KENINGHAM,
Was in the hands of Ancholf, and others, in the Confessor's days,
and of Tovi (fn. 1) and Godric the Sewer, in the Conqueror; (fn. 2) when it was
half a mile long, and five furlongs broad, and paid xi.d. geld. It came
immediately to the Norfolk family, and attended it constantly till
Queen Elizabeth's time, and then the manor was sold by Thomas Duke
of Norfolk, to Sir Thomas Gresham, and became joined to Mulbarton,
though the demeans were sold again by Sir Thomas in 1570, to Mr.
Turner, in which family they still continue.
The Rectors of Keningham
Had a house and 50 acres of land; the rectory was valued first at six,
and after at nine marks; it paid 20d. synodals, 6s. 8d procurations,
12d. Peter-pence, and 3d. carvage. The church was demolished
totally long before the Reformation, and the churchyard became glebe
to Mulbarton, and hath been since exchanged, and is now owned by
Mr. Turner of Kenningham; it stood south-east of Mulbarton-green
about half a mile.
1309, Roger Baste of Hasketone; the King; he changed for
Bromeswell in
1320, with John de Thorpmarket. Tho. de Brotherton Earl of
Norfolk, and Earl-Marshal.
1349, Will. de Strixton. Sir John de Segrave, Knt.
1352, Rob. Drille, lapse.
1361, Adam Golle. Walter Lord Manny; he was succeeded by
Thomas de Ickworth, who resigned in
1398, to Rich. Osteler of Taseburgh. Mary Dutchess and Countess
of Norfolk.
1422, J. Glysse, lapse. He resigned in exchange for Gimmingham to
Robert Stratton, the same year. John Earl Marshal.
1423, Richard Wilby, lapse.
1426, Richard Howes of Tibenham, lapse.
1433, Thomas Bradfield. Ditto.
1446, Will. Steynware, or Steynour, lapse. He resigned, being old
and lame, and in 1452, it was perpetually united to Mulbarton,
with which it hath remained ever since, the parish being totally in
Mulbarton, there being not above two or three houses in the bounds
of the the old parish of Kenningham.
In 1315, the Prior of Thetford had divers small rents taxed at
5s. 1d. And there was a free-tenement owned by a family sirnamed
from that place, purchased first from the manor by Will. de Shotesham,
who gave it to Ralf his son, who assumed the name of Kyningham,
on his settling here in Henry the Third's time. In 1299, William de
Kiningham and Alice his wife lived here, and he was returned as
having a manor or free-tenement, in 1315; and in 1393, brother
John Kiningham was the 21st provincial of the Carmelites or Whitefriars in England. (fn. 3) He is mentioned in Fox's Martyrology, fo. 437,
39, as one of those that sat at the trials or examinations of Nic. Herford, Phil. Repyndon, and John Ayshton, bachelors in divinity; Bale,
(p. 158,) indeed mistakes, and calls him a Suffolk man, which came
from his first being educated among the Carmelites at Ipswich; he
was after that D. D. of Oxford, a modest, temperate, prudent, and
learned divine, so much beloved by John Duke of Lancaster, that he
made him his chaplain, and confessor to himself and lady; he was
author of many books, an account of which may be seen in Pitts's
English Writers, at page 565: he died at York and was buried there
in 1399, in the 6th year of his provincialship.