three parts of a salt work, valued at 16d. Ailwin in the time of the Conqueror had seised on it, but Roger Bigot recovered it to his fee. This afterwards was part of Winterton, and so remains, as I take it. William de Ness was petent, and Walter Cobbe, tenent, of 15 acres of land, in the 10th of Richard I. and Simon de Ness was one of the jury for the hundred in the 20th of Edward III.

At this Ness is a light-house, erected as it is said by Sir William Erskyn, Knt. and John Meldrum, Esq. and a difference arising between them and the coast men, concerning the pay for the maintenance of it, it was laid before the council in June 1688.

Sir Edward Turner of Parndon Magna, in Essex, had a grant of this light-house and that of Orford Ness in Suffolk, with divers privileges, and one penny per ton for every vessel sailing by, at 201. per ann. commencing at Lady-Day 1687; alderman Gore of London also had it before.

About January 15, 1665, the high tides washing down the cliffs here, there were found several vast bones, of which a leg-bone was brought to Yarmouth, weighing 57 pounds and 3 quarters, the length 3 feet 2 inches, which the physicians and surgeons there affirmed to be the leg-bone of a man: See the London Gazette, November 20, in 1665.

Terra Rogeri Bigoti In Nessa i lib. ho. xv ac. qd. invasit Ailuin T. R. Will. et Roger, revocat ad fuu' feudu'

de dono legis. sep. ii boves et i ac. p'ti. et iii part. saline. et val. xvid. et tenet ide.

EAST FLEGG HUNDRED.

CASTOR

TAKES its name from some fort or castle that the Romans had here, where one part or mouth of the river Yar is said to have run into the German Ocean, though now stopped up by the sands. At the survey we learn that Godric was steward and took care of a lordship here for the Conqueror, which consisted of four carucates of land, of which 80 freemen were deprived, and also of 22 carucates; of all these, Ralph the Earl of Norfolk, made this lordship; there was at the survey one carucate in demean, and 2 acres of meadow, held by 21 tenants, the moiety of a mill, and 39 saltworks, 3 runci, 8 cows, 12 swine, and 360 sheep, valued formerly at 8. &c. at the survey at 147. and the abbot of St. Bennet had out of this lordship 67.

It was one leuca long, and 100 perches, one leuca broad, paid 44d. gelt, whoever were lords; and was granted by an exchange of lands in Cornwall, with all its customary dues, as Godric says.

This Ralph the Earl, abovementioned, is by many authors, and the Saxon Chronicle, said to have been born in Norfolk, and to be made Earl of that county by the Conqueror. But this seems a mistake; he was born in the province of Bretagne in France, and called by ancient French writers, Ralph de Vacajet, lord of Guader and Montfort in Bretagne, and married Emma, daughter of William Fitz-Osborn, Earl of Hereford, (the Conqueror's prime favourite.)

2

The Saxon Chronicle says this marriage was in the year 1070, at which time he was created by the King, Earl of Norfolk; and at the same time entered into a rebellion against the King, was forced to fly into Bretagne with his lady; some years after he undertook the

Terra Regis quam. Godricus servat. Castre tenuere lxxx liberi ho'es. T.R.E. et mo. simil. iiii car. t're. tc. xxii car. et ex hoc. toto fecit R. Comes manuerum. mo. i car. in d'nio. et xxi ho'um ii ac. p'ti sep. dim, nol, et xxxviiii sal. et iii run. et viii an. et xii pore. et ccclx ov. tc, val, viii lib. p. x VOL. XI

et mo. xiiii et tam. h't. Abbas S'ci. Bened. ex hoc manerio vi libras. et ht. i leug. in long, et c. porc. et i leug. in lat. et vliiiid. de g. quic'q; ibi teneat. hoc. lib'atu' e. p. escangio de t'ra. de Cornualia cu' onini consuetudine ut Godric, dicit.

Dd

* Neustria Pia, p. 596, 627, 6x2.

crusade with Robert Duke of Normandy, and died there with Emma his wife; her obit was kept on February 10, in the abbey of Lyre in Normandy, founded by her father, to which she was a benefactress.

There appears to have been two Ralphs, Earls of Norfolk, one called in Domesday book, the Old Earl,3 and expelled on the Conquest, and probably father of Ralph abovementioned.

CASTOR BARDOLPH'S MANOR.

How long this lordship continued in the Crown does not appear, but was granted by the Conqueror after this survey, or his son, King Henry I. to Hugh de Gornay, a noble lord of Normandy. Hugh de Gornay was witness to the Conqueror's foundation deed in 1089, of his great abbey of Caen in Normandy, and signed before Walter Giffard, afterwards Earl of Buckingham, (and one of the same name signed the confirmation deed of King Henry the First's priory of De Prato, (De Pree) in Normandy, founded by Maud his mother.

Le Counte Hugh de Gournay, and Hugh de Gornay, Sire le Bray, are on the list of those noblemen who attended the Conqueror in his expedition into England.-This family assumed their name from the town of Gornay in Normandy, where it seems they founded the abbey of St. Idevert, who had a portion of tithe in this town.

Hugh de Gurnay was living in the 19th of Henry II. and had a lordship; and in the 31st of that King, accounted for 1007. fine of his lands in Normandy, at the Exchequer there, and was to pay 100%. relief for his lands in England, which he promised.*

Hugh de Gournay was under age in the 3d of Henry III. and in the custody of William de Cantelupe, with his lands here, and had livery of his land here in the 6th of that King.

In 1919, the chapter of St. Idevert de Gornay let to Walter, dean of Flegg, two parts of the tithes of the demeans late Robert de Castre's, containing twelve score acres, also a messuage, with 80 acres.

Hugh was lord in the 13th of that King, and granted lands in this town to Sir Roger Botetourt.

In the 22d of that reign, William de Cantelupe, junior, for 530 marks, had a grant of the custody of Julian, daughter and heir of Hugh de Gourney, and of her lands, and of her marriage, and also of the son of the said Hugh, if Maud his widow, then impregnate, should bear

one.

But it appears that she was heiress, and married William Bardolf, son and heir of William Lord Bardolf, of Wirmegay in Norf. and in the 38th of that King was lord of Castre, in right of the said Julian, and had then a grant of free warren and assise.

In the 3d of Edward I. this William Lord Bardolf had the assise, and wreck at sea. At his death in 1289, he was found to hold this lordship in capite, as part of the barony of Gourney.

Julian his wife surviving, on whose death, in the 23d of the said King, Hugh was found to be her son and heir.

In this family this lordship continued, (as may be seen in Wrongey,)

3 See in Acle, Walsham hundred, and in Fishley.

+ Rot. Pip.

Reg. Abb, de Holmo, fol. 40,

ma Tho. Lord Bardolf being attainted and executed for rebellion, in the re in 4th of Hen. IV. Sir Wm. Bardolf, his brother, inherited the estate, 95. with Scroteby in Norf. Clopton in Suffolk, &c. but had not the barony of Wrongey. He died without issue in the 2d of Henry VI.

one

uest,

In the following year Richard Selling and Joan his wife, widow of Sir William, released this lordship, &c. for an annuity to the Ladies Anne Clifford, and Joan Phelip, daughters and heirs of the Lord Bardolf, who was attainted.

Anne was then the wife of Sir William Clifford, and after married Sir Reginald Cobham; Joan was the wife of Sir William Phelip, (son b of Sir John Phelip of Donyngton in Suffolk) Knight of the Garter, Kiz treasurer of the household to King Henry V.

The above Sir William had the chief conduct and management of that King's melancholy funeral; he was also chamberlain to King G Henry VI. who granted him the honour of Wrongey, and title of Lord Bardolf.

Ann, the other sister and coheir, dying s. p. this honour and title, with this lordship, came to John Lord Viscount Beaumont, by the marriage of Elizabeth his only daughter and heir.

William Lord Viscount Beaumont his son, succeeded, but being attainted as a rebel in the first of Edw. IV. the King granted it for life to Joan his wife, daughter of Humphrey Stafford, late Duke of Bucks, who presented to the church of Castre St. Edmund's, in 1463.

John Vere Earl of Oxford, as guardian to William Viscount Beaumont, in 1501, had a grant of the custody of the person, lands, manors, &c. of the said Viscount, during life, who died in 1501, and was buried in the church of Wivenho in Essex; and the said Earl married Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Ric. Scroop.

On the death of this Lord Beaumont, s. p. it came to the Crown. King Henry VIII. on July 14, in his 3d year, granted it to Alice Stanhope widow, late wife of Edward Stanhope, Gent. for life.

She probably married Sir Edmund Darrell, who presented in 1516, to the church of St. Edmund; and the Lady Alice his relict in 1532. The said King, for the sum of 2071. paid him by his faithful counsellor, Sir William Paston, and for the sum of 97. 11s. Sd. paid into the hands of the treasurer of the court of augmentation, gives and grants on May 7, ao. 36, the manors, with all their rights, messuages, mills, cottages, lands, meadows, pastures, marshes, &c. court lete view of frank pledge, wards, escheats, heriots, fold courses, fisheries, of Castor St. Edmund and Trinity, Scoteby, Ormesby, Mautby, Filby, with the advowson of the church of St. Edmund, the rectory of Castre Trinity, and patronage of the vicarage, with the annual rent of 4s. per ann. issuing out of the said vicarage, belonging to the priory of Shouldham, paying 5d. per ann. for the annual rent.

ST. BENNET'S ABBEY MANOR.

This abbey had in the reign of King Edward, as we learn from Domesday Book, one carucate of land held by 4 borderers, one carucate in demean, half a one among the tenants, and 7 acres and a half of meadow, 6 saltworks, and 14 freemen who were under commendation of the abbot, held one carucate and a borderer; there were at

that time also, 2 carucates of the tenants, valued at 20s. at the survey at 25s. and 14 freemen under the abbot's commendation, he deraigned of Godric.

Grimholf, a Saxon, gave this lordship to the abbey soon after its foundation, by King Canute.

7

King Henry II. sent his precept to William Turbe Bishop of Norwich, that he should permit William the abbot of St. Bennet, and Alexander his knight, (who held it under the abbot,) to have the advowson of the church of Castor, it being found by the inquisition of 12 men to belong to them.

After this a composition was made between the chapter of St. Idevert of Gourney in Normandy, and the dean of Flegg, (and probably rector of Castre) about certain tithes here, released by the said chapter.

This fee of the abbot's was divided after into several lordships, and held of the abbey.

CASTER AND REEDHAM MANORS.

Alexander, above called the abbot's knight, was, as I take it, of the family of De Castre, and had the principal tenure under the abbot. This was about the year 1220, held by Sir Robert de Castre. In the 12th of Henry III. Matthew de Gunton, who married Isabel, daughter and heir of Sir Robert, was lord in her right, and for certain services, customs, lands, &c. granted to Thomas de Castre, and his heirs demanded, and paid to him 10l. per ann.

William, son of Matthew de Reedham, had in 1280, a messuage and 80 acres, held of the abbot by 50s. per ann.

In 1233, William de Reedham granted this, then called Reedham Hall, to Isabel and her heirs, to be held of him paying half a mark per ann. to him, and 50s. to the abbot; and she had wreck at sea here; Sir Robert her father was a benefactor to this abbey, and granted a messuage, with 80 acres, and the homage of Peter Fitz-Osbert.

Richer the abbot granted it to his niece, on her marriage, on condition that the lands found the convent 15 days provisions for their dinner.

In 1243, Matthew de Gunton and Isabel his wife, had a release for 20s. per ann. of their portion of tithes, (two parts of their demean lands) in Castre.

Robert de Castre had a grant of free warren in the 44th of Henry III. and in 1990, Robert de Castre, gave a messuage, and 30 acres of land to a chaplain, serving in his chapel, and two parts of the tithes of his demeans which were purchased of the abbey.

Sir William de Redham was fonnd to have a lordship held of the abbot, in the 3d of Edward I. and Oliver de Ingham to hold it of

T're. S'ci. Benedicti de Hulmo ad victu' Monachor.- -In Castre. i car. t're. tenet S. B. sep. iiii bor. et i car, in d'nio. et dim. car. hom. vii ac, et dim. p'ti. vi sal. et xiiii libi, ho'es. sub. Abbe comdat. tantu'. i car. t're, et i bor. tc,

ii car. hom. mo. iiii tc. val. xx sol. mo. xxv et xiiii libi, ho'es, sub. Abbe. comd. tant. q's Abbas derationavit sup. Godricu' val. xl sol.

7 Reg, de Hulmo, fol. 4, 40, 60, 80.