ALGAR'S-THORP
Is a hamlet to Great-Melton; it had a chapel, formerly parochial
dedicated to St. Mary Magdalen, but now long since demolished; it
stood in a close called Maudlin close; Norwich Domesday says, that
then the rectors of Melton St. Mary and All-Saints took all the profits
belonging to the chapel, for which they were obliged at their charge
to find a chaplain to serve in it; it had baptism, burial, and all signs
of a mother church, and seven parishioners and their families; it is
still called Thorp hamlet. In 1476, it was perpetually united to
Melton All-Saints, though the chapel continued in use till the Dissolution, in the Conqueror's survey it is not named, being then part of
Melton, which was given soon after to one Algar, from whom it took
is name.
In 1198, Rob. de Riflai settled on Maud Prioress of Karhoe,
and that convent, 7s. rent here, (fn. 1) to be received yearly of Alice Peverel,
Humfry de Erlham, and Gerebert de St. Clere, and their heirs; and
the Peverels gave so much after, that the prioress in 1279 was returned
to hold in Melton and Algarthorp, of John Peverel, a quarter of a fee;
and in 1428, that convent was taxed at 39s. 6d. for their temporalities
here.
Jeffry son of Godfry de Algeresthorp gave two acres of
land to the monks of Norwich, (fn. 2) with the consent of Sir Hubert Hacun
of Great-Melton, his lord, Ric. Hacun his son, and Hubert Hacun
his nephew; Will. Burch, parson of Horningtoft, being witness; and
in 1491, the pitanciary of their monastery accounted for the profits of
2 acres in Algerysthorp by Bawburgh, which were given by Sir Gregory Lovel, Knt. for a pittance in the monastery on his obit day. The
principal part or
Manor of Algar's-Thorp
Belonged to one Algar, of the gift of Mathew Peverel; in 1248,
John le Breton, for siding with the French King, forfeited it; in 1249,
Simon son of Will. de Melton, and Will. de Hereford had it, with Simon
son of Herbert de Hetherset, and Maud de Melton; and in 1267, Simon de Melton was sole lord; in 1268, it was found before the justices
itinerant then sitting at Diss in Norfolk, (fn. 3) that Bartholomew de Redham
had unjustly disseized Richard Skilman of Hethersete, and in 1284,
Barth. de Redham and Ric. Skilman, had unjustly disseized John son
of the said Bartholomew, of 4 messuages, 60 acres of land, and 6s.
rent here. In 1305, Simon de Hethersete and Cecily his wife had a
release from Ric. Doche, or Doge, mercer, of London, who married
Sibil, daughter of Nicholas de Hethersete. 1323, John le Graunger of
Great Melton granted lands in Graunger's Croft, to Sir Simon de Hethersete, Knt. and Cecily his wife; this was soon after divided into
many parts; Henry and Will. Lominour had some lands and rents,
Jeffery Davy the younger of Marlingford, others, and James le Palmer, Thomas de Blickling, David Mercator, or Chapman, were, and had
been, concerned in the manor called Skilman's. In 1401, Henry
Lomnor, junior, had the biggest part, which joined to Hacon's; and
the other parts afterwards were in the Wootons, Flowerdews, Corbets,
and Davies.
The revenues of the monastery of Wimondham here, were given by
Mat. Peverel, and Alice his wife, Richard son of Ribald, Hugh Noble,
Jeffery Clerk, and Roger de Hereford.