CUSTHORP
Was a village in the Saxon age, and at the survey called Culestorpa,
and Sculatorpa, as seated on a shoal or shallow water; it stood on
the south side of the river Nar, directly opposite to Westacre, but was
in South Greenhow hundred; the Lord Tony being lord of it at the
survey, and so being as a beruite to Westacre; I have here accounted
for it: 3 socmen held one carucate, but the King had the soc and
sac of them; and a borderer had a carucate. (fn. 1)
This was most likely given by the Lord Tony to his priory on the
foundation of it, and at the dissolution was granted to the Duchess of
Richmond, and so came to Edward Spilman, Esq. the late lord, and
to Richard Hamond, Esq.
On this part the convent, as I take it, built a large chapel now in
ruins called Becket's chapel, dedicated to that Archbishop, where, on
July 7, was an annual fair; at the north-east point of this chapel
was an house or cell, wherein a custos and a monk or two dwelt, and
performed service; by this, not only pilgrims used to pass to the
Lady of Walsingham, but many also came on purpose to pay their
devotion here, where likely there might be some particular relict of
that Archbishop.
In 1506, I find mention of a pilgrimage to St. Thomas of Westacre. (fn. 2)
It was built chiefly of flint, was 60 feet long, and 30 broad, and was
inclosed as a cemetery with a wall of flint.
John Spilman, Esq. in the 6th of Elizabeth, held closes called St.
Thomas's, late Westacre priory's, in Narburgh.
In the 16th of Elizabeth, April 10, concealed rents and tithes at
Thorp, in Westacre, were granted to Edward Dyer and H. Cressiner,
in fee farm, belonging lately to Letheringham priory in Suffolk.—
Wiken, and Stowborow, were, no doubt, places adjoining.
Alan Earl of Richmond's lordship of Narford extended herein, being
15 acres, and paid 20d. per ann. (fn. 3)
The vyew of the account of Richard Layton, Doctor of the Lawes,
and Archdeacon of Buckingham, Robert Sowthwell, attorney for the
augmentations of your grace's most noble crowne, and Sir Thomas le
Straunge, knight commissioners by your higness assigned for the viewing, valewing and selling of all the jewelles, plate, belles, lead, goods,
and chattels, apperteyning to the late monastery of Westacre, in the
countie of Norfolk, made and declared to Sir Edward North, knight,
chancellor of the court of Augmentations of the revenues of the
kinge's crowne, and others the counsail of the sayd court, upon
dyverse perticuler bookes thereof, to them shewed and delyvered the
xiiiith day of November, in the xxxvith yere of the reigne of our
soveraigne Lord King Henry the Eighth.
|
| Juels and plate.— | One lyttle crosse plated with sylver, two challesses
one lyttle salt with the cover, parcell gilt, and
xi sylver spoones, all valewed by indifferent persones, at vil. xvs. iiiid. and sold by the said commissioners, to Richard Sturges, for | viiil. xvs. |
| Belles VI. | Weying my. dccclb. 1 quarter, every hundreth
valewed at xxis. amounten to the some of |
lxil. iiis. vid. |
| Lead in sowes, ccccxl.— | Weying cxxxvi ffooders and a half, every ffooder
valewed at iiiil. amouten to | clxvil. |
| Ornaments of the church of the monastery. | —Vieved and prysed by indifferent p'sones byn
solde by the sayd commissioners, for | xxxil. vid. |
| Goodes, cattalle and other moveables. | —Vieved and prysed by indifferent p'sones at
ccxll. xviis. iiid. and sold by the sayd commissioners nere for the same, and xxiil over in gayn,
which in the hoole amounteth to the some of |
ccxxxiiil. xviis. 3d. |
| Iron, glasse, stone, and diverse old buildings. | —Sold by the sayd commissioners to dyverse and
sondrye p'sones, as by a perticular booke of the
same, may appeare, for | lxviil. 11s. vid. |
| —Thomas Wingfeld, as by his reconings appereth |
clxviiil. |
| Debts owing to the sayde late monastery. | —The same Thomas for xl shepe to him delivered by
the late prior at xvid. the pece, | liiis. iiiid. |
| —William Alyson of Cambridge, goldsmith, for plate
to him sold over and besides xvl. to him remitted
by the late prior. | xiiiil. |
| —William Calybutte, for six ewers to him sold by
the sayd late pryor, to be paid at Midsomer, next | xl. |
| Redye Money receyved. | —Of the aforesyd Thomas Wingffeld, as by his sayd
reconing appereth | clxl. |
| —Of Sir Thomas le Straunge, knight, as by his reconing appereth, | viil. xvs. vid. |
| —Of dyverse tenants for the arreragies of their rents
and fermes due at Mighelmas and Christmas last |
viiil. xvs. |
| Paid to | Dyverse p'sones for sundrie somes of moneye to
them due by the late prior, for wagies and debts,
as by a book of the particulers of the same doth
appere,—lvl. xixs. viid. ob.—Dyverse other persons
for taking downe of the belles and wayeng of the
same, plucking downe of the leade, melting and
weying of the same, and defasyng, and pulling
downe of the church dortre and other howses, as
by the boke appereth,—xxiiil. xiiis.—The commissioners for their costes and expenses ryding
from London to the sayd late monastery, and there
being with dyverse with them for the suppressing,
dissolving, and defasyng of the same by five weekes,
and for their costes and expences in returning to
London, agayn, | xxviiil. xiiiis. viid. |
| And so remayneth in | —Belles unsold remayning there in the hands of
Richard Sturges, fermour to the King's majestie's
use | lxil. iiis. viid. |
| Lead unsold, likewyse remayning in the hands of
the sayd Richard Sturges, to his higness use, |
dcxlvil. |
| —Ornaments of the church delivered by the sayd
commissioners to the majest. owne hands, at Whitehall in London, amounting to the some of | ixl. |
| Debt owing to the late monastery as afore appereth, | xiiiil. xiiis. iiiid. |
| —Monye owing for part of the goodes, catalles, and
other moveables solde as a specialtie with the sayd
commyssioners remayning appereth | cxxl. |
| —Redye monye in the handes of the said Rd.
Layton, | cclxxixl. xiiis. xid. |
Master William de Westacre, chancellor to the Bishop of Norwich,
gave by will, in 1418, to St. John's altar in this priory church, his
missal, his best cup, and gilt osculatory, with a silver cruet, &c. for
his chaplain to celebrate there for him; and to the high altar his
two best silver dishes; and to the repair of St. Nicholas's chapel there,
20s. to the repair of St. Thomas a Becket's chapel in Westacre field,
20s.