Ulveston Hall

The Manor of Ulveston Hall

The following is taken from "The Manors Of Suffolk" by Walter Arthur Copinger, published in 1905.

This Manor is enumerated in the Great Survey under the head Uluestuna. There are as many as ten entries, and four manors are mentioned here. The principal manor was that held by Sachs in the Confessor's time. It consisted of a curacate of land, 3 villeins, 9 bordars, 2 ploughteams in demesne, 3 belonging to the men, 1 rouncy, 14 beasts, 60 hogs, and 22 sheep valued at 40s. Bye the timee of the survey the details had altered; the villeins had come down to 1, the ploughteams in demesne to 1 and those of the men to 2, while the hogs were reduced to 22. The bordars had increased to 14 and the sheep to 30, but the total value was 30s only. To this manor belonged 8 acres in demesne which at the time of the Survey Robert Malet's mother held of Ranulf Peverell, who was the tenant in chief of the whole estates. It was a league long and 7 quarentenes broad, and paid in a gelt 26 1/2 d.

All the other estates here at the time of the Survey belonged to the Bishop of Bayeux. The first consisted of 40 acres, formerly held by Alwin the priest, a freeman, a sixth part of whose commendation belonged to one himself under commendation to MAlet's predecessor and 5ive-sixths parts to Sachs, predecessor of the Little Piper. To this manor belonged a villein, a priest, 2 bordars, 2 acres of meadow, a ploughteam in demesne, valued at 20s., but at the time of the Survey at 10s. The soc was the abbot. William Malet was at the time of his death seised of the fourth part of this land, and of the priest.

The second estate consisted of 30 acres in the abbot's soc and commendation, held by Alwin the priest, a freeman, with 1 ploughteam, valued at 10s., but at the time of the Survey valued at 5s., when the ploughteam seems to have disappeared.

The third manor was held by Thure, a freeman, with 40 acres, 2 bordars, a ploughteam, wood sufficient for the support of 8 hogs (reduced at the tme of the Survey to 4), valued at 20s. The soc and commendation belongs to the abbot.

The fourth manor was held in the Confessor's time by Lewin Child, a freeman in the abbot's soc and commendation. It consisted of 40 acres, and 2 villeins in another Hundred, also one ploughteam, 1 acre of meadow, wood suffcient for the maintenance of 12 hogs, valued at 20s. At the time of the Survey the value was 15s. and the estates was held by Roger Bigot of the Bishop and by Ralph de Savigni of Roger Bigot.

The remaining properties of the Bishop of Bayeux here were 15 acres, 3 bordars, and 1 ploughteam, formerly held by Godwi, and 15 acres, 1 ploughteam (by the time of the Survey reduced to half a team), and an acre of meadow formerley held by the freeman Goda under commendation to one himself under commendation to Edric, Robert Malet's predecessor. The value was 22s., and the soc belonged to the abbot. At the time of the Survey there were 4 beasts on the demesne, 10 hogs, 30 sheep, and 12 goats. The Survey says, but not very lucidly: "These three tenements make one manor."

Another estate of the bishop's was of 40 acres, 1 ploughteam, valued at 20s., formerly held by twofreemen under commendation to Sachs, Edric and Alnod. At the time of the Survey there were attached to this estate 2 cows, 12 hogs, and 20 sheep.

The last estate of the bisop's here consisted of 30 acres, 2 bordars, half a ploughteam, and 2 acres of meadow, valued at 8s. It was held oby Roger of the bishop and by Garenger of Roger, the soc being in the abbot. This estate had been formerley held by two freemen, Aluric and Lewin, the last under commendation to one himself under commendation to Edric, Malet's predecessor, Aluric being under commendation to Wisgar, when there were 2 ploughteams, and the value was 10s.

There was also here a half-freeman with 2 acres included in this valuation.

The several estates above ultimately formed the Manor of Ulveston Hall, which was in 1313 the lordship of John de Ulveston, probably the same man defendant in an action brought by Michael Attebrok in respect of a tenement in Debenham in 1272.

In 1331 the manor was held by Thomas de Bavent, Richard de Bishale, John de Hoxne, Stephen de Thewyts, and Elye de Chapman as trustees, and vested in Sir John de Ulveston, grandson of the above-mentioned John de Ulveston, and in 1332 passed to his son and heir, Thomas de Ulveston, from who it passed to his widow Isabella for life, and subsequently to John de Ulveston. There is a quit claim of Ulveston Manor in 1384 in the British Museum. It is by John de Ulveston to Sir Roger Boys and Sir John de Wyngefeld, Knt., John Pishale, Thomas More, Guy Crodedok, Robert Grygges, clerk, Robert de Aishfeld, and William Thurtone.

In 1428 the manor seems to have been held by William Mickefield, said to have been a brother of Elizabeth, widow of this John; but probably as trustee for her, for life, and was later vested in Richard de Ulveston, son of the said John, who sold the manor in 1506 to Christopher Thwaytes, who held his first court in 1509, and by will in 1508 devised the same to his son and heir, William Thwaytes, who married MArgaret, daughter of John de Ulveston. The manor, on William Thwaytes death, 27th August 1533, passed to his son and heir, Christopher Thwaytes, who held his first court in 1538, and sold in 1548 to Henry Tooley, of Ipswich, merchant, who held his first court in 1550, and died in 1553. By his will dated 17th August 1552, he left the manor to the Corporation of Ipswich for charitable purposes, and the bailiff for the time being of the Corporation is styled Lord of this manor. In the ninth Report of the Historical MSS. Commisisoners mention is made of the power of attorney by Henry "Toli", of Ipswich, to William Man and William Cove to enter on Henry Toli's Manor of Ulveston Hall and lands therin devised by him to the use of the will of the 17th August, 6 Edw. VI.

The town clerk receives his appointment as Steward of the Manor from the Michaelmass Court, and by virtue thereof holds the office during the pleasure of the Corporation. The fines arising from the admissions and other profits of the manor are received by the Rente warden of this charity for the time being, and are accounted for by him at the passing of his accounts; the fines are at the will of the lords.

As to the expense of holding courts, in the Rente warden's account for the year ending Michaelmas, 1594, a charge of 6s. 6d. is made for three gallons and one quart of claret spent at Ulveston Court, and in 1601 1s. 2d. is charged for one bottle of sack containing 4 quarts, more for two bottles of white wine, and 3 bottles of claret, containing three gallons and half a pint, 8s. Several other items similar to the above are charged in subsequent accounts, but no stated or fixed sum appears at any time to have been allowed. A common dinner is still (or at least up to recent times) provided at the expense of the charity for the homage, and those who attend the general courts upon business.

A Survey dated in 1585 of the freehold and copyhold land of the manor, the indenture of foundation, and the licence to hold in mortmain, with extracts of the wills of several donors to charities placed under the care of the Corporation, are entered in a large book kept by the Corporation.

Court Rolls of this manor 16 to 20 Edw. IV., 2-24 Hen. VII., 2 Edw. VI., 2 Mary, and 1 to 2 Jas I. are referred to in the Report of the Historical Commisioners. A question of boundary of the manor will be found in the Additional MSS. in the British Museaum.

Arms of ULVESTON: Erm. a Saltire cheky Gu. and Or. Of THWAITES: Arg. a cross Sab. fretty of the field.

• 1313 - John de Ulveston, Lord (abstracted from Copinger's "Manors of Suffolk")
• 1331 - Sir John de Ulveston, Grandson of last Lord (abstracted from Copinger's "Manors of Suffolk")
• 1332 - Thomas de Ulveston, Lord (wife Isabella), and subsequently John de Ulveston (abstracted from Copinger's "Manors of Suffolk")
• 1384 - Sir John de Ulveston, Lord (abstracted from Copinger's "Manors of Suffolk")
• 1506 - sold by Richard de Ulveston, son of John, to Christopher Thwaytes who was suceeded by his son William Thwaytes (abstracted from Copinger's "Manors of Suffolk")
• 1533 - Death of William Thwaytes (wife Margaret, daughter of John de Ulveston), succeeded by his son Christopher (abstracted from Copinger's "Manors of Suffolk")
• 1548 - Sold by Christopher Thwaytes to Henry Tooley, an Ipswich Merchant abstracted from Copinger's "Manors of Suffolk")
• 1553 - Death of Tooley: Manor bequeathed to Ipswich Corporation for charitable purposes. abstracted from Copinger's "Manors of Suffolk")
• 1825 - Edward Dove ¹
• 1841 - Lionel Dove ²
• 1858 - Edward Kersey ³
• 1861 - Edward Kersey ⁴
• 1871 - Thomas S Woods ⁵
• 1881 - David Rosier ⁶
• 1891 - Thomas Ford ⁷
• 1901 - Thomas Ford ⁸
• 1912 - John Mudd and Edgar Mudd ⁹
• 1929 - Walter Rivers, farm bailiff to Edgar Mudd esq (taken from 1929 Kelly's Suffolk Directory)

Copyright © 1998- by Suzie Morley