A CHRONOLOGY OF MEDIEVAL INGHAM

Before the Norman Conquest, Eadric, a man of Eadric de Laxfield held Ingham. The Abbot of St Benet held 30 acres of land with 0.5 plough and 1 acre of meadow before and after the Conquest. There were 3 carucates of land, 9 villagers, 14 smallholders and 4 slaves. The lord held 2 ploughs and there were 2.5 men's ploughs. Around 60 acres of wood, 24 acres of meadow, 2 horses, 6 cattle, 7 pigs, 350 sheep and 44 goats. There were also 7 freemen with 35 acres, 1 plough and 0.5 acres of meadow. Eadric also held a further 1 carucates of arable land with 3 villagers and 6 smallholders with 1 lord's plough, 6 acres of wood, 4 acres of meadow, 7 horses, 6 cattle, 12 pigs and 60 goats. There were a further 16 free men with 1 carucate and 20 acres of arable land and 2 smallholders and 3 ploughs (1).

After the Norman Conquest, Ingham was held by Count Alan (Earl of Richmond). There were 4 free men with 12 acres and half a plough. 3 carucates of arable land, 9 villagers, 14 smallholders and 2 slaves. 2 lord's ploughs and 2 men's ploughs. About 60 acres of wood, 24 acres of meadow, 1 horse, 6 cattle, 7 pigs, 350 sheep and 44 goats. There were 77 free men with 3 acres, 1 plough and 0.5 acres of meadow. A carucate of arable land, 2 villagers and 6 smallholders. 1 plough in lordship, 6 acres of wood, 4 acres of meadow, 7 horses, 6 cattle, 12 pigs and 60 goats. Also, 16 freemen with 1 carucate of land and 20 aces with 2 smallholders and 3 ploughs (1).

It is stated that Ernald de Ingham was lord of Ingham very soon after the reign of King William (9). Oliver de Ingham was lord in Ingham in 1183 and John de Ingham was lord during the reign of Richard I (1189-1199). However, in 1206 John de Ingham had died and Robert de Tateshale gave £100 to have the custody of all his lands with the marriage of his heir (2). Walter de Ingham was living in 1235 (2). John was the heir of John de Ingham and married Albreda (daughter and heir of William Waleran, a Baron in Wiltshire). Afterwards she married William Botterell who gave the King 2 horses and a Norway Goshawk for a licence to marry her. By her first husband she had Oliver de Ingham who was lord of Ingham in 1268 and was heir to Albreda (2). In 1281, Sir Oliver de Ingham was summoned to attend King Edward I to Wales and died shortly afterwards. He was buried in the Carmes Priory in Norwich and had held Ingham from the lord Tateshale (2). Sir Oliver was married to Elizabeth and had a son and heir called John (2), born about 1260. In 1294, John de Ingham was summoned by King Edward I to attend him in Gascoigne and in 1298 in Scotland (2).

OLIVER DE INGHAM. ROGER DE BOIS.

Sir John de Ingham died around 1310 whilst holding Ingham from the barony Tateshale and the manor of Waxham from the Earl of Norfolk (3). Sir John had a son called Oliver who was described as a young, lusty, valiant knight in great esteem with King Edward II (3). Sir Oliver preformed military service in Scotland in 1310 & 1314. In 1321, he was governor of Ellesmore Castle (Shropshire) and was summoned to parliament in 1328, 1333 & 1341. He was also governor of Marlborough Castle and the Devizes. In 1324, he was Sheriff of Norfolk and in 1325 he was Seneschal of Aquitain when the King gave him 500 marks (3) and raised an army to retake the county of Agnois from the French (3). In 1327 he attached himself to Mortimer's party and was summoned to parliament as a Baron. In 1328, he was Justice of Chester when the King directed him to levy a hue and cry against Roger Mortimer, the King's enemy (3). In 1330 he tried the former Lord Mayer of London but was later arrested by order of King Henry III as one of Mortimer's supporters. However, by 1333 he was once more made Seneschal of Aquitaine. In 1339, he defeated the French before Bordeaux. Baron Oliver died in 1344 and was buried at Ingham. Oliver had a son called John and two daughters, Elizabeth who married John de Curzon and Joan who married Roger le Strange and afterwards Sir Miles Stapleton - Knight of the Garter who came from Bedale in Yorkshire (3 & 10). Sir Miles was the son of Sir Gilbert Stapleton and Maud (daughter and coheir of Sir Brian Fitz-Alan) (4). He fought against the French with King Edward III, died in 1365 and left a son also called Sir Miles Stapleton (5). Sir Miles Stapleton (the son) married Ela (daughter of Sir Edmund Ufford) and died during the reign of King Henry V, lord of Ingham, Waxham and Horsey (6). Miles and Ela had a son called Sir Brian Stapleton, Sheriff of Norfolk in 1424 (6). In 1348, his will asked for a Priest to sing for him and his wife (Cecilia) in the chapel of his son and gave to his son (called Miles) all his household goods at Ingham with all his swans & cygnets. He also had a daughter called Ann who married Thomas Heath (6). Sir Miles (son) was a Commissioner to look after the beacons of Norfolk in 1428 (6).

DE INGHAM FAMILY ARMS (15). STAPLETON FAMILY ARMS (16). BOIS FAMILY ARMS (17).

The church is dedicated to the Holy Trinity and during the reign of Edward I the Rector had a house with 30 acres of land, the Peter-pence was 12d (6). Rectors of the church (2); 1286 - Reginald le Gross, 1302 - Fulk de Kerdeston presented by Sir John de Ingham, 1349 - William de Bruggs by Sir Roger Strange and in 1360 - John de Baynton by Sir Miles Stapleton. In the same year the church was taken over by Ingham Priory. The chancel dates from the 1300s, possibly the 1340s (8). The porch is 3 stories high and may have been he living quarters for the Priest, who was the Sacrist for the Priory (8). The font is 13th century and made from Purbeck marble (8). Ingham Old Hall dates from the 1900s but has traces of earlier elements within (8). There is evidence in Ingham of the work of the Martham stonemason who worked in Norfolk between c1440 and c1470 (11). Ingham also had a medieval market that was out of use by the 17h century although I can't find any details on this (12). The Black Death of 1349 claimed about 50% of the population of nearby Lessingham and it is very likely that Ingham suffered a similar fate. During the uprising of 1381, there were 3 separate incidences of rebellion and the manorial rolls were burnt in Ingham (13).

CROSSROADS ALTERATION OF 1363. SIR MILES STAPLETON & JOAN DE INGHAM.

INGHAM PRIORY - was founded by Sir Miles Stapleton and Lady Joan (daughter and heir of Baron Oliver de Ingham) in 1361, dedicated to St Mary and the Holy Trinity. It was the Trinitarian Order (founded by John de Matta and Felix de Valois in 1200) for the redemption of captives taken by the Turks (7). The Friars wore white robes with a cross of blue and red on their breasts and appointed all their possessions into three parts. One part for their own subsistence, one part for the relief of the poor and one part for the redemption of captives, according to he rule of St Victor (7). The Priory had a Prior, Minister, Sacrist and 6 brethren. In 1363, the Priory obtained permission to enlarge their house and altered the original crossroads at Ingham in order to build their cloister (7). In 1379, Sir Roger Bois gave them a house with 84 acres of land, 2 acres of meadow and 1 acre of pasture in Worsted and Scottow (7). In 1384, John de Saxham gave them the lordship of Cockley Cley plus the income of the church and lands in Treston and Saxham Parva (7). In 1393, Thomas Moor gave the manor of Cley with 8 houses, 221 acres of land, 22 acres of meadow and 4 acres of moor plus rents in Ingham, Walcott, Worstead, Hickling, Catfield and Horsey (7). The Priory had a grange farm next to the parish boundary with Stalham where some of the original buildings still remain and have been dated (by tree-rings) to 1380. Priors of Ingham Priory (7); 1360 - Richard Marleburgh, 1383 - John de Trowes, 1429 - Thomas Neteshead, 1439 - John Blackeney and in 1447 - John Norwich.

WRITINGS ON THE PASSION written by Ralph de Medyton in 1405 at Ingham for Sir Miles Stapleton (14).

References:

1. Little Domesday Book, fols: 148, 148v & 220v.

2. Bloomfield F, "An essay towards a topographical history of Norfolk, volume 9", 1808: 317.

3. Bloomfield F, "An essay towards a topographical history of Norfolk, volume 9", 1808: 318.

4. Bloomfield F, "An essay towards a topographical history of Norfolk, volume 9", 1808: 319.

5. Bloomfield F, "An essay towards a topographical history of Norfolk, volume 9", 1808: 320.

6. Bloomfield F, "An essay towards a topographical history of Norfolk, volume 9", 1808: 321.

7. Bloomfield F, "An essay towards a topographical history of Norfolk, volume 9", 1808: 322.

8. Pevsner N, "The Buildings of England - Northeast Norfolk and Norwich', 1970, Penguin: 177.

9. Rye W, 'A History of the Hundred of Happing' Norfolk Records Office, ref Rye 3, vol II, 1792, Norris collection: 211.

10. Page W, 'A History of the County of Norfolk - volume II', 1906, London: 410.

11. Fawcett R, 'Medieval Masons - An Historical Atlas of Norfolk', 1998, Norfolk Museums Service: 58.

12. Dymond D, ' Medieval and later markets - An Historical Atlas of Norfolk', 1998, Norfolk Museums Service: 76.

13. Conford B & Reid A, ' The uprising of 1381 - An Historical Atlas of Norfolk', 1998, Norfolk Museums Service: 86.

14. Bodleian Library, Oxford MS. 758.

15. Bloomfield F, "An essay towards a topographical history of Norfolk, volume 9", 1808: 330.

16. Blomefield F, 'An essay towards a topographical History of Norfolk', volume 9, 1808, London: 320.

17. Blomefield F, 'An essay towards a topographical History of Norfolk', volume 9, 1808, London: 331.

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