BRUNDALE.
On the expulsion of Godwin, a freeman, who had a carucate of land
under the protection of Guert, the Conqueror on his accession to the
crown, gave it to Ralph Guade Earl of Norfolk, who was deprived as
a rebel; and, at the survey, Gilbert, captain of the cross-bowmen,
held it with two carucates of land; when there were five bordarers,
with a carucate in demean, and the men always ploughed their lands
with two oxen, paunage for 5 swine, and 25 acres of meadow; 12
freemen, with the moiety of another, possessed 90 acres of land, with
a carucate and a half, valued formerly at 25s. but now at 40s. It was
one leuca long, and half a one broad, and paid 7s. gelt. (fn. 1) Gilbert was
also lord of Tunstal, in Walsham hundred, Shropham, in Shropham
hundred, and Shelton, in Diss hundred.
The ancient family of De Sancto Omero, or St. Omer, were lords of
this village. Cecilia de St. Omer, widow, lady of it, gave ten marks
in the 6th year of King John, for the custody of William, son and
heir of William Peverel, of Melton Magna in Norfolk; of this family
was Sir Bartholomew de St. Omer.
Sir Thomas de St. Omer, in the 20th of Henry III. held it by
half a fee of Robert Fitz-Roger, he of William Marshal, &c. William
de St. Omer, in the 38th of that King, had a grant of a fair here, and
in Mulbarton, with free warren, being then with the King in Gascoyn
in France. Sir Thomas, his son and heir, married Petronilla, widow
of Ralph Lord Tony: In 1275, he was a justice itinerant with Simon
de Grey, in Cambridgeshire. In the preceding year he was sent with
William de la Rivers into foreign parts, and had royal letters of protection, dated on the day next after Palm-Sunday, in March, with a
clause to hold good to the feast of St. Peter ad vincula, ensuing; in
the 15th of Edward I. he claimed, as lord, a yearly fair on the feast
and morrow of St. Bartholomew, free warren, &c. as granted to his
father. Thomas de St. Omer was lord in the 9th of Edward II.
In the 13th of the said King, a fine was levied between William de
St. Omer and Elizabeth his wife, querents, and Bertram de St. Omer,
deforcient, of the manor of Brundale, (except several messuages, and
34 acres of land,) and the advowson of the church, settled on William
and Elizabeth, and the heirs of William. In 1319, William de St.
Omer presented to the church as lord; also, in 1338, being then
a knight. Sir Thomas de St. Omer was lord in 1349, and presented,
and in 1350; but in the 39th of that King, he was found to die seized
of this manor, that of Mickelbarton, Ketteringham, and Casteleyns,
in Swerdeston. He had two wives; Petronilla, the first, daughter and
coheir of Nicholas Malmains, by whom he had Alice, who married Sir
William de Hoo; by Beatrix, his second wife, he had Elizabeth, who
married Thomas Waryne, a younger son of John de Warren Earl Warren and Surry, (by Maud de Nerford, his concubine, to whom he was
contraeted before his marriage with Joan, daughter of Henry Earl of
Barre,) and brother of Sir John de Warren. In the 39th of Edward
III. Beatrix, widow of Sir Thomas de St. Omer, had an assignation of
dower, and, in the same year, was married to Sir Thomas de la River.
In the 47th of the said reign, Thomas Waryne, and Elizabeth his
wife, conveyed their right in this manor, &c. to Sir William Hoo, and
Alice his wife, by whom he had Sir Thomas, his son and heir. His second wife was Alianore, daughter of Sir John Wing field of Letheringham in Suffolk. Sir William was second son of Sir Thomas Hoo, and
Isabel his wife, daughter and heir of Sir John de St. Legar. In 1386,
he was governour of the castle of Oye in France, and died in 1410,
aged 76.
Sir Thomas succeeded his father Sir William; and, in the 11th of
Henry IV. he conveyed this lordship, by fine, to John Thornham and
his heirs. Thomas Wetherby, Esq. of Norwich, by his will dated, November 12, 1444, gives it to Margaret his wife, remainder to John
Winter, Esq. and Joan his wife; and John Jenny, Esq. and Elizabeth
his wife, convey it in the 17th of Edward IV. with the advowson, to
Henry Collet, citizen and alderman of London, from the heirs of Elizabeth, daughter and heir, probably, of Wetherby. Sir James Hobart,
attorney-general, purchased it, (as I take it) of Sir Henry Collet, in the
reign of Henry VII. and gave it to Miles Hobart, his second son, who
was lord in the 15th of Henry VIII. and died lord in 1557. Henry
Hobart, Esq. was lord and patron in 1595, and Sir Thomas Hobart
in 1614, as was Sir Miles Hobart in 1628. After this, Edward Myleham, Gent. and Andrew Cleach; in 1701, William Hewar, Esq. of
Clapham, in Surry; and William Hewar in 1740, lord and patron.
The tenths were 2l. 18s.—Deducted 8s.
The Church is a rectory, dedicated to St. Laurence; the ancient
valor was 5 marks; paid Peter-pence 6d. carvage 2d. and in the reign
of Edward I. paid to the hundred 58s. per ann. the present valor is 4l.
10s. and is discharged.
Rectors.
William occurs rector in the 52d of Henry III. and John de
Blomevile in the 22d of Edward I.
1319, Ralph de St. Omer instituted, presented by William de St.
Omer.
1329, Walter de Swaleclyfte, by Sir William de St. Omer.
1338, William le Hunt. Ditto.
1349, Remigius de Dunston, by Thomas de St. Omer.
1350, William Bonyng. Ditto.
1365, Richard Munch, by the King, guardian of the heir of Sir
Thomas de St. Omer.
1368, Thomas de Wotton, by Beatrix, relict of Sir Thomas de Rivers.
1392, John Payn, by Sir Robert Carbonel, and Michael Downing.
1394, Matthew Oylmer. Ditto.
1397, John Scholveler, by Sir Robert Carbonel, and Robert Denny.
1403, William Preston, by Richard Dunston, rector of Mulbarton.
1412, John Fauconer, by William Bernham, &c.
1418, Simon Blake. Ditto.
1424, William Helgay, by William Bernham, true patron.
1430, Thomas Redhed, by William Paston, &c.
1482, John Sterke, by Henry Collet, alderman of London.
1484, Hugh Newhaw. Ditto.
John Newale, rector.
1488, Thomas Antingham, by Sir Henry Collet.
1500, Richard Benson, by Nicholas Goldwell, archdeacon of Suffolk.
Richard Percy, rector.
1530, Robert Brown, by Miles Hubberd, Esq.
1554, John Hogan. Ditto.
John Clement, rector.
1546, John Hers, by John Berney, Esq.
1557, Francis Garth, by Miles Hobart.
1563, Thomas Cordwall, by Sir Edward Warner, and Etheldra, his
wife.
1576, John Buyrsell, by William Bleverhasset, and Lady Etheldreda
Warner, his wife.
1595, Ralph Barlow, by Henry Hobart, Esq.
1614, Richard Pearson, by Sir Thomas Hobart.
1628, Thomas Day, by Sir Miles Hobart of Plumstede.
1657, John Brown, by Edward Myleham, Gent.
1681, John Russell, by And. Clench, and Francis Wise.
1701, John Cornwall, by William Hewar, Esq. patron.
1716, Robert Cubit, by Samuel Edgely, clerk.
1719, John Russell, junior. Ditto.
1723, Russell, senior. Ditto.
John Gogill occurs rector in 1747.
The Bishop of Norwich's manor of Bradston extended into this town,
and had the same lords as Bradeston: and there was a chapel belonging to it, dedicated to St. Clement, valued with the rectory of Bradeston, the rector being instituted and presented to Bradeston, with the
chapel of St. Clement. This part was also given by Bishop Beaufoe to
his see, with Bradeston.