An Essay Towards A Topographical History of the County of Norfolk: Volume 10. Originally published by W Miller, London, 1809.
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SEETHING, or SENGES.
Roger Bigot, ancestor of the Earls of Norfolk, on the expulsion of a freeman of Earl Gert, had a grant of 30 acres of land, and 2 servi, with half a carucate of land in demean, also of the lands which six freemen held of the soc of Archbishop Stigand, who had 2 carucates and 30 acres of land among them.
In the said town a freeman under Stigand's protection held also a carucate of land, (which Bigot had,) with one villain, 7 borderers, half a carucate in demean, and half a carucate among the tenants, 3 acres of meadow, and a mill; and there were 8 freemen belonging to Stigand's soc, with 20 acres and a carucate of land, with 2 servi, valued in the whole at 20s. but at the survey at 40s.
A freeman of Stigand had here also under his protection, half a carucate and 16 acres, valued at 32d. which Bigot had the grant of.
In the said town a freeman under the protection of Alwi de Tetford, had 16 acres valued at 24d. and Turold held this at the survey under Bigot.
Here were also 5 borderers, with 10 acres, belonging to Framingham, with two churches endowed with 16 acres, valued at 2s. and there were also 4 bovates: and the two churches here mentioned were those of Framingham-Earl's, and Framingham Picot, in Hensted hundred, belonging also to Bigot.
Bigot had besides the grant of 6 acres, valued at 6d. per ann. which Ulketell, a freeman, had possessed. (fn. 1)
Several lordships arose out of these fees, which were held of the Bigots Earls of Norfolk, and their descendants.
The Bigots, a younger branch of the Earls of Norfolk, had an interest here. In the reign of Edward I. Roger Bigot Earl of Norfolk, granted to Sir John le Bigot, his nephew, son of Sir Ralph, a lordship, paying to him, for all suits and services, a bearded arrow yearly; dated at Bungay Ao. 38 of Edward I.; witnesses, Sir John Lovell, Sir Baldwin Pykot, Sir Peter Roscelyne, Sir Edward Charles, Sir John de Holbroke, &c. this is said to have been held of the said Earl, by Sir John de Seagrave.
Sir John Bigot died possessed of it, held by the 20th part of a fee, in the 33d of that King, and Ralph was his son and heir, who proved his age in the following year, and in the 12th of Edward II. gave it to Sir Walter Calthorp, with his manor in Mundham.
Sir William Calthorp was lord, and had a grant of free-warren in the 28th of Edward III.
Sir Philip Calthorp died seized of it April 7, Ao. 3°. Edward VI. and Elizabeth his daughter and heir brought it by marriage to Sir Henry Parker, and his descendant Sir Philip Parker, son and heir of Sir Calthorp Parker, was lord in the 20th of James I.
Roger Myniot had a grant of free warren in his lordship here, Ao. 13th of Edward I. and in Bramford, Stonham, Antingham in Suffolk, &c.
John Myniot held it of the honour of Forncet in the 7th of Edward III. and had free warren then granted in Hoton, Carleton, and Skipton upon Swale in Yorkshire.
In the 3d of Henry V. on Tuesday before the feast of St. Michael, John Pyke, late prior of the Holy Trinity of Ipswich, granted to John Crane, and Roger Cottemower, his manor of Minyots, paying yearly in the church of St. Margaret's of Seething 6 marks.
In the 15th of Edward I. Robert de Hedenham held here and in Hedenham of the Earl of Norfolk, the 15th and the 5th part of a fee, which Robert de Hedenham possessed in the 20th of Henry III.
Roger de Dykelburgh, and his parceners, Geff. Myniot, and Hugh de Noble, had the 20th part of a fee of the manor of Forncot; and in the reign of Henry IV. Thomas Lord Mowbray, as capital lord, had the manor of Bigots in this town, held by the 20th part of a fee, the manor of Dykelburgh, by the 15th part of a fee; that of Calthorp by the 20th part of a fee; that of Hedenham by the 40th part of a fee; the abbot of Sibton, abbot of Langley, and the hospital of St. Giles in Norwich had among them one fee.
There was also a family who assumed their name from this town, being early enfeoffed of a lordship under the Bigots.
Sir Ralph de Senges, or Seething, was living in the reign of Henry II. and married Claricia, daughter of—de Wileby, and had Henry de Senges his son.
Richard de Senges, William, his son, and Ralph de Senges, were witnesses to a deed of lands in Chebenhale in Suffolk, given to the nuns of Bungey Holy Cross, s. d. Sir William de Senges granted to the canons of Langley 20 acres of land here, and lands in Mundham, s. d. (fn. 2)
Sir Walter de Senges gave to the monks of Sibton lands here and in Mundham, by deed, sans date; witnesses, Sir William de Senges, Roger de Dikleburgh, Robert de Hedenham, Robert Cokerell, &c. and Sir William confirmed to them, all the gifts of Sir Walter, in lands, tenements, rents, &c. in this town, Mundham, Langale, Tweyt, Kirkstede, &c. for 5 marks of silver paid, sans date: Roger, son of Sir Roger de Senges, gave them lands, and by deed sans date, discharged them from all suit of court to Sir Walter's manor of Senges.
This family wrote themselves sometime De Wyndesore, and sometime De Senges, and descend from Maurice de Wyndlesore, to whom Aldbold, abbot of Bury, granted, about 1110, all the land which Robert their steward, his predecessor held, with all his stewardship of their abbey, all its customary dues, &c. his own livery, with that of his clerks, 8 men and 8 horses. (fn. 3)
Hugh de Wyndesore, gave to the monks of Sibton, the whole tenement, which Margery, wife of Sir Richard de Senges held in dower, with the mill, &c. he also gave a messuage called Old Flatt's in Mundham.
In the 52d of Henry III. a fine was levied between Walter de Wyndesore, querent, Richard, abbot of Sibton, deforciant; that whereas the abbot was obliged to find two monks to celebrate divine service for the soul's health of Hugh de Wyndesore, and Christian his wife, and of the ancestors and successours of the said Walter, in the chapel of Senges; and to find for Walter a convenient chamber in the abbey for himself and a boy, with necessary diet and cloathing, and competent provender for one horse, which the abbot had denied him; the abbot hereby grants to Walter, that he would perform the said covenants of finding 2 chaplains to say a mass of St. Mary, and another De Defunctis every day in the said chapel, for the health of Hugh de Wyndesore and Christian his wife, ancestors of Walter, and to pay Walter, 8 marks per ann. and two boots of the price of 18d. or 18d. in money, Walter releasing all the rest.
Walter gave also a tenement which Margery, wife of Sir Richard de Senges, held in dower, in Senges, a tenement called Old Flat's and 3 acres in Mundham, with a mill in Thweyt.
The interest that the Senges had in this town came soon after to the Calthorps.
Roger Bigot Earl of Norfolk gave to Richard de Senges, by deed sans date, 23 acres of land here, to be held of him by the 20th part of a fee, and Sir William Calthorp, son of Sir Walter, was lord of Sithing in the 14th of Edward II. and entailed it on his son Walter, but the chief part of the Senges estate was in the abbey of Sibton.
I have seen a deed of Sir Oliver Calthorp, dated at Burnham, December 16, 1361, setting forth that whereas the abbots, &c. of Sibton were obliged, on account of certain lands, and tenements, to pray for the souls of his ancestors in a chantry, within the chapel of Sything, given to them by his said ancestors, which lands and tenements, by length of time, and by the death of the free tenants and villains are become so waste, and the profits so diminished, as to be not a sufficient support for one monk to live and remain there. In order to supply the same, he grants for himself and heirs, that the said abbot, &c. should be freed from the same, on condition that they provide a chantry in their own monastery, to perform the said office, and saving to himself and heirs the payment of 18d. per ann. at the feast of St. Martin for one pair of boots, which the said convent used to pay to him and his ancestors, and all other rents and services annually paid.
William de Noiers at the survey was steward of a lordship in this town, or which a freeman of Stigand the Archbishop was deprived; there then belonged to it a carucate of land, one villain, 2 borderers, one carucate in demean, half a carucate among the tenants, with an acre and a half of meadow: one saddle horse in the manor house, &c. and 21 socmen in King Edward's reign had 24 acres of land, with a carucate and a half of meadow, valued in Tofts before the conquest at 40s. but the Conqueror added to this manor a beruite in Tofts, called Stiga, so that at the survey it paid 4l. and 10s. for what was in Tofts; it was one leuca long and one broad, and paid 16d. gelt.
This was granted by King William II. to William de Albinj his butier, ancestor of the Earls of Arundel, and held of them by several persons.
In the 14th of Edward I. John de Dunham, passed by fine to William Gerbergh, vineter, lands in this town, Mundham and Wootton.
John Gerberge and Alice his wife, were querents, in a fine Ao. Edward III. William Gerberge, parson of Wodenorton All-Saints, and John de Beckham, parson of Islington, deforciants of 10l. rent here, in Mundham, Lodne, and Langley, with homages and services, settled on John Gerbergh, remainder to Roger his son.
William de Holbroke, in the 20th of the said King, was found to hold one fee of the Earl of Arundel, which Walter and William Gerbridge held; and in the 25th year, Gilbert de Debenham, conveyed to John de Berney and Margaret his wife; and John Berney de Wichingham, in the 17th of Edward IV. died seized of the manor of Holbroke.
Thomas, Earl of Arundel, as capital lord, was found, in the 3d of Henry IV. to have one fee called Gerbrigg's.
The manor of Mauclerks held by Sir Henry Inglose, extended here: of this Albany fee see more in Mundham.
The Delapoles had also a lordship here. Sir William Delapole, Jun. granted to John de Cobham, lord of Cobham, an annuity out of his manors of Sything in Norfolk, Offord, and Chesterton in Huntingdonshire, Edworth in Bedfordshire, &c. as a security on his son John Delapole's, marriage with Joan, daughter and heir of the said Lord Cobham, and at the same time it was covenanted that Sir William should settle on them at their marriage 100l per ann. in lands and rents out of the manors of Westhall and Fulbroke in Oxfordshire, Potton in Bedfordshire, and Abircheifsey.
This Sir William was son of Sir William Delapole, the great merchant of Hull, and Catherine his wife, which lady, in her deed dated at Kingston upon Hull, on Monday before the feast of St. Catherine, in the 40th year of King Edward III. styled herself widow of Sir William de la Pole, sen. and granted all her right in Bristwick in Holderness; and in her manors of Cleyton Parva, Burton, Pydsey, Outhorn, Wythouse, Skestelyng, Kylnese, Esyngton, Preston, Bonde, Bristewyk, Ravensore, Hedon, Barrowe, Paghesflete, Sportele, Kelle, Dyke, and Elstonwyke, with the wapentake of Holderness, &c. members, of Bristwick; in the manors of Skypse, Gryngele, and Whetely in Nottinghamshire, and in the rent of 260 marks out of the customs of the port of Kingston, yearly, which Sir William had before surrendered to the King, and which she now confirms; all which Sir William her husband had of the gift and grant of the said King. It is observeable that she seals with the arms of her husband, azure, a fess between 3 leopards faces, or, and not in a lozenge, though a widow; between the seal and the legend, with her name, are two Catherine, wheels; one on each side, to set forth also her Christian name, and the crest seems to be the bust of St. Catherine, the head with a crown.
Sir John de la Pole, by his lady Joan, left a daughter and heir, Joan, who by Sir Reginald Braybrook, one of her husbands, had also a daughter and heir, Joan, who married Sir Thomas Brook; who in the 6th of Henry VI. was lord of Sething, also of Radwinter Magna and Parva, and Creshale in Essex; father of Edward Lord Brook of Cobham, who died June 6, Ao. 4 Edward IV. lord of this manor, and John was his son and heir, aged 18.
In the 6th of Henry VI. a fine was also levied between Sir John de Harpeden, Knt. and Joan his wife. Sir Thomas Brook and Joan his wife, Sir John Golafre, &c. querents, Reginald Kentwood, clerk, William Paston, &c. feoffes of the Lord Cobham of this manor, &c. settled on Sir John Harpeden, and Joan for life, remainder to Sir Thomas Broke and Joan in tail.
At the survey Isaac had 80 acres of land with 2 villains, and 3 carucates, which 3 freemen of Godwin had been deprived of, valued at 20s. at the survey at 30s.
A certain poor nun claimed here 4 acres of land, which she held under Ralph Earl of Norfolk, before and after his rebellion, as the hundred witnessed; but Isaac deprived her of it, and joined it to his lordship by a grant from the Conqueror. (fn. 5)
This came afterwards as an eschaet to the Crown, and was granted to the Bigots, who joined it to their other fees abovementioned.
Hugh Earl of Chester, had a lordship granted him, which 9 freemen held, and the moiety of 4 of them were under Stigand.
Walter de Dol had taken them away and added them to the lordship of Ennaham, and contained half a carucate of land; in King Edward's time, there was a carucate. Walter de Dol held Ennaham, (Eiland or Neyland,) in Depwade hundred, under Roger Bigot, and Roger Bigot held this under Earl Hugh; so that it was united to Bigot's manors abovementioned. (fn. 6)
John Spooner, of this town, was lord of Mauclerk's manor in the reign of Henry IV. and Thomas Spooner, Gent. in the 40th of Elizabeth.
Thomas Godsalve, Esq. was lord of Miniot's manor in this town, in the reign of Henry VIII. and at the Dissolution had a grant of Sibton abbey, from the Duke of Norfolk; (fn. 7) Sir John Godsalve died lord of them in the reign of Philip and Mary, and William his son inherited them. Thomas Godsalve died lord in the 30th of Elizabeth, and Roger was his son and heir.
The tenths were 4l. 13s.—Deducted 20s.—The temporalities of Langley abbey 2l. 10s. 9d. ob.; this was granted to Thomas Godsalve, Esq. at the Dissolution.
The temporalities of Bokenham priory 8d.
The Church was dedicated to St. Margaret, and was a rectory, valued at 25 marks.
In the 25th of Henry III. Richard was rector, and in the 34th of that King a fine was levied between Symon, abbot of Langley, querent, Walter de Senges, impedient, of one acre of land, (fn. 8) and the advowson of the moiety of the church of St. Margaret, granted to the abbot and his successours, on the cession or death of Richard the rector.
In 1253, this church was appropriated by Walter Bishop of Norwich, to the hospital of St. Gyles in Norwich, founded by the said Bishop, paying to the almony of the priory of Norwich, a pension of 10 marks per ann. this church being alternately presented to by himself, and the prior; this pension was remitted by the said convent in the reign of Edward III. the hospital having built 12 cottages in Holm-street, Norwich, and resigned them to the convent.
It is now served by a stipendiary curate, appointed by the corporation of Norwich.
In the church was a chantry, afterwards removed by Sir Oliver Calthorp, to Sibton abbey, which abbey paid 10l. to Sir Oliver for this indulgence; also the guild of St. Margaret.