Mettingham

Mettingham Castle

Mettingham Green

WHITES

METTINGHAM, a pleasant village on the southern acclivity of the vale of the Waveney, 2 miles E. of Bungay, and 4 miles W. of Beccles, has in its parish 409 souls, and 1706A. 1A. 16R. of fertile land. About half a mile south of the church are the ruins of METTINGHAM CASTLE, which was of considerable extent and strength, and was built by John de Norwich, who, in the 17th of Edward III, obtained permission to convert his house here into a castle; in which he also founded a COLLEGE, to which he had the king's licence to translate the priests from his college at Raveningham. This college was dedicated to God and the Blessed Virgin, and consisted of a master and thirteen chaplains or fellows, who were endowed with the castle for their residence, and with the manors of Mettingham, Bungay-Soke, and several others in Suffolk and Norfolk. They educated and maintained a number of boys at the annual charge of £28. Richard Shelton, the master, and nine fellows, subscribed to the king's supremacy in 1535, but were allowed to remain till 1542, when their revenues were valued at £202. 7s. 5.5d, per annum, and their possessions were granted to Sir Anthony Denny. The founder died in 1363, and left his estates to his grandson, whose cousin, Catherine de Brews, afterwards inherited, but having assumed the veil, her estates devolved to the Ufford family. After the dissolution of the college, Mettingham was purchased by the Buxton family, who sold it about 1660 to the Bacons, of whom it was purchased by the Hunts. From the latter, it descended to the Saffords. In 1826, Samuel Safford, Esq., sold one moiety of his estates to Charles Day, Esq., of Ilketshall St. John. A great part of the parish of Mettingham belongs to various owners, and the remainder to the Rev. J. C. Safford, A.B., who is lord of the manor, impropriatar of the rectory, and patron and incumbent of the vicarage, and has a neat modern mansion within the area of the castle ruins, pleasantlyseated on a well wooded lawn. From the remains of its shattered walls, the castle appears to have been an extensive quadrangular structure, of which the gate-house is still tolerably entire. The Church (All Saints) is an ancient fabric with a round tower, and stands on a bold eminence overlooking the vale of the Waveney. The living is a discharged vicarage, valued in K.B. at £6. 17s. 3.5d., and in 1835 at £140. The Town Estate is partly in Shipmeadow parish, and comprises a cottage, blacksmith’s shop, 36A. of land, and two cattle-gates in Stow Fen. It is under the management of feoffees chosen by the parishioners, and has been vested from an early period for the payment of public charges of the parish, and the support of the poor. It is let for about £80 a year, of which a large portion is applied in the service of the church, an about £10 is distributed in coals among poor families.

Cock Chas. shoemkr. & parish clerk

Dains Robert, wheelwright

Parrington Joseph, Esq.

Safford Rev Jas. Culling, A.B. Met

tingham Castle

Spalding Thomas, gentleman

Warren Sidney, blacksmith

FARMERS.

(* are owners)

• Baley Jeremiah

Bezant Esther

Bird John

Clutton Sarah

• Culham Thomas

Dains Widow

• Draper George

Durrant Samuel

Peck Charles, Castle Farm

Scarlet Francis

Strange George Minns

Sutton John

• Tallent Ann J.
• Tallent John Packard
• Woods Mary

KELLYS

METTINGHAM is a parish and scattered village, on the south bank of the Waveney and the borders of Norfolk, about 1 mile south from Ellingham station, 2 miles east from Bungay station on the Waveney Valley section of the London and North Eastern railway and 4 west from Beccles, in the Lowestoft division of the county, Bungay petty sessional division, Wangford hundred and union, county court district of Beccles and Bungay, rural deanery of South Elmham, archdeaconry of Suffolk and diocese of St. Edmundsbury and Ipswich. The church of All Saints is an ancient building of stone in the Norman style, standing on an eminence, and consisting of chancel, nave, south aisle and south porch, with a round western embattled tower, containing 4 bells: the north doorway is a good specimen of Early English work, with very early dog-tooth moulding: there are 200 sittings, all free. The register dates from the year 1653. The living is a vicarage, with that of Ilketshall St. John annexed in 1927, joint net yearly value £400, in the gift of the Church Pastoral Aid Society and the Lord Chancellor alternately, and held since 1927 by the Rev. Theodore Brocklesby Davis B.A. of St. Catharine's College, Cambridge. Mrs. Katherine Eleanor Smith is owner of the impropriate tithes. The town estate, which consisted of a cottage, blacksmith's shop and 37A. 1R. 14P. of land in Mettingham and Shipmeadow, and two cattle-goings on Stow Fen, was sold and the money invested; there is also the interest on £100 Consols, the whole producing about £28 yearly, which is expended in coals and payments to the sick poor, the repairs of the church and expenses incidental to the service, and in educational prizes for poor children. In the reign of Edward I. Sir John de Norwich was lord of the manor, and obtained from that monarch in 1302, a grant of free warren in Mettingham, Shipmeadow and Redisham; in the 9th of Edward II. Walter de Norwich held it and in the reign of Edward III. it was the manor of Sir John de Norwich, who built the Castle; he died in 1361: the Gate house and the picturesque ivy-clad ruins show it to have been a place of considerable extent and strength; within the ruins, most pleasantly situated, is a mansion of red brick, erected in 1880, the property and residence of Col. Hastings Ross-Johnson. A college for a master and 13 chaplains or fellows was founded here by Sir John de Norwich and dedicated to God and the blessed Virgin; the college was endowed with the castle as a residence for the Society, together with the manors of Mettingham and others in Suffolk and Norfolk, and the fraternity here educated and maintained a number of boys: at the Dissolution their revenues were valued at £202 7s. 5.5d. yearly. The Hall, now a farm house, is an ancient building, supposed to date from the 13th century. The chief landowners are James Aaron Bezant esq. J.P. Col. H. Ross-Johnson, Lt.-Col. Thomas William Daniel D.S.O., M.C. and Gilbert Lewis West esq. The soil is loam; subsoil, clay. The chief crops are wheat, barley and beans. The area is 1,392 acres of land and inland water; the population in 1921 was 283.

Parish Clerk, John Reynolds.

Post Office. Letters through Bungay, which is the nearest M. 0. & T. office

PRIVATE RESIDENTS.

Bezant Jas. Aaron J.P. Valley house

Brown Paym.-Commdr. L. S., R.N. Red house

Daniel Lt.-Col. Thomas William, D.S.O., M.C. Carlton house

Davis Rev. Theodore Brocklesby B.A.(vicar), The Vicarage

Ross-Johnson Col. Hastings, Mettingham castle

Smithem Charles James, The Pines

West Gilbert Lewis, White house

COMMERCIAL

Marked thus * farm 150 acres or over

Barber Chester, blacksmith

Bidwell Phyllis Edna (Mrs) shopkeeper

Brinded John, Tally-Ho P.H.

Brundell Emma (Mrs), farmer, Benstead farm

Crickmore Eliza (Mrs). Farmer

• Daniel Lt.-Col. Thomas Wm. D.S.O. M. C. & shire horse breeder, Mettingham

shire stud, Carlton house & Red barn, T N Bungay 50

Grimmer John Playford, farmer & landowner, The Hall

Hall Charles, farmer, Vicarage farm

Hall Edward, farmer, Lower farm

Hart Ruth Mary (Mrs) shopkeeper

Mobbs George Benj, Alder farm

Penn William Isaac, farmer & landowner, The Grove

Ralliston George, farm bailiff to Col. H. Ross-Johnson, Castle farm

Sutton Harry, farmer, Prospect farm

DUTT

Mettingham Castle (2 m. E. of Bungay) was, according to Suckling, a fortified manor-house rather than a castle: it was built by Sir John de Norwich, one of Edward III.'s vice-admirals. Its ruins are rather extensive, but very fragmentary, the most interesting portion being the gateway, a massive square building with corner turrets. This gateway, which is in fair preservation and can be seen from the road, was guarded by a barbican, the walls of which in part

remain; while the remains of the outer walls of the castle run E. and W. of the gateway and originally had a square tower at each angle. Within the grounds of a modern house standing on the site of the castle there are some remains of a college founded by a member of the De Norwich family in the reign of Richard II. The church has a Norm. round tower and a good Norm. N.doorway. Note (1) a canopied monument in the aisle; (2) a good font; and (3) some remains of a carved screen and some stalls.

Mettingham Castle

The following Survey was made by John Hille for Sir Nicholas Bacon in 1562, prior to his purchase of the manor of Mettingham.

Com. Suff. The viewe and Survey of the manors of Mettingham, Ilkensall, and Shippmedowe in the sayde Countye of Suff. there made by John Hill sv`ante to the righte honorable S`. Nycholas Bacon, Knight, lorde keap of the great Seale the xxth daye of December in the fyfte yeare of the reigne of our sovraigne ladye Elizabeth by ye grace of God of England, ffrannce, and Ireland, Quene defender of ye faythe &c. Anno 1562 as follo th.

That is to saye

The descyipcon of the manraoy.-The saide mannor of Mettingham •is

scituate in the Northest borders of the Countye of Suff. one mile from Bongaye three miles from Beccles mrket Townes eighte miles from Leystofte and 12 myles from yarmouthe haven Townes in a Countrie plenty full of wood pasture errable lande and meadowe the nature of the soyle very good and holsome to inhabit upon and the said mannors extende into the Townes and pishes of mettingham St. Johns of Ilkensaff St. Margaretts St. Andrewes St. Agnes St. Laurence Bongaye Becles and Elloughe and the woods growing within the sayde mannors are solde at highe prises because ye same maye be conveyed to London by walter for there cometh within one myle and a halfe of the Castell ye Ryver runynge from Becles w°b wyll beare a kele or barge of xxt' tunne. The woods are pte coppes & pte tymber. W°h are for ye moste parte standinge within one myle & a halfe of ye water verie mete to be conveyed to London or to any other parte of the Realme by Water as well for fyre wood as for tymber and are ptelye replenyshed withe ashe which is very muche desired of coopers to make barrells for ye costes of Suff. & Norff. in herringe tyme.

The gatehouse and othey decaied lodgings.-The Scyte of the Castell

standyth at the Southest corner of the coffien called Mettingham grene inclosed rounde aboute withe a mote and a fayer stone wall conteyninge in height xxxt' foote and in thickness three foote but decayed in some places. And at thintre into the same standithe a gate house well and stronglye bylded the walles of stone, and above over the gate a fayer Chamber with a chymney nowe decayed by reason of the taking of the leade whiche covered the same where before the leade was taken awaye over the same chamber was a fayer tower where was a goodlye pspecte to view Townes and villages there aboutes and also moste pte of the demeanes of the same mannor were within the view of the same. And the Gatehouse containeth in length xxii1' foote and in bredthe xvij foote but will decaye out of hande if it be not shortleye covered. And adioyninge on the est syde of the said gate house are dyvers lodgings as well above as benethe for the Porter and lodgings for svants whereof remayneth onlye the walles of stone, the tymber and coveringe whereof are utterly decayed.

The Courte.-And within the gate house is a fayer large base courte conteyning in length two hundred fytie eighte foote, and in bredth, one hundred fiftie two foote inclosed on thest North and West withe the Stone wall and on ye South withe ye buyldings and lodgings of the mansyon house.

The Porche and the Chamber above it.-And on the South syde of the

Courte ys a fayer Porche ledinge into the hall conteyninge in length xiij foote and in bredth viij foote withe a Chamber over the same wherein is a chymney and a wyndowe openinge into the Courte well glased the walles of stone and covered with leade.

The hall.-And within the porch is a fayer large hall withe an open roof covered withe tyle conteyninge in length xlvj foote and in breadth xxx foote wherein is a chymney on the north syde, the Walles of stone with one yle on evy syde covered withe leade conteyninge in length xlvi foote and in breadth vi foote with vii spouts of leade to the same yles and gutters of leade descending from the toppe of the hall into the same spouts the flower of the same hall well paved with bricke.

The 15'lour.-And at the ende of the hall is a verie fayer plour conteyninge in length xxv'' foote and in breadth xviij foote withe a large chymney on the est syde and a fayer baye wyndowe of stone glased openinge at the South ende into a lyttle Court which adioyneth to the mote inclose on the southe syde withe a stone walle betwene the Courte and the mote. And the plour ys verie fayer seled with waynescott carved with knoppes fayer gilte hanginge downe and withe two fayer benches of waynescott and the flower borded with oke. And the armes of the last master of Colledge, rounde about the same parlour fayer gilte.

The p'lour chamber.-And over the same parlour is a fayer chamber called the plour chamber conteyning in length xxv foote and in breadth xviii foote with a fayer chimney and but little decayed the wyndowe whereof is well glased and openeth towards the South into the forsaid Courte.

The vestry and ye vestrye chamber.-And adioyning to the .plour on thest

syde ys a Chamber somtyme called the vestrie Chamber withe two Chambers above yt adioynge to the vestrie whiche are uncovered and sore decayed and the vestrie adioyninge to the same ys utterly decayed.

The pantrie.-And at the nether ende of the hall on the south syde ys the pantry seled cont in length xviij foote and in breadth xij foote the walles of stone covred with tyle.

The buttrie.-And at the nether ende of the hall on the northe syde nere the hall dore is the buttrye seled and paved with stone conteyninge in length xxt' foote and in breadth xviii foote the walles of stone.

The larder.-And adioyninge to the buttrie at the Weste ende is the larder conteyninge in length xij foote and in breadth viij foote the walles of stone.

The wine celler.-And next unto that on the Weste Ende is the Wyne celler whiche hath byn used for Wyne but in my opynyon not mete for that purpose, because it is verie little it conteyneth in length x foote and in breadthe viij foote.

The lodginges over the buttrie Pantrie Wyne celler and larder.-And at the hall door is a payer of stayers leading up into an olde decayed Gallery where on the southe syde of the same over the pantrey buttrey larder and wyne celler is a storye Whearein are vij chambers ptlely decayed. Whereof fower have chimneys and two houses of office, and somtyme weare called the Gestes Chambers and s`ved to laye Strangers in And on the southe syde of the same ys a payer of stayers descendinge downe into the little Courte that adioyneth to the mote covered with leade on the toppe conteyninge in length iiij foote di and in breathe iij foote.

The entrie.-And at the nether ende of the hall is a fayer entrie conteyninge in length liij foote and in breadthe x foote.

The Kytchyn, boyling house and theiye necessayie chambers.-And at

the nether ende of the entrie is a Chamber withe a Chimney, whiche belkye s'ved for the Clarke of the Kytchyn, and adioyning to that is the Kitchyn whearein ys one raunge, and the Kytchyn conteyneth in length xxx foote, and in breadth xxvi foote and above that ys a little chamber over the boylinge house at the West end, whiche belyke was for lodginges for the cookes. And next the Kytchyn is the boylinge house at the West ende conteyninge in length xxiiij foote and in breadth xij foote wythe a chymney in yt partelye decayed. All whiche sayde houses weare covered withe leade, butt nowe are uncovered wherebye they are greately decayed.

The bakehouse yard.-And at the West end of the Kytchin is the bakehouse yarde conteyninge in lengthe one hundred and eighte foote and in breadth xxxij foote and on the South was the slaughter house and other offices lately pulled down.

The bakehouse, brewhouse, and maltinge house.-And at the Weste end

of that is the bakehouse, brewhouse, and maltinge house, but are decayed because theye were covered withe leade, and are now uncovered which is thonly cause of theire decaye and there are neyther leads nor brewinge vessels.

The storehouse.-And on the northe side of the sayd bakehouse-yard ys a house called the store house conteyning in lengthe xxxvj and in breadthe xviij foote, the flower plannched with oke and in it a chamber to laye apples in the roofe covered withe tyle.

Cynnyhalle withe a buttrie and one chamber. -One fayer house adioynge

to the store house at the North ende conteyninge in length xxij foote and in breadth xviij foote called Cynnye halle with a chymney and the wyndowes well glased withe a lyttle buttrey and one other chamber adjoyinge at the West ende.

The lodgings over Cynny halle and the malte chamb'.-And ov` the same

halle and buttrie ys a storye whearein are two chambers whereof one hathe a chymney and a house of office. And adjoining to them at ye West ende is a chamber to laye malte in withe a payer of stayers descending into ye malte house.

The Stable.-The Stable incloseth parte of the northe syde of the Court and adjoyneth to the gate-house verie large conteyninge in length lxxvj foote and in breadth xxvj foote and it fawted x for above it was a fayer rome to laye in haye but is decayed because the coveringe of leade is taken awaye, and the raigne cominge in hathe rotted the plankes and there remayneth nothinge, but the walls of stone and the rafter that beare up the leade are taken awaye and solde.

The olde castell.'-The olde castell inclosed withe a mote by it selfe, from the mansyon house con in length fower score foote, and in breadthe fyft;e foot, but that ys utterlye decayed and dyvers of the walles fallen downe, but there remaineth yet a fayer chymney of freestone standinge withe two great barres of Iron holdinge up parte of it.

The Inney oytyayde.-Thinner Ortyarde on the South syde of the Colledge inclosed withe the mote conteyneth in it five roods sett withe dyvers trees of fruite and devided into sondrye partes with quicksett hedges and quicke hedges of boxe where hathe byn manye fayer Arbors and many small gardens and wolde be agayne if it were well kepte and hathe fower little pondes in it called fridaye pondes. Wherein is small store of fyshe or none but they sryed to prsve fishe taken on ye weke dayes tyll fridaye.

The greate Orteyarde.-The greate Orteyarde at the West end of the Colledge thre parte inclosed withe thutter mote and the Sothende withe a pece of grounde called the Bowlinge Alley with a fayre ponde in the northe ende wythe some fyshe in yt but small store which are breames and perche. And it ys verie full and thicke sett withe fruite trees of all kinds for pears apples wardens plumes and such other and it conteyneth one acre and thre roods.

The mote.-Within the mote are roche, breame, trenche, and perche, but small store because it is not well keapte, nor looked to, for the fish are sore distroyed with an otter and with some pickerell, which are in the same and hathe not been stored of a great time but hathe been taken very much with bow netts but if it weare scowered and well stored and kept it would be verie good for all kindes of fishe.

Demesne lands.-The scite of the Castle or College of Mettingham, with the houses, offices, ponds, orchards, gardens, and a small park, called the Kitchen park, contains 28 acres 3 roods. Value of an acre, 5s. p. Ann.

Mettingham Green

Part of Hodskinson's Map of Suffolk 1783

Enclosure Award for Bungay Soke cum Mettingham (early 19th century)