The townsmen purchased of Thomas Deynes of Carletonrode, a parcel of ground in Cock-street, with a house thereon, being twenty-seven feet broad at the south end, and thirty-three feet at the north end; this is now [1736] the stall-house on Cock-street Green.
- 1658. October 15, Richmond Girling of Old Bokenham, Gent. by will proved in the Prerogative Court, gave to the poor of Diss 11s. per annum for ever, the sexton to have 1s. a year for mending the grave of his late wife; for which payment he tied his houses and lands in Stradbrook, which he gave to Ralph King, his brother.
- 1715. Robert Buxton of St. Margaret's, South Elmham, Esq. lord of the manor of Heywood Hall, gave to his parish a small house, called the Hopper-house, lying at the east end of Diss Moor, which he also manumised, it being copyhold before it came into his hands. This is now [1736] used as a pest-house.
- John Petit of Diss, and Mr. William Burton, both which were benefactors, are before spoken of.
Mr. Robert Burroughs built an alms-house of brick, on the east side of the churchyard, for four poor widows.
Here is a good regulated work-house, which was lately [1736] built by the inhabitants for an alms-house, standing on the Moor.
The commons are many, but not large; they are called by the names of Heywode Green, Westbrook Green, Walcote Green, Cock-street Green, the Moor, (on which the custom is never to put on any sheep, as appears by the town books,) and Penning's Green, part of which, time out of mind, (as the Church-wardens' Book informs me,) hath been always inclosed at May-day, and so kept until Lammas, on which day there is yearly paid to the church-wardens, 1l. 6s. 8d. rent, by those that mow it, viz. the tenement Baxter's, that stands by it, hath always one half of the crop, and pays half the rent, the other half goes by turns to every tenement on the Green, viz. Mr. Cason's, Mr. Pettoe's, Mr. Jubb's twice, because this is two farms laid into one.
The charity school was erected first at Palgrave, in Suffolk, in 1711, and two years after removed hither. Mr. Briars, rector of Diss, preached a sermon, which was published at the first meeting of the gentlemen and clergy for encouraging this school, which he dedicated to Charles Bishop of Norwich, (whose chaplain he was,) in which it appears that the rector of Palgrave began it, at whose request that parish set apart a large room belonging to the town for that purpose, and subscribed with him 10l. per annum for its maintenance, the neighbouring gentlemen and clergy had then subscribed between 20 and 30l. besides casual gifts, which then came to about 12l. The school was opened the January before. Ten boys of that parish were taught and clothed, six more taught but not clothed. This school is now [1736] kept at Diss, where the master hath his dwelling in part of the late Gild-hall, and keeps his school in another part: there are now [1736] ten boys clothed and taught.
The grammar school is kept above, in the same house, where the master hath lodgings, and 10l. per annum; but this is at the voluntary contribution of the parish.
This is a neat compact village, situated on a rising hill, having a large bason of water of about twelve acres on its south part, which they call the Mere; (hence the Diss farthings have a shield wavy for their device); it is compassed about half round with houses and gardens, which look very pleasantly from the water; but it being almost a standing lake, having only a small
