• George Alfred Carthew, "The Hundred of Launditch and Deanery of Brisley, Vol. 1" (1877) (https://books.google.com/books?id=iytSAQAAMAAJ).

• Category: Research

• Author: George Alfred Carthew
• Publisher: 1877

• 

The Hundred of Launditch and Deanery of Brisley: In the County of Norfolk : Evidences and Topographical Notes from Public Records, Heralds' Visitations, Wills, Court Rolls, Old Charters, Parish Registers, Town Books, and Other Private Sources : Digested and Arranged as Materials for Parochial, Manorial, and Family History, Volume 1

• Text:
  
  The Earl Warren's Fief.
  
  THE HONOR OF OF GRESSENHALE.
  
  THE fees of William de Warren, in Gressenhale, Wesenham, Est Lexham, Kempston, and Great Fransham, with their dependencies, were as we have already seen, subinfeuded by that earl in Wimer, his dapifer, or steward. The grants made by Wimer and Roger his son, and others of their family, to the Priory of Castle Acre, in Kempston, and other places, have been mentioned in another place. In the tenure of his (Wimer's) descendants these lordships continued until almost the present day, either as immediate possessors or as mesne lords. Roger, son of William the grandson of Wimer, assumed the name of De Gressenhall, having probably his abode in that place, which became the head manor.
  
  William Fitz Roger de Gressenhall left an only child, his daughter Isabell, who succeeded to his inheritance. This lady had three husbands: - 1. Berenger de Cressi; 2. William de Huntingfeld; 3. Osmund de Stutevile, who was a younger brother of Robert de Stutevile, a baron of Yorkshire. By the last only had she any issue.
  
  William de Stutevyle, her eldest son and heir married, 15 Henry III. with the consent of the king, dated 5th November, 1219, Margaret or Margery, daughter and heir of Hugh de Say, Baron of Ricard's Castle, co. Hereford, and relict of Robert de Mortimer of Essex.[1] At the time of his death, 1259, William de Stutevyle held, by the courtesy of England, several knights' fees of his wife's inheritance in many counties; which thereupon descended upon Sir Hugh de Mortimer, her son and heir, then forty years old, but he had nothing of his own inheritance. [2]
  
  Not finding any inquisition as to his lands in Norfolk, I presume that Gressenhall had not descended upon him when he died, but that his mother Isabel was still living. The time of her death does not appear.
  
  Robert de Stutevile, son and heir of William, is said to have died in the first year of Edward I., without issue, leaving Margery, his only sister and heir, married to Richard Foliot, by whom she was mother of Jordan Foliot; and in the third year of that reign an inquisition was held as to lands of Jordan Foliot in the county of York, which were Robert de Stutevile's his uncle, whose heir he was, and from which he had been ejected by the king's escheator under the plea that they were held of the king in chief, which the jurors found not to be the fact. [3] Jordan was in possession of Gressenhall in that year, when the jurors of the Hundred returned that Robert de Stutevile, in his lifetime, had appropriated to himself, de novo, warren in Brisele and Fransham; and that Jordan Folyot claimed liberties in Gressenhall, Wendling, Lechesham, and Wesenham, but they could not say by what right. It was however afterwards said that he had assize of bread and ale, and held view of frank pledge in those towns, and also in Brisele and Stanfeld.
  
  Richard Foliot, the father, lived until 1299, and it appears from an inquisition held at York on the 23rd June in that year, [4] that Jordan his son and heir, who was then fifty years old, survived his father only five weeks, and that Richard Foliot, the son and heir of Jordan and Margery his wife, had attained the age of fifteen on the Christmas Day preceding the date of the inquisition. [5]
  
  Robert de Stutevile had been a benefactor to the Abbey of Wendling, of which he was patron in 1273, as had Jordan Foliot; and the Lady Margery, his widow, was buried in the church of that abbey in 1330.
  
  Sir Jordan had been summoned to Parliament as a baron in 23 and 25 Edward I., 1295-7 but it does not appear that any of his descendants were, by that title.
  
  Part of the inheritance which fell to Richard in Norfolk consisted of two knights' fees in Gresnall and Lecham, but being a minor, the Earl Warren had his wardship, as superior lord of the fee; and he is described as being in the custody of the earl in the MS. copies of the feodary which have been often referred to in these pages. The date, therefore, of this feodary is confined within the six years between the time of his father's death, 1299, when he was fifteen years old, and 1305, when he would have attained his majority. [6]
  
  Other portions of Wimer's fief had before this time been subinfeuded by some of its possessors in undertenants, so that in the feodary before mentioned we see that in Tyteshale half a knight's fee was held of Richard Folyot, by Philip de Verlay; in Skarning one fee was held of him by John Lacey and Thomas de Erleham; in Lexham one fourth of a fee by Edward or Edmund de Leche; and another fourth in Hoo, by Sampson de Hoo. This Richard Foliot died in the early part of Edward the Second's reign,and was succeeded by Richard his son.
  
  From a list of the names of towns and their lords in the county of Norfolk, returned to the King's Exchequer, under a writ of Edward II. dated on 5th March in his ninth year [7] under Lawndich I extracted the following: -
  
  Wesenham: Richus Follyot.
  Bryslye cum Bilney: Richus Follyot.
  Hooe: Richus Follyot.
  Skerninge: Richus filius et heres Ric Follyot.
  Gressenhall cum Bitteringham mã: Richus Follyot.
  Kempson: Richus Follyott.
  Dunham magna: Richus Follyott.
  Est lexham: Margeria Follyot.
  Stanfeilde: Ric fil Ric Follyot.
  Horningtofte: Ric fil Ric Follyott.
  
  There appears to have been advanced at this time an adverse claim to the rights of the Earl of Surrey on the part of the Earl of Pembroke, who was lord of West Lexham; for, in answer to an inquisition, held by virtue of a writ, tested at Tonbrigg on 28th June in 17 Edward II., of the knights' fees which were of Adomar de Valence, late Earl of Pembroke, then deceased, of the fee of Castleacre, it was said that the heirs of ffoliot held nine knights' fees and the fourth part of a fee in Gressenhall, Elsinge, Wesenham, Rougham, and other places; [8] and on a partition amongst the earl's coheirs, these fees were assigned to Laurence, son and heir of John de Hastings; but by another inquisition, taken 6th June, 18 Edward II., and removed into the Court of Chancery, Richard, son of Richard Foliot, was found to hold the manors of Gressenhall and Wesenham of John Warren, Earl of Surrey, by the service of one knight's fee and a half. [9] By another inquisition, taken at Fakenham Dam (Hempton) on 24th July, 19 Edward II., (1325) after his death, it was found that Richard, son of Richard Foliot, held no lands in Norfolk and Suffolk of the king in chief, but that he was seised at the time of his death of the manors of Gressenhall and Wesenham, which were held of John de Warren, Earl of Surrey and Sussex, by the service of one knight's fee and a half; that the annual value of the manor of Gressenhall with its appurtenances was about L40 and that of the manor of Wesenham with its appurtenances was L18; and, further, that Margery, aged twelve, and Margaret, aged eleven years, were the sisters and coheirs of the said Richard, who had died under age; and that the said earl was at that time seised of the manor of Gressenhall, as guardian, by reason of such minorities; and John de Nerford, on the day of the death of the minor, was seised of the manor of Wesenham by the grant of the earl, during the minority. Consequently a writ of scire facias was issued to the escheator, dated 23rd September in the same year, in which, after reciting the purport of the last inquisition, and the claim of wardship of the Earl of Surrey, who had petitioned the king to remove his hands from the said manors; that officer was commanded to give notice to Isabella de Hastyngs, to whom the king had granted the custody of the purpart of Margery, and to Ralph de Camoys, to whom he had given Margaret's purpart, to shew cause why the king should not comply with the request of the earl. The execution of this mandate appears on the back of the writ. [10]
  
  We may suppose that some compromise was made with the Earl of Surrey for his right of wardship, as the king's grants were not annulled; and Isabel Hastings, who was widow of John, second Baron Hastings of Bergavenny, lost no time in taking advantage of her purchase by marrying the young heiress Margery, whose wardship she had, to her second son, Hugh Hastings. The Lady Isabel herself had remarried to Ralph de Monthermer, who obtained a pardon, 12th August, 1319, for having married without the king's license. [11] Ralph de Camoys in like manner married the other daughter, Margaret, to his son John. These marriages had taken place before the 1st June, 4 Edward III. (1330) on which day an inquisition was held after the death of Margery de Folyot, the widow of Jordan, who held in dower of the lands of her late husband the manors of Elsing and Est lexham, when Margery, daughter of Richard de Folyot son of Jordan and wife of Hugh Hastings, and Margaret her sister, wife of John de Camoys, were found heirs of those manors, Margery being then sixteen years and a half old and Margaret fifteen years and a half.
  
  A partition was then made of these ladies' inheritance; and Gressenhall and the other possessions of the family in this hundred, with Elsing, were allotted and released to Hugh and Margery Hastings.
  
  In 12 Edward III., the manors of Elsing and Wesenham were conveyed by fine between "Hugo de Hastynges chivaler" and Margery his wife, querents, and Ralph de Hastynges, chivaler, Edmund de Lexham and Nicholas de Lammer, chaplains, deforcients, to Hugh and Margery for their lives, with remainder to John and Hugh their sons, and ultimately to the right heirs of Hugh the son, [12]
  
  In the assessment for the aid levied 20 Edward III. (1346-7), Hugh de Hastings and John Camoys were both entered as tenants of two knights fees in Gressenhale, Wesenham, and Lexham; of half a knight's fee in Tyteshale, held under them by Isabella de Bagthorp; and of one fee in Skerning, held under them by Henry le Lacy and John de Rothinge. The one-fourth in Lexham held by John Gurney was said to be held of John Camoys only, and one-fourth in Hoo to be held of Hugh de Hastings only.
  
  Sir Hugh, the father, died in 1347; [13] and Margery, who survived him, on the 8th [or 20th] August 1349. [14] Sir Hugh Hastings [II.] the second son of Margery, died in 1369, leaving another Sir Hugh [III.] his son and heir, who had two sons, Hugh [IV.] [15] and Edward; and, on the death of Hugh [IV.] the elder brother, in 1396, without issue, Elsing and Wesenham came to Edward his brother, as right heir of Sir Hugh Hastings [II.]
  
  ...
  
  The early portion of this Pedigree is derived from Eyton's History of Shropshire; the latter parts from a roll in the possession of Charles Richard Browne, of Elsing Hall, Esq., one of the representatives of the Hastings family. The proofs are mainly taken from the "Minutes of Evidence" given before the House of Lords in support of the claims to the Hastings Peerage, and the inquisitions post mortem there printed.
  
  ...
  
  [Pedigree]
  
  AUTHORITIES FOR PEDIGREE AND NOTES
  
  (a) Wimer was a witness to the charter of the foundation of Castleacre Priory in 1090, to which he himself was also a benefactor, and in which it appears he became a monk. He had a nephew Geoffry the chaplain, and another, Sewal.
  (b) The name of Roger son of Wimer, also a benefactor to Castleacre, occurs as a witness to the charter of the second Earl Warren before 1135, as does that of Walter, brother of Roger.
  (c) In charters of Roger son of William son of Roger, we get the names of Aliva his mother, Oddo his brother, William his brother, Walter son of Wimar, and William, Walter's son; and there is a charter of Drogo, another son of William. To one of these the name of Fulcher or Fulk de Gressenhale occurs as a witness; to another that of Falk son of Ordin, (q. Oddo) All these are earlier than 1148. We have also that of William son of Fulcher.
  (d) William son of Roger the dapifer, who was called de Gressenhale, was lord of the town of Wendling, under the Abbat of Bury St. Edmund. Robert de Stuteville, his great grandson, was a benefactor to the abbey there in 1273.
  (e) Wm de Huntingfeld, lord of East Bradenham, was Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk 11 to 15 John, and was one of the twenty five barons appointed to enforce the provisions of Magna Charta. He died in or before the year 9 Henry III. 1224. In 8 Richard I. 1196-7 by fine, in which Richard de Lechesham was petent and William de Huntingefeld and Isabel his wife were deforcients, sixty acres of land in Lechesham, "et totam brueriam de chemino de Norton usque Harthornesgate," were exchanged for twenty acres in Lucham, thirty acres in Quenhill, two acres in the same town, and four acres of bruery, "que tangunt capud novi fossati ejusdem Willelmi."
  (f) William de Stuterile founded the chapel of St Nicholas in Gressenhall at Rougholm cir. 34 Henry III. The great manor of Gressenhall extended into all the parishes of Brisley, Bilney, Hoo, Skerning, Stanfield, and Horningtoft.
  (g) Richard Foliot was son of Jordan Foliot by Beatrice his wife, sister and coheir of Robert Bardolf, which Robert was son of Hameline Bardolf, who was brother of William grandfather of Doun Bardolf. Another daughter and coheiress was wife of .... Pagenell or Paynell, and mother of Ralf Paynell.
  
  [1] Robert de Mortuomare or Mortimer witnessed a charter of Berenger de Cressi to Castleacre, supra, p. 119, VIII
  [2] Esc. 43 Henry III. n. 23, writ of diem clausit, May 20.
  [3] Esc. 3 Edward I., n. 43.
  [4] Inq. pm. 27 Edward I., n. 49.
  [5] Inq. pm. 27 Edward I., n. 49. See extent of possessions in full amongst the Evidences, post.
  [6] In 1325 Richard Filiot (Foliot) held Elsynge at one fee and a fourth, Margery Fyliot having one third in dower.
  [7] Harl. MS. 901.
  [8] In the return to the inq. pm. Adomar de Valence ,Earl of Pembroke (17 Edward II. n. 75), these nine fees and a fourth are said to be in Gressenhale, Wesenham, Elsyng, Lexham, Wethersfield, Grymeston, Skernyng, &c., Oxwyke, Attelugh, &c., Hoo, Brisele, &c., which Richard ffoliot and his tenants held and valued at L60. John de Warren, the Earl of Surrey, had conveyed-Parkins says sold--the Castle of Acre to Aymer de Valence, which probably carried the lordship over these fees. He was repossessed of them before 9 Edward III.
  [9] Vide post.
  [10] Esc. 19 Ed. II., n. 22.
  [11] Rot. Pat. 13 Ed. II., n. 37.
  [12] Rot Fin 12 Ed III
  [13] Inq pm 21 Ed III
  [14] Inq pm 23 Ed III
  [15] Inq pm 10 Richard II