A HISTORY OF NORFOLK 



the prior of Horsham, as the diocesan nomina- 

 tions for the suffragan bishopric of Thetford.' 

 The archbishop's choice fell upon the latter. In 

 October of the same year the prior of Castle Acre 

 was one of the Norfolk gentlemen appointed by 

 the king (at the time of the Lincoln and north- 

 ern rebellions) to abide in their counties to keep 

 good order in the absence of the rest of the 

 noblemen.^ Only two religious were selected 

 for this honour, namely, the priors of Castle Acre 

 and West Acre. 



On 22 November, 1537,' Thomas Mailing 

 and ten of the monks signed the surrender of the 

 priory and all its possessions/ The whole pro- 

 perty was at once assigned by the crown to 

 Thomas, duke of Norfolk, at an annual rent of 

 £4.4 195. oy.' 



To Castle Acre Priory pertained four subordi- 

 nate cells : Bromholm, of considerable import- 

 ance, Normansburgh, Slevesholm in Norfolk, 

 and Mendham in Suffolk. 



Priors of Castle Acre* 



Angevine, c 1 130 



Jordan, c. 1 160 



Richard, c. 1 170 



Odo, c. 1 180 



Hugh, c. 1 190 



Maynus, c. 1200 



Lambert de Kempston, 1 203 



Jordan, c. 1203 



Philip de Mortimer, 1203 and 121 1 



Robert de Bozun a/ias de Alenson, 1219 and 



1227 

 Henry 



Ralph de Wesenham, 1239 

 William de Kent 

 Adam, 1250 



John de Granges, 1252 and 1255 

 Walter de Stanmere, 1258 and 1267 

 Robert de Hakebeach, 1270 

 William de Schorham 

 Benedict, 1286 

 Robert Porter, 1308 

 John Hamelyn 

 John de Acre 

 Walter le Fraunceys, 131 1 

 Peter de Jocelis, 1317 and 1329 



* Pat. 27 Hen. VIII, pt. ii, m. 30. 

 ' L. and P. Her,. FIII,x\, 234. 



' Not 1533, as stated in Blomefield and Dugdale. 



* Add. Charter, 14595. 



' L. and P. Hen. Fill, xii. (2), 471. 



^ At the end of the Castle Acre chartulary is a list of 

 the priors without any dates or periods of rule. It 

 begins with Hugh, f/>r<3 11 90, and ends with Prior 

 Mailing (Harl. MS. 2 I 10, fol. I 36^). Blomefield's list 

 {Hist, of Norf. viii, 374-5) gives four earlier names 

 with the dates, and certain variations of some of the 

 others. From these sources, as well as from the 

 actual deeds of the chartulary, and from docu- 

 ments already cited in this sketch, the list here 

 given is compiled. 



Guy Charyns, 1329 and 1337 



William de Warren, 1344 



Walter Pigot or Picot, occurs 1349*^ 



Thomas Wigenhall 



John Okinston, 1404 



Simon Sutton 



Thomas Bayley 



Thomas Tunbridge 



John Sharshulle, 1428 



Thomas Gatys 



Nicholas Benet, 1445 



John Plumsted 



John Amflets, 1484 



John Winchelsey, 1 5 10 



Thomas Chambers 



Thomas Mailing, 27 June, 15 19, last prior. 



There is an impression of the first seal of this 

 priory (2^^ in. X if in.) attached to an undated 

 charter at the B.M. c. 1200. The seated Virgin 

 bears the Holy Child on her lap, in his left 

 hand a scroll. Legend : — 



4- SIGILLUM SANCTE MARIE . . . RENSIS . 

 ECCLESIE.* 



An imperfect impression of the second seal is 

 attached to a charter of 1446 (2|-in. x ij\ in.). 

 The half-length Virgin is shown in radiance up- 

 held by four angels within a tabernacled niche. 

 In the base is a portcullis half covered showing 

 in the open space the monogram of Maria. All 

 that is left of the legend is — 



.... MONASTERII . BEAT . . . .' 



16. THE PRIORY OF NORMANSBURGH 



The little Cluniac priory of Normansburgh, 

 dedicated to the honour of the Blessed Virgin 

 and St. John the Evangelist, in the parish of South 

 Raynham, was originally founded about 1 160 by 

 William de Liseurs for Austin Canons, for the 

 health of his soul, and the souls of Maud his wife 

 and Godfrey his son. But soon after its founda- 

 tion c. 1200, Godfrey de Liseurs, the founder's 

 son, transferred it to the priory of Castle Acre, of 

 which it became a cell, on the condition that the 

 monastery kept there at least three monks. To 

 his father's original endowment of 70 acres of land 

 at Normansburgh, and other land at 'Middele' 

 and ' Francheshoe,'and the hermitage of Wiggen- 

 hall, Godfrey added the church of South Rayn- 

 ham and 9 acres of land at Gerdel. By two 

 subsequent charters Godfrey slightly increased 

 the endowments of this cell. The grants of 

 Godfrey were confirmed by Hubert, archbishop 

 of Canterbury, and John, bishop of Norwich.^" 



This cell had possessions in five Norfolk 

 parishes at the time of the taxation of Pope 



' Pat. 22 Edw. Ill, pt. 3, 22 d. 

 ' B.M. Top. Ch. 15 ; Blomefield, Norf. viii, 373. 

 ' B.M. Top. Ch. II ; Blomefield, h'orf viii, 373. 

 " Harl. MS. 2110, fols. 54, 55, ■j6b, 114, 119^. 



358 



