SOUTH-PICKENHAM.
In Pinkenham, Toli held in the Confessor's time 30 acres; but
when the Conqueror came, Ralph Earl of Norfolk had it, and after
him Wihenoc; it was half a carucate, one acre of wood, &c. and
was in the tenure of Rainald son of Ivo; at the survey the said
Wihenoc also invaded other lands, some of which Herlwin, a
freeman of Rainald held of him. (fn. 1)
Ribald Lord of Midleham, brother of Alan Earl of Richmond,
had 7 freemen who held of him 5 carucates of land, (the town was
10 furlongs in length, and 6 in breadth, and paid 12d. to the gelt)
valued in the Confessor's time at 40s. at the survey at 50s. (fn. 2) From
Rainald, descended the Earls of Clare, and from Ribald, the
Nevilles Lord Latimers, and between them the town was divided
and contained two moieties, by the name of Stewkey-Hall.
Latimer's Moiety.
In the 3d of Henry IV. Sir Robert Knolls held this of the Nevilles;
and in the reign of Henry VI. John Monketon; lands were leased out
by the names of Herveys and Overeys in South Pickenham, in the 9th
of Henry VII. by Richard Neville Lord Latimer. On an inquisition
taken in the 21st of Henry VIII. it appeared that William Methwold,
Esq. died 26th of Oct. in the preceeding year, seized of the manor of
Stewkey-Hall, viz. a moiety of the manor of South Pickenham held
of the Lord Latimer, paying 10s. 10d. per annum, and another moiety,
held of the honour of Clare, paying 6d. per annum, and the manor
of Langford, paying 6s. 8d. per annum, a capital messuage in Fouldon of the Lord Latimer, paying 2s. per annum, and John was his
son and heir, aged 14. The Methwolds seem to have held lands
here, sometime before this, Richard Methwold presented to this rectory in 1496, and styled himself of Langford, Gent.; (fn. 3) and William
Methwold, Esq. about the end of Queen Elizabeth, conveyed both
moieties to Thomas Bradbury, Gent. and Bradbury to Sir Henry
Hobart; from the Hobarts it came again to the Methwolds, William
Methwold of Kensington, Esq. presented to the church in 1650; from
him it came in 1670 to Sir Thomas Player, Knt. who conveyed it to
Anthony Fisher, Esq. who partly built the manor-house, now called
the Hall, and his son Anthony sold it to Sir Edward Atkins, Knt.
Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer, who finished the house, and resided here in the reign of King William, and the Baron's son, Rich.
conveyed it to Thomas Chute, Esq. clerk of the Crown in chancery
whose son Lennard dying without issue, it came to his brother,
Devereux Chute; and on his death, to
Thomas Lobb Chute, son of Thomas Lobb, Esq. by Elizabeth
eldest sister of Lennard, who is the present lord and patron.
Clare's Moiety.
This moiety of Stewkey-hall was held by Jeffery de Stivecly,
Stivecay, or Stukey, (from whom the lordship took its name.) In the
reign of Edward I. of the Earl of Gloucester; and about the 14th of
the said King, it descended to William de Heveningham and John de
Turtevill; in the said year a fine was levied between them of the
advowson of this church, as heirs to their cousin Jeffery, and were by
this to present alternately. (fn. 4)
In the 20th of Edward III. William de Hales, Richard son of
Richard de Holdich, and Roger de Bodney, held the 4th part of a fee
here in demesne of Richard Fitz Simon, and he of the honour of
Clare, which John Tortewill formerly held, and the 4th part of a fee
of John Harsick, which Heveningham held. In the 29th of the said
King, Richard Holdich had free warren in his demesnes land here,
and in Didlington, Fouldon and Congham; (fn. 5) and in the 3d of Henry
IV. Richard Holdich held the 4th part of a fee of Richard Earl of
March, and he of the King, lately held by Richard Fitz Simon; and
the 4th part late Harsicks: after this it came to the Reppes, by marriage of Anne daughter of Richard Holdich, for on the 11th of Jan.
in the 22d of Hen. VII. Hen. Reppes, Gent. sold to Wil. Eyre, Gent. all
his manor or moiety of Stewky-hall; and on an inquisition taken 4th
October, in the 31st of Henry VIII. William Methwold was found
to be lord, and he joined it to Latimer's moiety, with which it now
remains.
At the great survey Ralph de Tony had a Berwic, with two carucates of land in demesne, and 6 socmen; (fn. 6) here was also a church
with 17 acres, and a wood, and was built by Edric in the Confessor's
time.
This manor was granted by the Tonys to the priory of Westacre
of their foundation, and leased out by them to the lords of Stewky
Hall, and we find that the church abovementioned, which was dedicated to St. Andrew, was, in the time of Edward I. in the said
priory, and the prior had a manse with 3 carucates of land; and
from the rolls of the hundred court, it appears that a quitrent was and
is paid at this time, out of the lordship of South Pickenham, late
the prior of Westacre's, to the lord of the Hundred. (fn. 7)
The Church of South Pickenham is dedicated to All the Saints,
and is a single building, having only one isle or nave of flint, &c. in
length about 42 feet, and in breadth about 16, with a roof of oak,
covered with lead; in a south window is a shield of the Earl Warren;
over the arch of a window is a stone pedestal with an angel carved
thereon, and here it is likely the Virgin had her station, and an altar
dedicated to her; the roof of this nave is much flatter than when
first erected, lower than that of the chancel, which makes a very disagreeable prospect; (fn. 8) on the north side of the nave is a porch covered
with tiles, on the said side has been a chapel or burial-place of brick,
now in ruins, without a roof and overgrown with ivy; Henry Hobart, youngest son of Sir Henry Hobart, Knt. Lord Chief Justice
of the Common Pleas, built it, and was there buried 17 November
1638. (fn. 9)
At the west end of the nave is a very antique round tower, and on
that an octangular top, raised some centuries after, and on the decay
of the other, which was very probably built by Edric the Danish
lord. On the summit is a little shaft; in this tower hang three bells.
The chancel is divided from the nave by a wooden screen, and is 24
feet in length, and about 18 in breadth, and covered with reed. In
the east window are Methelwold's arms with a crescent arg. for
difference, impaling quarterly in the 1st and 4th sab. a bend engrailed
between six billets arg. for Allington, a family of great antiquity
in the county of Cambridge, that flourished at Botlesham and Horsheath; in the 2d and 3d gul. three covered cups arg. for Argenton, of that county, cupbearers to the Kings of England; the
heiress of this family was married to the Allingtons.
Against the south wall, within the rails of the communion table,
to which there is an ascent of two steps, is a compartment of white
marble; on the summit is Fisher, gul. a chevron between three lions
passant or, impaling Willis, party per fess gul. and arg. three lions
rampant counterchanged, in a bordure ermine, and this epitaph:
Here lieth interr'd the Body of Anthony Fisher, Esq; eldest
Son of William Fisher of Wisbeach, in the Isle of Ely and
County of Cambridge, Esq; who married Ann the eldest
Daughter of Sir Thomas Willys of Fen Dilton in the County
of Cambridge Baronet, & had issue of her, 4 Sons, viz. Anthony,
John, Thomas and William, and one Daughter Ann. He departed
this Life the 3d Day of June 1679, In Spe Beatœ Resurrectionis.
Here also lieth the Body of William Fisher Gent. (only
brother of Anthony Fisher, Esq;) who died the 21st of May,
1683.
Opposite to this, on the north wall, is another compartment of
white marble ornamented with two cherubs, on the summit an urn
with a flame of gold, at the foot of the monument, Chute, gul. three
swords bar-ways arg. hilted or, impaling Chute. Crest, a dexter
arm couped, holding a sword, and on the table is this,
Juxta hoc Marmor requiescit Thomas Lennard Chute, Armiger
Luctuosum sævientis Podagræ Exemplar,
Non Annis sed doloribus confectus.
Insenuit Juvenis, et ad Cælos
Migravit adhuc Viridis.
Vir, Fide, Virtute, Pietate,
Constans, Audax, Sincerus.
Dominus non Importunus, amicus Suavissimus,
Omnibus facilis. Æquusq;
Nulli non charus.
Vixit Filius, Conjux, Frater, pius, Fidelis, amantissimus.
Ingenî dotes, si quis alius unquam
Præclaras habuit, nec fastuosas.
Decessit omnibus verè flebilis,
Inimicus enim Nemini.
Salutis. MDCCXXII.
Denatus XIo Die Maij Anno
Ætatis XXXIII.
Uxorem duxit CATHERINAM filiam
Edvardi Chute Armigeri quâ Unicum
Suscepit filium, qui X Menses Natus obijt.
On the pavement in the chancel lies a gray marble stone with this
shield,
Methwold, impaling Allington, quartering in the second
quarter Argenton, in the third, azure, seven martlets or, and a
canton ermine. Fitz-Tecle, and in the fourth quarter, parted
per fess arg. and sab. a pale counterchanged, on each piece of the
1st, a griffin's head erased, of the 2d, Gardiner, Mary daughter
and heir of Sir Richard Gardiner Lord Mayor of London, in the
time of Edw. IV. and of Exning in Cambridgeshire, was married
12th of Henry VIII. to Sir Giles Allington. And on a plate of
brass is this.
Here lieth William Methwold Gent. the Second Son of
William Methwold of Langford, Esq; his Wife was Susanna
the Daughter of George Allington of Rushford Esq; by whom he
had Issue three Sons and four Daughters, he died the xxix Day
of August, Ano Ætatis 56, An (fn. 10) Elizabeth Reginæ 28, et Ano
Dni. 1586.
Adjoining to this lies a black marble gravestone thus inscribed,
Sacred to the Memory of Mrs. Elizabeth Dade, late Wife
of Thomas Dade, Esq. of Tannington, in the County of Suffolk,
and eldest Daughter of John Vere, Gent. of the same County,
she departed this Life January 11th, Ao Dni 1611, in the 73d
Year of her Age.
Dade, impaling Vere of Suffolk, quarterly gul. and or, four mullets arg. and sometimes four mullets in a bordure counterchanged.
The windows of the chancel have been curiously painted; on the
north side are fragments of the Salutation.
There were also in this church, in 1575, the arms of Holdich, az.
on a chevron or, three seapies proper, and Hogan's arms; and Crest,
a boar's paw arg. holding a lion's leg erazed gul.
In the reign of King Edward I. here were two churches, that of
All-Saints valued at 5 marks, and that of St. Andrew, (fn. 10) which were
consolidated, the rector had a manse and 34 acres of land, Peterpence 7d. The lady Sibilla de Tourtevill was patroness.
Rectors.
Henry de Boyton occurs rector about 1266, and 1270.
1338, Roger Attebrigge of Salle, presented by Robert son of Wil.
Turtevill.
1350, Walter Smyth, res. Rich. de Hales, hac vice.
1350, Henry de Watlyngton. Rich. Holditch.
1374, William Dolman. Ditto.
1401, John Sacombe, res. Ditto. He was rector of Drayton, and
exchanged with Dolman.
1416, Robert Eastbourn. Ditto. He was rector of St. Mary atte
Strande by Temple-Bar, London, and exchanged with Sacombe.
Eastbourn, by will dated 14th March, 1466, desires to be buried in
the chancel of South Pickenham All-Saints, gives a missal and
one fowdyr of lead to the church.
1466, Simon Paskelew. Ditto.
1475, George Jekkys, ob. John Holdich, Esq.
1479, John Berton. Ditto.
John Baxter. Ditto.
1496, Richard Necl. Rich. Methwold of Lang ford, Gent.
1521, James Beel. Will Methwold, Esq.
1547, William Holtby, ob. (fn. 11) John Clenchwarton, alias Wat
son, clerk, on a grant from Sir Christopher Jenny, who had this presentation from Alice, relict of Will. Methwold, Esq.
1570, Robert Hill, ob. Lapse.
1570, George Ryveley, buried here.
Wm. Methwold, rector, in his answer to King James's Queries
in 1603, says there were 107 commanicants here.
1605, Wentworth Bradbury, A. M. res. Tho Bradbury, Esq.
1606, Anthony Ringwood, licensed preacher, A. M by George
Ringwood, assignee to Thomas Bradbury of Hale, Esq. (fn. 12) He was
buried here.
1631, Edmund Cade, (fn. 13) A. M. The King, by lapse; but afterwards
it is said, October 15th, 1631, by the Earl of Holland, Chancellor,
the Masters, Fellows, &c. of Cambridge. He was educated at Caius
College Cambridge.
1654, William Godbed, A. M. Will. Methwold, Esq. He
was outed in 1658, but restored at the Restoration, and died rector.
1674, Charles Chadwick, A. M. Sir John Player He was buried
here,
1682, Edward Beckham, S. T. B. Ann Fisher widow. He was
educated at King's College Cambridge, and rector of Gayton Thorp in
Norfolk, and there lies buried within the rails of the communion table,
where on a plain stone is this inscription,
In charissimorum Parentum memoria Edwardus Beckham (fn. 14)
filius mœrens D. C. H. S. E. Edwardus Beckham S. T. P.
Ecclesiarum de Gayton Thorp et de South Pickenham Rector,
qui obiit Aprilis die 1, Ano Ætat. 76, Dni' MDCCXIV.
Juxta positæ sunt Exuviæ, Janæ Conjegis dieti Edwardi Dilectissimæ, quæ obiit die post Maritum Quarto An. Æt. LIX.
H. M.
1714, Thomas Warren Tho. Lennard Chute, Esq. He was
educated at Catherine-Hall in Cambridge, and was afterwards
rector of Boxford in Suffolk
1722, Joseph Charles, A. M. on the cession of Warren ob. He was
rector of Wacton, and vicar of Swaffham. Ditto.
1736, 8th February, the Rev. Mr. Thomas Pigg, the present rector, holds it united to Watton vicarage, being presented by Tho.
Lobbe Chute, Esq. the present patron.
This rectory is valued at 8l. 1s. 5d. ob. in the King's Books, and
being of 48l. per annum clear value, is discharged of tenths and firstfruits, and is capable of augmentation. The Bishop's visitatorial
synodals are 2s. his annual synodals 1s. 11d. and the Archdeacon's
procurations 7s. 7d. ob. and the portion of the prior of Westacre
was 26s. 8d. (fn. 15)
The prior of Windham had a portion taxed at 20s. and Coverham
abbey in Yorkshire had revenues here taxed at 16s. and the Prior of
Conchis at 4s.; and the village paid to each tenth 2l. 16s. 8d.
From the Parish Register.
1590, Edmund Nunne; this Family hath an estate still in this
Parish, and John Nunne, Esq; Barrister at Law, had it lately.
1609, Mathias Martyn, Esq. lived here.
1610, "Francisca filia Henrici Bedingfield Mil' et Elizabethæ
uxoris 10 Januarij Que quidem nata fuit de die Dominico viz. Tricessimo die Mensis Decembris, Anno predicto inter horam Sextam
et Septimam ante Meridiem. Compatr' Robert' Wynde Miles. Ux'
Edmundi Munford Militis et Alicia Uxor Thomæ Bradbury Ar'."
1610, Anthon' filius Anthonij Bedingfield et Eliz' Ux' de HolmeHale 5 Feb. "Compatr' Thomas Lovell, Wentworth Bradbury, et
Barbara Domina Cutts."
1616, Henricus filius Cordelli Bradburye et Eliz' Uxoris, bapt' 28
Jan. Compatres Henricus Bedingfield miles, Thomas Cotton Armig'
et Uxor Wentworthi Bradburye.
1619, Maria filia Anthonij Ringwood Clerici et Marie Uxoris, bapt'
20 Junij, Compatres, Ric. Goodman clericus, Johanna Bodham
vidua &c.
Aug. 31, 1634, "Baptizatus est Franciscus filius Mariæ Walker,
quæ (ut ipsa ait) ante triennium apud Thirton in agro Norfolciensi,
cuidam fidicini Nomine Johanne Botewright Nupta est; sed Is vagabundus, nebulo, et nullius Laris Homuncio existens, postquam
Mariam suam Gravidam fecisset, hûc eam parituram misit, quò
Infans Natus hujus Parœciæ Impensis aleretur: atq; in hunc modum jam secundò huic Villæ vafrè imposuit.
1636, "Elizabetha filia Jacobi Hunter ex Annâ Uxore ejus in ipsius
plateis sub Australi parte magnæ Ulmi, October 9, in Lucem Edita
est, et eodem die Sacro baptismate aspersa est.
1637, "Dorothea filiola Magistri Jacobi Hobart, ex dilectissimâ
suâ Conjuge Catharinâ Junij 18, Sacro Baptismate Deo sacrata est
Eandemq; ad Baptisterium tenuerunt Clarissimæ fæminæ Domina
Dorothea, Vidua, Relicta, Honoratissimi Domini Henrici Hobart
Capitalis (cum viveret) ad Placita Justiciarij, et domina Mirialis,
Uxor Caroli Le Groos Equitis Aurati, et Magister Robertus Edgar
Generosus."
1642, Nathaniel Dod, Vir probus et Doctus, S. T. B. et olim unius
Magistrorum Collegij Caio-Gonvillensis Cantabrigiâ Socius, Rector
Ecclesiæ parochialis de Benington in agro Hertfordiensi, cum Beatrice
Barber vi uâ de Snore-Hall in Fordham, in Comitatû Norfolcie,
Sacro Con bio, auspicato (ut spero) junctus est, Maij 16. For whom
see Chauncy's Antiq. of Hertfordshire, fo. 346.