THE ABBEY OF BEC IN NORMANDY.A CHRONOLOGY OF MEDIEVAL LESSINGHAM
Lessingham was held by Earl Godwin (the father of King Harold) before to the Norman Conquest. There were 3 carucates and 30 acres of land, 15 villeins, 16 boarders and 6 slaves. Two ploughs were in lordship and there were 3 men's ploughs. There were 12 acres of meadow, 10 acres of woodland, 2 horses, 3 head of cattle, 7 pigs and 20 sheep. There were 8 sokemen with 100 acres plus another 2 ploughs and 2 acres of meadow. Following the Conquest, Lessingham and Hempstead were held by King William and other than loosing one of the lord's ploughs, the details of Lessingham noted in 1086 are the same as before the Conquest (1). Sometime during the reign of William Rufus, Lessingham ended up in the hands of Baron Gerard de Gournay, Normandy, who gave it to the Abbey of Bec in Normandy. Gerard de Gournay was the husband of Edith de Warrene, daughter of William de Warrene. The advowson of the church went with the gift and the Abbot of Bec was a pensionary (2).
THE ABBEY OF BEC IN NORMANDY.
Normandy was lost to the French in 1204 and the abbot of Bec paid £100 to hold onto all the English lands of Bec Abbey, promising to send none of the issues (profits) abroad (3). In 1231, Lessingham and Wretham (both estates belonging to Bec) were leased for life to Peter Rex, Chamberlain of Bec, on the strict understanding that his heirs were to have no claim to them (4). This may have instigated the writing of the custumal of Lessingham between 1230 and 1247. The Norwich taxation of 1254 was intended to raise money for a crusade in the Holy Land (5). The 'Grange' of Lessingham was taxed £3 6s 8d and the Abbot of Bec was taxed £4 9s 4d (6). The taxation of Pope Nicholas IV for Lessingham was £6 13s 4d.
From the diary of Johannes de Oxenedes, a monk of St Benet's Abbey at Holme (near Ludham);
1276 - "The death of sheep began this year in Lindeseya that dispersed over nearly all of East Anglia for several years" (8).
1280, "Between the morning of Saint Peter at Vincula (1st August) and the following night, there was a great discharge of rain and flooding. There followed such violent water that men and women, old and young plus the cattle in the fields, mills, bridges, houses, and trees, were flooded plus majority of the hay and corn all over the locality was carried off" (10).
1287 - "on the 7th January, the sea was very enraged and violent with such violent winds that the sea burst through its usual boundary on the shore and occupied villages, farms and flocks. This flood took more life than any sea inundation in memory. For example, at night around high tide, the flood took sleeping men and women from their beds, beasts and fresh water fish choked or drowned, houses were pulled down to their foundations into the sea. Many people fled the cold water by climbing trees or were drowned. At the village of Hickling, twenty people of different sex and age were killed by the water. At the Priory of Cannons next to that village, the flooding arose to a foot above the height of their alter. All the Cannons except two fled and those two led the horses into their dormitory for safety. And truly no sun shone into the aforesaid village of Hickling or the other adjoining villages, sentencing men to danger in darkness when the flooding arrived" (11).
In 1286, the Abbot of Bec was successful, by pleading the confirmation charter of King Henry III, in resisting the claim of 2s per annum for the Hundred of Happing (in which Lessingham is situated) from the manor of Lessingham by King Edward I (12). Pope Nicholas IV's ecclesiastical tax of 1291 gives the annual value of the Abbot of Bec's possessions at Lessingham as £16 13s 9.25d and the church at Lessingham as £6 13s 4d (13). This is comparable to Hickling that was valued at £15 12s 9d per year as opposed to St Benet's Abbey that was valued at £326 4s 3.75d per year. Lessingham is reported to hold land in 8 parishes in Norfolk (14), that included Hempstead, Happisburgh, Ingham, Brumstead and Eccles (15).
From the chronicle of Johannes de Oxenedes;
1288 - "This year a quart of corn around Pentecost (16th May) sold for 3 shillings and a quart of barley for 32 pence. Indeed, in Norfolk around the feast of Saint Michael (29th September) a quart of corn sold for 28 pence and a quart of barley for 16 pence" (16).
THE SEAL OF OGBOURNE - ATTACHED TO LESSINGHAM DOCUMENTS.
In 1307, the Priors and Guardians of all foreign estates were forbidden to send any tallies, apports or other dues out of the realm (17). However, in 1310, the Prior of Ogbourne sold wood at Bledlow to the value of £450 for the repair of the central tower of the great Abbey of Bec, which had collapsed. It is not clear if this money ever reached Bec (18). The years between 1315 and 1317 have been coined as the 'Great Famine' in Norfolk due to extremely high corn prices caused by poor harvests (19). Not surprisingly, during these years the level of crime also rose as it did at other times when the price of corn was high (20). William Ery was instituted as the Rector of Lessingham in 1317, Thomas de Bret was instituted as Rector in 1331 and Thomas de Eure was instituted as Rector in 1333 (21). Surnames were formalised early in east Norfolk (22), William is a typical Norman-French name, Bret could be short for 'Bretton' and the Eure is an area in France. In 1334, the lay subsidies for Lessingham were £2 8s 0d (23) and in 1343 Walter, son of Edmund Heylot of Lessingham had borrowed 300 marks for an unspecified reason from the Abbot of Bec, Richard de Beausenall (24).
The Black Death arrived in Norfolk in the spring of 1349 and spread up the river valleys from Yarmouth (25) suggesting that it arrived by ship and was spread by river craft. John Aylmer was instituted as Rector of Lessingham in 1349 (26). In the autumn of 1349, in Martham, the harvest brought in less than half the usual amount of corn (27) and at Christmas there was a bloody fight between some of the population of Lessingham regarding a stray horse found wandering in the deserted fields, which constituted a direct challenge to the lord's right to any stray animal (28). At Hickling Priory, Prior Richard died in 1349 of the plague as did his successor, Simon Wodewale, who passed away as the brethren were informing him of his election. Eventually only two Cannons were left alive at Hickling Priory (29). In January 1350, the Steward of the manorial court at Lessingham wrote down that only 30 shillings was to be levied from the customary tenants by way of tallage, "because the greater part of those tenants who were wont to render tallage had died in the previous year by reason of the deadly pestilence" (30). The Pipe (account) Roll of 1288 (31) notes a total of 50 shillings tallage. Allowing for inflation between 1288 and 1350, and taking into consideration that the lord of Lessingham would be insisting on as much tallage as possible, it has been estimated that at least half the tenants (and population) of Lessingham had perished due to the Black Death. Plague mortality was at least 55% at Martham (32) and at the manor of Runham near Martham, "all the tenants were reported dead" (33). At the Lessingham manorial court of 1350, the court fined Alice Foghal for marrying without a licence (in the space of two months she had been the property of three husbands, the last was actually a stranger). However, at the same court, no less than fifteen other young women paid fines for marrying without license (34). John Burgeys was instituted as Rector of Lessingham in 1353 (35) and in his will dated 1386, he directed to be buried in the chancel of Lessingham church (36). Robert Crispin of Happisburgh rented Lessingham for 53 marks over a 7-year term in 1368 (37). It appears that foreigners were being expelled around this time as two monks from Ogbourne Priory obtained permission from the King to remain in England after 1378 (38).
THE ENGLISH ESTATES OF BEC ABBEY.
In 1379, the Abbot of Bec assembled a general chapter to discuss the estates of the Monastery and in particular the English estates (39). In 1380, William de Botilesford, Parson of the church of Lessingham appeared before the court in Westminster for not appearing to answer to Master John de Thoresby (Provost of the church of St John in Beverley, Yorkshire), regarding a debt of £50 (40). St Benet's Abbey and Bromholm Priory were attacked and documents destroyed by the local population (the so-called Peasant's Revolt) in June 1381 along with the court rolls at Hickling Priory (41). In July of 1381, a commission was appointed to deal with the insurgents in Norfolk and Suffolk (42) and met at Hickling to hold an enquiry into who was directly involved and who was innocent. In 1386 John de Scardeburgh was instigated as Rector of Lessingham church (43). In 1386 John Janne was presented to the church of Lessingham by the King on account of the war with France (44) and in 1387, Lessingham was rented to Edward de Metteleye at a yearly rent of £20 (45). The Rector Stephen de Houghton is noted as holding only half of the church of Lessingham in 1390 (46), possibly suggesting that half the church had been sold to pay off the debt to Master John de Thoresby. In 1391 Henry Thirninge was instigated as Rector of Lessingham (47) followed by John Salyng (48) and in the same year the Pope granted the English Priories of Bec, temporary limited autonomy (49). Hence, the Priors of Ogbourne and Cowick had the power to convoke a general chapter, receive the professions of monks and to appoint Priors. The situation must have been getting desperate for Bec Abbey around this time as the Priories of Wilsford and Steventon were sold off in 1391 (50). However, John Smyth of Northwold was instigated as Rector of Lessingham in 1394 followed by Thomas Mason (51). In 1414, the formal act of suppressing Alien Priories took place (52) and Lessingham was rented to the Duke of Bedford (53). From the Cellarer's accounts of Bromholm Priory, Thomas Mason, late Rector of Lessingham was paid 9s in 1415 (54) although the exact reason for this is not stated. In 1428, the temporalities of the Abbot of Bec with the Prior of Ogbourne in Lessingham were valued at £16 13s 9.75d per annum and the temporalities of the Prior of Hickling were valued at 6s 6d per annum (55). In 1439 Thomas Letton was instigated as Rector of Lessingham church and by his will dated in that year, he directed to be buried in the chancel of Lessingham church (56). In 1438 Lessingham was leased to Edmund Clare for 20 years at an annual rent of £16 (57) and John Idweyn was instigated as Rector of Lessingham (58). In 1440 a commission was appointed to deal with the property of Alien Priories and Lessingham is referred to as a 'Priory' (59) and subsequently leased to Sir Thomas Erpingham (60). Around 1449 the lay subsidies of Lessingham were assessed at £2 8s 0d (61). Eventually, Lessingham was given to St Nicholas (later Kings) College Cambridge by the King in 1462 and it is referred to as a 'Priory' (9). In 1472 the exchequer claimed against Kings College, saying that the 'Priory' of Lessingham held unclaimed lands in nearby parishes (7).
REFERENCES:
1. The Domesday Book ii (Norfolk), fol 134a.
2. Charter of King Henry II dated between 1166 & 1173 [M.S. Lat, 13905, f.20].
3. Morgan Marjorie, "The English lands of the Abbey of Bec", 1946, Oxford University Press: 36 & 120.
4. Porée (le Chanoine), "Histoire de l'abbaye de Bec, volumes I & II", 1901, Evreux Imprimerie de Charles Hérissey: 212.
5. Lunt W (ed), "The valuation of Norwich', 1926, Oxford at the Claredon Press: 55.
6. Norfolk Archaeology, volume 17, 1910: 111.
7. Original manuscripts held at Kings College Cambridge, reference LES/64
8. Ellis H (ed), "Chronica de Johannes de Oxenedes", 2003, Elibron Classics: 248.
9. Patent Roll of Henry VI, membrane 23: 74.
10. Ellis H (ed), "Chronica de Johannes de Oxenedes", 2003, Elibron Classics: 256.
11. Ellis H (ed), "Chronica de Johannes de Oxenedes", 2003, Elibron Classics: 270.
12. Placita de Quo Warrento [Rec. Com.]: 493.
13. Page W (ed), "A History of the County of Norfolk volume II - Victoria County History", 1906, London: 463.
14. Lestrange R, 'Monasteries of Norfolk', 1973, Yates Publishing Ltd: 66.
15. Corbett W, "Elizabethan Village Surveys" - Royal Historical Society series II, volume XI.2, 1897, Royal Historical Society: 79.
16. Ellis H (ed), "Chronica de Johannes de Oxenedes", 2003, Elibron Classics: 272.
17. Morgan Marjorie, "The English lands of the Abbey of Bec", 1946, Oxford University Press: 58.
18. Morgan Marjorie, "The English lands of the Abbey of Bec", 1946, Oxford University Press: 123.
19. Cornford B, "Medieval Flegg", 2002, The Larks Press: 123.
20. Cornford B, "Medieval Flegg", 2002, The Larks Press: 138.
21. Bloomfield F, "An Essay towards a topographical history of the county of Norfolk", 1808, London: 335.
22. Cornford B, "Medieval Flegg", 2002, The Larks Press: 92.
23. Norfolk Archaeology, volume 12, 1895: 267.
24. Close roll of Edward II, volume VII, membrane 18d: 236.
25. Cornford B, "Medieval Flegg", 2002, The Larks Press: 138.
26. Bloomfield F, "An Essay towards a topographical history of the county of Norfolk", 1808, London: 335.
27. Cornford B, "Medieval Flegg", 2002, The Larks Press: 141.
28. Original manuscripts held at Kings College Cambridge, reference LES/1 & BEC/32.
29. Page W (ed), "A History of the County of Norfolk volume II - Victoria County History", 1906, London: 384.
30. Jessop Rev A, "The coming of the friars and other historical essays", 1888, Oxford University Press: unknown.
31. Original manuscripts held at Kings College Cambridge, reference BEC/32.
32. Campbell B, "The extent and Layout of Commonfields in Eastern Norfolk", Norfolk Archaeology volume 28, 1983, Crowe and sons Ltd: 26.
33. Cornford B, "Medieval Flegg", 2002, The Larks Press: 10.
34. Original manuscripts held at Kings College Cambridge, reference LES/1 & BEC/32.
35. Bloomfield F, "An Essay towards a topographical history of the county of Norfolk", 1808, London: 35.
36. Rye W, "A history of the Hundred of Happing", c1782, Norris Collection, NRO ref : Rye III: 127.
37. Original manuscript held at St George's Chapel in Windsor Castle, reference SCG X1 G 67.
38. Matthew D, "The Norman monasteries and their English possessions", 1962, Oxford University Press: 157.
39. Morgan Marjorie, "The English lands of the Abbey of Bec", 1946, Oxford University Press: 124.
40. Patent Roll of Richard II, membrane 30: page 430.
41. Cornford B, "Medieval Flegg", 2002, The Larks Press: 158.
42. Public Record Office at Kew, London reference KB 9/166/1.
43. Patent Roll of Richard II, 41: page 94.
44. Patent Roll of Richard II, membrane 32: page 209.
45. Patent Roll of Richard II, membrane 35.
46. Public Record Office at Kew, London reference C/143/409/19.
47. Bloomfield F, "An Essay towards a topographical history of the county of Norfolk", 1808, London: 335.
48. Patent Roll of Richard II volume IV, membrane 17: page 406.
49. Morgan Marjorie, "The English lands of the Abbey of Bec", 1946, Oxford University Press: 127.
50. Morgan Marjorie, "The English lands of the Abbey of Bec", 1946, Oxford University Press: 27.
51. Bloomfield F, "An Essay towards a topographical history of the county of Norfolk", 1808, London: 335.
52. Morgan Marjorie, "The English lands of the Abbey of Bec", 1946, Oxford University Press: 131.
53. C.P.R. 1416-22: page 411-2
54. Norfolk Record Society volume XVII, 1944: 89.
55. Rye W, "A history of the Hundred of Happing", c1782, Norris Collection, NRO ref : Rye III: 126.
56. Bloomfield F, "An Essay towards a topographical history of the county of Norfolk", 1808, London: 335.
57. Fine Roll of Henry VI, membrane 4: page 47.
58. Bloomfield F, "An Essay towards a topographical history of the county of Norfolk", 1808, London: 335.
59. Patent Roll of Henry VI volume VI, membrane 8d: 203.
60. Bloomfield F, "An Essay towards a topographical history of the county of Norfolk", 1808, London: 334.
61. Norfolk Archaeology volume 12, 1895: 267.