widow of Le Clerk, who survived him, and was lady in 1251, and in that year, resigned all her right in this manor and those of NorthCreke, Combes, and Flixton in Suffolk, to Robert de Creke, her eldest son and heir; but on his death without issue, she had it again; and in 1274, had view of frankplege and assise of bread and ale allowed her here; about 1258, she founded Flixton nunnery in Suffolk, and at her death, John de Creke, her son, inherited, who in 1285, obtained a charter of free-warren from King Edward I. for this manor, and that of Creke, when it was found that it extended into Hapton and Wimondham, and that one fee of it was held of Chester honour, and another of the Earl-Marshal, as of Forncet manor; but he dying without issue, his inheritance went to Sir John de Thorp, Knt. (called John Fitz-Robert) in right of Margaret (or Margery) his wife, daughter of Sir Robert de Creke, and at length coheir of Sarah de Creke, sister to Sir John de Creke, and wife to Roger Fitz-Osbert, and from him it descended to Robert Fitz-John de Thorp, his son, who obtained general releases from Roger son of Peter Fitz-Osbert, and from Agnes daughter and heiress of Jeffery Giltspur of Beccles, who married Agnes de Creke, his mother's sister; Joan de Creke, his other aunt, being dead issueless. And from this time it always passed as the manor of Ashwell-thorp, with which it still remains at this day, as you may see from p. 142, to p. 162.
The church is dedicated to St. Nicholas, and was a rectory appendant to the manor, till Margery, widow of Sir Barth. de Creke, foundress of Flixton nunnery in Suffolk, gave it with a messuage and 12 acres of land, and many rents and services here, to Beatrix, prioress of Flixton, and her successours for ever; and that convent presented till it was impropriated to their house, by William Bateman Bishop of Norwich in 1347, an annual pension of two marks being reserved to the Bishop, in lieu of first-fruits; and 2s. a year to the sacrist, as to the high-altar at the cathedral, and the Prioress was to nominate and find, a stipendiary chaplain, to be approved by the Bishop, and pay him for serving the cure; and from that time it hath been a donative, in the gift of the impropriator, who names a chaplain or clerk, and pays him for serving the cure, to which when licensed by the Bishop of the diocese, he is a perpetual curate. John de Creke was rector sometime before Norwich Domesday was made, and had a house and 40 acres of glebe, and it was valued at 15 marks with all the tithes; it paid 2s. 8d. synodals and procurations, 16d. Peter-pence, and 3d. carvage. In 1273, the day after St. Luke's day,
