COSTESSEY, NORFOLK,
ENGLAND
Part
One. To mid 16th Century
8300 BC
|
THE MESOLITHIC PERIOD After
the final melting of the ice of the last great Glaciation groups of
hunter and gatherers occupied Norfolk. |
4500 BC
|
THE NEOLITHIC PERIOD In this period the people became more dependent on growing crops and raising stock. More sophisticated stone tools were made Axes, Scythes and Querns (for grinding grain) Pottery appears in the archeological record, plain round bowls at first then more decorated. Many flint Axe heads of this period have been found around Costessey and a Neolithic long barrow burial not far away at Felthorpe. |
2500
BC |
THE BRONZE AGE The Age of Bronze started in Norfolk about 2500 BC. Norfolk contained many skilled smiths and at least 60 hoards of finely made tools, weapons, ornaments and dress wear, harness fittings of bronze and jewellry and in gold have been found in Norfolk. A late Bronze Age hoard was found in Costessey and Round Barrow burials are found close by in the Wensum and Yare river valleys. Indications are there was a thriving farming community in the area |
800 BC to 600
AD |
THE IRON AGE AND ROMAN OCCUPATION The use of iron weapons and tools began about 800 BC with iron ware imported from the Continent. The beneficial feature was their sharpness and by about 650 BC British smiths were capable of providing the requirements. Pottery and coins of this Iron Age period have been found in and around Costessey. After the
Roman invasion of 43 AD the Icenian kingdom was at first treated
as a client kingdom with a great deal of independence but after the
revolt led by Boudiicca their Queen in 60 AD |
600
AD |
The village name "COSTESSEY" Costessey
was settled by the Anglo Saxons and then the Danes some
time in those centuries called the "Dark Ages". |
1016 AD |
SAINT WALSTAN OF NORFOLK . Born
at Bawburgh, Norfolk, England. Died 1016. ( Some say
he was born at Blythburgh Suffolk) Walstan
spent his life as a farm labourer at Taverham and Costessey.
He was noted for his charity to all in need. His Cultus although a
local one, is undisputed ( Benedictines ). In
art, Saint Walstan is depicted as a crowned farm labourer holding a
scythe. At times the picture may include (1) the word
Opifer by him; (2) scythe and sceptre; (3) scythe, crown and two
calves; or scythe and ermine cape. |
1066 AD -THE NORMAN CONQUEST
From "Around Costessey" by Francis Webb
''One of
the greatest Australian
poets of our time''... Sir Herbert Read.
"Around
Costessey" is a sequence of thirteen poems written
while
he was
a
patient in
David Rice Hospital, Drayton in the late 1950's.
He
worshipped
in Costessey Catholic Church.
1.
HASTINGS
Pasture,
embryo hills,
The
dwelling by the Waterside,
Cotesia,
open eye.
Improvident
Harold has died:
The
two
ravenous mills
Munch
apathetic rye.
Buried
the
old laissez faire.
Totalitarian
herald,
Domesday
book, and banner
Deride
the
schoolboy Harold,
Twirl
militant arms in the air,
Munch
ecstatic florin and tanner.
So
four
strict carucates of land;
Villein,
villein, villein;
Pannage
for one hundred hogs
(Illiterate
Harold is slain);
Bordars,plough-teams
to hand
With
secret documents, logs.
Give
us
fourteen sure head of cattle
Esceating
to Crown, State, Power;
Welcome
reconnoitring groups.
History
halts but one hour,
All
the
Harolds must die in battle
Before
the
indoctrinate troops.
1086 AD |
The
Doomsday Book shows among the Norfolk fief of The Manor of Costessey |
1184 AD |
Charters of Alan Vicomte of Rohan , (1)
He has given to St,. Mary of Bon Repos for the weal of his soul and
Constance his wife's, with the consent of Alan his son and heir and of
Margaret and AElizia his daughters the churches of Costesia, (Costessey),
Bamburg, (Bawburgh) and Huninigham, ( Honingham), and half the church
of Bereford, (Barford) |
1212 AD |
Seven Studies in
Medieval English History Ed. Rich. H. Bowes. Univ Press of
Mississippi 1983. |
1227 AD |
Calendar of Charter Rolls 1226- 1287 11 Henry 3rd Grant to Henry de Trubeville and his heirs by his espoused wife, of the manor of Costessey, late of the Viscount of Rohan to hold until the right heirs of the said viscount shall recover it of the King's free will or by a peace, whereupon the King will make to the said Henry a complete exchange of escheats wardships and marriages |
1237 AD |
Calendar of State Papers- Papal Letters 1198-1304 Articles objected against the bishop elect of Norwich....... that he is of servile condition and that on the witness of his daughter that he is not continent. Also that both the elect and his electors are guilty of Simony in buying from the Abbot of Bon Repos the patronage of the churches of Bawburgh, Honningham and Costessey..... |
1237 AD |
The Book of Fees ( Liber Feodorum) (page 619) Electus Valencie holds the manor of Costessey in the gift of the King (Guillame , Bishop of Valence. Uncle of Eleanor Queen of England) |
1241 AD |
Calendar of Charter Rolls 1226-1257 Henry III (page 259) Gift
to the kings uncle
Peter de Saubadia
[Savoy] for his homage and service the towns of Richmond and
Bouis...........and in county Norfolk...the manor and soke of Costessey
etc |
1280 AD |
Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem Edward I (Vol 2 page 213) Peter
of Saubaudia (deceased) |
1285 |
Calendar of Close Rolls Edward I 1279-1288 (Vol,2 p. 337) To
the treasurer and barons of the exchequer. |
1292 AD |
THE RIGHTS OF THE COMMON MAN !
"Ancient Demesne" pages 103 & 104. Petition
to King Edward I from the Poor Men of Costessey
"A mandate of King Edward I to the Barons of the Exchequer is entered in behalf of the men of Costessey in Norfolk who complained of divers grievances against Athelwald of Crea , the bailiff of the manor. The petition itself is enrolled also, and it sets forth, that whereas the poor men of the King of the base tenure in the manor of Costessey held by certain usages from a time of which memory runs no higher, as well under the counts of Brittany as under the kings to whom the manor was forfeited, now bailiff Athelwald distrains them to do other services which ought to be performed by pure villains. They could sell and amerce their lands in the fields at pleasure, and he (the bailiff) seizes lands which have been sold in this way and amerces them for selling; besides he makes them serve as reeves and collectors, and the bailiff of the late Queen Eleanor tallaged them from yeat to year to pay 20 marks which they were not bound to do , because they are no villains to be tallaged high and low." |
1299 AD |
Calendar of Close Rolls. Edward I (vol 4, p.324) Enrolment of release by Amadeus, Count of Savoy to the King of his right in the barony and honour of L'Aigle (Aquila) and in the manor of Costessey and in all the other lands in England that belonged at any time to his ancestors in England. |
1302 AD
|
Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward I (vol 4 ps. 29 & 30) Grant ,
for life to Roger le
Bygod, earl of
Norfolk and marshal of England :..............................
|
1305 AD |
Calendar of Patent
Rolls Edward I, (Vol. 4 p.371) |
1308 AD |
Calendar
of Close Rolls Edward II ( 1307-1313 p.35) |
1309 AD to 1312 AD |
Calendars of Close
Rolls and Patent Rolls. |
1312 AD |
The men of Costessey again stand up for their rights ! General
Introduction to Domesday by Sir Henry Ellis- "..........According to the Laws of the Conquerer a quiet residence of a year and a day would enfranchise a villein who had fled from his lord" Blomefield
in his History of Norfolk,vol. i, p. 657 fol.edit. quotes a remarkable
instance of the Appeal to this Law. |
1325 AD |
Calendar of Patent
Rolls Edward II 1321-1324 (Vol 4
p.385) |
1328 AD |
Calendar of Patent
Rolls Edward III Vol I |
1331 AD |
Calendar of Charter
Rolls 1327-1341 4 Edward III ( Vol IV p. 211) |
1336 AD
|
as
above page 327 |
1364
|
Calendar of Close
Rolls Edward III ( Vol 12 p. 67) MEMBRANE
16d Indenture
of accord between the abbot and convent of Bonrepos (de Bona Requie )
in Brittany and the abbot and convent of Sawtry (Salteria)
between whom the pleas and debates were lately moved touching a writing
produced by the abbot and convent of Bonrepos under the name of the
abbot and convent of Sawtry with a demand for a yearly farm of 80
marks for ever for the churches of Fulborne, Hunyngham, Costessey and
Fendrayton,..................................................
|
1381 |
Calendar of Inquisitions
Post Mortem Vol XV (1-7) Richard II 1387-1384 |
1381 |
Continuing
Inquisition above: ( taken at Costeseye, Wednesday after
Anunciation , 5 Richard II |
1384 |
Calendar of Patent Rolls Richard II (vol 2 , p.419) Membrane 30 Grant to Michael de la Pole of the reversion , in fee simple of the manor of Costeseye, co Norfolk, which the countess of Suffolk holds for life, to the value 182 marks 21d ., which is extended at £131. 8s. 5d and for which she pays £10 yearly to the queen;...... |
1388 |
Calendar of
Patent Rolls Richard II (volume 3)
|
1397 |
Calendar of Patent
Rolls Richard II (vol 6 p.213) |
1415 |
Calendar of Close Rolls Henry V (vol 1 p. 253/4 ) Membrane 6 To the escheator in Norfolk and Suffolk . Order to give Katherine who was the wife of Michael de la Pole [2nd Earl of Suffolk 1398-1415] , of whom the king had taken oath etc.......... a yearly rent of £10 sometime pertaining to the abbey of Bon Repos issuing from the manor of Costessey, and another yearly rent of £10 issuing from that manor............. |
1434 |
Calendar of
Patent Rolls Henry VI (Vol 2 p.346) |
1450 |
Calendar of Close
Rolls 29 Henry VI (Vol 5 p. 131) |
1465 |
CLICK
HERE TO |
1502 |
Calendar of Patent
Rolls. Vol 2 17 Henry VII (Part 1 p.259) |
1510AD |
Calendars of Letters and Papers. 1(i) 2 Henry VIII (p.318) Grants in 1510. 27. Anne, Daughter of Edward IV., wife of Thomas lord Howard. Grant in tail ( for performance of indentures between the King and thomas lord Howard and the said Anne, dated 1 july 2 Henry VIII) of the castle and manor of Wyngfield, the manors of Syleham.....etc Suffolk , of Costessey and Stokton cum Soca Norfolk, and other manors, as held by Elizabeth late duchess of Suffolk and forfeited by Edmund De la Pole, earl of Suffolk |
1538AD |
Calendar of
Letters and Papers. Vol 16 32 HenryVIII (p.717)
|
1547AD
|
Calendar of Patent
Rolls . 1 Edward VI Part 1 here
follows a long document listing the items granted to the City
|
1553 AD
|
Calendar of Patent
Rolls 7 Edward VI Vol5 p221
.....the said lord Robert Dudley and William Glaseour... holding the manors of Corsey, Saxlingham and Knyghtwick of the king in chif by the service of the fortieth part of one knights fee. |
1555 AD |
Calendar of Patent Rolls - Philip and Mary vol 2 p321 Robert
Dudley, knight ... bargained and sold to Sir Henry Jernyngham, knight,
vice- chamberlain of the Household and to dame Frances his wife, the
said reversion |
|
Anne of Cleves died in 1557
and the manor of Costessey then reverted to Henry Jernyngham , knight
and dame Frances , his wife, to hold as recorded above.
|
|
See The Jerningham / Stafford Family and the Catholic connection See People and events through the centuries - Part two from 1555 |
PLEASE E- MAIL ME
Particularly
if you climbed the spiral staircase
to the top of the ruined tower of Costessey Hall !!
Last
revised
25th June 1999
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