Thorney Hall/Manor
Detail from a 1780’s map showing the location of Thorney Hall on one bank of the Gipping and Stowmarket church on the other side. The Hall no longer stands as the coming of the railways in the 1840’s and increasing industrialisation of the area would have changed its pleasant aspect. Its foot print is under the station car park.
The Domesday Book tells us about Thorney:-
- 1066/86 manor of 5 carucates belongin to the King
- 1066 manor of 1 carucate held by Roger of Candos from Hugh
- 1086 manor of 1 carucate belongin to Hugh de Montfort
By the 12th century a manor in Stowmarket was associated with Abbotts Hall (now in the Food Museum) being owned by the Abbott of St Osyth. This is a separate entity to Thorney Manor and the other manors of Stowupland which maybe described as sub-manors.
Thorney Hall was just one of several manors with land in Stowupland, read what we know about other Thorney Manors. Or read Val Dudley’s fascinating research regarding how the Hall of Thorney Manor was constructed in the thirteenth century, or start off with Neil Langridge‘s explanation behind the building of Thorney Hall…
By the 13th century Thorney Manor was held by members of the Amundevialle family, they also held land further to the east of the county, in Badingham.
Unkenhulls (Hucklin Hall)
c 1318 ‘Commission on complaint by Richard de Ammondeville the elder that William Dalyzun & others brok his part (?) at Hunkenville & entered his free warrens there at Thorney & hunted without his license etc’ { Note from ECA – Coppinger, Suffolk Records & Ms VolV, Pat rolls 11 Edw 11 pt i 31d}
An Inquest following the death of Richard Amundeville (Lord of the Manor in the 13th/14th century gives us interesting details about the manor-
Richard de Amondeville d 1323
> Inquest taken at Stowemarket in Co. Suffolk before the lord King’s Escheator this side of the Trent, the 20th day of June in the 16th year of the reign of King Edward son of King Edward [1323], by virtue of a certain writ [br-s] of the lord King ordering in respect thereof and ?touching upon/attached to this inquest, by William Clement, John le Hotoot, Simon de Codenham, William de Neutone, Ralph de Newtone, William de ?Amptone, William Bardolfe, William ?Senloues, Nicholas Wastenel/Wastevel, Henry de Nedham, Henry de Grangia & Robert Caperoun, sworn, who say on their oath that Richard de Amoundeville on the day he died held in his demesne as in fee his manor of Thorney next to Stowemarket, with appurtenances in Co. Suffolk, in chief of lord Robert son of Walter, by service of the fourth part of one knight’s fee.
They say also that there is there a messuage with buildings & a certain garden, which is worth 2s. per annum. And there are there 4-score acres of arable land, and they are worth 26s. 8d. p.a., 4d. per acre. And there are there 3 acres of meadow and they are worth 6s. p.a., 2s. per acre. And there are there 10 acres of pasture in a certain alder-grove and they are worth 5s. p.a., 6d. per acre. And there is there 1 acre of ?…[illeg] pasture and it is worth 12d. p.a.. And there are there 12 acres of wood, and they are worth 6s. p.a., 6d. per acre. Also there is there a wind-mill, which is worth noithing at present because it is ‘ruined’ And there are assized rents there of free tenants and they are worth 100s. p.a. at the feast of St Michael and Easter in equal parts. Also there are there 20 customary tenants who do works from Michaelmas until the 1st of August, 40 works, and they are worth 20d., value of a work ½d. And from the 1st of August until Michaelmas, 40 works and they are worth 3s. 4d., value of a work 1d. Also there is there half of a certain market [fori] in Stowemarket of which the tolls are worth 6s 8d. p.a.
Also the pleas and profits of the court with leet there are worth 10s. p.a. They say also … [torn]… Richard the first-born son of the said Richard, aged 30 years and more, is the nearest heir. ‘In witness of which thing’ … [torn].. they have fixed their seals to this inquest. Given the day & year & place abovesaid.
Total value of the whole manor per annum : £8 8s 4d.
(Retrieved by Neil Langridge 2024)
From a copy of the 15th century Thorney Manor Rentals of the Court of John Hotot {HAL/CC2/1/3 – retreived by Neil Langridge, 2022}.
Lands adjacent to Thorney Hall – Sothcroft.
Robt Mondevyl for that peice of land called Puckefen and lies between the piece of John Curtys on one part and a piece of Thomas Easton pertaining to the hall of Thornye on the other & one side abuts on the bank and the other on the common way leading to Bromcros.
Lords of the Manor
1537 Thomas Woodhouse (linked to Freckenham). In 1537 the manor was vested in Thomas Woodhouse ( associated with Ingham Priory, Norfolk and the Trinitarians). A fine was levied against him by William Woodhouse.
The manor then passed to Francis Framlingham
From the 1920′ s there were 3 Lords of Thorney Manor
H.F. Harwood (qv Stowupland Hall)
John Hervey
George Gudgeon who was succeeded by his nephew’s widow Mrs Warner
1795
“The Lord Chancellor has been pleased to appoint John Marriott, Gent of Stowupland, in this county to be a Master Extrordinary in his Majesty’s High Court of Chancery” (Ipswich Journal 28th march 1795)
Report in the Ipswich Journal, 3rd September 1818. Wednesday se’enight died at the city of Bangor N.Wales in the 22nd year of his age Mr Thomas John Marriott of Jesus College Cambridge youngest son of John Marriott Esq of Thorney Hall in Stowupland in this County after a short illness.
1824
Saturday last died rather suddenly, John Marriott Esq of Thorney Hall, Stowupland. (Reported in Ipswich Journal 14th August 1824)
1839
To Be Let – Thorney Hall – containing ‘good sized drawing room & breakfast rooms, dining room 22 feet x18, study, 8 bedrooms, drawing room, manservant’s room. 5 attics, water closet etc.
9th september, 1843
Sale of stock & implements of Mr.F.A. Abbott of Thorney Hall, Stowupland (Reported in Ipswich Journal)
1848 – to be sold by auction by Henry Cross
‘on FridayJune 23rd 1848 at 11 o’clock a.m. by A large quantity of excellent Building Materials, Fixtures etc in that capital substantial Mansion called Thorney Hall which is about being converted into a Mercantile Premises’.
Ipswich Journal 10th June 1848
A reminiscence by the Reverend Cyprian Rust published in 1889 but looking back to his younger days in Stowmarket describes the then hall. “A beautiful green pasture lying between the bank of the river and Creeting Road, Through the whole length of it ran a fine avenue of trees, leading to Thorney Hall. … The house was a new one” this would suggest that the house was rebuilt or at least modernised in the early 19th century. The opening of the Gipping Navigation in 1793 connecting Stowmarket to Ipswich meant that the area around the head of the navigation began to attract industries, initially malting but with the arrival of the railway in 1847 other new and malodorous industries such as a chemical fertilizer works, gas works, and a paper mill grew up making Thorney Hall no longer the attractive residence it must once have been. The last Lord of the manor Martha Diggons Marriott to reside at Thorney Hall received £7000 compensation from the railway company and moved to Needham Market and for a few years the hall was let out to local farmers as a farmhouse but then was adapted as a maltings eventually being demolished in the early 20th century. The site of the hall is now just north of Stowmarket Station.
Compiled by Neil Langridge, he added that he building described was most likely modified or rebuilt more than once over the centuries but remained the residence of the lord of the manor unto the early 1840s.
