ELLINGHAM.
Many towns begin with El; as Elford, Ellesmere, Eling,
Elston, Elwick, from their site near the water, or a wet soil: Elwe is
the name of a river in Wales. This lordship was part of Archbishop
Stigand's manor of Stockton, and on the conquest was seized on, by the
King. At the survey we find William de Noiers to be the King's steward of both, and this was valued, and accounted for in Stockton; at
the same it is said, that there were five socmen also in Ellingham who
had half a carucate and 15 acres of land, which William de Noiers had
the care of for the King, belonging formerly to Stigand, and a church
endowed with 24 acres. (fn. 1)
King Stephen granted it with Stockton, to Hugh Bigot Earl of Norfolk; and it was held of the Earls of Norfolk, by the Bigods, a younger
family, descended from the Earls: by the heiress of the Bigots, it came
to William Garneys, so to the Delapoles, and the Crown, and was held
by Simon Smith, in the reign of King Charles I. of that King, by a
feefarm rent, as in Stockton.
Nevill's Manor.
The abbot of Bury's manors of Loddon and Thwait extended into this
town, and by a fine levied in the 8th of Richard I. Ernold de Charneles, acknowledged that he held of Sampson, abbot of Bury, one fee
here, in Norton, &c. by the payment of 20s. scutage, and to Norwich
castle guard, before the King's justices at Westminster, Hubert Arch
bishop of Canterbury, William Bishop of Hereford, Richard, archdeacon of Ely, Mr. Thomas de Huseburn, Richard de Heriet, Simon
de Pateshull, &c.
After this the abbot was found to have one fee here, in Stockton,
&c. held by Roger de Thweyt. In the reign of Henry VIII. Thomas
Bishop and Joan his wife conveyed to Richard Spooner, 3 messuages,
3 gardens, 2 pigeon houses, 160 acres of land, 200 of meadow, 60 of
pasture, 3 of wood, 4 of furze, &c. 3 of moor in Elyngham, Stockton,
Kirkby, &c.
John Castell, brother and heir of Roger Castell, had livery of the
manor of Ellingham-Nevill's about the 20th of Elizabeth, which was
purchased of him by Willing Copping.—Richard Hamond of Ellingham was lord in 1602, and John Hamond, Gent. died possessed of it
in 1632: in 1688, it was sold to Miles Baspole of Aylsham, by John
Hamond; and Miles conveyed it to Sir William Hicks of Rockholt in
Essex.
The tenths were 4l. 14s. Deducted 14s. Temporalities of Langley abbey, 10s. 5d. Of Bromholm priory, 11s.
The Church is dedicated to St. Mary, and is a rectory. In the
reign of King Edward I. Roger Bigot Earl of Norfolk, as capital lord,
was patron; the rector had then a manse and 40 acres of glebe; it
was valued at 20 marks, and paid Peter-pence, 22d. Carvage 12d.
ob. q. the present valor is 12l.
Rectors.
In 1320, Richard de Burghstede instituted, presented by Thomas de
Brotherton Earl of Norfolk.
1320, John de Donewich. Ditto.
1335, Thomas de Donewich. Ditto.
1339, John de Cobham, by Margaret Countess of Norfolk.
1342, Roger de Esterford.
1361, John de Shaftsbury, junior. Ditto.
1386, Walter de Totyngton. Ditto.
1400, John Lynes, by the King, guardian to Lord Mowbray.
1403, Peter Lyng, by Elizabeth Duchess of Norfolk.
1428, John Hull, by John Duke of Norfolk.
1435, William Bolton, by the King.
1435, Robert Fetild. Ditto. On the minority of John Duke of
Norfolk.
1452, Robert Wasselyn. Ditto.
1467, William Bunche. Ditto.
1474, William Rodon, by Alianore Dutchess of Norfolk.
1476, John Grenowe, by Elizabeth Dutchess of Norfolk.
Mr. Richard Wattys, rector.
1492, Mr. Robert Bright. Ditto.
1502, William Alanson. Ditto.
1506, Richard Billington. Ditto.
1524, Hugh Hasely, by the Duke of Norfolk.
1530, William Latymer, by Thomas Duke of Norfolk.
1532, Robert Brydkerk. Ditto.
1546, Robert Fuller, by Thomas Duke of Norfolk.
1557, John Ireland. Ditto.
1575, William Buck, by William Dix, and William Cantrell, as
trustees.
1585, William Laurence, by William Dix.
1591, Richard Wright. Ditto; in 1603, he returned 106 communicants.
1611, James Johnson, by Richard Wright, clerk; and after, in the
said year, presented by the Earl of Norfolk.
1660, Ralph Wells, by the King.
1670, Sam. Crispe, by James Earl of Suffolk.
Laurence Cook, rector, resigned in 1728.
William Nicholls, D. D. presented then by the Honourable
Charles Howard, Esq.
1729, Robert Folkes. Ditto.
1746, Richard Chase, by the Bishop, a lapse.
The Earl of Suffolk patron, in 1742.
The present valor is 12l. and pays first-fruits, &c.
In the south isle, on a grave-stone,
Orate p. a'ia Johs. Ellyngham, gen. qui obt. 28 Maij, 1497.
Against the wall here, on a monument,
Johs. Hamond gen. qui ab anno 3, ad 31 Regine Elizab. in hac villâ
pie, honeste et frugaliter vixit 4 Calend. Februar. matura senectute decessit, et hic jacet sepultus.
This John purchased Nevill's manor of Copping.
In a window of the said isle, gules, a cross, argent, Ellingham, impales, or, three bars, undee, sable, with an orate for William Ellingham.