The Tudor and Stuart Eras (1485 AD to 1714 AD)

A small number of various pottery sherds plus a dec mount from the 1500s have been found in and around Brumstead. The Parish records (births, deaths and marriages) for Brumstead start in 1562. Whilst no maps exist of Brumstead prior to 1797 an earlier map of Lessingham dated 1587 shows the boundary with Brumstead (along Green Lane) plus the start of the boundary between Brumstead and Happisburgh but not between Brumstead and Ingham. In 1503 an inquisition names one of the manors of Brumstead as ‘Walshams’, probably a family name (05 - page 379) and in 1524 Brumstead lay subsidies was one of the lowest in the Happing hundred. In 1512 King Henry VIII passed laws enforcing the practising of archery and in 1531 he took the estates from St Benet’s Abbey but an inventory dated 1552 shows that Brumstead Church had a silver plated chalice and paten along with rich vestments plus steeple bells and another chalice and paten date from 1567 (03 - Vol 30 : page 370). The importance of wool and weaving to the region is illustrated by the 8 year apprenticeship of Thomas Lambe of Brumstead to John Hudson (Worsted weaver) in 1560 (06) and a survey in 1580 lists the fishing port of Eccles with vessels over 16 tons (02 - page 79). However, it appears that times were still turbulent as indicated by a Husbandsman (herdsman/farmer) in Brumstead who wrote directly to king Henry VIII in 1535 complaining of the theft (by server force) of part of his land (08). These times also must have been tense due to the threat of a Spanish invasion that only receded after the defeat of the Spanish armada in 1588.

Part of the Lessingham map of 1587.

During the 1600s the upper floor was added to the present Hall in Brumstead and Brumstead Grange dates from this period (01 - SMR 22904). A significant increase in the number of pottery sherds (manly around the present Hall) dating from this period have been found by fieldwalking in the Parish plus a silver penny from the Commonwealth period was found just outside the boundary. In 1603 Sir Henry Nevill was Lord of one of the manors plus 64 communicants are noted for Brumstead Church (04). The manorial court records start in 1654 which continue up until 1923 and deal with land transfers, personal wills minor offences, etc (07). In 1677 the manorial court describes the Parish as ‘Brumstead Roses, Parkers and Walshams’ indicating that all 3 manors (named after the main/original family that owned them) were still active in the running of the Parish. The low population around the mid 1600s is probably not due to the English civil war (1642 to 1649) as Norfolk saw very little action but the area appears to have been split 2 to 1 in favour of the parliamentary cause with Lord Abergaveny of Stalham being a stout supporter (02 - page 107). In 1660 the Commonwealth was abolished and Charles II was crowned, then in 1664 the hearth tax for Brumstead only lists 15 people chargeable (ie, there were only 15 or less houses in Brumstead with a hearth). Following on from the civil war the great plague swept the country between 1665 to 1666.

References ;

01. The Sites and Monuments Records held at Gressenhall.

02. An Historical Atlas of Norfolk, edited by P. Wade-Martin and published by the Norfolk Museums service - 1994.

03. Norfolk Archaeology Series (copies held at the Norfolk Records Office).

04. Bloomfield’s History of Norfolk Vol 9 - 1808 pages 287 to 290.

05. Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem of Henry VII : Vol II

06. Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem (copies held at the Norfolk Records Office).

07. Norfolk Records Office ref : MF/X/88/14 & 15 plus MF/X/245/9

08. Public Records Office ref : STAC 2/29/100

Definitions ;

Field walking involves walking over a ploughed field in either a random or ridged way picking up objects of historical interest.

Hearth Tax was a local tax based on the number of fire hearths in a house.

Lay Subsidies were a local parliamentary tax.

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