Sir Walter de Walcott of Gunton, Norfolk ²

  General Notes:

Sir Walter de Walcott, c.1310-1356, lord of Walcott; m. Millicent de Gunton c.1330. Walter de Walcote and wife, Margaret, received the rights to West Hall and lands in Walcott, Thyrsford, Berney and the manor of Little Snoring with its advowson, in 1339, probably on the death of his father. In 1346 he held a quarter fee at Walcote previously held by Alexander de Walcote, 2 knights fee at Hempstead, one quarter knight fee in Little Snorring, and three tenths of a fee at North Birlingham formerly held by Alexander de Walcote. Walter also became lord of the manor of Gunton in right of his wife Millicent, only daughter and heiress of Sir Walter de Gunton. In 1351 Walter de Walcote, knight, and Thomas Walcote his brother, received licence to lease out part of the manor of Hempstead and the advowson of the church there. In 1355 Walter appointed the rector of the church at Hempstead. In 1355 Roger de Felbrigg deeded the manor of Felbrigg to Walter de Walcote, Thomas de Walcote, Simon de Walcote and four others, confirmed in 1359. In 1356, Walter de Walcote and Thomas de Walcote, clerk, granted the advowson of Hempstead, with Walter retaining lands in Walcott, Gunton, and Snorring. ¹

  Events

• Manorial Estate: Gunton Manor, Gunton, Lowestoft, Norfolk, NR32, GB. ⁴ This town was granted to William Beaufoe Bishop of Thetford, by the Conqueror, and held in his own right as a lay fee. Agelmar, or Almar, Bishop of Elmham, bought it in the reign of the Confessor.

It consisted of 2 carucates of land, 8 villains, 6 bordarers, one carucate in demean, 2 among the tenants, 4 acres and an half of meadow, one mill, one beast for carriage, one cow, &c. and 7 socmen had half a carucate of land with one bordarer, a mill, and half an acre of meadow; and 2 carucates valued then at 20s. at the survey at 4l. per ann. was half a leuca long, 6 furlongs broad, and paid 6d. 3 farthings gelt; of the 2 carucates, William Denvers held one, and there was one besides his, valued at 12s. and accounted for in the Bishop's manor of Langham; Agelmer Bishop of Elmham, who purchased it, being deprived by a synod in 1070, and dying probably soon after, William Beaufoe obtained it of the Conqueror, and on his death gave it to his see. In 1122, Matthew de Gunton was lord of it; Sir Roger de Gunton and Thomas de Gunton, probably his sons, succeeded him, and each held a moiety or manor called Overhall, and Netherall, held of the Bishop.

Sir Roger de Gunton, son of Sir Roger, was father of Matthew de Gunton, (living in the 19th of Henry III.) and gave in marriage with his daughter to Roger Barr, 100s. rent here. Mathew de Gunton, son of Sir Roger, by deed, sans date, granted to William, son of William de Stalham, with Isabel his daughter, in free marriage, 100s. rent in Uurdestede, (Worstede) and Dalling, with several homages, services, customary dues, &c. to be held of him and his heirs, and if he cannot warrant it, to exchange it for lands in Gunton, or Martham manor; witnesses, Sir William de Kerdeston, Roger his son, Alexander de Vaux, Regind. le Gross, Simon de Noers, &c. His seal to it is about the size of a crown-piece, and is three lozengy-buckles, and made of rye dough, circumscribed, Sigillum Mathei de Gunton; and in 1323, Sir Roger de Gunton, as lord of a moiety, presented to this church, and John de Gunton in 1343 and 1349.

Sir Walter de Gunton, by Adelicia his wife, left a daughter and heir, Milecentia, who brought it by marriage to Sir Walter de Walcot, whose son, Sir Walter, marrying Joan, daughter and heir of William, 2d son of Sir William Clopton, left 4 daughters and coheirs; Margaret, the wife of Sir Robert Berney of Wichingham, relict of Roger de Welesham; Elizabeth, wife of Ralph Bray, or rather of William Wylton of Wichampton in Norfolk; Catherine, of John Dorward, Esq; and Margery, a nun, at Carhow abbey near Norwich. Joan, after the decease of her husband, Walcot, married Sir Roger Beauchamp; and on May 15, 1374, letters of administration of all the goods, &c. of Sir Roger Beauchamp, were granted to her.

Sir Robert Berney purchased by fine, in the 19th of Richard II. the part or share of Elizabeth, wife of William Wilton; and before this, John Dorward, and Catherine his wife, conveyed all their right to him in the 11th of the said King, and was found to hold half a fee of the Bishop of Norwich; in the 17th of Edward IV. John Berney, Esq. died seized of it, of Streto, and Cley Hall in Wichingham, Holbrook's in Seething, &c.

• Manorial Estate, 1339-1355, Walcote Manor, Snoring Parva [Little Snoring], Fakenham, Norfolk, NR21, GB. ³ In the 6th of Edward I. John, son of Ralph Le Strange of Litcham, held lands here; and Adam Bole granted lands by fine, part of this manor, to Richard Bole, for life, in the 14th of that King: to this Richard, and John Le Strange, Henry de Warham, and Richard Le Rus, of Lexham, conveyed by fine the advowson of this church, in the 13th of the said reign; and on this, Bole and Le Strange had the alternate presentation of this church. In the 17th year of the aforesaid King, John, son of John Le Strange, and Clementia his wife, bought of John de Stoneham, and Roger de Neketon, several messuages and lands, with the homages, services, &c. of several persons, and had the moiety of the manor of Naring Parva. Ralph Le Strange was found to be his brother and heir, in the 33d of Edward I. or Ralph was rather heir to this manor, being settled on him by fine.

The jury, in the 15th of the aforesaid King, present that the bridge, called Wodebrig, in the way between Naring Parva and Crysford, was broke, and that John son of John Le Strange of Litcham, lord of Naring Parva, ought to repair it, and the sheriff was ordered to see it done. In the 9th of Edward II. William Bole, and Joan his wife, had a moiety. Sir William Bole, was lord in the 18th of that King, and John Bole and Agnes his wife, in the 20th of Edward III.

In the 10th of Edward II. Ralph, son of John Le Strange, conveyed by fine, to Alexander de Walcote, and Maud his wife, (probably daughter and heir of Ralph,) a moiety of this manor, with the advowson, except 4 messuages, 53 acres of land, 6 of wood, 3 of heath, 12 of wood, and 12s. rent, part of the said moiety, held for life, by Clementia, widow of John Le Strange, settled on Alexander and Maud, in tail, remainder to Elizabeth Mariot, and Margaret, daughters of Alexander; and in the 13th of Edward III. Alexander conveyed the said premises to Walter de Walcote, and Margaret his wife, and died in the 29th of that King, lord of this town, and of Gunton.

Robert de Berney, and Margaret his wife, (fn. 3) one of the daughters and coheirs of Sir Walter de Walcote, passed by fine, levied in the 6th of Richard II. to Margaret, widow of John Elys, senior, of Gernemuth, the 3d part of the manor of Snoring Parva, called Walcotes, with the 3d part of the advowson; and in 11th of that King, Sir Symon de Felbrigg, Knt. Robert Hereward, and Margaret Elys, were querents, and John Dorward, and Catherine his wife, (another of Walcote's daughters and coheirs,) were deforcients in a fine, who passed to Margaret Elys, their 3d part: the other daughter and coheir was Elizabeth, wife, of Edmund de Wilton.

• Manorial Estate, 1339-1355, West Hall Manor, Walcott, Norwich, Norfolk, NR12, GB. ² About the reign of Henry III. this town seems to have been held by two different lords; and divided into East Hall, and West Hall. In the 24th of Henry III. Sir Jeffrey Tregoz, Sir And. de Hengham, Sir Thomas Bacun, and Sir Adam de Tyveteshale, with Roger de Thurkelby, and Letitia his wife, were petents in a fine, and Thomas de Walcote, deforciant, of the advowson of this church, who was lord of this moiety, and living in the 34th of that King, and in the 9th of Edward II. Alexander de Walcot was lord and presented to this church in 1302, and this lordship was settled with 120, acres of land, 15s. rent, &c. on Alexander and Maud, in the 9th of Edward II. and on Cecilia, Elizabeth, Mariota, and Margaret his daughters.

In the 13th of Edward III. Alexander de Walcot conveyed his right herein to Sir Walter de Walcote, who was lord in the 20th of Edward III. and died in the 29th of that King, leaving three daughters and coheirs, (as in Snoring Parva,) who conveyed their right to Robert Herward, Esq. and Margaret, widow of John Elys, in the 6th of Richard II. and in the 6th of Henry IV. Thomas D'Engain, Esq. and Margaret his wife, passed it to the Lord Willoughby, and so was united with that of East Hall.

Walter married Millicent de Gunton, daughter of Sir Walter de Gunton and Adelicia.¹