went to the Trusbutts, but was afterwards rejoined to Newhall. In Edward the Third's time, William, son of Sir William de Crungethorp, Knt. and Katherine his wife, daughter of Sir Edmund de Soterle, Knt. had Newhall manor setted on them, Edmund, parson of Soterle, and Richard de Bernham being deforceants in the fine. This William was lord in 1315; in 1417, Joan, late wife of John Essex, had a third part in dower, it belonging at that time to Richard Essex; in 1439, William Halys and Margery his wife conveyed Newhall and Trusbutt's manors to John Windham, Esq; in 1539, John Heydon, Knt. and Catherine his wife, and Christopher Heydon, Knt. conveyed it to Tho. Jermyn, Knt.; it after belonged to the Earl of Surrey, who sold it to the Pains, whose daughter married Brian Holland,[1] and carried these manors to him; and upon his attainder, the manor was seized; but it appearing to be settled on John Holland, son of Brian, and heir of Catherine, he enjoyed it, and was lord in 1572, and so continued to 1583, and then sold it to Thomas Lovell and his heirs, who joined it to the other manor, with which it now remains; and that the title might be complete John Cotton, Esq. and Philip Awdeley, Gent. the heirs of John Paine, Gent. brother of the said Catherine, joined in the recovery.
In 1413, the master and brethren of Rushworth college granted to John, prior of the monks of the Holy Virgin at Thetford, a yearly rent of 6d. paid from the lands and tenements called Rothyng's in Bretenham, and Brydgham's in Rowdham.[2]
The Church here consisted of one isle only, and a chancel, both which were thatched, having a square tower standing on the south side, which served both as a steeple and porch; it had two bells in it till 1714, and then there was a faculty passed to sell one of them. About two or three years since, as the workmen were repairing the lead on the top of the tower, one of them blew the ashes carelessly out of his pipe, which fell on the thatch, and not being seen in time, burned the church and chancel, so that the walls only are standing, in a ruinous condition, at this time.
There was only one inscription in the church, which was on a brass plate, placed there in memory of John Bringloe, late of Rowdham, who died Aug. 14, 1658.
I find in the registers at Norwich, that in 1460, Will. Payn of Rowdham, Gentylman, was buried in the chancel; Hen. Spelman, Gent. Christiana his wife, and Will. his son were executors. In 1468, Elizabeth, widow of Tho. Halle of Rowdham, was buried in the nave, she gave her manor in South Lenn to John Shouldham, Esq. and Elizabeth his wife, daughter of the said Elizabeth. In 1515, Will. Rammesbury of Rowdham, Esq. was buried in the church, and gave to Elizabeth his wife the wardship of John Pain her son, and Catherine Payne her daughter, which he lately bought of Thomas Clerk, Prior of West-Acre, of whom Newhall and Trusbutt's manor was then held, Edmund Rookwood, Esq. of Euston was executor.
In 1615, 26 persons were buried in this small parish, there were five buried in one day. 1617, Dec. 9, John Butler, clerk, and Elizabeth daughter of Tho. Canham, (of this parish) Gent. were married.
This parish, in 1603, had 86 communicants, but the greatest part
