The le Parke's Manor
Hidden within a plantation (just south of the Church) set in open fields lies the original moat that once surrounded the le Parke's Manor house. By 1216 the le Parkes family, a visitation' family from Suffolk, had a Lordship in Brumstead (01) and the three place names associated with this family next to the old moat indicates that this was the site of their Manor house. In 1268 & 1272 Sir William Parker is quoted as being one of the two Lords of Brumstead with free warren in Brumstead and lands in Eccles, Lessingham, Happisburgh & Stalham (01, 02 - page 184). William le Parker appears to have had many various rights in Eccles including Rright of wreck, Herdershift and Bedgeld to name just a few (20). In 1302 & 1305 (another?) Sir William Parker held the le Parkes Manor (03 - page 642, 04 - page 434). The son of Sir William (also called William) along with his father attended the King (Edward II) in France in 1313 (see foot note) plus with his wife Agatha held the le Parke’s Manor up until 1327 (01, 05 - page 12). In 1330 William Parker (possibly son of the above) with his wife Margaret held the le Parke’s Manor which then went onto William and Peter Engain who married William and Margaret le Parke's two daughters (01). By 1346 the le Parke’s Manor had returned to the le Parkes family and was owned by John Parker (07) who also held it in 1347 (01). In 1376 William le Parker (possibly son of above) held the Manor up to 1378 (08 - page 88, 09 - page 28) when it was sold. In 1382 Hugh Falstof and Robert Caly sold the le Parke’s Manor back to the le Parkes family (William le Parker plus his wife Margaret) (01). During 1401 & 1428 a William le Parker held 1/4 knights fee (10 - page 567, 11 - page 620) and in 1483 (another?) William le Parker held 1/2 knights fee in Brumstead (12 - page 28), all of which indicates that the family still held the Manor during these times. The le Parke’s Manor was sold by William Deyngayne to William Gourney & John Brumstede in 1494 (13 - page 218). Then in 1524 the Manor of Brumstead (possibly le Parke’s Manor) was held by Sir William Willyby (14 - page 55). In 1580 Edward Calthorpe esq sold the le Parke’s Manor to Sir Edward Wodehouse and his son (Sir Thomas Wodehouse) who sold it to Thomas Gryme sometime after this date(01).
Faden's map of Norfolk dated 1797 does not show the le Parke’s Manor (or a wood) and so it seems likely that the Manor house had been abandoned by this date and whilst Bryant’s map of 1825 clearly shows the surrounding plantation, the moat or a house is not shown. The Tithe map of 1840 shows both the plantation and the moat plus it states that the middle platform was arable land but it does not show a bridge leading to it. However, it refers to three place names connected with the le Parkes family. The Sites and Monuments Records states that medical leeches have been found in the moat indicating that the moat has not dried out since Medieval times and that in the Medieval period someone nearby (possibly at the Manor house) was probably practising medicine. It also records that in 1974 bridge abutments were noted on the north side of the moat plus that in 1895 a possible drawbridge once went across the moat. The current O.S.survey map show the moat situated in a shallow valley (approximately 0.5 m deep). Recently the moat has been dimensionally surveyed and levels taken plus the positions of trees noted - see above.
The exact position, size and type of construction of the le Parke’s Manor house within the moat is unknown as nothing remains to provide any clues plus generally house construction during this period is vague. However, it is likely that it was a small single storey timber 'box' frame forming a single, double or triple bayed open Hall with a thatched roof (obtained locally) supported on timber purlins and rafters with wattle and daub walls and a compacted earth floor. It is likely that an open hearth in the middle was used for cooking with the smoke escaping through vents in the roof and possible opposing timber doors would accompany small open windows with timber shutters in the walls. Moats around Manor houses appear to have been both for status plus defensive purposes and so the original Manor house was probably of 'high status' and ornate. During the known 364 years (and likely much longer) time that the le Parkes Manor house existed, it is almost certain that it underwent major changes if not a complete rebuild. The similarity of the bank and ditch along the north and west boundaries of the associated plantation (which could reflect earlier boundaries) with those enclosing the Common suggests that they were constructed during the same period (1805) to keep out wild animals, as confirmed by the difference between Faden’s map of 1797 and Bryant’s map of 1825. As the underlying soil is clay and the moat is situated within a small valley, calculations show that the ‘catchment’ area supplies enough water to fill the moat about 36 times a year based upon the average rail fall for the area. The date and size of this moat is in typical for manorial sites in the region (06 - page 67).
Foot note - France 1313 ;
Edward II and Isabella
Edward II was born in 1284, was made king of England in 1307 and married Isabella (daughter to the King of France) in 1308 (15- page 67). However, Edward II preferred the company of his male ‘favourites’ to his new wife and not only started to physically abuse her but promptly gave her wedding gifts (jewels, rings, etc) to his ‘friend’ Piers Gaveston (a French Knight). From the start Edward II was an inept King and things got so bad that in 1311 the major English Barons forced him to agree to some of them, called the Ordainers, helping him with the government of the kingdom (15 - page 67). The Barons feared the control that Piers Gaveston had over the King and forced him to exile the French Knight but in 1312, upon his return to England they had Piers Gaveston killed. During that same year Edward II and Isabella were in France attending the knighthood of her three brothers (18 - page 186) which angered the Barons as they thought that the King should be acting against the renewed ravages of Robert the Bruce (who wanted independence for Scotland). As a result of the death of Piers Gaveston the King dissolved the confederacy of Ordainers and a civil war nearly started (16 - page 29). In the meantime Robert the Bruce was gaining strength in Scotland and Isabella produced a son (later to become Edward III). Isabella intervened between the King and the Barons to stop the impending war and in 1313 after two ineffective parliaments held in the Spring and Summer (16 - page 30), Edward II escaped his troubles by visiting France twice. At least on one occasion he was accompanied by Sir William le Parker (of Brumstead) and his son (17 - page 642). By Autumn of 1313 the King was back in England trying to ensure peace with the Barons (16 - page 30) and in 1314 Edward II finally lead an army up to Scotland to relieve the besieged Stirling castle but was defeated by Robert the Bruce at Bannockburn (15 - page 67). The King soon chose another male ‘favourite’, Hugh Despenser, and the friction between the King and the Barons continued (18 - pages 190 to 205). In 1324 war broke out between England and France over Gascony (part of France controlled by England) and the King sent Isabella and his son to negotiate with the King of France (15 - page 67) plus Sir Oliver de Ingham (from Ingham, the adjacent Parish to Brumstead) to Gascony to assist in its defence (16 - page 115). Isabella was having an ongoing affair with one of the disaffected Barons who accompanied her to France, Roger Mortimer, and she did not return until 1326 when she landed at Orwell (near Ipswich) with an army (15 - page 67). Possibly Orwell was chosen because she knew that she would receive support in East Anglia, certainly several of the English Barons sided with her including the Earl of Norfolk (18 - page 208). Isabella and Roger Mortimer pursued Edward II across England until she captured him in south Wales and finally imprisoned him at Berkeley castle (15 - page 67). In 1327 Edward II died of a red hot iron being inserted into his bowels (19) and his son (Edward III) was crowned King (15 - page 67). Sir Oliver de Ingham sat on the new King’s council of Regency (16 - page 96) and Edward III relied heavily upon Sir Oliver de Ingham who was an old servant of King Edward II (16 - page 115). However, in 1330 the young King tried his mother and her lover (Roger Mortimer) plus others (including Sir Oliver de Ingham) for treason but he pardoned most of them (including Sir Oliver de Ingham) whilst Isabella returned to her estates at Castle Rising in Norfolk (16 - page 102). Sir Oliver de Ingham held the fort for the King in Gascony until 1337 when it became a confiscate to France (16 - page 115).
It appears from the above that Sir Oliver de Ingham’s loyalties may not have been 100% behind King Edward II. It seems that he was readily accepted onto King Edward III’s council of Regency (especially by Isabella) plus he is later cited with treason along with Isabella (indicating that he sided with her). If this is true then why did Sir William le Parker and his son accompany King Edward II to France in 1313? Was it just an innocent trip to France (possibly arranged by Sir Oliver de Ingham, their neighbour) or was there a reason behind it? Was it to protect King Edward II or to keep an eye on him?
Definitions ;
A visitation family was one that came to England after the Norman conquest.
Free warren allowed the Lord of the Manor to take rabbits from a piece of land as he chose.
Tithe Map was a map of the Parish to determine how much money or produce each farmer / person owed to the church (normally set at a tenth of their income - the word tenth was corrupted to tithe).
Right of wreck Was a manorial right to claim part of anything washed up or deposited on the beach.
Herdershift Was a sheperd chosen every year to keep the Lord of the manor's sheep.
Bedgeld 'is at every wedding of the men and women of the homage (Parish), the Lord was to have a certain bed, or the price, according to the degree of the person married, whether noble or ignoble'.
References ;
01. Bloomfield’s History of Norfolk Vol 9 : 1808 pages 287 to 290.
02. The Calendar of Charter rolls Vol II 1257 to 1300.
03. Norfolk families - by Rye ; Vol 2.
04. Feudal aids 1284 - 1431 Vol III P.R.O.
05. The Calendar of Close rolls of Edward III 1327 to 1330.
06. An Historical Atlas of Norfolk by P wade Martins published by the Norfolk Museums Service.
07. Norfolk Records Office ref: DN/EST/100 (ACC 1998/227/FM/HJ).
08. Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem : Vol XIV.
09. Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem Vol XV 1-7.
10. Feudal aids 1284 - 1431 Vol III P.R.O.
11. Feudal aids 1284 - 1431 Vol III P.R.O.
12. Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem : Vol XV.
13. The Calendar of close rolls of Henry VII : Vol 1 - 1485 to 1500.
14. Norfolk Archaeology Vol 18 (held at the Norwich local studies library)..
15. The Plantagenet Encyclopaedia by Elizabeth Hallam , Guild Publishing - 1990.
16. The Oxford History of England by Mary McKisack, Claredon Press -1985.
17. Norfolk Families by Rye : Vol 2.
18. Chronicles of the age of chivalry by Elizabeth Hallan, Guild Publishers - 1987.
19. Web site - http://ds.dial.pipex.com/town/close/gg02/themurderofedward2nd.html
20. Bloomfield’s History of Norfolk Vol 9 : 1808 page 294.