrom Madam CornwalHs - 01 GO 0 Reed ffrom Rewshall in NorfiPk - 01 10 0 Kecd nrom Mettnid m bun k - - 00 00 0 Kecd nrom Holswortn m Sun k - 00 og 2 Reed ffrom Hemnell in Norff'k - 05 GO 9 Reed ffrom Collo. Herbert - 02 03 0 Reed ffrom Edward Osbon Esq^ - 01 IG 0 Reed ffrom the Revd M^ Osbond - 01 GG 0 Reed ffrom M^ Lawrance Neave of Lodon ~ 01 GI Reed ffrom Mr Clear Garnish of Hednam - 01 00 Reed ffrom Mr Edmond Moor of Needham - - 00 05 Reed off ffrancis Long Esqr - - 02 03 Reed in all 148 16 2 Distributed Jn All as Apears one the other side of this Leafe . - . . . 148 16 2 [There is no detailed account of the expen- diture of this money, but simply a note of the amount paid away at each distribution — thus : ''Jan: 10. 171^? Distrybuted then by the order & consent of the inhabitants the sum of £9 9» 5 and so on. George Rayson notes that the average number of burials per annum for the three years ending March, ^7^^i was 36, whereas the burials at Redenhall in the year ending March, i7iy were 87. From this calculation, and from the sympathy and substantial help accorded by so many parishes, some idea may be formed of the ^34 rp:denhall with harleston. terrible nature of this visitation. Money came in from twenty-three parishes. Bungay appears to have sent nothing. Twenty-five years later the scourge fell upon them, when Harlestou contributed upwards of £35 for their relief.] XT. THE REDENHALL BELLS.- The history of the Redenhall peal has already been briefly recorded by L'Estrange. These extracts from the church- wardens' accounts are not, however, reprinted from his work, but are taken from the originals. I have also found and transcribed several items not given by L'Estrange, and have added a list of the subscriptions to the recasting of the sixth bell in 1588. The inscriptions upon the present bells are as follows : — 1. Richard Phelps of London made me 1736. 2. These two least bells were bought by the gifts of sundry benefactors obtained and collected by Mr. John Sawer 1737. R. P. fecit. 3. John Stephens Bcllfounder of Norwich 17 17. 4. R. Phelps T. Lester Londini fecit 1738^ 5. R. Phelps Londini fecit 1737. * My information as to the founders of the Redenhall bells is, of course, drawn from John L'Estrange's Church Bells of Norfolk and Dr. Raven's Church Bells of Suffolk. Dr. Raven has kindly looked through and checked my notes. 136 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. 6. □ coeU solamcn nobi^ D^t ticbs □ tljomas □ ^)raper □ me □ fecit 15S8 Q.J. On the crown, thrice, repeated, is Thomas Draper's shield — three bells, the lower between his initials, T.D. The stop is a flear-de-lis within a lozenge. 7. John Draper made me 162 1 □ John Draper's foundry mark — a bell between the initials I.D. 8. + Stella : iWaria : i^laris : 5t>ccbrre : ^ug^ima : Thrice repeated on the crown is the shield of the Bury St. Edmund's foundry — a device comprising a crown between two pairs of crossed arrows, a bell upon a pair of crossed keys between the initials f).s., and a cannon discharging a shot. A glance at the above inscriptions will shew that the present peal, as a whole, dates back only to the year 1738, when the fourth was recast. Since that time the peal has been undisturbed. The Inventory returned for Redenhall, in 1553, comprises five bells, estimated to weigh respectively ten, twelve, fifteen, nineteen, and twenty-four cwt. — a peal of unusual weight and value. None of these bells appear to have been taken by the Commissioners. It will, therefore, be noted, that from a date, not ascertained, but previous to 1553, until the year 1717, there were five bells in the tower; from 1717 to 1736-7 six bells, and from 1737 down to the present time e'ght. Blomefield wrote the Redenhall portion of his history in 1746 or 1747. He says "Here are 8 melodious bells, on three of which are these verses : 2^ bell ^^ctvb^ aO lEteme Dbcat nojs pafecbn Zb'itc. 4. (!?cH igolanun nobis tct J0cb5. Simcn. 15SS. 6. ^tclla i^laria i«aus THE REDENHALL BELI.S. ^37 ^bccbrrc piissiima noMs/* It will be seen that the inscrip- tion which Blomefield attributes to the fourth bell is, though incorrectly copied, that borne by our sixth," while the legend which he places upon the sixth is that which now appears upon the tenor. We may gather from this that Blomefield's notes were made previous to 1737, and that he overlooked the effect of the increase of the peal from six to eight in that year, and also the recasting of the fourth in 1738. If this be so, we are enabled to recover the inscri[)tion upon the old fourth (which Blome- field calls the second) before she was recast by the London founders. It is a legend often found upon Norwich bells, and suggests that the bell came from that foundry. We may date it late in the fifteenth or early in the sixteenth century, and ascribe it to one of the Brasyers. We will now take the existing bells seriatim, and see what is known of their founders. Ireole a?id Second. — These bells were cast 1736 and 1737, in the famous Whitechapel foundry, now in the hands of Messrs. Mears and Stainbank. This foundry has had a continuous existence for upwards of three hundred years, and still shews no sign of impaired vitality. The present firm and their predecessors have produced some of the best bells to be fpund in the country. Third. — This bell was cast at the Bracondale foundry m 17^75 by John Stevens. It must have been one of the first bells produced by him there, for he only came to Norwich in 17 17, on the departure of Thomas Newman, who was a travelling bell-founder, setting up his moulds and furnace wherever he could find work to do. Stephens died in 1727, whereupon Newman returned to Norwich, and his successor. * Blomefield had perhaps in his mind an earlier form of this inscription, to be found on the tenor at Brampton, Suffolk. 138 r?:denhall with harlestom. Thomas Gardiner, is the last recorded name on the long list of Norwich founders, of whom the first known is a certain William, who cast the bell now at Hellesdon before 1384. Fourth. — From the inscription upon this bell, we know that it was cast in the London foundry, by Messrs. Phelps and Lester, in 1738, but I have not been able to find any references to it in the parish books. I can only suppose that the accounts relating to its casting were made up separately, and have been since overlooked or lost. Fifth. — It will be seen from the accounts to follow, that this bell has been twice, if not three times, recast — first by John Stephens, of Norwich, in 17 18, being spHt ; " and then by R. Phelps, of London, in 1737, when the tieble and second were added to the peal. It is puzzling to note that this bell, when turned out by Stephens in 17 18, weighed, allowing for loss by chipping, 10 cwt. 2 qr. 27 lb., and yet the same bell, when sent up to London in 1737, is set down at 9 cwt. 2 qr. 13 lb. only — a discrepancy of more than a hundred-weight ! It would seem from the accounts that the bell mide a journey to Norwich to be " new roon " in 17 19, possibly its weight was reduced then. Sixth. — This splendid bell was cast by Thomas Draper, at Thetford, in 1588. Draper was a successful founder. His earliest known bells are two at Illington, dated 1577. In 1592 he was mayor of Thetford, and in 1595 he died. About a dozen of his bells remain in Norfolk and five in Suffolk. A bell from his hands has been found as far a-field as Hutton-in-the-Forest, Cumberland. The inscription upon the sixth (God grant us the joy of heaven) may be seen, slightly varied, upon the tenor at Brampton, but it is rare, and I cannot find another instance of it among Norfolk bells. Seventh. — This bell was cast in 162 1, by John Draper, third son of Thomas, the founder of our sixth. He worked THE REDENHALL BELLS. from 1600 — or earlier, until his death, in 1644 (though bad indeed was the trade of a bell-founder after 1640), and with him came to an end the Thetford foundry. John Draper was a most prolific founder, and probably two hundred of his bells still exist. As a rule they are good in quality, but not interesting as works of art, rarely bearing any legend other than "John Draper made me" in plain Roman letters. Tenor. — The shield upon this bell connects it with the Bury St. Edmund's foundry, and its date is fixed approxi- mately by the will of Thomas Bayly, of Harleston, who, in 1 5 14, gave 6s. 8d. "to the church of Rednale to the yotyng of the gret belle." It is most probable that the founder was Thomas Chirche or Church, who, in his will, proved 9th January, 1528, describes himself as a bell-founder. He was a son of Reignold Chirche, who had a predecessor in the business, to whom are attributed the initials i).^., found U[)on the shield used by the Churches. The name of this man has not been recovered, but there is some circum- stantiil evidence that he was working in the middle of the fifteenth century ; that he cast guns as well as bells is probable, from the cannon upon his shield, but no guns from Bury have yet been discovered. It is doubtful if any grander bell than the Redenhall tenor was produced by the Bury founders ; certainly no other of their hundred or so surviving bells can compare with it. Its note is E. Its dimensions, according to Captain Moore's measurements, are: — diameter, 50.5 inches; height to crown, 37.5 inches ; height to top of cannons, 56 inches; height inside, 37 inches. The bell has suffered a great deal at the hands of the tuners, having been chipped inside to flatten it, and on the verge to sharpen it, the latter process having reduced its diameter by some half an-inch. The tenor is the only pre-reformation bell remaining in 140 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. the tower. Its inscription (Star of the sea, most holy Mary, succour us) is not very common in East Angha, but is found on the seventh at All Saints, Sudbury. Fortunately the legend escaped mutilation at the hands of the zealots. They did mischief at Tivetshall and Pulham St. Mary the Virgin, but they left the Redenhall tenor alone. The tower is lofty, and the newel stair dark and steep. EXTRACTS FROM THE CHURCHWARDENS' ACCOUNTS RELATING TO THE BELLS. THE TREBLE, SECOND, AND FIFTH. 1737- The adding two Trebles to make the Six Bells a compleat Peal of Eight, having met with the Apporbation of the Minister and Chief Inhabi- tants of this parish, a Subscription was there- upon set on foot, and Mr. John Sawer, then Churchwarden appointed Sole manager thereof, who soon brought it to effect ; and hereunder is a list of the Subscribers names in both Town and neighbourhood and also the Several Sums of Money by them Subscribed. The total sum subscribed in Town - - - 55 7 ^ [The list includes forty-six names ; amongst them Simon Kerrich £10 los. od., and the Rev. Mr. Tanner £^ 3s. od.] By County Gentlemen - - - - 43 13 o [Including Dr. John Bacon, Dean of Norwich, £1 IS. od.] 5th Apl 1737. An Accot of the Charge of Two new Bells at Redenhall together w^h the necessary expence of additional metal for the fifth and all other Con- tingent Charges as appear by the separate Bills in the Town Chest. * His youngest daughter Mary was the second wife of Simon Kerrich. THE REDENHALL BELLS. c qr li The Treeble - 6 2 17 The Second - 6 o 10 12 2 27 @ ;^'6 p C. - - 76 g o Two new Clappers 42^* @ 9^ - - - - i 1 1 6 The Fifth - 10 i 25 Old Bell sent up - g 2 13 New Metal - o 3 12 at ;f6 p C. - -530 A new Claper 30^1 1/4 @ gd - - - -128]^ For casting the Fifth Bell - - - To carting &c at London - - - - 7 6 To Hen Spendlove for 2 p^ new Brasses 12^^ 1/2 @ 12^ ,,12 6 To John Redgriffe for Timber and work as p bill -859 To Tho Seaman for two new Wheeles &c as ^ bill -515 To Will Fairhead for Iron work as p his bill - 114 To John Turner for 4 New Gudgins &c as p bill - i g o To John Dowsing for ship freight - - - 152 To Sam^ Wright for Land Cariage - - . - 10 6 To John Lord for 2 new Ropes - - - 5 9 102 THE THIRD BELL. I717. An acct of all Such sumes of money as was subscribed by ye Seaverall persons towds ye making of a new Treble Bell at ye Parish Church of Reddenhall Colected by Mr Richard Calver a Volentary Assistent to Jno Sawer Church Warden in yt affair and is as under viz. Jno Wogan 346 Tho Bransby 346 Mr James Doyle Minstr i 10 o [71 subscribers in all, including " a friend who would not be nam'd " — total £^8 3s. 4d.] The Disbursments for ye New Bell and ye Contingent Charges there to relating. Payd M»* Jno Stephens Bell founder - - - 39 17 6 Payd M*" Robt Mashland for ye Jron worke a bout ye same - - - - - - 2 ig 6 Payd W"! Colings for Whele Stock and hanging ye same - - - - - -200 Payd Mr Reader for two pices of Timber and making Redy ye frame in wc^ it hang - -120 14^ REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. Payd Mr Hart for a new Rop for ye same - - 3 ^ Payd Francis Longe for ye Caridg of y^ Bell from Norwich - - - - - - 7 6 Totall Expences wt 6 Jornys to Norwich and upon workmean and by way of helpe in giting it up - i 13 kj 48 3 4 The weight of ye Bell is as under 6c 21 8ii THE FIFTH BELL. 1661-2. for a new Whele for the second Belle to Philip Baker - - - - - -go for helpe to lift up the second bell & to hang it - 2 u 1718. July 12'^^ Paid to Mr Ino Stephens Bell founder for casting or Rooning the third Bell being split which weighed gc 3q 27'i at the price of £1 4s od ^ hunderd - - - - 11 19 08 Mettle Added to ye new bell 84^^ at i« p pound - ~ - - 4 04 00 16 03 08 The wt of ye New bell when Roon ^ 10 3 23 The wt of ye Old bell wos - - 09 3 27 Additinoll Mettle 00 3 24 Wasted by Chiping to bring it in Tune 00 o 24 16 03 oS qrs 1 Rest 00 3 00 The Wt of ye New Bell wos 84^^ moore then ye old with ye chiping Deducted That came to £4. 4s od As Above Mention^ wch makes ye sume £16 03s o8d Paid Wm Paine [a blacksmith] for earring ye split Bell to Norwich & Bringing it Back when Roon - ^5 *J 1719. Charges i [Thos Reeve] wos at for help in Taking y« Bell down & fixing it up 6ec ^ - -7 g THE REDENHALL BELLS. M3 Sept 28. Paid to James Lufife for earring the third Bell to Norwich & bringing it Back when new Roon - - - - - - 14 o THE SIXTH BELL. The Acounts of John Chrybbs & Willm Burton beyng churche wardens for the collec- tyon & gatheryng for the newe castyng of the iijd bell of Reddenhale 1588. ffurste Sur thorns gawdi Randole picroft xij^ thadmynistracon of the divine S9vyce ther [the said] chales wf ye paten, | wt the paten of sylv? peel gilt weyng by . . . . . e owncs evs)y ounce at iij^ viijd that was [carrie] d away by Myles Woodhouse p sshe prest there a© 1553 [and sold b]y hym to Felix Puttok of Norwyche Goldsmyth valet [In] Wytnesse Wherof as well the sayd ComissiofJs as others before named to thes pse[nt]s alternatly sett ther Sygnes manuell the daye & yeare above Wfritten] by me Rychard Wheatlee Wyllyam alyn J'- xxxnjs The following inventory is entered in the first few pages of the earliest volume of churchwarelens' accounts. 1577- A note of ye Churche goods remayning in ye Churche of Reddchall Aduo 1577 Itm one clothe of yelowe sylcke for ye comunyo Table Itm A clothe of sylcke for ye pulpet Itm A cushyn of sylcke nedell werke lyned wth vellet Itm a Table cloth of Dyap9 for ye Comuyo Table Itm j other Lypnyn clothe for ye same Table Itm iij dyap9 towels for ye coinunicats Itm iij Syrplases for ye poson Itm iiij Salters * Norfolk Church Goods. Temp. Edw. VI, Augmtnt. Office, No. 50J page 71. CHURCH GOODS AND PLATE. Itm a cuppe of svIvd wt cover for ye coiTiunicats I tin ij Towels vsuallye layde vpo y^ beere Itm j olde Cushyn of whyte & greene r!<)dell werke Itm j olde S9vyse book of Kyiig Edward's tymc Itm j Omelye booke I tin y« paraphras of Erasmus vpo y« gospels & epystles Itm ye defense of ye Apologye [Bishop Jewel's famous Apology for the Church of E7i_Q;land^ Itm a byble of ye large volume — lit margm^—'=^o\A^ by John Tomson churchwarden as appeareth by his account 1596 Itm musculars como plases [Wolfgang Musculus, the reformer, born 1497, died 1563, some time Professor of Divinity at Berne. j The folio A^ing items appear to have been added from time to time to the original inventory. Itm one new Byble bought by John Tompsone Churchwarden xxxiij-^ iiij^ Itm one inivnciones Itm the book of martirs Itm a Bible that was bought for the Chappeli [Blomefield misread bible, bell — V. 363 note.] Ifm a newe service book bought by nicholas Cooke & william w^arde Churche wardens for the year 1594 j bocke of prayer for o^" qvenes magest A bocke caled docter bellsones bocke bovte by Narthanyell Graygose & John Persone Churchwardens [in 1595 1 newe service Booke bought by Thomas Corbould & Tho ffuller Churchwardens [in 1581] newe service Booke bought by WilW Tomson & John Bancroft Churchwardens ano 161 1 new Register Booke of Parchment wh redds covers one of them without anie thinge wrytten in yt the .... of pewter FROM THE CHURCHWARDENS' BOOKS. These things belong to the church, and were delivered to Mr. Thomas Bayly and Mr. James Barnes the two New Churchwardens for the year 17 12. Imp* Tne Communion table The Carpett of Redd cloath The Linnen Cloath The Napkin REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. The Velvet Cushion The Silver Cnpp and cover The pewter plate for the Bread The Flaggon of Pewter The new Comon prayer Booke The dosses and matting to be used at the Communion table The Bible of the largest character Two Comon prayer books more The pullpitt cloath of Scarlett Redd The pullpitt cushion of the same The Booke of Canons and Constitucons The Desk cloath of the same One new Surplis One old Surplis One hood The Booke of Homilis The Booke of Martars The Booke of Bishopp Jewells works The table of Degrees of marriages The chest with three locks The Brass Spread Eagle The Wooden Eagle The great thrush and stands The three ladders The clock weights The 2 pewter basons added in the year 1712 The Table with the Death sentans These things belonging to the Chappell & were delivered to the Churchwardens the same day Imps The Bible of a large Caracter The Comon prayer Booke The Surplis The Hood The pulpitt Cushion The table to lay them in The three Cromes and 25 Bucketts and 2 ladders for the use service of the Towne THE COMMUNION PLATE.- AT REDENHALL. ChaUce, Inscription— TR I N. VNL DEO. Ecclesi^e * The Rev. E. C. Hopper has kiadly looked through and checked these uotts for me. CHURCH GOODS AND PLATE. de Reddenhall cum capella de Harleston 1739. Marks — the leopard's head crowned, the lion passant ; date letter d for 1739; maker RG. Paten. Same Inscription and silver marks ; date letter P for 1730. Maker's mark an M between two stars of six points in pale. Paten (or salver). Same inscriptioa and silver marks ; date letter g for 1742. Maker | W.K. | Flagon, Same inscription and marks as chalice. Alms Dish (Electro Plate). i.h.s. in centre + God loveth a cheerful giver — Sexfoil depression. FROM THE churchwardens' BOOK. An Account of the Communion Plate bought for the use of ye church of Redenhall viz^ 1739- ozs. d. qr. s. d. £ s. d. Dec 22. One Church Flaggon 52 9 o @ 7 6 19 13 6 one Challis 13 16 o@7 6 5 3 6 one Pattin 18 2 o@7 6 615 9 To carriage & Gravieng 7 i To a piece of plate to] collect ye offotory 1- 14 12 o @ 8 g 6 410 money I Carriage from Norwich 6 3S 5 AT HARLESTON. The church plate at Harleston, comprising a chalice, two patens, flagon, and alms dish, was all acquired subsequently to 1849, up to which date the Redenhall plate was used here. The pieces are of quite recent date, with the exception of one of the patens. This is of Irish make, with "Easter, 1850," added in that year. The marks are the Dublin harp crowned, a black letter D for 1724, and the maker's mark EW under a crown. XTTT. THE OLD HARLESTON CHAPEL. The old chapel of wSt. John the Baptist, or St. John of Jerusalem, stood on the north side of the Market Place, on a site now occupied by new houses and shops. The history of the building, prior to the Reformat'on, is very obscure. Two early references to it are to be found in Blomefield ; he says that in 1469, Joan, widow of Robert Running, was buried in Redenhall church by the north door, and w^as a benefactrix to the steeple, church, and Harleston chapel, to all which she left legacies." He also cites the will, dated 151 1, of John Bacon, who ordered a priest to sing in the chapel of St. John, in Harleston, for him and his wife. Blomefield says the chapel *Svas a free chapel founded in all probability by Sir John de Herolfston for his own use,'"'' and states also that " being a free chapel it was dis- solved by the statute of Edward VL, and became afterwards vested in the inhabitants, and was by them settled on feoffees to their use." Archdeacon Warburton, in a letter to Bishop Bagot— to be presently quoted, takes another view. He says the chapel ^' belong'd to the Monastery of Bungay as well as the Rectory. At the dissolution of the * If built after 1138, the Bishop's license to consecrate should have been obtained under the 12th Westminster Canon. THE OLD IIARr.ESTON CHAPEL. Monastery, Harry the 8th granted tlie estates belonging to it to the Duke of Norfolk, and a Duke, in Queen Fdizabeth's reign, gave the Chapel of Harleston to the inhabitants for their use, and feoffees were appointed." It has also been suggested that the chapel was founded by a guild. St. John the Baptist was a favourite patron saint of the old guilds, possibly because the days of his nativity and decollation afforded a double occasion for festivity. There are, however, no facts at all to support this view, and we are even without evidence of the existence of any guild in the parish. It will, I think, be best to discuss the origin and history of the chapel in connection with the documents bearing upon the subject to which we have access. First among these is the statute referred to by Blomefield, w^hich must be the Act i, Edward VI., c. 14. By this all colleges, free chapels, and chantries, which had not been already appropriated by the Crown, were vested in the King absolutely. In case any of the confiscated foundations " should or ought to have kept a grammar school or a preacher, and so hath done sithen the feast of S. Michael the Archangel last past," the Commissioners carrying the act into effect were empowered to make pro ision out of the property appropriated "for and toward the keeping of a grammar school or preaching for such godly intents and purposes and in such manner and form. " as they should think fit. The goods and effects belonging to the suppressed colleges, &c., were also vested in the King. It is quite likely that the Chapel of Harleston passed to the Crown under this statute, and that the Commissioners, on the petition of the inhabitants, restored the building to the town for purposes of public worship. The Inventory of Church goods returned for Harleston in 1553, is as follows : — REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. HUNDRED OF LODDON. Harleston. This inventory indented made ye last day of August in the sixt year of ye reigne of our mst dread soverayne lord Edward the VI. by the grace of God king of Ingland France and Ireland, Defender of the faythe and of the Church of England and also of Ireland in earth ye supreme head Betwixt WilUam Farmor John Robsart Christopher Haydon Smythe Hubert Moundford Robert Barnes and others Commissioners amongst other assigned by vertue of the Kings ma^^ commission to them directed for the survey of Church goods in Norfolk of thon partye and Robert Thorne, John Drake, & Robert Ringer of the aforesaid towne of the other partye witnesseth that there remayne in the Custody of Robt Thorne John Drake Rob^ Ringer the day of the yere above written these parcels underwritten In primus on Chalice with a pattent of silver gilt, waying vii ounce and each ounce I xxvs viijd valued at iij^^ viijd ) Item ij vestments whereof one is of green ^ satten of breges another of bleu silk with I vis viijd ij albes valued at ) Item ij copes whereof one is of green silk) •••.^ another of white silk valued at | ^^^^ Item ij stepell bells waying by estimation^ i6cwt whereof one ixcwt another vijcwt valued I xij^i at 15s the hundred j Item a corsse of copper valued at xi]^ Itemij latten candlestickes valued at viijd Whereof assigned to be occupied and used in the admin- istration of divine service there the said chalice xxv^ viij and the least bell v^i vs In witness whereof the said commissioners & others the said persons to these Indenters have alternately putte their hand the day of the yere above mentioned'"' It will be noted that this inventory is returned by three men, all described as resident in Harleston, in whose custody the church goods appear to have been. They were * Public Record Office (Subsidy Series) ^g, No. 9. THE OLD HARLESTON CHAPEL. not the churchwardens for the year, and it is not stated in what capacity they acted. If Warburton's view were correct, the chapel would at this time have been in the hands of the Norfolk family, by virtue of the grant to them of the property of the Bungay house to which he refers. If Blomefield be right, Thorne, Drake, and Ringer represented the town, and they may have been the original trustees to whom the chapel was regranted, or their deputies specially authorised to act in this matter. The chapel appears from the Inventory to have been well equipped with all the necessaries for Divine Service. Besides the vestments and communion vessels, there were a cross and candlestick. But the most surprising thing about the Inventory is, that it includes two large bells, weighing nine and seven cwt. From this item we must infer the existence of a substantial tower, and indeed must conceive a building very different in plan and appearance from the old chapel as we knew it. No hint or tradition of such a building remains, and the mention of the stepell bells " may well raise a doubt whether the document relates to our chapel at all. The Inventory is headed " Hundred of Loddon," but this may well be a slip for Earsham, the adjoining hundred, while the references to Harleston, in Norfolk^ are explicit. There is no other Harleston in the county, and the application of the document to this town does not seem to admit of serious question.'" It will be noted that the Commissioners left for the use * The Inventory is included under Harleston in Mr. W. Rye's Index of Norfolk Topography, but is not mentioned by J. L'Estrange in his Church Bells of Norfolk, nor by Canon Manning in his Notes on the Church Plate of Redenhall Deanery. In 1553 there were also two bells at Harleston, Suffolk, but the returns for this parish are Augment Office Mis. Books, vol. 309, /i?/. 24, and Ibid vol, 310, fol. 79, and I have not confused the two places. 15^ REDKNHALL WITH HARLESTON. of the church only the cbaHce and the least bell. These have both \on^ since disappeared. Only two of the feoffment deeds, under which the chapel was so long held, remain in the parish chest. The earlier of these is dated 1632, but in one of the churchwarden's account books there is this entry : — 1594 Memorand rec^ into the hands of Nicholas Cooke . . . being Churchwarden . . . twoe deeds of the house called the Chappell to be kept unto the use of the towne of Harleston. And underneath in a later hand this note : — This evidence or twoe deeds of the House called the Chappell came into the hands of Tobyas Freere gent being executor to the above said Nicholas Cooke. We cannot say certainly what these deeds were. The first may have been an instrument utider whi.h the Crown relinquished its rights in favour of the town, and the next a settlement by which the Chapel v\as vested in Trustees for the benefit of the inhabitants. The following is an abstract of the earliest existing feoffment deed. The original is in Latui : — 4 Feb. 8. Charles I A.D. 1632. Deed Poll so dated whereby Thomas Gawdye of Mendham in Norfolk Esquire & Thomas Corbyn & William Tompson of Redenhall in the said county granted to Sir Thomas Gawdye Knight, Richard ffrere gent: , Tobias ffrere senior gent : his brother, & Thomas Corbold In- habitants of Redenhall aforesaid & Harleston hamblett of Redenhall All that chapel called or known by the name of St. John's Chappell or by some other name and all iS: singular the houses edifices & buildings to the same annexed or in any way belonging situate & lying in Harleston aforesaid now in the occupation of the inhabitants of Redenhall ^S: Harleston aforesaid thp: old harleston chapel. 159 Which said chapel & premises they the aforesaid Thomas Gawdye Thomas Corbyn & William Tompson and certain Edward Bacon gent:, Richard Spooncr, John Baron, Edward Kent, Edward Hall, deceased and divers other inhabitants of Redenhall & Harleston aforesaid likewise deceased lately held together to them & their heirs by a feoffment & deed of confirma- tion of certain Richard Corbyn, Thomas ffuller & John Bawles as by that deed bearing date the 27''* day of July in the 15th year of the reign of Queen Elizabeth more fully would appear To hold to the use of the grantees & also of William Gawdye Esquire son of Thomas Gawdy, Tobias ffrere son of Tobias ffrere, John Corbold son of Thomas Corbold, vSamuel Corbyn son of Thomas Corbyn, Oliver Tompson son of William Tompson, Stephen Baxter junior son of Stephen Baxter senior gent:, George Smyth, William Smyth his son, John Chalker senior, John Chalker his son, Thomas ffuller senior, Thomas duller his son, James Newson, William Newson his son, Eleazar Dunkon, John Westgate, John Westgate his son, and William ffuller otherwise Allen now or lately inhabitants of Redenhall with Harleston aforesaid To be held of the King as of his Manor of Estgreenew^ [East Greenwich] in free & common socage by fealty only & not 171 capite & by the annual rent of one penny to be paid yearly on the feast of S^ Michael the Archangel lor all & singular rents services & demands whatsoever. Appointment of Thomas Cullum of Harleston Attorney to deliver seisin. The reference in the above document to the earlier feoffment, dated 15 Eliz., will be noted. It is against, though it does not absolutely disprove, Warburton's statement, for it is difficult to see how any necessity could have arisen to appoint new feoffees within fifteen years of the earliest possible date which can be assigned to the Duke's supposed grant in Queen Elizabeth's reign. The deed in question was probably one of the two handed to Nicholas Cooke in 1594. Mr. G. H. Blakesby, F.S.A., has kindly given me his opinion as to the tenendu?n of the deed of 1632. The PEDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. words do not, he thinks, throw any hght on the previous history of the chapeL The form was adopted, merely as a matter of conveyancing, to avoid the burdensome incidents of the tenure in capite. The only other remaining feoffment deed was made in 1 7 14, but there was at least one in the interval, as the following note in the parish book shows : — 1693 Spent on the Witnesses to the giving possession and seizin of the Chappell and chambers thereunto belonging as , also of the Towne Close''^ to the ffeoffees named in the respec- tive Indentures 00 - oj - 08. The last feoffment is quite a repository of Harleston names of the period, and for this, if for no other reason, it seems worth wliile to give an abstract of it. It will be noted, too, that an express trust for the use of the parish- ioners is disclosed, which does not appear in the earlier deed. 30. June 1714. Indenture so dated between Thomas Baylie of kedenhall cum Harleston Gent: of the one part & Francis Long of Spixworth m Norfolk Esquire, Waller Bacon of AUoni [Earlhami in Norfolk Esquire, John Wogan of Gawdy Hall in. Kedenhall w. Harleston Esquire, Thomas Bransby of the same parish Esquire, Christopher Baylie of Mendham in Norfolk Gent : son of the said Thomas Baylie, Thomas Hayes of Cratfield in Suffolk Gent & Henry Tubby of Redenhall w. Harleston Gent of the other part whereby T. Baylie granted to F. Long and the others All that the Chappell of Harleston situate & being in Harleston aforesaid late called the chappell of S^ John of Jerusalem & all the buildings & chambers at ye east end of the same in Harleston aforesaid with their appurtenances To hold to the use of the grantees and of Robert Long & Francis Long sons of Francis Long, Edward Bacon * A piece of land in Mendham, otherwise called Seymer's Pightle, the rent of which is distributed among the poor. Now vested in Trustees appointed by the Parish Council. THE OLD HARLESTON CHAPEL. i6r Nathaniel Bacon sons of W. Bacon, John Wogan son of J. Wogan, Walter Wogan brother of the feoffee J. Wogan, Robert Bransby & Thomas Bransby sons of T. Bransby, Martin Baylie son of C. BayUe, Thomas Hayes son of T. Hayes, Samuel Tubby brother of Henry Tubby, Edward Osbourne Esquire, Giles Bladwell Esquire, John Cotton, James King, John Tuthill, — King of Great Thurloe in Suffolk Esquire, Lewis Procter, John Kerrich & Simon Kerrich sons of Anne Kerrich Widow, Thomas Buck of Alburgh, Thomas Kerrich, Richard Calvert, Richard Meen, Samuel EuUer, Richard Sutton, Robert Sutton his son, Jonathan Browning, John Witherby, Fleetwood Wootton, Nicholas Cordy, Thomas Dade, Thomas Reve, Luke W^ right, Thomas Glover, Edward Hart, Richard Branch, John Gooch, Henry Smith, Robert Blake, William Tayler, Zacheas Leatherloiig, Dey Syer, — Syer his son, & Simon Fuller In trust nevertheless for the use & benefit of all the inhabitants & parishioners of Redenhall cum Harles- ton aforesaid for the time being forever We have now to consider the part played by Archbishop Bancroft in the history of the chapel, which has given to tlie old building an interest which it would not otherwise possess. Taking it for granted that the Archbishop's con- nection with Fressingfield, and the main events of his chequered life are known to all, the following documents will explain in themselves the efforts which he made on behalf of this town. The very interesting petition and memorial are printed from a draft or copy in the Arch- bishop's own handwriting, preserved in the Treasury of Emmanuel College, Cambridge.'^' The ABp's petition to ye Kg presented in April 1686. "May it please yo^" sacred Maty; w" ye dreadf. fire in London burnt down ye House, in wch for almost 2 years before I had dwelt as Dean of S. Paul's, a Necessity came thereby upo me to build a new Mansion-House ; and I laid by to * I am indebted to Mr. J. B. Peace, the Bursar of Emmanuel College, who kindly sent me copies of ihese documents, as well as some furiher n )tes upon the Harltstou ChapUmcy. He h;is smce printed ihe mailer m the Emmanuel College Magazine, vol. Vil., No. i, p. 49, L t62 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. yt purpose in a Goldsmith's Hand first loooib I was of. But before I could make use thereof, it was put out of mv R jach by ye shutting up of ye Exchecquer; & a yearly pensio of 54!^^ was afterwd assign'd me in Lieu of it, till ye principal should be repaid ; All wch I then dedicated to pious Uses, &: accdgly disposed of it in my will. " Some years after w" his late Maty sett himlf in good earnest to found his Hospital at Chelsey, & was pleas'd to coiTiand me to send my Letters abroad into ye pvince for ye pcurg of contributions to yt noble and pious Design : I told him, That I could not with any Decency ask Others to give till I had first done somethg myself ; that therf. I would chear- fully have prsented his Maty loool'J towd so good a Work, but had it not then in my power, being then scarce gott fro under the vast Debt, wch I contracted upo my comg to Lambeth ; But yS if his Maty pleased to accept of my sd chequer-Debt, I would willingly resign it up to him ; Sc do somthg better in stead of it, if it shd please G. I shd live to be able. This his Maty most graciously accepted : And accdgly not long before his Death, I voluntarily sent him loool^ to redeem my sd Debt. " So yt now (may it please yr Maty) my old Obligon returns strong upo me & I think myself bound to resettle yt Annuity to ye like publick & pious Use, as it was before intended : As namely, for y^ Augmenting of a small benefice, and founding a Scheie in a Market Town, where there is need of it. And herein it is, y*" I most humbly implore yo^ Matie's Favor; That you will be graciously pleas'd by yo^ Lrs patent under yo^ great Seal to own this intended Settlement, & to become ye Founder of it ; & so to assure ye constant paim^ of ye sd Annuity of 54't» to ye Uses before-mentioned, in such Manner, as by yor Matie's Learned Counsell shall be advised & directed And yo^ petition^ and whosoer shall hereafter have any share in this settlemt or Benefit by it, will be for ever oblig'd to bless G. for this yo^ Matie's Goodness & Charity. " The Memorial prsented to ye King May 20th 16S6. " May it please yo^ sacred Maty ; In ye petitio wch not long since I privately addrest to yor Roial Hand, I may wth great Truth averr. That I had no Aim, or end of my own, but only ye Accomplishmt of a Design, (w^h I have long had in my Mind) to establish somewhere a course of daily publick Devotio ; in w^ti every Day, both Morng & Evcng, God may be dulv worshipd, & yo^" Matie's Roial pson, Family & Govern- ment constantly rccoinended to ye Favo^ & Blessing of Heaven. "The place, on which I fix at p^sent, is call'd Harloston. a >rIarket-Towu upo ye River, yt pts Suff. Norf. It is but a THE OLD HARLESTON CIIAPFL. Hamlet of a greater parish ; & ye Mother-Church, to wch it belongs, is a full Mile's Distance fro it. There is an ancient chapell in midst of y« market-place ; but not at all endow'd & so upon ye matter deserted and almost useless. Here it is yt I desire to settle a Minf to perform ye daily office & to hold a publ. schole there, for ye teachg of ye children, & ye In- structing & Catechizg in ye principles of piety towds G. & Loialty to ye prince. And for his better encouragement and livelyhood, (over & above ye Annuity wd) I presum'd to beg of yor Maty to settle & assure to him) I desire to annex to this Establishmt ye Rect. of a small pish nigh adjoing, & at my Dispose, in w<^^ there are not above lo or 12 families ; ye Glebe & Tithe whereof are equal to ye sd Annuity ; & both together wth ye profits of ye schole will make up a good competency. Here ye chaplain may officiate upo all Sundaies & Holidaies when those of ye Market-Town are bound to repair to ye Mother-Church ; & w^ ye schole will not need or reqie his Attendance. This is a short scheme of my whole Design &c. dx. These pages give us a glimpse of the Archbishop's private life, of his occasional pecuniary embarrassments, and of his charitable plans and purposes, which is really interesting. The financial operations disclosed are not quite clear. It would seem that Bancroft became entitled to a perpetual annuity of ^54, in lieu of a sum of ^900, which he had, in effect, invested on government security ; that he released this annuity to King Charles II., in aid of his Chelsea Hospital fund, having no ready money at the time to devote to the purpose ; that he afterwards paid the King ^1,000 in cash to redeem the annuity, which, in effect, he thereby repurchased ; and that the object of his memorial was to obtain a confirmation of these transactions, and a legal settlement and assurance of the annuity in accordance with his wishes. His object was, in effect, attained, though not in the form suggested by the Archbishop, and he was enabled to execute the following settlement, of which a counterpart is preserved in the parish chest : — This Indenture made the five and twentieth day of June 164 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTOIf. in the fourth year of the Reigne of our Sovereigne Lord James the Second King of England Scotland France and Ireland Defender of the Faith &c. Anno Dili 1688 Between the most Reverend Father in God William by Divine Providence Lord Abp. of Canterbury Primate of all England and Metropolitan on the one part and John Balderstone Doctor of Divinity the Mar & the Fellows and Scholars of Emmanuel College in the University of Cambridge on the other part. Whereas one Robert Welsted of London Goldsmith on or about the 16^^ day of October in the year of our Lord 1677 was justly and truely indebted unto the said Lord Archbp of Canterbury in the sume of Nyne hundred pounds of lawful English money and the said Abp. was contented in lieu thereof to accept of an assignment ot apportonable part of the Rent or yearly sum of six hundred & seventy eight pounds nine shillings Granted unto the said Robert Welsted his heirs and assigns by his late Ma*ie King Charles the Second of blessed memory payable quarterly out of the Hereditary Revenues of Excise by virtue of his said late Mati^'i^ Letters Patent Dated the third of May in the said year of our Lord 1677 whereupon the said Robert Welsted by his Deed Poll bearing date the said i6th day of October in the said year of our Lord 1677 and in the 29th year of the Reign of his said late Mat»e In Consideration of the Premisses and in Pursuance of the Trust reposed in him by the said Letters Patent did grant and assigne unto the said Lord Abp of Canterbury by the name of William Sancroft Do^ of Divinity Dean of the Cathedral Church of S^ Paul in London & his heirs the suihe of four and fifty pounds yearly being the Lord Abp of Canterbury's propor- tonable part of the said yearely sum of six hundred seventy eight pounds and nine shillings. To hold receive and enjoy the same unto him the s^ L^ Archbp of Canterbury his heirs &. assigns for ever to commence from the feast of St Michael the Archangel then last past to the proper use and benefit of him the Lord AbP of Canterbury his heirs & assigns for ever in satisfaction of his debt aforesaid as by the said Ltres Patent and Deed Roll may more fully appear and whereas there is an ancient Chappcll situate in Harleston in the County of Norfolk an Hamlett and member of the Parish of Redinghall (als Rednall) and belonging thereunto as unto the Mother Church wh : said Chappell (though situated in a place where a weekly market is held and much frequented) is notwithstanding become nigh useless & deserted for want of fitting endowment for the supply of which defect the s^ L^^ Abp of Canterbury is piously and charitably minded to settle the s^ yearly Rent or Sunie of to and for the performing the daily office of Divine Service there according to the Liturgy of the Church THE OLD HARLESTON CHAPEL. of England by law Established, & for the Keeping a public school for the Education of Youth in such manner as in & by these presents is after declared & expressed jVoza this hidenfiire wituessetk that for & in consideration of the Premisses & for other good considerations the s<^ L^J Abp of Canterbury hath granted & assigned & doth by these presents grant & assign unto the s^ John Balderstone Ma»" & the Fellows & Scholars of Emmanuel College in Cambridge aforesaid & their successors for ever the s^ yearely Rent or sume of and the arrears of the same now incurred due and unpaid and also the estate right title interest equity claime & demand whatsoever of him the said Abp of Canter- bury of in & to the s^ yearely rent & arrears & every part thereof. To have and to hold receive and enjoy the s^^ yearely rent or sume of ;^54 & the arrears thereof unto them the Sfi Ma"* Fellows & Scholars & their succ^s for ever from the feast of S«: Michael the Archangel next ensueing the day of the date of these ,^sents, in as full and ample manner as hee the Abp of Canterbury at any time before the making of these piits might or 'ought to have held enjoy'd or received the same Upon the special trust and confidence & to & for the several appointments trusts intents & purposes herein-after particu- larly expressed & declared That is to say As for and concerning the said arrears of the s^ yearely rent or sume of 54*^ already due & incurred at & upon the day of the date of these pnts or of so much thereof as shall or may at any time or times be recovered & received upon trust that the s^ Ma^" Fellows & Scholars & their successors shall divide & pay the same to for & amongst the s in manner & form herein before limitted 6c expressed, subject nevertheless unto all & even^ the several terms 6c con- ditions aforesc^- And the s^l- Fellows 6c Scholars for them- selves 6c their successors do coven* 6c grant to 6c with the s^ Archbishop his Exec-^ 6c Admin^s that they the s^ & Fellows for the time being shall & will nominate 6c appoint some fitt person in manner afores^^ within the space of one month next after the receipt of any one quarterly payment of the s^ yearely rent or sume of 541*^ wh: shall become due and payable from 6c after the day of the date of these presents. /;/ IVi/ut'ss whereof the sr. In Archdeacon Ormerod's time the income of the Bancroft trust was, with the consent of all parties interested, applied in aid of the general fund of the parish school, an arrange- ment which has since continued. 1874. THOMAS 17i()MAS0N PEROWNE. Rector of Redenhall. (1874. June 6. Agreed to nominate the Rev. T. T. Perowne, Rector of Redenhall, to the Mastership of the Grammar School with the Chapelry annexed at Harleston in Norfolk, hinm : Coll: Order Book.) In or about the year 1726 a movement was made towards rebuilding and enlarging the Chapel. The position of matters is disclosed by the following appeal for help which was issued from Harleston. The appeal was printed on a quarto sheet, of which several remain with the parish papers. The Humble Representation of the Minister Chief Inhabitants Churchwardens & other Parishioners of the Parish of Redenhall cum Harleston in the county of Norfolk. Sheweth That whereas there has been for many Hundred Years a Chappel ufed for the Service of Almighty God at Harlcjion aforefaid which is only a Village or Hamlet of Redeiiliall aforefaid ; at which faid Village ot Harlefton there is, and has been Time out of Mind, a Weekly Market, part of which Chappel hath of late Years been made ufe of for a Market Crofs ; by Reafon whereof, and the great Breaches thereby made, the faid Chappel is become fo out of Repair, and fo very Ruinous, that at prefent it is by no means fit for the Inhabitants to aflesmble in, for the Worship of Almighty God, without apparent Danger: That by reafon of the Increafe of the Inhabitants there is not Room sufficient for one half Part of them to affemble themfelves in the faid Chappel (were the fame in good Repair) without laying the Crofs into it again : THE OLD HARLESTON CHAPEL. ^73 That there is no Publick Place for Divine Worship at lefs Distance than a Mile and an Half from the faid Village of Harlejton. And the laid Parifshioners farther fliew, That the late Lord Archbishop Sancroft^ did by his laft Will, or fome other Writing duly executed, cftablish a Fund for the Payment of the Annual Sum of Fifty P^our Pounds for ever to a Chaplain or fome fit Perfon to be appointed by the Mafter and Fellows of EvKViiiel College in Cambridge^ for and towards the per- forming, the Daily Office of Divine Service in the faid Chappel, accordmg to the Liturgy of the Church of England, Morning and Evening ; and for the keeping a Publick School for the Education of Youth. That fuch Chaplain or Person hath been appointed, and for feveral Years hath Officiated accord- ingly : But in Regard the faid Chappel is now become ufelefs, by Reafon of its Ruinous Condition, the Parifliioners are not only in Danger of loolsing the Benefit of the faid Archbiffiop's Donation, but the Aged and infirm are altogether deilitute of any Publick Place of Divine Worship. That the faid Parisfh- ioners have caufed an Eftiuiate to be made of the Charge of Repairing the faid Chappell, and laying the Crofs into it again, (without which it will be of little or no ufe) and the fame, upon a moderate Computation, will amount to the Sum of Six Hundred Pounds and upwards; which Sum the faid PariQiioners, by Reason of the great Burthen of the Poor, and other great Annual Charges, are in no wife able to raife, without the Benevolence and Contribution of well Difposed Perfons. Therefore the faid Pariffiioners humbly defire the Aid, Affistance, and Contribution of all fuch well Difpos'd Perfons to whome thefe Prefents fhall come, that they would be pleafed to contribute towards the carrying on of this Work, and to fubfcribe what and how much they feverally intend to give towards compleating the fame : And for their better Satis- faction, that the Money fo fubfcribed and given fhall be juflly, and fairly laid out to the intent of the Subfcribers and Donors, and faithfully applied according to the true intent and meaning of them, and oi thefe Prefents, It is hereby declared and agreed. That the Right Reverend P'ather in God JOHN Lord Bifhop of Norwich; the Reverend Dr Timner, Chancellor of the Diocefe of Norwich; Waller Baco?t, trancis Longe^ John Buxtoji.John Wogan, William Frrjtone, Robert Buxion, John Cotton, and John ^ayer^ E{qrs. Ja7nes Pajt >7i and Jidui Kertich^ Doctors of Phyfick ; The Reverend iV/atheiv Pojllethzvayt^ Clerk ; William Tanner, Rector of Reaenhall cum Harlejion aforefaid, and Wiiliam Smyth^ Clerk ; M^ Daniel Sayer, M"* Christopher Bailie, M^" Richa> d Tubby, M^ Simon Kerrich, M"" John Sawer, M^ John Wiiherby and the Minifler and 174 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. Church Wardens of Redmhall cum Harl>^.ston aforefaid, for the Time being, fhali be Trudees and Receivers for the receiving, managing, difp^sing, and laying out of the fame; and that the faid John \/Vo{j^an, Daniel Sayrr, and Sim ni Kerrich^ fhall be Treafurers for the Monies to be raifed by vertue or in pur- suance of thefe Prefents : And that the faid Trustees, or any Five or more of them, fhall have full Power to direct, manage, and give all neceffary Orders for complcating the faid Work. John WoG^an Daniel Sayer WilUaui Tanner. Rector Simon Kerrich 1 Church James Pafton John Sawer \ Wardens John Kerrich Thomas Kerrich Richard Sutton Robert Reynolds John Witherby About ;;^i,ooo was received as the result of this appeal and of efforts subsequently made. ^330 was subscribed by residents, the rest by outsiders. Ten of the Cambridge colleges contributed, Caius heading the list with ^21, and Emmanuel following with ^10 los. The money was duly applied in rebuilding the Chapel, which was extended east- ward so as to take in the site of the old market cross, a new cross being built in its place. In the process ot restoration the character of the old Chapel was entirely lost. Pa^t of the original walls was retained, but, with the exception perhaps of the buttresses, there was nothing in the new building to suggest its mediaeval origin. In 1732 another effort was made to increase the accommo- dation in the Chapel, and the giUeries were e?itended. About this time the Chapel was deemed to be subject to Archidiaconal visitation, and no objection to the Arch- deacon's jurisdiction was afterwards taken. I have a copy of the pleadings of Day Marker, proctor for the Rev. William Smith and his wife "in a certain cause uf seat or disturbance of their right of sitting within the chapel of William Howchin Nicholas Cordy William Taylor ) Richard Branch ) - Constables THR OLD HARLESTON CUWEL. 175 Ilarleston," which appareiuly came befcjrc the Archdeaconry Court in October, 1744. The document, after referring to the Sancroft benefaction, states that the Chapel of l larlesion was subject to the jurisdiction of the Bi^ihop of Norwich, who upon any Episco[)al Visitation dolh receive the pre- sentments & swear churchwardens of Kedenhell afore- said elected, who as such do serve as chapehvardens of the chapel of Harleston." This is an important statement, and imphes tliat the Chapel was then considered as a chapt^l of ease to the parish church. The g»*ound of Mr. Smith's action was that his enjoyment of a pew m ihe Chapel, which he owned in common with Postlethwayt, the Rector of Redenhall, was disturbed by John Sawer, who ''with a malevolent intention of interrupting them in y^ possession of their said seat & effectually to disturb them in such manner as not to be borne with notwithstanding overtures made to him by the Rev. Postlethwayt the present Rector to prevent his so d )ing," did set open a certain window over the said pew, and so on, and not content with so doinir, "intruded himself in the said Smiths their seat having no manner of right or leave to sitt therein and did likewise .... call a poor man belonging to Reden- hall from the lower end of the said chapel & put him into y^ same seat," and so on. John Sawer w^as himself one of the churchwardens for the year, and probably a question of title was involved in the case which was not so frivolous as it appears now. To judge from the number of pipers and meaioranda relating to pew-rights in the old Ciiapel still remaining, the subject must have been one of absorbmg interest to Harleston people of the last century. In 1 751 a new bell w^as bought for the Chapel. The inscription upon it is '' Rob^ Catlin Fecit 1751," and the bell now hangs in the present clock-tower. Robert Catlin was one of the smaller London founders who, in 1740, took 176 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. over the business of Samuel Knight of Holborn. L'Estrange records no other bell of his in Norfolk, and Dr. Raven but one in Suffolk — at Crowfield. In 1761 the galleries were carried right round the east end, the cost of the work being nearly covered by the sale of the additional sittings secured. On the 30th April, 18 18, a meeting was held to consider how the Chapel could be further enhrged. It was decided to apply for authority to take down the east end and throw in to the Chapel the space occupied by the Market Cross, Cage, and Engine House. It was resolved ''that the present cross is in many respects a nuisance to the neigh- DDuring inhabitants, and is so little used as a place of traffic that ic may be taken away without any detriment to the town. Tnat the cage is inconvenient as a place of confine- ment for offenders & that it is not necessary at present to erect another and that a house for the engine can be provided elsewhere.'^ A faculty, dated 6th August, 1818, was obtained from Bishop Badiurst, and the Duke of Norfolk, as owner of the market, gave his consent to the demolition of the cross. The work was finished in August, 18 19, at a costof;^676 IIS. I id. There is at Redenhall a parchment book in which have been entered from time to time various memoranda con- cerning the Chapel. The book contains a copy of the Sancroft Settlement Deed, a copy of the Himibk Repre- sentation^ 6^^-., full accounts of receipts and disbursemencs on the rebuilding of the Chapel and subsequent alterations and enlargements, notes of parish meetings, and two plans of the Chapel shewing the ownership of the pews.''' The history of the old Chapel may now be brought to a ■•^ There is also entered in this book a copy of the Feoffiiient of Seymers Hightle, dated 12th August, 1720. THE OLD HARLESTON CHAPEL. close. It will be gathered that, whatever may have been its origin, the Chapel became ultimately a member of the mother church of Redenhall — a chapel of ease to the parish church. The Bancroft benefaction still exists, but (bpeaking of things as they now are, and saving the rights of all parties) the spiritual functions of the chaplain have merged in those of the Rector, and the free school designed by the Archbishop has been absorbed by the greater and m.ore comprehensive free school of the parish. The circum- stances which led to the substitution of the present church of St. John the Baptist for the old building, and to the taking down of the latter in 1873, are too recent for recapitulation in this place, and are, moreover, well known to all likely to be interested in the matter.''' * In Dawsoa Turners Blomefield is a drawing of the old Chapel by Miss M. A. Turner. A south-west view of the building \\as lithographed by G. Fitt. U XIV. SOME OLD HARLESTON HOUSES. For the following notes on old Harleston houses I am chiefly indebted to Mr. John Calver, who has a great ma-s of memoranda on the subject, much of it, I believe, trans- cribed from the manuscripts of George Carthew I have made but a slight selection from his materials, choosing a few hou^^es interesting in themseUes or connected in the past with some local worthy. 1 was pressed by an ardent antiquary to give a list of the tenants of every house in the town from the earliest times to the present day, but I have not done so. It is difficult to see that w^e gain anything by knowing that a man of a certain name lived in a certain house in a certain year of the sixteenth century, if we do not know what he believed, or how he behaved, or anytliing else about him. Caf tofts. This house was possibly the seat of the Caltoft f. mily, who were established here in the fourteenth century. In 1376 John Caltofc was one of those to whom was addressed the warrant for the apprehension of Kathrrine de Montacute, a nun who had run away from Bungay convent, and I have seen a deed dated in 1394 to which John Caltoft *' of Re ienhall hani'et of Harleston " was a paity. In the S(UiK OLD MARLESTON HOUSES. seventeenth century the house was in the hands of the Freres, and it is particularly associited with the name of Tobias Frere, who during the Commonwealth was a notable man in this neighbo irhood. Tobias Frere, son of Richard Frere, of Harles on, was baptized at Starston, 13th Septem- ber, 1590, died 6th February, 1655. and is buried in Redenhall church. He was r^n att-jrney of good means and position, an active and able ma-i, steward of many manors, and engaged in many enterprises. H s neat signature, **To ffrere," abounds in legal documents of the period. He was not, as commonly stated, a member of the Long Parliament, for which ind ed he stood, *'but fell most shamefully short and lost it, with many squibs and dis- graces." He served, however, in the Short ParHament of 1653, and in Cromwell's second parliament in 1654.'" As to his character we have only the opinion of his political enemies, which is worth nothing. He took up warmly the cause of the Parliament ; so did most people at Harleston. I have seen no evidence of his supposed harsh treatment of the Gawdys. Blomefield says he lent money on a mortgage of their estate, and afterwards purchased the equity of redemption from Charles Gawdy — a perfecty fair transaction. From the Freres Caltofts passed to Francis Longe of Spixworth, under whose will it devolved upon the Rev. Thomas Howes of Morningthorpe. Mr. Howes sold the estate to John Steward of Norwich, from whom it w^as purchased by James Shipstone. The next owner was George Carthew, w^ho improved and added to the house, and after his death in 1859 it was purchased by Wilham Martin Hazard. The house is said to have had a large entrance hail, with a church-like, himmer-beam roof, which was pulled down early in the present century. Occupiers - * See Mr, Walter Rye's History of Norfolk. i8o REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. l^ichard Frere 1620, Alice Frcre, his widow, 1626, Richard Frere, their son, 1631, Tobias Frere 1640, Susan Frere 1657, Sarah Frere 1667, Dr. Amyas 1692, Thomas Bransby 1693, Peter Capon 1728, Dr. Paston 1736, Mrs. Paston 1749, Rev. J. Stockdale 1761, John Green 1779, Robert Fresh- field 1785, James Shipstone, George Carthew, William Martin Hazard. Sowters house and land (Mrs. Jex's residence). The pightle behind this house was at one time, possibly, held upon some public trust. In 1452 John Hawthorn, John Stannard, Richard Wright, John Baker, John Weston of Mendham, and William Cook enfeoffed Roger Dowe of Stradbroke, Henry Rus^^ell, Clerk, Robert Carrow of Scole, and John Oby of Ipswich. In 33 Henry VI. Dowe and others assured the land to John Baker, Thomas Alger, John Mene, and Thomas Mene. In 1480 Alger enfeoffed John Beene, Robert Skeet, Richard Wright, and Thomas Barnard. In 1487 Beene and others granted to William Smythe, John Gawdy, and Thomas Muryell, who in 1505 enfeoffed William Leman of Starston and Thomas King of Harleston. Reydon House. Miss Anna Crisp's house belonged once to the Harleston Gawdys. In 1608 Robert Purdye the attorney owned it. Later on it belonged to Daniel Sayer, also an attorney, and a notable local man. Mr. Mothersole' s shop. The house and shop in the Narrow^ Street, occupied by Mr. FI. Mothersole, has a projecting upper storey and carved cornice which have often attracted attention. Martin of Palgrave writes: " Aug^ 19. 1748 I s.iw carv'd upon an old House in Harlestone Street beyond the Chapell on the left hand of the High road to Bungay thes Letters viz^ in two places T.M.A. also this coat [a lion rampant] & divers other decorations of Fruit foliage ^z.'' The house was one of a group of tenements anciently known SOME OLD HARLESTON HOUSES. i8i together as ^'Brimstones." In 1560 John Waryn conveyed this estate to Thomas Gawdy and Ricliard Ive, from whom next year it passed to Christopher Muriel of Yarmouth, from him to his son Christopher Muriel of Harleston, and from him to his son Samuel Muriel of Bardwell. This last died without issue, and his large estates went to his three sis- ters, ^' Brimstones " falling to Anne, who married Thomas Medowe, a burgess of Yarmouth, who was afterwards knighted. The initials T.M.A. are probably those of Sir Thomas Medowe and his wife Anne. Sir Thomas died in 1688, In another of the Brimstone" tenements, to which there was an outside staircase, was carried on the little free school founded by the will of John Dove. Cardinal's Hat. The house was an inn with this sign in 1 59 1, when it belonged to Christopher Muriel of Yarmouth. The sign is probably a reference to the great Wolsey, whose memory at this time was fresh in the land. From the jNluriels the property passed to the Thompsons, and by the marriage of Margaret Thompson with Thomas Johnson of Yarmouth, it came to their son. Sir James Johnson, who entertained Charles II. on his visit to Yarmouth in 1671. Sir James sold the property in 1684 to John Dove the Harleston brewer. Siifan Hotel. This house is beheved to have been built by Robert Cook, of Harleston, Innkeeper, who, in 1551, obtained a pardon under the Great Seal for all treasons, mis prisions of treason, and so forth. He had probably been implicated in Kett's rebellion two years previously ; perhaps in the exercise of his calling he had too readily entertained insurgents. The present front of the "Swan" is, however, of later date than this period. The bricks are laid in the usual Flemish bond, with dark "headers'' and red " stretchers," and time has toned them down to a l82 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. warm tint With the interior of the hostelry I take it all are familiar. PVom the Cookes the property passed to Henry Tubby, who in 1670 conveyed it to Joel Dissermers of Mendham, Innholder (possibly of the "Magpie"). Thomas Baskerville, in 1681, writes, Harleston a tolerable good market town where we lay at the 'Swan,' one M"* Disermen Master ; here is an ingenious gardener one Ludlar late come to town who is con' riving a dainty garden.^"'' Joel Dissermers sold the house to Henry Tubby in 1684 for ^600. Here probably Dean Davies dined in 1689 and 1690 on his coach journeys from Yarmouth to London. -J" From the Tubby family the "Swan" passed to the Turners, and in 1737 belonged to Barry Love of Yarmouth, who devised to his son Barry Briiihthn Love all his real estate, "and in particular his messuage or inn called the White Swan now or late in the occupation of Harry Jay." Love sold the house in 1758 to John Green, who carried on the Post Offi< e there. The Ketone Tenements. The houses grouped about "the stone," including Mr. Samuel Carman's house, ^he Readmg Room (late the "Ked Lion" Inn), Mr. J. G. Prentice's house, and others, were once calLd "the stone tenements," and are undoubtedly of great age. For the stone itself I cannot feel the respect eniertamed by many. It is true that Harleston in Domesday is called Herolvestuna, but the * Thomas Baskerville's MS. Journal, Hist: MSS. Comm: 13th Rep. Append., Part II. MS. at Welbeck Abbey, Vol II../. 265. Ann Ladlar of Mendham, Widow, made her will 13th October, 1767. t Oct : 2(. 1689 '* We dined at Harleston where it cost me one shilling." Feb: 17. 1690 " 1 took coach very early for London in which journey 1 spent at Harleston one shilhng, at Bury 3 shillings at Newmarket sixpence." Journal of the Very Rev. Rowland Davies, LL.D., Dean of Ross. Ed Richard Caulfield, 1857. A friend and fellow exile with the Dean was Barry L-ove, afterwards Minister ot Yarmouth SOME OLD HARLESTON HOUSES. 183 termination is of course ton^ and not st()7ie. We really know nothing definite of the origin of the town, and as for the story that Herolf (or anybody else) stood on the stone and with outstretched sword allotted to his followers their abiding places in the Middle Row, it is a fond thing vainly imagined, and plainly repugnant to all probability. Messrs, Curls' shop. Anciently called the Toll House,'' and afterwards a public house known as the White Horse," often mentioned in the parish records. It was copyhold of the Manor of Harleston, and was charged with maintaining the Lord's pinfold. In 1654 it belonged to Robert Smyth, and in 1679 to Rachel Jacobs, widow, who married John Dove. Messrs. Gurneys' Bank, A house on this site was from 175 1 to 1767 occupied by Robert Reynolds, Draper, and his widow. Their only daughter Mary married Peter Routh, then curate of Redenhall, and was the mother of Martin Joseph Routh, the centenarian President of Magdalen College, Oxford. The banking business of Gurney, Turner, and Kerrich was carried on in the counting-house of the old brewery premises (now Mr. John Pipe's). On Kerrich's retirement the firm came to their present quarters. In 1800 the Harleston bank had its own notes, with a vignette of kilted Scotch drovers and cattle, in reference to the then noted cattle market held in the town.''' London ajtd Provincial Bank, Upon the site of this house once stood an inn called " Perosies," and afterwards the Half Moon" Here, in 1681, the churchwardens made their bargain with Mr. Tanton "for rebuilding of the Turret of Redenhall Steeple," and expended upon him six shillings. * There are some of these vignettes in Dawson Turner's copy of Blome- field. Brit. Mils. Add MSS. 23or3 67. 184 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. After many changes of ownership the property can^ie into the hands of Richard Leatherdale^ who carried on there for many years a manufacture of "Hnsey woolsey " as well as a grocery store. His son sold the place to Thomas Wagstafif, who pulled down the mill and dyeing house. The Norwich Joint Stock Bank bought the house froni Wagstaff's executors, and opvened business there. They sold their concern to the unfortunate East of England Bank, which was succeeded by the Provincic^l Banking Corporation, who adopted their present style in 1870. George Carthew had his office here. Mr. John Candkr s hoicse. Built probably towards the end of the seventeenth century. Thomas Sadd owned and occupied it in 1698. Thomas Baylie lived here in 17 13 He died in 17 17, and was buried in the north aisle of Redenhall church. His daughter Alice married Samuel Manning, who lived in the house from 1751 to 1762. Then the property came back to the Baylies, and belonged for some time to Martin Baylie, Rector of Wrentham and Kelsale. Thomas Moyle, Dr. Robert White, and Arch- deacon Warburton wxre successively tenants of the house, which some years later was purchased by Henry Fox the attorney. In later days Joshua Cook kept a boys' school, and Mrs. Barham a school for girls in the house. The smaller house adjoining (in which these pages have been written) was until recently a separate dwelling-house. Here for a time lived Bernard B. Woodward, then minister of the Congregational Chapel at Wortwell,'*' a member of a well-known scientific family, and afterwards the Queen's librarian at Windsor. * There is a story that h s frequent use of the Lord's Prayer in his ministraiions brought him into trouble with his flock, who charged him with being a " formalist." XV. EDMUND GILLINGWATER, (An old Harleston Antiquary.) Edmund Gillingwater was born at Lowestoft in 1735. When about twenty-two years old he removed to Norwich, and on the 5th December, 1761, came to live at Harleston, where he remained until his death. Here he carried on business as a stationer and bookseller, and had a shop ia the Old Market Place, from which he afterwards moved to the house now occupied by Mr. E. Bayles. Born in humble circumstances, and with slight education, he seems to have been inspired with a genuine love of study, and to have amassed a good deal of information on many subjects. He was churchwarden of this parish, with John Buxton, frotn 1806 to 18 10, and also served the office of Overseer. There is a short notice of him in the East Anglian (IV., 253), by the Rev. Samuel Titlow, from which I gather that he was known in Harleston as a man of piety and charity, and as a zealous supporter of the Church. He w^as a great advocate of Sunday schools, and a regular teacher in the school established here by Archdeacon Warburton about 1788. When acting as churchwarden, says Titlow, he " endeavoured to prevent unnecessary traffic on the Lord s Day ; he visited occasionally the alehouses on that sacred day, and with the assistance of the magistrates discouraged i86 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. the sin of drunkenness." These occasional Sunday visits of the worthy man to the hostelries of H rleston were of course made in the cause of iem[)erHn(:e. Titlow certainly leaves us with the impression that GiUingwater was one of the ^'unco guid," but this idea is (hspelled by a perusal of his works, in which he api ears as a kind y, sensible, and broad hca' ted man, an earnest evangehcal churchman, but in no sense a bigot. His first pubhcation was an octavo pamphlet of 64 pages, entitled A71 Essay O'l I 'arish Workhtnises^ containing observa- tions on the present state of English Workhouses, iinth some Regulations p^opo ed f^r th ir improvement. This little work was printed at Bury, in 1786, and is now scarce. Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he shall cry himself and sha 1 not be heard" (Proverbs xxi. 13), is Gillingwater's well-chost n motto for his book The copy in the British MusLum Library has this nii^morandum on the fly-leaf : — ^'Edmund Gillin^water ihe author f)f the following tract w\as originally I believe a barb-r at Lowestoft. He after- wards removed to Harleston in Norfolk where he died. In T790 he published by subscription a History of Lowe toft in 4^ and made considerable, though not very valuable collections f >r a History of Suffolk, chiefly ex- t'^acted from print d books. In 1804 he pu" lished an account of Bury St. Edmunds in 12^." The tract on workhouses is written in a pious and sensible vein, deplor- ing the corruption of manners among the poorer classes, and plr^ading for the better management, sanitation, and control of the workhouses, and a proper course of religious and general m ^truction and mdustrial training for the inmaies— the poor by deputy governors to be abolished, and a Committee of regents and inspector to be appointed. There are two references to this town in the book. On page 47 is this note Some of the good EDMUND GILLINGWATKR. 187 effects arising from the religions education of poor children have bet^n lately experienced in the workhouse belonging to the parish of Harleston, Norf )lk. The difficulty attending puUing out town children to service had been much com- plained of there, and the masters to whom they were sent generally received ihem with reluctance ; but from the regulations lately introduced into that house applications are frequently made to the overseer for servants by reputable familirs so that but few children arc now in that house fit for service" And on page 57 (note) Gillingwater, after referring to the introduction of Sunday Schools by Raikes, says, " These schools have larely been introduced into this county; and four of them are established in the town of Harleston whereby upwards of one hundred poor children in that parish are in a constant and regular course of in- struction in the principles of the Christian religion." Gillingwater's next work was of a much more pretentious character. His Historical Account of the Ancie?it 1 oivn of Lowestoft, &c., is a quarto of 485 pages, with a view of the town from the North-east Battery as a frontispiece. The book is dedicated to Francis Bowness, Vicar of Gorton, who had, it appears, been a benefactor of the author's family, and the preface is dated " Harleston, St. Martin's Day, 1790." Among the subscribers we find several HarleS'On names : — \Vm. Johnson Livock, John Kerrich, George Smyth, Rev. Tho. Warburton, Rev. Tho. Whiraker, Rev. Gervas Holmes of Gawdy Hail, Th mas Wagstaffe, and William Cann of Mendham — who then kept the " Mag- pie" Hotel. There arc many references to Harleston in this book, including a description of a painting, then in William Cann's possession, of Sir James Hobart and his Lady, "taken out of the Est window of the Chancell of Lodde Church in Norfolk Vnder the Chrucifix ther;" the subse- quent history of which I should like to trace. i88 REDENHALL WITH HARLESTON. Referring (on page 373) to the commission of Matthew Hopkins, of Manningtree, the Witchfinder, in 1644, Gilling- water suggests that this scoundrel visited Harleston, because " there is a place in the river about half-a-mile from that town called the Witchpool^ so named from, the use that had been made of it for the above purpose." He refers, no doubt, to the broad bend of the river just above Shotfonl Bridge, but the ground of his supposition is slender indeed. The Lowestoft history is probably compiled, for the most part, from printed matter, but it contains a good mass of facts, and the nautical notes and fishing statistics and mem- oranda are useful, and presented in a readable form. Gillingwater's last work was An Historical and Descriptive Account of St, Edmund^ Bury, &c., a duodecimo of 311 pages, printed by Rackham, of Bury, in 1804, and dedicated to the members of the Corporation. It is not a work of great value. Scattered through the book are a fe^v Harleston notes, and amongst them an account of the Reeve family, which Gillingwater connects with John Reeve alias Melford, the last Abbot of Bury, who died in 1540, on the ground of a close similarity in their arms. The Harleston family, says Gillingwater, was settled ni the City of London to the time of the Restoration, when, burnt out by the great fire, one branch purchased the famous coaching inn, ^'Stonham Pie," which they held for many years, and from which they removed to this town " where lately resided " William Reeve, an eminent surgeon of considerable property."^- His son, William Reeve, Vicar of Hoxne and Denham, ''a man of learning, piety, and charity," died in 1786, and the Harleston branch then became extinct. Wm. Reeve, Surgeon, was practising in Harleston in 1728, as wer* also James Paston, M. D., Charles Kerrich, Surgeon, and Richard Metn, Apothecary. 1 horn s Inyon, M.D., was then in practice at Pulham. EDMUND GILLINGW^TER. Gillingwater married Mary Bond, who died in 1802, aged 63. They had no children. On the south side of the path to the west door of Redenhall church is a tombstone, much sunk and fallen forwards, upon which may be read : — ''Sacred to the Memory of Edmund Gillingwater who died March 13th 18 13 aged 77 years."' I have been told that he was a ringer, and wished to be buried as near as might be to the foot of the tower, but there is no tradition of him in the Redenhall Company. So far as we in this parish are concerned, his most useful work was the arranging and binding up of the churchwardens' and overseers' accounts, to which must certainly be ascribed their present good slate of preservation.'" ^ A writer in the East Avglian says, there is a gravestone in Lowestoft churchyard inscribed: — "In memory of Edmund Gillingwater who died Sept. 23rd, 1772 Aged 79 The Historian of Lowestoft Also of Alice his wife who died Feb. y^ 17, 1784 aged 78 years— also of Isaac Gillingwater their Son, who died May 14, 1813 aged 81 years." These are the parents and elder brother of our Gillingwater. The words in italics must have been added to the inscription in error. INDEX. P^ote — This Index does not comprise the names in the following tabular lists. — Churchwardens, pages 53-59; persons assessed to the Plague Rate, pages 06-107 ; subscribers to recasting of the 6th bell, pages 143-144 ; nor the names of the feoffees mentioned in the Harleston Chapel Trust Deeds, pages is8-i6i ; nor the names of many persons appearing in the Churchwardens' and Ov^erseers' accounts only as recipients of money or relief ADVOWSON, Redenhall 30-32 Agneli 20, 21, 24 Agneux, de ... ... 24 Alburgh ... II {n>}te) Apprentices, Charges for, 70, 99, 102, 103, no, 112 Argenten, Richard de ... 34 Ashton ... ... ... 131 Auditors, Appointment of 116 Aylsham, John de •••37 BACON, Will of John ... 154 Baker's Barn .., ... 104 Bank Notes, Harleston ... 183 Barwick ... ... ... 128 Bateman, Bishop 31 Bayly, Will of Thomas ... 139 Beccles, Fire at 128 Beccles, Thomas 37, 168 {note) Beck, the ... 14, 24 Bellfounder, Contract with 145 Bell Foundry at Harleston 147 ,, ,, bells cast at 148 Bells, Harleston, 85, 88, 148, 175 Bells, Redenhall (history of), I3.5-U7 pa(;k Bermondsey, Fire at ... 130 Beylham, Edmund ... 36 Bilson, Bishop ... ... 65 Bishop's Arms .., ... 91 ,, Court ... 82, 91 Black Death .., 30 Blakenham, Roger ... 37 Blaunch, Richard ... ... 40 Blenheim, Battle of ... 88 Bolton, Thomas ... ... 36 Boundaries, Parish ... 9 Bransby, Robert ... 85, 98 Brasyers, Founders ... 137 Bridon, Henry ... 42, 73 Briefs 124-132 Brightmey, Roger... ... 37 Brimmingham ... ... 76 Brimstone Tenements ... 181 Brinkley, Bishop 51 Brockdish ... ... 13, 17 Buckingham, Robert (a leech) 100, 104, 112 Bullock Fair Rentcharge, 98, 112, 113, 115 Bungay, Fire at ... •..132 ,, Small-pox at ... 131 Bungay Nunnery 30. 32, 154 Index. liji Bunning, Joan, Benefac- tions of ... ... 154 Burial, Charges for, 99, 103, 112, 115, 118, 120 Bury St. Edmund's, Abbot of 21, 22 „ Gilling- water's Account of ... 188 Butler, Captain William ... 81 Butts, Bishop 91 CAGE, the 176 Calthorp 23 Caltoft, John 178 Caltofts 178 Cardigan Church ... ... 131 Cardinal's Hat 181 Carthew, George, 179, 180, 184 Carving, Old Wood ... 180 Catlin, Robert, founder ... 175 Cattle Plague 92 Chalfont ... 131 CHAPEL (Harleston) Appeal for building funds 172 Bell 85, 88, 175 Chamber ... ... 88 Demolition of ... ... 177 Endowment Deed 163-167 Feoffment Deeds 158-161 History of ... 154-177 Hour glass for ... 68, 77 Illustrations of ... 177 {/lo/e) Institution to. Early, 37, 168 (note) Suit as to Pew-rights in 174, Charles, Birth of Prince ... 69 Charles II. passes through Harleston 82 Chests, Parish ... 28, 78 ,, Military 92^ Chetham, Thomas ... 40 Chirche, Thomas and Reig- nold, founders ... 139 Chop Church 36 CHURCH (Redenhall) Description of ... 26-29 Church (Redenhall), Foun- dations of Early ... 27 Not mentioned in Domes- day ... ig Church, Fines for absence from 80, 104, 109 Prescriptive work on 90 ,, Books for, 65, 67, 69, 86, 87, 88 Church Goods, Harleston, 6 Ed. VI 156 Church Goods, Harleston, 171^ 152 Church Goods, Redenhall, 6 Ed. VI., 27, 136, 149 Church Goods, Redenhall, 1577 150 Church Goods, Redenhall, 1712 151 „ „ Sale of, 1645 77 Church Plate Account 153 Churchwardens' Books .,, ... 5q Churchwardens' Rate, Ap- plication of ... ... 5x Churchwardens, Table of (1593-1896) ... 53. 5g Clerk, John de, Gressenhale 36 Clock ... ... (y^ Clothes for Poor 99, 102, 118 Coborne, Christopher ... 82 Cofftn, Burial in ... ... 105 Commonwealth ... ... Communion Table ... 70 95 Railing in 73 Confirmation ... ... gi Constables ... •.• 73, 93, iii Conventicle Act ... ... 117 Cook, Robert, Innkeeper 181 Corbyn, Legacy by ... 64 Coroner's Inquest... ... uS Covenant, the ... ... 7^ Crediton, Fire at ... ... 132 Crosses, Removal of ... 7^ Cuckingstool ("Co o k e - stole") ... 68, 122 192 I?ld€X, DAVIES, Dean, at Har- leston ... ... ... 182 Death Sentence, the ... 89 Disinfecting, Charges for 115 Disserniers, Joel ... ... 182 Doctor, a Distressed ... 80 Dogs in Church ... ... go Domesday 11, 15, 18-25 Donyngton, Reginald de 35 Doorway, West (Redenhall) 29 Doune, William de la ... 34 Dove, John, 50, 83, 85, 181, 183 Dragon Water ... ... 107 Drapers, Founders, 138, 139, 146 Dunstable Poor House ... 66 Dyntynshall, William de 34 EDRIC ... ig, 20, 21, 22 Edwards, a Refugee ... 79 Ely Cathedral, Repair of 130 Emmanuel College, Ex- tracts from Order Book ... ... 169-172 Ensham ... ... ... 130 FAGGOTS for Roadmend- ing ... ... ... 122 Fanton (or Fenton) , Builder 83 Fires 65, 81, 83 Font, Redenhall ... 28, 78, 82 Foxes ... ... 82, 89 Framlingham 90 Frankincense ... ... 74 Freeston, Captain... ... 82 Frenchman, Relief of ... 73 French Protestants 72, 87 Frere, Richard ... ... 74 Frere, Tobias, 28, 74, 112, 124, 126, 179 Fressingfield ... ... 144 Frodo ... II, 21, 22, 25 Frydecok, John 37 Fuel for Poor ... 103,111 GAWDY loi, 106, 158, 159 Gawdy Chapel 28 Gawdy, Legacy by Lady 112 Gawdy, Sir Thomas, 28, 126, 143, 158 German, Relief of ... 76 Germans, Removal of ... 116 Gillingham ... ... ... 15 Gillingwater, Edmund, 58, 60, 94, 185-189 Godric, Godricus 19, 20, 22, 23 Gooch, the Astronomer ... 51 Grammar School, Early reference to ... ... 50 Gurneys' Bank 183 HALF MOON Inn, 83, 89, 183 HARLESTON Bounds of ... ... 10 Bridge ... ... ... 122 Chapel, History of 154-177 Manor 10, 68, 122 Market 69, 93, 114 Origin of... ... ... 10 Harper, Surgeon ... ... 119 Haughley 131 Hearth Money, 80, 115, 117, 118 Hemp for Poor 99, 104, iii Herolvestuna ... 21, 183 Herring, Miles ... 52, 55 Heveningham, Sir Arthur 103 Hickey, Captain ... ... 79 Highways, Repair of ... 121 Hobart, Portrait of Sir James ... ... ... 187 Hochstadt, Battle of ... 88 Holland, John, Burial of... 67 Hood 78, 84, 89 Hour glass 68, 75, 77 Hoxne ... ... ... 14 Huguenots ... ... ... 87 Hutchinson, John 40, 64, 143 Hutch Map, Yarmouth ... 14 INGHAM, John ... 32,37 Thomas 32 y}iote) Irish Affairs, Connnittee for 78 ,, Rebellion ... ... 126 Index, T93 Irish Wanderers relieved, 68, 69» 72, 75» 76, 11, 78, 79, 80, 81 Iser, Isle of ... ... 80 Iiidikellus ... 20, 22, 24, 25 Ivo Tallebosc ... 20, 21 JACKDAWS ... 91, 92 Jacobites ... ... 45, 90 Jakendenensis Archidia- conus ... ... 32 (note) James, Birth of Prince ... 70 James IL, Coronation of 84 Jay's Green 65, 98, iii, 118 Jewel, Bishop, Works of, 67, 68 Judichell 25 {note) KERRICH, 56, 161, 173, 174, 183 Kerrich MSS. ... 29 (note) King's Arms 70, 74, 77, 78, 88 Kyng, William, priest ... 50 LA HOGUE, Battle of ... 86 Lambert, General, a soldier of 81 Lancaster, Thomas ... 40 Laune, Pierre de ... 41, 42, 113 Leatherdale, Richard 58, 183 Lectern, Eagle, 27, 63, 83, 85, . 89, 152 Leicester, Collection for... 77 Leng, Bishop 91 Licensing Laws, Fines for breaches of, loi, 104, 109, 110, III Loans to Poor ... ... no London and Provincial Bank 183 Long, Francis ... 160, 179 Lowestoft, Sea Fight off... 79 ,, Gillingwater's History of ... ... 187 Lush Bush 80 MACHYN the drover 64 PAGK Makel, Adam ... ... 36 Market 69, 93, 114 Market Cross, Demolition of 176 Marshalsea ... 66, 70 Martyrs, Book of, 69, 70, 74, 80, 89 Mary, Funeral of Queen 86 Mathews, Francis, His Navigation Scheme ... 17 Medowe, Sir Thomas ... 181 Meen, Joshua, Benefaction by 91 Mendham ... 10, 11, 21, 22 ,, Priory ... ... 16 Middaye, Richard ... 105 Middle Row 10 Military Chests ... ... 92 Mills on Waveney... ... 15 Mingay, Henry, 34, 43, 53, 96, 118 Monmouth's Rebellion ... 85 Moore, Bishop 86 More, Richard 41 Morpeth, Fire at ... ... 129 Moulton, Thomas, Legacy by 64 Mudyclift, Dr. ... 100, 120 Muriel, Christopher, 53, 61, 181 Musculus, Wolfgang ... 151 Myllende " Hospital ... 65 NEWMAN, Thomas, founder ... ... 137 Newport, William of 27, 34 „ „ Tomb of 35 Nicholls, John 45 Noiers, William de 20, 23 Norfolk Population in Domesday times ... 19 Northfleet 131 North Foreland, Sea Fight off 80 Norwich Foundry... 137, 138 ,, St. Edmund's Church 126 194 Index. PAGE OLDERSHAW, John ... 48 Oporto 45 Ormerod, Thomas John- son ... ... 48, 171 Overseers' Books ... ... 94 ,, Disbursements, Nature of ... ... 99 Owls ... ... 89, 90 PARISH Suits, 74, 100, 116, 117 ,, Workhouses, Gill- ingwater on ... ... 186 Paul's, St., Re-building of 125 Perambulation, 73, 74, 75, 78, 82 Perosies ... .. ... 183 Perowne, Thomas Thom- ason ... ... 50, 172 Phelps, Founder ... ... 138 Pictures, Defacing ... 75 Plague 79 ,, at Harleston 105-109 Plough Monday 63 Plymouth 128 Ponterell, Robert 34 Poor Houses, Collections for 66 Poor Law, Parochial ... 95 Poor Rate, Suit as to 96-98 Porch, North, Redenhall 28 Postlethwait, Matthew 45, 92 Preston, Pretender's De- feat at ... ... ... 90 Prisoners, Tax for Relief of 64, 66 Propagation of the Gospel, Society for ... ... 132 Pulpit 65 QUEBEC, Capture of ... 92 RADA ... 19, 20, 21, 23 Radulphus Comes, Earl Ralph .. ... 20, 21, 22 Ramilhcs, Battle of ... 88 Rand, John 77 Rate for Plague Charges 106 PACK Rate, Special 113 Ray, Charles ... ... 170 Rectory House ... 33, 34 REDENHALL Advowson ... 30-32 Church ... ... 26-29 Parsonage, the Old ... 33 Rectors of ... 30-50 Registers ... ... 43 Vicars of ... 36, 37 Redman, Bishop 65 Reeve, William 188 Registers, Duplicate 63, 67 Restoration welcomed in Registers ... ... 43 Reydon House ... ... 180 Ringers, 64, 69, 76, 82, 84, 85, 86, 87, 89, 90, 92, 189 Robins, Charles ... ... 44 Roger the Falconer ... 25 Rotherhithe ... 130, 131 Round Towers ... ... 16 Routh, Peter and Martin Joseph 183 Rupert, Prince ... ... 76 SABBATH-BREAKING, Fines for ... loi, 1 14 Sacrament, Provision for, 64, ^ 67, 69, 72, 75, 78, 83, 89 Salisbury, John ... ... 39 Sancroft, Archbishop, His Endowment of the Chapel ... 161-167 Scales, Town ... ... 93 Scholar, Relief of Poor ... 84 Schoolmasters, Harleston 50 Schools Dove's Foundation ... 50 Grammar School (1433) 50 Sancroft's Foundation, 161-167 Tilney's Private School 51 Screen, Redenhall ... 27 '* Scripturing " ... ... 63 Seamen, Relief of... 76, 78, 82 Index. 195 PAGE Sewell, Cleer ... 55, 119 Seymer's Pightle ... iCo {note) Shaldon, Sack of .. ... 129 Shelton, Oliver ... ... 36 Shelton, Richard ... 29, 38 Shipwreck ... ... 64, 81 ^ Shotesham, Wilham de ... 35 Shotford (and Scotoford), 15 {jiote), 22 {note) Sixth Bell, Subscribers to, 143, 144 Skipping Block 88 Sloley, John de ... ... 36 Small-pox, 89, 100, 112, 113, 1 14, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 132, 133 Small-pox, Outbreak of, 1712-3 132, 133 Smith, William, Chaplain, 169, 174 Rector 42, 43 Soldier, Town ... ... 109 Soldiers, Relief of 76, 77 Soldiers, Tax for Maimed, 66, 67, 70 Southwold, Fire at ... 128 Sowter's House ... ... 180 Sparrows ... ... 91, 92, 93 Spencer Miles ... ... 38 Stanton, Nicholas ... 37 Stebbing, Henry ... 47 {note) Rector... 46 Stephens, John, founder, 137, 138, 142 Stigand, Bishop ... 20, 21, 22 Stockton ... ... ... 131 Stokes, Richard 38 Stone, the Harleston ... 182 Stratford-on-Avon, Fire at 127 Stratton ... 64, 86, 113, 122 Suicide, Burial of a ... 81 Sunday Schools 187 Sundial ... ... ... go Surgeon, Charges for, 100, 109, no, 113, 114 Surgeon, Contract by Par- ish with ... 100, 119 Surgeons at Harleston in 1728 188 {note) Surplice ... ... 69, 70, 88 Surveyors' Books ... ... 121 Swan Hotel ... ... 18 r Swarby, John ... ... 37 Sydoniensis, Thomas ... 40 Syleham ... ... ... 13 ,, Church ... ... 16 TANNER MSS 33 ,, Thomas 44, 90, 131 ,, William 44, 91, 140 Teaching Poor Children ... 113 Teignmouth, Sack of ... 129 Temple Bar ... ... 64 Tenor Bell, Fall of ... 147 Thetford Foundry ... 138 Thomas, Bishop ... ... 40 Tilney 33.5^.5^ Titlow, Samuel ... ... 185 Toll House ... ... 183 Tools for Poor ... 99, 102 Tower, Redenhall ... 29 ,, ,, Damage to 63, 83 ,, ,, Rebuilding Pinnacle 84 Town House 64, 98, no, in Turkey, Captives in, 65, 72, 79, 82, 85, 129 Twist ... 55, 85, 100, 115 Twyford ... ... ... 131 VESTMENTS, 87, 149, 150, 152, 156 Vestry ... ... ... 27 ,, Repairs to ... ... 71 Vince, Samuel ... ... 51 WAFER BREAD ... 63 Walsingham Poor House 65 Warburton, Thomas 47, 184 196 Index. PAGE Warburton, Thomas, His Letter to Bishop Bagot 167 Watch House ... ... 106 Waveney, River ... 13-17 Weybread ... ... 14^ 15 Wheatley, Richard 38, 150 Wheedy, Isle of ... ... 79 Wheel (Spinning?), Pro- vision of ... ... 119 Whitaker, George Ayton 171 Thomas, Senior 170 Junior 170 Whitechapel Foundry ... 137 White Horse Inn ... 115, 183 Widow, Effects of a ... 116 Williams, Bishop ... 21, 24 William III., Birthday of 86 ,, Return from Ireland ... 85 William III., Return from Netherlands, 85, 87 Winchilsea ... ... 127 Witchcraft ... ... ... 64 Witchpool 188 Witherby, John 85 Wogan, John ... 56, 131 Woodhouse, Myles ... 150 Woodward, Bernard B. ... 184 Woollen, Burial in 100, 118 Wortwell ... II, 24, 62, 67 ,, Rectory House in 33 Wy, John de 35 YARD LEY, Edward ... 40 Yarmouth 14, 69, 79 Jarrold and Sons^ Piinlers^ Nonvkh^ Yarmouth^ and London.