Brumstead Church
The Domesday survey of 1086 lists a Church (Saxon) endowed with 9 acres of land and in 1272 the Rector had a Manse (residence) with 30 acres which he would rent out for his income and William Lord Monchensy was Patron of the Church (01). In 1291 the Church is referred to as being dedicated to St Peter (02 - page 415).The current Church dates from the early 1300s re-using some older stones (possibly from the Saxon Church) - (03 - SMR 8254). It is one of the earliest examples of a typical type in Norfolk with a west door with a window above it with diagonal buttresses to the tower. The belfry stage of the tower appears slightly different to the rest of the tower and hence maybe later in date (04). The font dates from this period plus the door to the stair tower (04). In 1339 William de Engain was Rector and borrowed the sum of £100, then borrows another £100 from John de Engain (a relative? - presumably to pay off the first loan) and both loans were secured by Church goods (05 - page 114 & 226), he resigns later that year. In 1381 Isabel de Brook left 3s 4d in her will to make a new glass window at the east end of the chancel (04) and in 1390 Drew Gerner left 1 pound in his will towards making the tower plus 6s towards the bell as well as to making a window (04). Between 1424 & 1513 one bell of the Church cast by the Brasyers of Norwich (06) and circa 1470 the remaining bell was cast by Brasyers of Norwich (04). In 1552 an inventory at Brumstead Church was carried out (10 - page 370) Item ; one challes with a patten of sylver parcell gilt. Item ; vestmentes whereof one crymson satten another of blew satten of bryges with ij ables. Item ; a cope of crymson satten. Item ; stepell bells waying by estimation xxc. Item ; belle clappers. Reserved ; chalace and smallest belle. Signed by Robert Manns Parson (one medieval bell remaining). In 1562 the parish records start plus a chalice and paten are dated to 1567 (06). In 1603 64 communicants were noted (07) and a lost flagon dates to 1728 (06). The Church was repaired with proceeds of the sale of 2 of the 3 bells which were laying on the ground in 1733 (06) and in 1823 the thatching of the nave was in two levels (04) as shown above by the Ladbrooke's sketch of that date. The chancel was demolished and the East wall re-built in 1827 (06) plus in 1834 a tablet over the door confirms that the Church was re-roofed that year (at a cost of £200) plus re-seated at this time (04). The Reverend H N W Comyn (who was the son of Lord Nelson’s Chaplain & was baptised on H.M.S Victory) was Rector between 1841 to 1887 (08). During Church restoration work carried out in 1866 a Reverend J Gunn reported the discovery of Medieval mural paintings at Brumstead Church representing the ‘deadly sins’ (09 - page 355). Further restoration work costing £500 was carried out in 1875 (06) and George Durrant gave £110 pounds for the cost of East window (04). A lost London Paten dates to 1899 (06).
Brumstead Rectory. References ; 01. Armstrong History of Norfolk : Vol 7 - DA 637 ARM 1781. 02. The Valuation of Norwich (1291 to 1293) W E Lunt - 1926. 03. Sites and Monuments Records held at Gressenhall. 04. St Peter’s Church leaflet . 05. The Calendar of Close rolls Edward III 1339 to 1340. 06. Council for the care of Churches (PM 1378 replacing PM 620). 07. Bloomfield’s History of Norfolk 1808 - Vol 9 pages 287 to 290. 08. Baptisms on microfilm at the Norwich Records Office. 09. Norfolk Archaeology - Vol 7. 10. Norfolk Archaeology - Vol 30 Brumstead Clergy ; The following list has been complied from Bloomfield’s History of Norfolk - 1808, Crockfords Clerical Directory plus other sources. 1272 - The Rector had a Manse (residence) with 30 acres of land. William Lord Monchensy was Patron. 1306 - William de Lavenham was the Rector of Brumstead by Sir Hugh de Veer. 1307 - Richard de Wynngfarthynge was the Rector. 1312 - Robert de Stanford was the Rector. 1335 - Henry de Ingelby was the Rector. 1339 - William de Engain was the Rector followed by John Strongman. 1342 - Richard de Swaffham was the Rector by Laurence de Hastings Earl of Pembroke. 1347 - John Bolour was the Rector. 1349 - Balwin de Merewood was the Rector by Lady Agnes de Hastings. 1350 - Adam Charles was the Rector of Brumstead by John Hackeluyt. 1352 - Walter Amyas was the Rector by Sir John Hackeluyt. 1353 - John Abraham was the Rector. 1358 - William de Toggsford was the Rector by Agnes Countess of Pembroke. 1372 - John Curson was the Rector. 1372 - Alan de Lexham was the Rector by John Hastings Earl of Pembroke. 1386 - Robert Grape was the Rector by the King. 1386 - Will of Alan de Lexham, Rector of Brumstead. 1387 - Rober Grape was the Chaplain. 1390 - William Page was the Rector followed by William Sweyn. 1391 - Thomas More was the Rector by the King. 1396 - John Rykinghale was the Rector by Richard Earl of Arundel. 1397 - John of Hendon was the Chaplain and John Rykinghale was the Parson. 1398 - Philippa, wife of John de Hastings late Earl of Pembroke had the advowsons (right of presentaion to a benefice) of the Church. 1505 - Richard Kyng was the Rector of Brumstead. 1552 - Robert Manns was the Parson. 1562 - Thomas Cubitt was the Rector/Vicar/Curate/Minister. 1592 to 1603 - John Riches was the Rector of Brumstead and Vicar of Stalham. 1603 - Sir Nevill was Patron of the Rectory. 1638 to 1639 - Andrew Glands was the Rector/Vicar/Curate/Minister. 1646 to 1652 - Grant Richards was the Curate. 1653 to 1661 - Hanford Middlebrough was the Rector/Vicar/Curate/Minister. 1675 to 1716 - Robert Lord was the Rector. 1716 - John Bird was the Church Warder. 1722 to 1728 - Thomas Beadle was the Rector. 1729 - John Gradiner was the Rector by William Lord Abergavenny. 1744 - Joseph Chingles was the Rector/Vicar/Curate/Minister. 1745 - Dr John Gradiner was the Rector. 1754 - Thomas Croskin followed by William Sherwood were the Rectors, Samuel Stearn was the Vicar, Thomas Crane was the Curate and John Johnson was the Minister. 1754 to 1782 - William Berney was the Curate. 1755 to 1773 - Theophilas Rice was the Curate. 1766 - Thomas Gibbs was the Rector/Vicar/Curate/Minister. 1770 to 1784 - William Butts was the Curate. 1770 - Hugh Lewis was the Rector. 1776 to 1777 - Joseph Standerwick was the Vicar/Rector/Curate/Minister. 1777 to 1782 - George Ward was the Curate. 1779 - George Bethune was the Rector. 1784 to 1792 - William Hepworth was the Curate. 1791 - William Durrant was the Curate. 1795 - Thomas Cubitt was the Curate. 1795 - John Cubitt was the Curate and William Hunts was the Vicar/Minister/Rector. 1797 - Thomas A Thinson was the Minister. 1798 to 1816 - Joseph Burney was the Curate. 1818 to 1825 - R Johnson was the Curate. 1826 - James Morton was the Curate. 1827 - John Hewitt was the Curate. 1827 to 1829 - Edward Wymer was the Minister. 1831 - George Barsher was the Minister and Henry Atkinson was the Vicar/Curate/Rector. 1832 - John Meredith was the Minister. 1832 to 1833 - Thomas Berringham was the Curate. 1835 - J M Williamson was the Curate. 1836 - John Lloyd was the Minister. 1836 to 1841 - George Bethune was the Rector. 1841 to 1887 - H N W Comyn was Rector. 1888 - 1924 - M C H Bird was the Rector - see foot note. 1926 to 1930 - E T A Parker was the Rector. 1930 onwards - Brumstead and Stalham shared a Rector. 1930 to 1937 - C V Edwards was the Rector. 1937 to 1947 - H Woodfield was the Rector. 1947 to 1957 - W W Pulford was the Rector. 1957 to 1970 - D F Chrissop was the Rector. 1971 to 1975 - D G Blyth was the Rector. 1975 - the post was vacant. 1977 to 1991 - D G Blyth was the Rector. 1991 - the post was vacant. 1993 to present - A C Billet is the current Rector. Foot note - M.C.H.Bird ;
The Rev M.C.H.Bird was born on 28.03.1857 in Essex and died on 18.10.1924 at the Rectory in Brumstead. He attended Trinity Hall, Cambridge where he took his M.A.in 1884. He married (Miss Kate Bonner) in 1887 and they moved to Brumstead in the same year where they had four children : two boys (one of whom was killed during WW1) and two girls. He was a District Councillor, Chairman of the local War Pensions Committee, Secretary of the local War Agricultural Committee, a member of the Sea Breach Commission, President of the Norwich Naturalist Society and a manager of Stalham and Brumstead school. He was a first class field naturalist and enjoyed the out door life including shooting and fishing plus he was a keen gardener. He wrote ‘The rural economy, sport and natural history of East Ruston Common’ and various other articles plus he kept a diary of Norfolk rural life for nearly sixty years. (The Norfolk and Norwich Naturalist Society - Vol XI, pages 608 to 611).
Return to Main Menu