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Darsham. Dersham or Devisham
There were formerly four manors in this parish, namely: Darsham cum
Yoxford (supposed to be the same held by Asceline, and granted, with the
advowson, by William, son of Roger Bigod, founder of the Priory of Cluniac Monks
at Thetford, to that house); Abbot's, as belonging to Leiston Abbey; Austin's,
and Gerrard's.
The former were granted, at the dissolution of that Monastery, to Thomas, Duke
of Norfolk; the latter, to Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk; and subsequently,
to Thos. Denton and Richard Nottingham: the whole afterwards passed from the
Bedingfield family to that of Rous, and now belong to the Earl of Stradbroke.
The several hamlets mentioned by Kirby, as belonging to this place, appear to be
merely different greens, that most likely, first obtained their names from some
early inhabitant or chief proprietor, such as "Cheyney's Green," "Burstill
Green," &c., which they still retain. Here was formerly a fine old manor house,
called Darsham Hall, now reduced to a farm house.
Darsham Hall was built by Edward Hummings, Gent., and was purchased by Thomas
Bedingfield, Esq., of Flemming's Hall, in Bedingfield; who left it to Philip
Bedingfield, of Ditchingham, in Norfolk. Esq., his eldest son. He sold the same
to Sir Thomas Bedingfield, Knt., his younger brother, who was a resident here in
1655. Sir Thomas was one of the Commissioners for keeping the Great Seal, in the
time of the long Parliament, and was a judge of the Court of Common Pleas, until
he refused to engage to be true and faithful to the Commonwealth of England, as
then established.
He married Elizabeth, daughter of Charles Hoskins, of the county of Surrey,
Esq., and sometime citizen of London; by whom he had issue one son and three
daughters. Sir Thomas deceased in 1660, and was interred near his father and
mother, in this parish church. His only son Thomas, married Hannah, the daughter
and heir of
Philip Bacon, of Wollverstone in this county, Esq., and died without issue. His
eldest daughter died young, and unmarried. Mary, the second daughter, married
Sir John Knevet, of Ashwell Thorpe, in Norfolk, K.B. Dorothy, the youngest
daughter, married Nevill Catelyne, of Kirby Cane, in the same county, Esq.;
afterwards Sir Nevill Catelyne, Knt.
In "Cotman's Suffolk Brasses," is an etching from this parish church, of Anne,
late wife of Eustace Bedingfield, Esq., of Holme Hall, in Norfolk, who deceased
in 1641, aged 80 years and 7 months, with the arms of Bedingfield impaling his
wife's, and also hers in a lozenge.
Towards the latter part of the 1 7th century, the family of Purvis became first
seated here; who derive from William Purvis, of Abbey Hill, near Edinburgh,
living at the commencement of that century. George Purvis, Esq., settled in
England, arid became a Captain in the Royal Navy. He married at Stepney, in
1679, Margaret Berry; who died in 1717, and was buried at Darsham. Captain
Purvis deceased in 1715, and was also buried there.
George Purvis, Esq., his eldest son and successor, was Comptroller of the Navy,
in 1735, and M.P. for Aldeburgh, in 1732. He died at Islington, in 1740, and was
succeeded by his eldest son, Charles Wager Purvis, Esq., of this parish,
Rear-Admiral of the Royal Navy.
Admiral Purvis, born in 1715, married in 1741, Amy Godfrey, niece of Dr. Mawson,
Bishop of Ely; and by her, had Charles, his heir; Thomas, in holy orders, rector
of Melton, in this county; and William. He died in 1772, and was buried at
Darsham: she died at Yoxford, in 1777.
Charles Purvis, Esq., his eldest son and heir, succeeded; and served the office
of High Sheriff for this county, in 1794. He married Elizabeth, daughter of
Edward Holden Cruttenden, Esq., and by her (who deceased in 1816), had two sons
and two daughters. Mr. Purvis died at Bath, in 1808, and was succeeded by his
eldest son, the present Charles Purvis, Esq., of 35, Nottingham Place, Regent's
Park, London.
ARMS. Purvis: azure; on a fess, argent, between three mascles, or, as
many cinquefoils of the field.
CHARITIES. There are some cottages, with a small piece of land in this
parish; and a cottage, and about half an acre of land in the parish of
Thebarton, which let at rents amounting together to
£27 18s. a year. The rents are applied in repairs of the premises, in a
payment of £4 a year towards the support of
a Sunday school, and in the reparation of the parish church. It is unknown how
the property was acquired.
County
of Suffolk
Topographical and Genealogical, The County of Suffolk, 1844, Augustine Page |
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