IRSTEAD.
The abbot of St. Bennet's manors of Honing, and Netesherd, seem
to extend at the survey into this town; he had the patronage of the
church; Maud, wife of Robert Seleni, held lands here of the abbot,
which paid 30s. rent per ann. and with lands in Berton, (Turf)
made the fifth part of a fee, as appears from their Register. (fn. 1)
William de Stalham held also half a fee in Henry IIId's time, when
the aid was granted on the marriage of that King's sister, to the
Emperor.
After this, the family of the Le Gross held it of the abbot, as I
take it.
At the Dissolution it does not appear to be conveyed, as far as I
find to the see of Norwich, though the right of patronage came
undoubtely on that exchange to the Bishop of Norwich, who is
patron of the rectory at this time.
Another lordship was also in this town, in the reign of the Confessor, in the said abbey, which was granted to it by King Canute
on his foundation thereof, as an appendix to Honing, and contained 2
carucates of land held by 4 villains, and 5 borderers; and there was one
carucate in demean, and one among the tenants, with 2 acres of
meadow, valued at 20s. at the Conquest it was granted to Alan Earl
of Richmond, who was lord of it at the survey. (fn. 2)
In 1299, Nicholas, abbot of St. Bennet, granted license to Sir
Reginald le Gross and Margery his wife to have a free chantry in
their oratory of their manor of Irsted, by reason of the distance from
the parish church, with a salvo for the rights of the said church;
this family of Le Gross seem to have held it of the honour of Richmond, belonging to the Earls of Richmond; and in the 9th of
Edward II. the abbot, Reginald le Gross, and Jeffrey Wythe were
returned to have lordships here. Oliver le Groos and Alianore his
wife held it in the 20th of that King, Oliver Groos, Esq. by his will
in 1439, gives to John his son his manor of Irsted, (fn. 3) called Netherhall,
late Merkes, and proved in 1453.
John Groos, Esq. made his will at Irstead, March 1, 1487, and
bequeathed his body to be buried in the church of St. Laurence in
Norwich, in the south ele, wills a priest to pray for him, his wief,
fader, and mader, and his fader Sir John Heveningham and Elizabeth
his wief, whose daughter Margaret he married, and gives to her, his
manors, &c. in Irsted called Overhall, and Netherhall, Yemes in
Westwick, Erpinham, and Gayngs; also those of Illyngton, Squenyngton, and Thurning, &c. for her lief, and after her decease, and the
issue of his body; remainder to Sir Henry Heydon, on certain conditions, a quere may be made if this was not rather in Worstede,
see there.
This John, was a younger son of Oliver by his second wife Joan,
daughter of Sir John White of Shotesham, by Joan his wife, daughter
of Piers Hovell of Swanington.
In the 32d of Henry VIII. Sir Richard Southwell, Knt. and
Thomasine his wife conveyed by fine to Anthony Gourney, Esq. the
manor of Irstede with lands in Barton, Netesherd, Samlburgh, &c. and
the said Anthony died lord on January 4, in the 2d and 3d of Philip
and Mary, whose son Francis dying before him, left a son Henry, by
his wife Helen, daughter of Robert Holditch of Ranworth, who was
heir to his grandfather, aged 7 years, which Henry is said to hold
his manor of the Bishop of Norwich.
The tenths were 48s. 2d.—Deducted 6d. 8d.
The Church is dedicated to St. Michael, and is a rectory, valued
at 12 marks; in the reign of Edward I. when the rector had a
manse, and 7 acres of land, the abbot of Holme was patron, and had
a portion of tithe, valued at one mark, and Peter-pence 8d.
The present valor is 6l. 13s. 4d. and is discharged, and the Bishop
of Norwich is patron, the pension of 13s. 4d. came to and remains in
the Bishop of Norwich.
Rectors.
William, son of Bartholomew de Reedham, was rector, sans
date.
1306, Mr. Walter de Pykeryng instituted, presented by the abbot.
Bartholomew, occurs rector in the 20th of Edward III.
1349, William de Wykham, presented by the King, the temporalities of the abbey being then in the King; this was the great
Wickam, after Bishop of Winchester, as is probable.
1376, Thomas de Botolvesdale, by the abbot.
1399, Simon Weston.
1399, Thomas Dukesday.
1400, John Goderd.
1402, Mr. Maurice Campeden.
1403, Henry Planterose.
1436, John Ryche.
1437, John Shirreve.
John Hed, rector.
1447, William Hukins.
1453, Mr. Robert Benet.
1460, John Brown.
1485, John Yelverton.
1506, Thomas Cabell.
1513, Henry Bronde.
1533, John Akers.
1554 Robert Constable, by the assignees of the Bishop of Norwich.
1556, Robert Curtes by the Bishop.
1593, John Bird, in 1603, he returned 46 communicants.
1612, William Titley.
1613, Edward Leeds.
Miles Birkhead, rector.
1662, John Sheringham.
1680, Robert Stone, by the Bishop.
1711, Henry Fish. Ditto.
John Huntington, died rector 1755.
1755, William Hay, collated by the Bishop.
1762, Henry Headley. Ditto.
The rector paid 6s. 8d. per ann. to the sacrist of St. Bennet, for
mynstre sheafes.
The abbot erected a wooden bar in the water between this town
and Tunsted, whereby the passage of boats, &c. was stopped, and the
sheriff had orders to remove it, in the 18th of Edward I. at the
abbot's costs; that the boats, &c. might pass under the bridge of
Warthford.
In the 1st of King John, West Derham abbey had a confirmation
of 6s. 8d. rent out of a mill here.
William de Redham, rector of this church, impleaded the abbot of
Holm, (fn. 4) for the tithe of the lands of Sir Stephen de Redham, brother
of William, and it was adjudged to the abbot, by the abbot of Colchester, delegated by the Bishop on this account.
The tenths are 5l. 13s. 8d.—Deducted 13s. 4d.