Page:History of Norfolk 1.djvu/500

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This town hath no market at this time, it contains about 200 soals, and paid 4l. 7s. to the tenths, and is now assessed with Little Hocham at 628l. 6s. 8d. to the King's tax.


LITTLE HOCHAM

Was a small village between Great Hocham and Illington; in the Confessor's time it belonged to Ailwin, and in the Conqueror's it was held of Roger Bigot by Turold, for life, I imagine, because soon after, it was in Roger's own hands, who gave the church and tithes to the priory of Thetford at their foundation, who received them separately, till the church of Great Hocham was appropriated to them, and then they joined them to Great Hocham, which is the reason we meet with no institutions, though I suppose the church was not demolished till after Richard the Second's time, for then we meet with the church of St. Mary at Hocham, mentioned in evidences, which I believe must be this, Great Hocham being dedicated to the Holy Trinity. The manor afterwards was held of the honour of Richmond at a quarter of a fee, by Alan de Anestie; and in 1252, by Ralph de Neketon, who had free-warren allowed him in it. It soon after belonged to William de Hockham, who made it complete, by joining all the lands and tenements that belonged to the manor of Wretham (or Wretham) to it, as well those that laid in Great Hocham as in this town; for I find in an old register of Bec abbey in Normandy, to which Wrotham manor belonged, that this William held all the lands and tenements that the church of Bec had in Hocham, by the rent of 17s. 2d. a year, three days work in ploughing, three in mowing, and one hen; and he and all his tenants under him were to pay reliefs, do suit to the halmote-court at Wrotham, pay scot and lot, and could not marry their daughters without license; and soon after this, in 1299, he levied a fine of the whole, when it contained 18 messuages, 275 acres of land, 11 acres of pasture, one acre of turf-land, 37 acres of heath, and 14s. ob. rent in Great and Little Hocham. In 1315, John de Hocham was lord, and in 1326, Ralph of Hocham; in 1335, John Duke of Bedford aliened to the prior of Thetford the manor of Little Hocham, but I take it to be only the superiority of the fee, the manor being then held of him, and afterwards of the Prior, and after that of the Bishop of Norwich, and after the revenues of the bishoprick were taken into the King's hands, it was held of the Crown. In 1538,