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Norfolk: Carbrooke

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William White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk 1845

[Transcription copyright © Pat Newby]

CARBROOKE, a long village with several neat houses, 2½ miles E. of Watton, has in its parish 807 souls, and 3026 acres of land; mostly belonging to Sir W.R. Clayton, and Richard Dewing, Esq. The former is lord of the manors of Carbrooke and Woodhall, and the latter is seated at the Hall, which was much enlarged about twelve years ago.

The Church (St. Peter and St. Paul) was rebuilt in the reign of Henry VI., and is a handsome lofty edifice, with a tower 33 yards high, containing five bells. A fine Gothic screen divides the nave and chancel, and the roof of the former is richly carved and painted; the supporters resting in half-length figures with clasped hands. The Knights Templar had 16 stalls in the chancel, but they were converted into pews many years ago. The church has of late years undergone many judicious repairs.

The living is a discharged vicarage, valued in the King's Book at £7. 12s. 6d., and in 1831, at £113, in the patronage of Richd. Dewing, Esq., and incumbency of the Rev. Thos. Ainsworth, M.A. It was augmented in 1729, with £200 of royal bounty, and £200, given by the Rev. J. Carter; and in 1810 and 1815, with £400, in parliamentary grants. The tithes of the impropriate rectory were commuted in 1844, for £482. 4s.; and the vicarial tithes, for £74. 4s. per annum. Besides the latter, the vicar has the tithes of 200A. of land, in Great Ellingham.

The Church Land, 13A. 3R. 9P., is let for £41, out of which the poor have 20s. The Fuel Allotment, awarded to the poor in 1801, is 55A. 2R. 15P., let for £71.

The Independents, and the Wesleyan and Primitive Methodists, have each a chapel here.

Another church anciently stood in an exempt jurisdiction, called Carbrooke Parva, belonging to the commandry or preceptory of Knights Templar, founded here by Roger Earl of Clare, (who died in 1173,) and more amply endowed in 1182, by his widow, who gave it to the Knights Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem. This house was sometimes called the priory of St. John of Jerusalem, but commonly, "the Commandry of Kerbrook;" and was the only institution of its kind in Norfolk. It was endowed with numerous farms and vassals.

All persons who enjoyed the privileges of this order were allowed to fix a cross upon their houses and lands, which exempted them from the payment of tithes, taxes, and many customary dues. These privileges the Knights, by granting their name and use of the cross, conferred upon others; for which exemptions, numbers of small annual payments were made to them out of lands, and tenements, in this and the adjoining counties. But this abuse growing enormous, by many presuming to put a cross upon their property, a statute was enacted in the reign of Edward I., for the confiscation of all property on which crosses were falsely affixed.

On the dissolution of the Carbrooke preceptory, its revenues were valued at £65. 2s. 9d. per annum, and were granted, with the house and its church, to Sir Richd. Gresham and Sir Richd. Southwell, Knights. There are some remains of the house, but no vestiges of the church, though its burial ground is still known; and in digging in it, in 1737, a curious cross was found, with an oaken stem, ornamented with brass bosses.

           Anger     John              baker
           Barker    Miss Hart.        Carbrk. Cottage
           Buck      Henry             shoemaker
           Bullen    Robert            butcher
           Catton    Geo.              wheelgt. and beerhouse
           Clarke    Robert            shopkeeper
           Claxton   Geo.              charcoal burner and vict. Crown
           Dewing    Richd. Esq.       Carbrooke Hall
           Harvey    John              tailor and beerhouse
           Hipkin    Thos.             smith and parish clerk
           Holmes    Henry             tailor
           Hunton    Jonathan          iron founder and machine maker
           Jennings  Rev Jas.
                       Knights, M.A.   curate
           Knights   Jonathan          corn miller
           Land      Edmund            corn miller
           Minns     Jeremiah          butcher
           Scott     Thos. Edward Esq
           Sculpher  Geo.              blacksmith
           Stagwood  Wm.               shoemkr. and shopr.
           Watson    Wm.               beerhouse keeper
 
                                FARMERS.
                            (* Are owners.)
 
         * Alpe      Edmund            Hunter    John
           Beets     James             Kiddle    Robert
           Brassnett Robert            Leggett   John
           Bullard   Mrs               Rushbrook Jph.
           Caddy     Thomas            Sayer     Benjamin
         * Cadge     John              Stebbings Henry, (regr, &
           Chapman   James                         relieving officer)
           Clarke    Robert            Steele    Isaac
           Davey     Thomas            Trumpres  John
           Davey     George          * Wace      Clement
           Griggs    Thomas            Winter    John
           Herdemant Thos. Mace
 

See also the Carbrooke parish page.

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Copyright © Pat Newby.
April 2016