market, (which of late years is much decayed,) and an annual fair on St. Martin's day, according to the grants before mentioned; at first it had but few inhabitants to what it hath at present, as is evident from the chapel of St. Mary, which was then their only place for service, and no large one, but as it increased Sir Robert de Tateshale, lord of the castle, who died in 1248, founded
A Church dedicated to St. Martin, on the north side of the burgh, where it now stands, and gave it to the priory, the sacrist of which was, to the Dissolution, the parish priest; he had a certain salary allowed him by the inhabitants, for which the prior was taxed at 20s. and other houses or lands given to him as sacrist, or serving chaplain, for which he was taxed at 13s.; and after this was founded, the chapel of St. Mary continued to be served as formerly, by a custos and brethren, at the prior's appointment, who dwelt in their apartment at its west end. The present church was built at divers times, the nave and chancel being the only (if any) remaining parts of the first building; the north isle was built about 1479, by the contribution of several great men, some of whose arms still remain in the windows, and of such other persons as pleased to be benefactors; for in that year John Coke ordered to be buried in the new isle of St. Martin's church in New-Bukenham, and gave 5 marks towards leading it; he was a good benefactor to the gilds of St. Mary and St. Martin, which were kept in the church. The south isle, porch, and tower, were begun soon after, by that Sir John Knevet who married Clifton's heiress, and finished by his grandson, Sir William Knevet,as the arms in the windows and on the tower plainly demonstrate. This church is a donative, the minister being chosen by the majority of the votes of all the residents in the parish, that pay to the minister's rate, and after such choice so made, and entered by the church-wardens in the Town-book, he is to have a nomination under their hands to the Bishop, in order for a license, which being obtained, unless that be recalled, it is a cure for life.
In 1603, Mr. Francis Bradley was curate, whose answer was, that he served it as an impropriate cure, without any stipend from the impropriator; that it was in Rockland deanery, and Norfolk archdeaconry, and that the set stipend from the inhabitants was 15l. per annum, besides all gifts; that Mr. Knevet was proprietor, who afterwards sold it to be settled on the parishioners. There is a convenient house, garden, and outhouses, for the minister's dwelling, who hath an estate in Suffolk, and part of the George inn in New-Bukenham, the Priory manor, and the rale of 3d. in the pound, &c. settled for his maintenance. Mr. Coleman was predecessor to Mr. Robert Stone, the present [1737] minister, who hath Old-Bukenham, and is rector of Brandon-Parva and Hackford in this diocese.
