The Glaven Valley Benefice
Letheringsett
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The Glaven Valley BeneficeLetheringsett |
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THE parish of Letheringsett, locally pronounced " Larnsett," is one of the prettiest in Norfolk ; it is situated on the river Glaven, which runs through the middle of a narrow well-wooded valley here, the country rising in an easy and modulating slope on either side, and about one and a half miles west of Holt, and 11 south-west of Cromer, in the Hundred and Rural Deanery of Holt, Archdeaconry and Diocese of Norwich. This parish has an area of 843.590 acres of land, and 5.323 of water, most of which belongs to Clement W. H. Cozens-Hardy, Esq., of Cloy Hall, who is lord of the Manor, and Sir Alfred Jodrell, Barb., of Bayfield Hall. The soil is light, subsoil chalky—rateable value (1900) £1,213; There was once a large brewery here on the banks of the Glaven, belonging to the Cozens-Hardy family ; it is now turned into a mineral water manufactory There was a population of 251 in 1821, 251 in 1331, 273 in 1841, 259 in 1871, 280 in 1881, and in 1891 there were 284 inhabitants.
Most of the hills were planted with trees by William Hardy, Esq., about 1800, who erected the Hall, a handsome building of white brick and Hint with a Grecian portico, now the seat of the Hon. Sir Herbert Hardy Cozens-Hardy, kt. The old Hall, the Manor" house of " Letheringsett Lavalles " or " Le Veyles," is now used as a farmhouse.—A bridge was built over the river here in 1818, the expense of which was paid by public subscriptions.
Letheringsett was the birth-place of John Henry Colls, poet and dramatist, born in 1764, and educated at Holt Free Grammar School. He wrote a farce called "The World as it goes" in 1792, and also " The Poet," " The Moralist," besides other works. —The Rev. John Burrell, M.A., Rector here, who died in 1825, was a well-known scientist, a Fellow of the Linnaean and Entomological Societies.—The parish was united with Holt for School Board purposes in December, 1877, where the children now attend.—There is a Primitive Methodist Chapel in the village, erected in 1898.
The following is from the Return for Gilbert's Act, re Norfolk Charities, in 1786 :—" £1 payable by General Tryon, given by Richard Fitts, gent., for non-collectioners ; likewise 6s. 4d. payable out of a Town house, copyhold of the Manor of Thorn-age, said to be purchased with a donation left to the parish. The old Feoffees are all dead, and no new ones have been appointed."—There are now no local Charities.
AT THE SURVEY.
The Domesday Book says that at the Survey "Leringaseta" belonged to Walter Giffard (Earl of Bucks). During the Confessor's time it was held by Oslac, a freeman, and consisted of one carucate of land, always seven bordars, and in the demesne one plough-team and one half, and one amongst the tenants ; two acres of meadow, one mill, then two cart-horses, always two cows and twenty hogs and eighty sheep; now (the Survey) two hives of bees ; and one socman held one acre, then valued at 20s., now 25s.; and the whole was eight furlongs long and five broad, and paid 12d. to the Gelt, whoever held it.
Grimbaldus held this of the Earl about 1086, and built a Church here ; he left it to his third son Edmund, who took the surname of de Leringset, or de Bacon. Ranulph was his eldest son, whom the Register of Binham Priory says was dangerously wounded at the fair in this town, and who gave Ralph, a brother, a moiety of this lordship.
In 1236 Peter de Laringset granted to the Priory of Binham, lands abutting those of Roger le Veyle, with a moiety of the advowson of the Church here, and later on he gave another moiety. In 1268 he held an eighth part of a Knight's fee here of the Earl of Clare, into which family Earl Giffard's estate came by marriage. To this Peter, and Agnes, his wife, Thomas de Ormesby, parson of Stodey, conveyed lands here and in Holt, etc. He died s.p., and the elder branch of the family became extinct.
Ralph, the second son of Grimbaldus, had an interest here, whose son, Roger, was father of Robert, who assumed the surname of Bacon, and sometimes called Roger Fitz Roger, an influential person, cousin of Jeffrey Ridel, Bishop of Ely.
This family presented to a moiety of the Church in 1243. In 1293 John de Cave recovered a, moiety against Henry Bacon, and in 1317 the heirs of Thomas Bacon hold this lordship. In 1399 it belonged to Thomas Jordan, and in 1425 he died possessed of it, and also another of the same name in 1460.
John Heydon was lord of the whole Manor in 1458 and from this family it passed to Sir Henry Sidney and subsequently to John Jermy, Esq., who presented in 1626, and Robert Jenny in 1674.
In 1715 Nathaniel Burrell held it, and in 1759 John Burrell. It afterwards passed to Hammond Ward, Esq., who sold it to Thomas Girdlestone. It subsequently was purchased by Wm. Hardy, Esq., in which family it still remains, C. W. H. Cozens-Hardy, Esq., being lord of the Manor.
The King's Manor of Holt extended here, which portion was confirmed by King John, in 1201, to Roger Veile of Fishley, by the service of keeping the King's hawks.
In 1276 Roger de Pereers held lands here of the de Vaux family and had a charter of free-warren. During the reign of Richard II. William Woodrofe died seized of a Manor here called Harde-Greys, alias Le Veyles, held in capite by Knight's service.
The interest of le Veile came to Philip Curson, of Leringset, alderman of London, by Agnes his wife, and the heiress of John le Veile ; Philip, by Will dated 1502, requests that his body should be buried in this Church. His son John, by Frances, daughter of John Wingfield, had a son John, who married Dorothy, daughter of Henry Walpole of Harpley and died in 1553. This afterwards belonged to John Fairfax and Thomas Cloudesley who were lords in 1615.
Saxlingham Manor, belonging to the Bishop of Norwich, also extended here. In 1390 Thomas de Saxlingham held a messuage, 3 acres of land, 5 of meadow, 3 ½ of pasture, with a water mill (this still exists, and stands on the same site as it did in the Confessor's time), and 5s. rent, and his heir was his niece, daughter of Henry Saxlingham, his brother; she married Thomas Plumbey. It afterwards passed to Sir Henry Sidney and was subsequently joined to the capital Manor.
In 1334 " Larinsete" was assessed for Tenths.,&c., at £3 12s. ; 12s. deducted circa 1449.
In 1347 the Earl of Arundel held in Leryngsete, Holt, &c,, one and a quarter fees of the King.—The temporalities of Binham Priory in 1423 were valued at 2s. 3d. ; those of Walsingham at 8d., and of Wabourne at 6s. Id.
THE CHURCH.
The Church, dedicated to S. Andrew, is a building of flint, dating from the 12th century, and founded by one, Grimbaldus probably Grimbaldus Medicus, domestic physician to Henry I.—It consists of chancel and nave, continuous, aisles with clerestory (3 windows of 2 lights), vestry, south porch, and a round western tower, containing three bells, bearing these inscriptions—1 and 2 " Charles Newman made mee 1700. R. Girdlestone CW." 3—No inscription—There were three bells in 6 Edward VI.
The building has of late years been thoroughly restored ; in 1875 the chancel was furnished with oak stalls, the nave with open benches to accommodate 210 persons, at a cost of £1,200 ; and later the chancel, nave, north and south aisles were re-roofed and the porch built at the cost of the Jodrell family. The pulpit was presented by a member of the same, at whose expense were placed the stained windows in the chancel and north aisle.—That in the north aisle represents Peter walking on the sea. A new reredos has been erected in memory of Adela Monckton Jodrell ; it is of alabaster in live compartments, each panel being surmounted by elaborately-traceried tabernacle work. The outer divisions are carried out and finished with openwork crocketted pinnacles. In the outer niches are figures of the Virgin Mary and Child and of John the Baptist, and in the smaller niches are figures of the 12 Apostles. The stained window above, of 3 lights, is in memory of Major Edward Jodrell, ob. 1868, and depicts the Ascension, the Agony in the Garden and the Maries at the Sepulchre. The reredos is flanked with oak panel work and to which have been fixed brass memorial plates. A window has been inserted to the memory of the late Hector, the Rev. John Marshall Webb bearing the following inscription:—" In reverence to God and in loving memory of John Marshall Webb, for more than 20 years Rector of this parish, who fell asleep on the feast of St Barnabas, 1894, aged 70 years. This window is placed here by his widow, Annie Webb." It represents Our Lord's Baptism and Christ blessing little children.—A south clerestory window represents Faith and Hope, erected to the memory of Major Jodrell.
The following Arms were in the Church windows in 1575—7 Coats of the Heydons, and France and England, quartered. Also in one window—"Orate pro anima Phillipi Curson, Generosi."
The font is Norman and of Purbeck marble, supported by pillars, similar to those of Langham and Stody, in this Hundred.
These memorials are also in the Church—A brass under the east window of the north aisle, " To the Glory of God, and in most loving memory of Edward Jodrell, Esq., of Bayfield Hall, who died at sea, March 17th, 1882, aged 36. This window is erected by his mother, Adela Monckton Jodrell." —"M.S. Laura Elizabeth Cozens, ob. 17th April, 1838, aged 3."—"M.S. William Hardy, Esq., of Letheringsett Hall, who died suddenly, 22nd June, 1842, aged 72 years "—and 27 lines more. On the south side of the chancel, covered by stalls—"M.S. John Michell, Esq. He was second son of Simon Michell, of Clerkenwell, London. Was twice married, first to Hannah Hall, daughter of Samuel Hall, of Southwark, who died without issue, 28th October, 1749. His second wife was Frances, widow of William Jermy Bayfield, Esq., and daughter of Jacob Preston, of Beeston, Esq., who survived him, and by whom he left two sons and a daughter, Charles, George, and Amelia (she died at Kensington, 18th November, 1791, and was buried at Forcett). He departed the 12th day of December, 1776, aged 57. Removed April 19th, 1792 to Forcett, in Yorkshire."—In the middle of the south aisle, under the Hardy tablet " Beneath this marble rest the remains of Upton Clarke, late of Thornage, who departed this life, the 30th September, 1775, in the 33rd year of his age."—At the east end of the south aisle " Beneath this marble rest the "remains of Alice, the wife of Henry Hagon, of the Parish Common . . . She departed this life the XIV day of September, MDCCLXXIII., and in the LXII. year of her age. And Henry Hagon Clarke, her grandson, he died October,6th, 1772, aged 6 months."
MEMORIALS AND HERALDRY.
The following Memorials and Heraldry are also in the Church:—Upon tablets in the north aisle, with Shields tinctured by lines—Ermines, a trefoil slipped or, between three round buckles argent, tongues pendant, Jodrell. Crest:A demi-cock, wings indorsed or, comb and wattles gules, Jodrell. Motto: "Non sibi sed patriae natus." "M.S. Edward Jodrell, Esq., of Bayfield Hall, in this county, who died January 27th, 1868, aged 54."— "Edward Jodrell, Esq. who died September 14th, 1852, aged 67, and Mary, his wife, who died November 10th, 1865, aged 72."
Arms of Jodrell, impaling, Argent, on a cross gules live escallops or, Weyland. Crest : Jodrell. "M.S. Henry Jodrell, Esq., late of Bayfield Hall, county of Norfolk, youngest son of Paul and Elizabeth Jodrell, of Sion Hall, county of Middlesex, Barrister-at-Law, of the Honorable Society of Lincoln's Inn, Recorder of Great Yarmouth for several years. He represented that Borough and afterward the Borough of Bramber in Parliament. He died March 11th, 1814, in the 63rd year of his age, and is buried at Lewknor, Oxfordshire."—(He married Joanna, daughter of John Weyland, Esq.)
Upon a tablet in the south aisle, partly tinctured by lines—Or, on a chief .... two fire grenades, Hardy ; impaling, Or, a lion rampant, on a chief indented three roundels, Raven, of Bramerton. Crest: A dexter arm embowed, holding a leg bone. Motto: "Fear one." "M.S. William Hardy, who died August 18th, 1811, aged 79 ; Mary, his wife, who died March 23rd, 1809, aged 75 ; and Raven their son, who died February 12th, 1787, aged 19."
Upon a tablet at the West end of north aisle, with raised Shield—On a chief a mural crown, Worsley. "M.S. Charles Worsley, late Rector of Salthouse, descended from ye ancient family of Worsley, of Platt, Lancs., and son of Edward, late Rector of this Church, and Mary Playford, of North Repps, his mother, which sd Charles, with Beatrice Claxton, of Booton, his wife, lie interred under these marbles in hopes of a blessed resurrection, ob. 24th December, 1682, Ao AEt. 29."
Upon a slab at the west end of the north aisle— A wolf salient, Donne; impaling, On a chevron engrailed between three crescents, two lions combatant, Flint. " Memoriae Gulielmi Donne, Gen., qui defunctus vita VIIIo. die mensis Novemb. Anno Dni. MDCXXCIIII". aetat. suae XXXIX., exuviis hie positis Beatam in Christo resurrectionem praestolatur."
Blomefield also mentions the following memorials: "At the east window of the chancel is a mural monument. In this chancel resteth the body of Hammond Ward, of Letheringset, Esq., who married Mary, daughter of Sir Jas. Calthorpe, of Cockthorpe, Kt., and by her had issue—12 sons and 4 daughters, he departed this life the 20th March, 1650. With the Arms of Ward: Azure, in a double tressure, flory or, a buck trippant of the 2nd, impaling Calthorpe."
" On a gravestone (brass)—Hic jacet corpus Ric. Fytz, generosi, nuper unius cursitorum summae curiae cancellariae D'ni Jacobi nuper regis Angliae, qui duxit in uxorem Barbaram Kempe, filiam Francisci Kempe, arm. fratris Thomae Kempe, militis, et filii Will. Kempe, militis, qui quidem Ricus obiit 28 die Jan. a° 1630, aetat. suae 74."
The Communion plate consists of an ancient Flagon, Chalice, and Paten. The Chalice bears the Norwich mark, and has a gold band round it.— In 1603 there were eighty-eight Communicants ; one man and two women recusant.—The Registers date back to 1653, and are well-preserved.
There were Guilds in the Church, at one time, of S. Andrew and S. John the Baptist. Externally the Church has a roof of red tiles over the chancel and nave, the rest being of lead; there are gable crosses over the east end of the chancel and over the south porch, and there is a priest's door on the south side of the chancel. The Churchyard is well kept, and very picturesque.
IN THE CHURCHYARD.
Upon an altar tomb in the Churchyard :—The Arms of Hardy impaling Haven. Crest and Motto: Hardy. " M.S Raven Hardy, who died February 12th, 1787, aged 19 ; William Hardy, who died August 18th, 1811, aged 79, and Mary his wife, who died March 23rd, 1808, aged 75; Laura Elizabeth Cozens, who died April 17th, 1838, aged 3 ; William Hardy, who died June 22nd, 1842, aged 72 ; Mary Hardy, his wife, who died December 24th, 1848, aged 66; and Elizabeth Theobald, who died May 12th, 1859, aged 78."— A Cross to "Francis Chastney, for 30 years Parish Clerk. Born January 16th, 1808, and died 9th February, 1882. Erected by the inhabitants."— "M.S. Jeremiah Cozens, of London, who by an accidental discharge of his friend's gun, died suddenly October 23rd, 18—, aged 32 years. ' There shall two be in the field : the one shall be taken, the other left' (24 lines more); Ann Cozens, born 26th March 1796, died 21st July, 1863."— "This stone is erected to mark the burial place of Johnson Jex, who died January 5th, 1852, aged 73 years, born in obscurity. He passed his days tit Letheringsett as a Village Blacksmith. By the force of an original and inventive genius, combined with indomitable perseverance, he mastered some of the great difficulties of Science: advancing from the forge to the crucible: And from the horseshoe to the chronometer: Acquiring by mental labour a vast and varied amount of mechanical skill and general knowledge. He was a man of scrupulous integrity and moral worth, but regardless of wealth and insensible to the voice of fame, he lived and died a scientific anchorite."
There are also memorials to members of the following families :—Chastney, Head, Fitt, Newman, Cobon, Lamb, Leggett, Dobson, Girdlestone, Spaul, Mayes, Lake, Barker, Browne, Burrell, Rouse, Handing, Greid, Tinker, Ramm, Dack, Blunderfeld, Savage, Girling, Fox, Wardingham, Ainger, Beck, Bullock, Ward, Hastings, Baker, Youngman, Stimpson, Hewitt, Ives, Willis, Watson, Miller, Jodrell, Tann, Jolly, Piggot, Dawson, Farrow, Jeffries, Bell, Sheringham, Hoddy, Lamb, Turner, &c.
The living was anciently divided into two medieties, each valued at 15 marks, one called Adam's mediety, and the other Thomas le Cheyvaler's. It paid 11d. Peter's Pence. Fakenhamdam Priory had a portion of the tithes valued at 2s. The Priory of Binham presented to a moiety after 1100. It is in the King's Books at £12, and discharged of First Fruits and Tenths. The present gross value is £169 per annum (tithes commuted at £253 per annum in 1838), with 25 acres of glebe and good residence in the gift of Sir Alfred Jodrell, Bart., and held since 1894 by the Rev. A. A. Eady, who is also Rector of, and resides at Saxlingham.
RECTORS.
The following have been Rectors :—
— Hamon, younger brother of Grimaldus, presented by his brother Jordan Hamon was afterwards Rector of the whole Church, and in his old age ceded a moiety to Edmund, third son of Grimbaldus, who presented.
— Jeffrey Ridel (Rector of a moiety and Bishop of Ely, 1174).
Thomas Fitz Jordan—by his brother Adam. On death of Thomas, Robert de Beverly was presented to a moiety by the Prior of Binham.
Circa 1243 Thomas Bacon (Rector of a moiety) - by Reginald Bacon.
1308 Robert de Thursford- - -by the Prior of Binham.
1318 Robert de Cave—by John Cave.
1330 John de South-Creyk—by the Prior, &e.
13— Thomas de Cockley-Cley.
1343 Dennis de Eggefeld—ditto.
1349 Robert de Kilverston—ditto.
1349 Thomas Fyn—by Thomas Noel.
1354 John Trendal—by the Prior, &c.
1355 Silv. atte Gate—ditto
1365 William Kyrkman—ditto
1383 Nicholas de Markeshale—by Johnnie Quarles and Thomas Lyng
1386 Thomas Aleyn—ditto
1387 Roger Cobbe—by the Prior, &e.
1387 John Roche—by Edward Lucas and John de Quarles.
1396 Jeffrey Chauntrell—by the Prior, &c.
1400 John Esther—by Edward Lucas and John de Quarles.
1412 William Monaud—by the Prior, &c.
1412 George Palmer—ditto.
1422 Thomas Crumme—ditto.
1430 John Caproun—by Edmund Lucas, Mary, his wife, and Margaret Neal.
1457 John Tollyn—by Thomas Payn and Etheldreda, his wife.
1458 Henry Rands, (to both parts, now united) by John Heydon.
1465 Nicholas Benet—ditto.
1488 John Bagley—by Sir Henry Heydon.
1504 Thomas Curson—by John Heydon, Esq.
1515 John Bokenham—by Sir John Heydon.
1553 John Elverich — by Sir Christopher Heydon.
1559 Robert Pierson—ditto.
1576 Richard Lawson by Sir Henry Sydney.
1626 Thomas King—by John Jermy, Esq.
1629 Thomas Lougher—ditto.
1645 Rowland Thompson—by Francis Jermy, Esq,
1660 Joseph Cutlove (held with Bayfield)— by Robert Jermy, Jun.
1661 John Bond—by Robert Jermy, Esq.
1662 Edward Worsley—ditto.
1674 Nathaniel Palgrave—ditto.
1705 Nathaniel Burrell—by Mary Cocksedge, wo.
1741 Henry Briggs, S.T.P.—by Sarah BurrelL
1747 Robert Leek—by John Burrell.
1759 John Burrell—by himself.
1786 John Burrell—ditto.
1826 Philip Candler—by Mary Burrell and Shambrook Burrell.
1832 Charles Codd—by himself.
1852 William Browne.
1861 Henry Browne, M.A.—by Rev. W. Browne.
1872 John Marshall Webb, M.A.— ditto.
1894 Albert Arthur Eady, M.A., the present Rector—by Sir Alfred Jodrell, Bart.
In 1281 a fine was levied between Hugh de Cave and William de Rewe of Beverley, who conveyed to Hugh a moiety of the advowson and a moiety of an acre of land ; in 1299, on an action between Henry Bacon, of Larinset, and John de Clere, it appeared that Robert de Beverley was seized of the moiety of the acre of land, to which the advowson belonged in the time of Henry III., who dying without issue, William was his cousin and heir.
References to Letheringsett are to to found in the following :—Arms in chancel, Rail. MS. (B.M.) 901, fo. 105. —Certificate of Church Goods, Edward VI. ; Public Record Oflice, vol. 500, no. 152.— Inventory of Church Goods, 6 Edward VI. : id. vol. 503, no. 55. — Deed (with plan), dated 1811, as to inclosures ; 26th Rep. Dep. Keeper, p. 12.—Act for inclosing lands in ; 47 George HI., sess. 2, c. 12 (not printed).—Inclosure award Common Pleas Recovery Roll, Hilary, 51 George III. c. 139.— Bloomfield's Norfolk, vol. ix, p. 411.—Monuments, in Church, by Starling (?), Rye MSB., no. 17, vol. vii., p. 73b.—Inscriptions in Church and Yard, Dews Monumental Inscriptions of Holt Hundred, cd. Rye, 1835, p. 97.—[Rye's "Index to Norfolk Topography."]