Wangford Parish

Wangford or Wankeforda. alias Reydon St. Peter

This parish is chiefly remarkable for a Priory, or cell of Cluniac Monks, subordinate to that of Thetford, and dedicated to the Virgin Mary, according to Weever; but other, and better authorities say, to St. Peter and St. Paul. This is now the parochial church.

It was founded, according to Leland, before the year 1160, by Doudo Asini, Dapifer, or Steward to the King's Household. Weever styles the founder Eudo Ansered, of France; but Dr. Tanner questions whether he be not the same with Eudo Dapifer, the founder of St. John's, at Colchester. Richard Fitz William confirmed all the gift of his grandfather, Dodo; and Sir Geraline de Vernun, Knt., those of his father, Ansered.

Mr. Taylor, in his "Index Monasticus," questions whether the Doudo Asini, of Leland, and the Eudo Ansered, of Weever, cannot be reconciled to mean the same person with Ansered, father of Sir Geraline Vernun, and Dodo, grandfather of Richard Fitz William.

Valuations in Tax. Eccles. 1291: Suffolk, in 13 parishes, £.13 11s. 8d.; Norfolk, in Carlton Rode, 6d.: gross value, £49 3s. 0d.

To this Priory were appropriated the churches of Rissemere (alias Reydon), with the chapels of Southwold, Covahithe (or Northales), Wangford, and Stoven; and portions, or pensions, of Uggeshall, and Easton Bavent.

It was granted, in 1540, to Thomas, Duke of Norfolk; whose descendant sold it to Sir John Rous, Knt., in 1612. The Right Hon. John Edward Cornwallis Rous, Earl of Stradbroke, is the present possessor of the site, lord of the manor, and patron of the church.

CHARITIES. The sum of £5 a year, paid as a rent charge, for the poor, out of an estate in this parish, the property of the Earl of Stradbroke, is distributed at Easter among poor persons. It is unknown by whom this annuity was given. The sum of £l per annum was devised, in 1589, by the will of Matthew Walter, of Blyford: this has not been received since 1783.

County of Suffolk

Topographical and Genealogical, The County of Suffolk, 1844, Augustine Page

British Isles Genealogy

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