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Halesworth
Halesuuorda or Healesuurda
The Argenteins became early enfeoffed in this lordship. In 1318, Sir John de
Argentein, Knt., was owner of the same; and died seized thereof, in or about
1345. It was held of the King in capite, as of the honor of Chester, at one
Knight's fee.
He was eldest son and heir of Reginald de Argentein, and Lora his wife, sister
of Robert de Vere, Earl of Oxford; to whom he gave Keteringham Hall manor, in
Norfolk, in frank marriage, about 1262; which they held in 1265, and Sir John,
their son, held the same in 1315.
He married Agnes, daughter of Sir William de Beresford, sister and heir of Sir
Edmund de Beresford, Knt., and deceased in 1324, leaving John, his son and heir,
being one year old. Agnes, his widow, remarried John de Nerford, who died in
1329; and she afterwards married John Mautravers, sen.; by whom she had issue,
Eleanor, who married John, son of John, Earl of Arundel.
This lady Agnes deceased in 1375; John de Argentein, her son, being about 50
years of age: he, in 1381, settled his estates on Sir William his son, and
Isabel his wife, daughter of Sir William de Kerdiston, Knt., after the death of
himself, and Margaret his wife, who held in 1383.
In 1390, it appears that the three daughters of the said Sir John de Argentein,
and Margaret his wife, and their issue, were heirs; amongst whom the property
became divisible: and it soon after passed, by marriage, to the Alyngton family,
with considerable other property in Cambridgeshire; Horseheath, in that county,
their chief seat, being so acquired, about 1428, in the reign of King Henry VI.
This estate afterwards became the inheritance of the Betts family; of whom the
Plumers purchased, and it recently was vested in William Plumer, Esq., who was
lord of the manor, and patron of the living.
ARMS. Argentein: gules; three covered cups, argent. Allyngton:
sable; a bend, engrailed, between six billets, argent.
John Argall, rector of this parish, an author of note in his time, who wrote
some religious tracts in Latin, was a native of London; and entered a student in
Christ Church, Oxford, towards the latter part of Queen Mary's reign. He took
his M.A. degree, in 1565, and obtained this living. He was held in high esteem
by the neighboring gentry and clergy: being at a feast in the parish of
Cheddiston, he died suddenly, whilst at the table, and was buried at Halesworth,
October 8, 1606.
CHARITIES. The town estate consists of certain freehold and copyhold
property, vested in trustees, in trust, that the rents and profits should be
disposed of for the public uses and purposes, and general benefit of the
inhabitants of this parish. Of the original acquisition of part of this
property, no account can be given; but other parts of it have been purchased at
different times, with money, or funds, belonging to the inhabitants. These are
sometimes called the "Unappropriated Estates," and are, for the most part, in
the parish of Halesworth, but partly in the adjoining parish of Holton. This
property produces altogether a yearly rental of £210;
part of which is subject to a charge of £3 a
year, in respect of Neale's charity, hereafter mentioned; and the remainder of
the clear income is applied to general purposes: namely, the repairs of the
church, the payment of the salaries of the different officers belonging to the
same, &c.; and also for defraying the expenses of lighting the town, the support
of some almshouses, and occasionally in the purchase of coals, to be sold to the
^poor at reduced prices. Here are six small almshouses, in a row, near the
church, given by one William Carey; and two other cottages in Halesworth: they
are occupied by 14 poor widows; are kept in repair out of the rents of the above
estate, and the inmates are supported partly by means of other charities, after
mentioned, and partly out of the poor rates. In 1611, Robert Lance gave by will
£60, towards the purchase of a piece of
land; the profits thereof to be distributed to the poor of the town of
Halesworth, where most need should require. With this legacy a piece of copyhold
land, containing 5A. 3R. 9p., held of the manor of Southelmham, was purchased,
which lets at £9 4s. a year. The sum of
£60, given by John Phillips, and
£30 5s., given by Richard Phillips, was laid
out in the purchase of a messuage and lands, being copyhold of the manor of
Mells Wenhaston, near Halesworth, consisting of a cottage, and HA. In. 35p. of
land, which lets at 82 6s. a year; and the produce is expended in the purchase
of bread, and given to the poor; and to keep in complete repair the grave-stone
of the Phillips, in Halesworth church yard. Matthew Walter gave by will, in
1589, an annuity of £20s. to the poor of
this parish, out of his estate at Holton; which is also laid out in bread, and
given away among poor people, on Sundays. In 1650, James Keble, devised a
pightle, called "Bell's Pightle," the rents to be applied yearly, at or before
Christmas, to buy corn, to be made into bread, and distributed among the poor of
the parish; and in 1652, John Keble devised his lands in Holton, to the relief
of the poor of Halesworth; half of the revenue to be employed in the relief of
widows, and the other half to bind out poor apprentices. The sum of
£80, given by Reginald Burroughs, for the
purchase of land, for the benefit of 20 poor people inhabiting in this town,
that 20s. might be distributed unto them quarterly; the sum of 20, given by
Matthew Mann, the interest thereof to be distributed in bread to the poor of the
same town; and £10, given out of the town
stock, were laid out, in the 22nd of James I., in the purchase of a close,
called "Quintrell's," in Mells Hamlet and Wenhaston, for performance of the said
charitable intentions. In 1804, William Vincent bequeathed the residue of his
personal estate, to relieve the necessities of the poor of Halesworth,
especially in sickness: this residue, amounting to
£100, was laid out in the purchase of 2A. 2n. 18p. of land, in Holton.
The property belonging to these charities consist of the following particulars:
7A. 3r. 28p., taken in exchange for the Bell's Pightle, and the land purchased
with Vincent's gift, rent £13 11s. 6d.;
given in bread, and to poor persons in sickness. A house, and 4A. 0R. 7p. of
garden ground, at the yearly rent of £28
16s.; and barn, stable, and 19A. 0R. 33p. of land, at
£54 12s. a year; 3A. In. 18p. at
£17 Is. a year: one half is divided
half-yearly among 20 poor widows, most of whom reside in the almshouse; and the
other half is applied in apprenticing poor boys, with premiums, usually of
£15, or thereabouts. Two pieces of land in
Mells, containing together 8A. 3R. 26p., rent £19
14s.: this property is ascribed to Burrough's and Mann's charities. The sum of
£3 a year is paid as interest upon
£60, given by Thomas Neale, for the
education of poor children of this parish; the further sum of 10s. a year was
given by him for Bibles, and books for the said children. A rent charge of
£17 6s. 8d. upon a farm in Halesworth, the
property of Mr. Chas. Woolby; one half is paid to a schoolmaster, and the other
half to a school dame, as directed by the will of Richard Porter, in 1701. John
Hutcher gave by will, in 1816, a pew upon the gallery in Halesworth church, the
rent, which amounts to £30 a year, is paid
to the committee of the national school in Halesworth.
County
of Suffolk
Topographical and Genealogical, The County of Suffolk, 1844, Augustine Page |
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