WACTON,
Or watch town, might probably take its name from the watch that
used constantly to be kept upon the Roman highway, at the entrance
of Stratton, in order to guard the passage to their fortification at
Taseboro.
At the Confessor's and Conqueror's surveys, the whole belonged to,
and was included in, the manor of Forncet, (fn. 1) except one part, which
belonged to the honour of Richmond, and afterwards became Park's
manor here. (fn. 2)
There was a fourth part of a fee held by Durand at the Conqueror's
survey, and this was the manor of
Wacton-Parva, or Little-Wacton,
Which always attended the manor of Great-Moulton from that time
to this, (as at p. 205,) in right of which, the third turn of the sinecure
rectory here is still appendant to it. The other 3d part of the vil-
lage of Wacton-Parva always belonged to Forncet, and a 3d part of
the advowson, till it was lately purchased of the Duke of Norfolk,
by the Rev. Mr. John Soley, rector of Stratton St. Mary, who hath
also the other 3d part of the gift of Thomas-Bokenham Tirrel, lord of
the manor of Park's in Great Wacton, to which it lately belonged,
though formerly it was appendant to the manor of Stratton-hall, ac-
cording to an agreement made in 1288, between Roger le Bigof Earl
of Norfolk, and Gilbert de Borne and Eliz. his wife, owners of Strat-
ton-hall, by which this turn was settled on them and their heirs.
Rectors of Wacton-parva.
Ralf de Aylesham. Thomas de Brotherton Earl of Nor-
folk, in right of Forncet manor.
1349, John at Ash of Bintre, ob. Sir John Verdon, Knt. in right
of Wacton-Parva manor, now united to the manor of Great-Moulton.
1353, William Stannard, resigned. Sir Ralf de Shelton, Sir
Thomas de Shardelow, Sir Richard de Boyland, Knts. Will.
de Midelton, Hugh Curson, and Thomas Caroun, rector of
Stratton St. Mary, feoffees of the manor of Bourne's or Stratton-
Hall, to which this 3d turn belongs.
1354, Tho. Trendel, res. The King.
1356, Reginald Martin, in exchange with Paston. Sir John Ver-
don, Knt.
1404, Will. Smith. Cecily, late wife of Sir John Herling, Knt.
1423, Rob. Balle, res. Lapse.
1432, John Prat. Thomas Tirrel of Wilinghale, Esq.
1435, Clement Chevyr. Feoffees of Sir Robert Herling.
1440, Edmund Norman, alias Waketon. John Duke of Norfolk.
1443, Roger Hesse, res. Hen. Noon, Esq.
1446, John Bartram, resigned. Lapse.
1448, John Elyot, res. John Duke of Norfolk.
1452, Miles Roche, A. M. Hen. Noon, Esq. united to Waketon-
Magna.
1463, John Hauteyn. Ditto.
1470, Rob. Thayter, ob. Sir Robert Wingfield, Knt. and
Anne his wife.
1474, Will. Pulvertoft. John Duke of Norfolk.
1485, Will. la Vile, alias Norman, res. Hen Noon, Esq.
1492, John Savage, ob. John Lord Scroop, in right of Anne his
wife, who was relict of Sir Robert Wingfield, and heiress of
Herling.
1497, Will. Brett, res. Thomas Duke, Esq. this turn; united to
Waketon-Magna.
1505, John Helrede, Helvede, or Chede, res. Thomas Beding-
field, Esq.
1511, John Wade, ob. Thomas Earl of Surrey.
1524, Robert Peryn. Lapse; united to Waketon-Magna.
1526, Richard Grey, res. Leonard Spencer, in right of Multon
manor.
1533, Robert Stringfellow. William Duke of Brampton.
1543, Sir John Cooke, chaplain. Sir Edmund Bedingfield, Knt.
1555, Robert Vaser, lapse.
1563, Edward Bowling, lapse; united to Waketon-Magna.
1567, Tho. Watson. Tho. Duke of Norfolk; united to Waketon-
Magna.
1613, Will. Pudding, A. M. John Rivet, Esq.
1613, Abacuc Cadywold. Tho. Duke and Tho. Goodwin, guar-
dians to Edward, son of Ambrose Duke of Benhale. He was suc-
ceeded by
Brian Smith, D. D. ob. Thomas Rivet, Gent. united to
Stoke-Ash.
1672, Philip Goodwin, A. M. Tho. Rivet.
1700, Tho. Colman on Goodwin's death. Sir John Duke, Bart. ob.
1719, Joseph Charles. Eliz. Chute. On his going to Swaffham
in 1721, he voided it, and John Soley, clerk, presented
Abel Hodges, A. B. and in 1725, when he went to Brockdish,
Sir Edw. Duke, Bart. presented
The Rev. Mr. William Baker, A. M. the present rector, who holds
it with Hedenham.
The church was dedicated to St. Mary the Virgin, and when
Norwich Domesday was made, the rector had a house and 16 acres
of glebe; the revenues were so small, that it was not valued in the
first taxation, but at the second it was valued at 40s. though not
taxed. It then paid 12d. procurations, 9d. synodals, 5d. ob. Peter-
pence, and 2d. ob. carvage; it now stands in the King's Books thus:
2l. 13s. 4d. Wacton-Parva Rectory 30l. clear yearly value. (fn. 3)
so that being discharged, it pays no first fruits nor tenths, and is
capable of augmentation.
In 1606, this parish was valued by itself, at 233l. 13s 8d. per
annum to the taske or tax. The church was in constant use till about
1500, and then it began to be called a chapel, and in 1510, was re-
turned to be in decay, and in 1520, it was so bad that service began
to be omitted; and then there was a design of rebuilding it, though
it never took place, for in 1522, William Cullyng of Wacton St.
Mary, was buried there, and willed, "That when it shall please the
Parissheners af the seid Wakton, to go about the halowynge of their
churche, yf that they will doo geve the Bishop his Dener that Day,
then I will that mine Executors shall soo geve the Bishop his sly-
pende, as he and they may agree." (fn. 4) But notwithstanding this, it
fell down and was never repaired. It stood on the piece of glebe
now called Dove-house-Acre or Chappel-yard; but the foundations
are ploughed over, though the rector, upon every institution, reads
prayers there forenoon and afternoon, as in other rectories; the silver
cup which belonged here is now the only cup in Great-Wacton
church, as the inscription on it shows.
The parish is now so far swallowed up in Great-Wacton, that the
bounds are not commonly known, (fn. 5) so that all the tithes are received
by the rector of Great-Wacton, (fn. 6) there being no house, church, or
parishioner, it is an absolute sinecure. The rector at this day being
possessed of nothing but about 16 acres of glebe, and even that, pays
all taxes, tithes, and rates, to Wacton-Magna, being rated at 5l. 10s.
per annum, besides 4d. ob. synodals to the Bishop, and 1s. procura-
tions to the archdeacon.
Twelve small pieces of this glebe laid intermixed in 10 or 12 enclo-
sures of land belonging to Mrs. Martina Robe, widow, but are newly
exchanged for the like quantity of land in two enclosures, containing
about 8 or 9 acres, by consent of the Bishop, rector, and patrons.