Rectors of Hethersett. Part One - 1260-1532
Much of the information on Rectors of Hethersett comes from the writings of the Rev Frederic Jarvis who begins his history with the following words.
"It may surprise some readers to know that at one time there were two Rectors of this Parish, although there was only one church. The Income of the Benefice appears to have been equally divided between two incumbents. One was called Rector of Tateshale's Mediety after Sir Robert de Tatashale who was the Patron. This was afterwards known as Cantelofe, from which we probably derive the name Cantley, the church being called at that time the Church of Cantelofe. The other was called Rector of Fitz-Ralfe's Modeity, after Sir Ralf Fitz-Ralf, the Patron. The Rector of Tateshal's Mediety appears to have inhabited the Rectory and had a hundred acres of land which was valued at fifteen marks and a half.
The earliest record at present discovered is in the year 1260, and from 1260 to 1433 the living was held sometimes by one and sometimes by two Rectors. In 1433 the two Medieties were perpetually united and have remained so until the present time. It is probable that there was a church in Hethersett prior to the year 1260 as the parish is mentioned in the Doomsday Book, where it is called Hederseta, the capital village of this Hundred, the name meaning the seat or place or most public road entering the Hundred.
The place was also known to exist in the days of Edward the Confessor, when it belonged to one of the Barons named Olf. But as the nave of the present church probably dates from the late thirteenth or early fourteenth century, we may suppose that the existing records relate only to the time since the present church was built.
Rectors of Tateshale's Mediety
1260. Ralf de Somerton. He was rector for 40 years, but nothing more seems to be known of him.
1300. Robert de Drilby. He was appointed by Joan Tateshale, the Lady of the Manor, and Patroness of both medieties and he held the two medieties united during his life time. In 1305 Lady Joan made over the advowson, or right to appoint the rector of both medieties, to Sir William Bernak, whose effigy is in the church behind the organ.
1349 Robert Bishop. He appears to have resigned after a few months
1350 William de Keteringham who again held it united to the other mediety for his life time.
1352 William Hille or Hulle of Ketteringham of whom nothing is known except that he resigned in 1384.
1384 Lambert de Frampton - Son of Thomas de Frampton, who was appointed by Sir Ralf Cromwell Knt, the Lord of the Manor. He was rector for only one year.
1385 Sir John Christmass. The Rev Sir John Christmass was the private chaplain of Lord Tateshale, or Lord of the Manor of Tateshale, whose name is given above.
1393 William Bassett.
1398 Robert Bosage.
???? John Rygges. The actual date of this rector's appointment is not known but he succeeded Robert Bosage.
1427 Thomas Ryby, who in 1433 was also appointed rector of Fitz-Ralf's mediety, since which date the two medieties have remained united.
Rectors of Fitz-Ralf's Mediety.
1300 Robert de Drilby, who was appointed by Joan Lady Tateshale to both medieties for his lifetime.
1325 Sir John le Curson. The name of Curson seems to have been connected with the parish for many centuries and occurs repeatedly in the old Parish Registers. At the present time there would appear to be almost a clan bearing the name who may possibly claim to be descendants of this Sir John, who was for two years Rector.
1327 Gilbert de Scrobby. Presented by Sir William de Bernak.
1334 Hugh de Bernak, probably a relative of the patron.
1341 Roger Smith. He was a son of Edmund Smith, a resident of Hethersett, and was appointed by John de Bernak. He resigned the living five years later.
1346 Robert Bishop. John de Bernak, the Patron, was now dead and John, his son and heir, was a minor. Edward III appears to have been his guardian and presented the living to Robert Bishop, who was already Rector of the other modeity.
1349 William Bassett. He was buried in the church and gave books and corn to
it in 1383. He did not remain at Hethersett until his death, but appears to have exchanged about the year 1383 with the Rector of Cranwich. During his incumbency the two medieties were united.
?1383 William de Ketteringham, by exchange as above. He died in 1386 and was buried in the chancel.
1387 John Sergeant. He was presented by Ralf de Cromwell, Lord Tateshale, but in 1393 he exchanged with the Rector of Weasenham.
1393 Thomas Saunders, by exchange as above. 1408 Roger Wright, presented by Maud Cromwell, Lady Tateshale.
1429 John atte Dam. He was presented by Sir John Tiptoft, Sir William Phelep, William Paston and Oliver Groos who were feoffees of Ralf Cromwell, Lady Tateshale. He resigned in 1433 and at that date, at the desire of the above mentioned Ralf Cromwell, the two medieties were perpetually united and ever since they have continued as one Rectory.
The names now given are of the Rectors of the consolidated Medieties of Hethersett and Church of Cantelofe, as it appears to have been called. Unless something of special interest is known, only the name and date will be given.
1433 Thomas Ryby (already referred to) -
1452 Roger Brode.
1454 John Dyconson who resigned after 30 years.
1484 Robert Smetherst. An interesting piece of information is recorded in connection with this gentleman's incumbency. It appears that he had a brother, John Smetherst, a yeoman of the Crown, who was buried in the church "before the Rood." This would seem to mean that the beam running across the eastern end of the nave above the chancel arch (which is probably the old Rood beam) originally held the figures of Christ on the Cross and St John and the Blessed Virgin on either side, as now portrayed in the east window. Investigation of the beam might find the sockets in which these figures stood.
1507 John Philip.
1515 John Wayn. He was priest in charge of st Mary Magdalen's Hospital in Colchester and exchanged with the above.
1532 Thomas Smith. John Wayn seems to have been a rolling-stone for he exchanged again with Thomas Smith who was Rector of East Mersey in the London Diocese.
Hethersett Rectors Part Two
"It may surprise some readers to know that at one time there were two Rectors of this Parish, although there was only one church. The Income of the Benefice appears to have been equally divided between two incumbents. One was called Rector of Tateshale's Mediety after Sir Robert de Tatashale who was the Patron. This was afterwards known as Cantelofe, from which we probably derive the name Cantley, the church being called at that time the Church of Cantelofe. The other was called Rector of Fitz-Ralfe's Modeity, after Sir Ralf Fitz-Ralf, the Patron. The Rector of Tateshal's Mediety appears to have inhabited the Rectory and had a hundred acres of land which was valued at fifteen marks and a half.
The earliest record at present discovered is in the year 1260, and from 1260 to 1433 the living was held sometimes by one and sometimes by two Rectors. In 1433 the two Medieties were perpetually united and have remained so until the present time. It is probable that there was a church in Hethersett prior to the year 1260 as the parish is mentioned in the Doomsday Book, where it is called Hederseta, the capital village of this Hundred, the name meaning the seat or place or most public road entering the Hundred.
The place was also known to exist in the days of Edward the Confessor, when it belonged to one of the Barons named Olf. But as the nave of the present church probably dates from the late thirteenth or early fourteenth century, we may suppose that the existing records relate only to the time since the present church was built.
Rectors of Tateshale's Mediety
1260. Ralf de Somerton. He was rector for 40 years, but nothing more seems to be known of him.
1300. Robert de Drilby. He was appointed by Joan Tateshale, the Lady of the Manor, and Patroness of both medieties and he held the two medieties united during his life time. In 1305 Lady Joan made over the advowson, or right to appoint the rector of both medieties, to Sir William Bernak, whose effigy is in the church behind the organ.
1349 Robert Bishop. He appears to have resigned after a few months
1350 William de Keteringham who again held it united to the other mediety for his life time.
1352 William Hille or Hulle of Ketteringham of whom nothing is known except that he resigned in 1384.
1384 Lambert de Frampton - Son of Thomas de Frampton, who was appointed by Sir Ralf Cromwell Knt, the Lord of the Manor. He was rector for only one year.
1385 Sir John Christmass. The Rev Sir John Christmass was the private chaplain of Lord Tateshale, or Lord of the Manor of Tateshale, whose name is given above.
1393 William Bassett.
1398 Robert Bosage.
???? John Rygges. The actual date of this rector's appointment is not known but he succeeded Robert Bosage.
1427 Thomas Ryby, who in 1433 was also appointed rector of Fitz-Ralf's mediety, since which date the two medieties have remained united.
Rectors of Fitz-Ralf's Mediety.
1300 Robert de Drilby, who was appointed by Joan Lady Tateshale to both medieties for his lifetime.
1325 Sir John le Curson. The name of Curson seems to have been connected with the parish for many centuries and occurs repeatedly in the old Parish Registers. At the present time there would appear to be almost a clan bearing the name who may possibly claim to be descendants of this Sir John, who was for two years Rector.
1327 Gilbert de Scrobby. Presented by Sir William de Bernak.
1334 Hugh de Bernak, probably a relative of the patron.
1341 Roger Smith. He was a son of Edmund Smith, a resident of Hethersett, and was appointed by John de Bernak. He resigned the living five years later.
1346 Robert Bishop. John de Bernak, the Patron, was now dead and John, his son and heir, was a minor. Edward III appears to have been his guardian and presented the living to Robert Bishop, who was already Rector of the other modeity.
1349 William Bassett. He was buried in the church and gave books and corn to
it in 1383. He did not remain at Hethersett until his death, but appears to have exchanged about the year 1383 with the Rector of Cranwich. During his incumbency the two medieties were united.
?1383 William de Ketteringham, by exchange as above. He died in 1386 and was buried in the chancel.
1387 John Sergeant. He was presented by Ralf de Cromwell, Lord Tateshale, but in 1393 he exchanged with the Rector of Weasenham.
1393 Thomas Saunders, by exchange as above. 1408 Roger Wright, presented by Maud Cromwell, Lady Tateshale.
1429 John atte Dam. He was presented by Sir John Tiptoft, Sir William Phelep, William Paston and Oliver Groos who were feoffees of Ralf Cromwell, Lady Tateshale. He resigned in 1433 and at that date, at the desire of the above mentioned Ralf Cromwell, the two medieties were perpetually united and ever since they have continued as one Rectory.
The names now given are of the Rectors of the consolidated Medieties of Hethersett and Church of Cantelofe, as it appears to have been called. Unless something of special interest is known, only the name and date will be given.
1433 Thomas Ryby (already referred to) -
1452 Roger Brode.
1454 John Dyconson who resigned after 30 years.
1484 Robert Smetherst. An interesting piece of information is recorded in connection with this gentleman's incumbency. It appears that he had a brother, John Smetherst, a yeoman of the Crown, who was buried in the church "before the Rood." This would seem to mean that the beam running across the eastern end of the nave above the chancel arch (which is probably the old Rood beam) originally held the figures of Christ on the Cross and St John and the Blessed Virgin on either side, as now portrayed in the east window. Investigation of the beam might find the sockets in which these figures stood.
1507 John Philip.
1515 John Wayn. He was priest in charge of st Mary Magdalen's Hospital in Colchester and exchanged with the above.
1532 Thomas Smith. John Wayn seems to have been a rolling-stone for he exchanged again with Thomas Smith who was Rector of East Mersey in the London Diocese.
Hethersett Rectors Part Two