The HICKLINGS
of Norfolk 1086 - 1600.
From about 850 to 1086 few records
refer to the Ickelingas. The Domesday Survey of 1086 referred to places which
were named after Ickel and the Ickelingas .
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HEY included Hickeling
in Norfolk and Hickeling in S.Notts,
Hickelton in S.Yorks and Ickelton in Cambridgeshire, Ickelford in Herts and Ickelingham in Suffolk. Present-day Hicklings may well have
descended from the Ickelingas but may be just as likely to have been named
<of the place> where they lived; for example, Brian de Hickeling.
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ORFOLK: No
Anglo-Saxon records of the Ickelingas living in Norfolk/Suffolk have yet been
found. But in 1086 the Domesday Survey
recorded that in Norfolk, <Hikelinga> was
held by Godwin, a freeman of Edric of Laxefelda as 3½ plough lands during
the reign of Edward the Confessor, but he was deprived of it. Now Guihummar
holds this Lordship of Alan, Earl of
Richmond. The Survey records that
there were 9 villeins, 11 bordars and one serf living at Hikeling in 1086. William the Conqueror divided England among
his followers and Norfolk was parcelled out into some 1,392 estates or manors,
Normans receiving the greatest share.
Peter de Valoins, said to be a nephew of the Conqueror, was given 17
manors of which Overhall Manor at Hickeling was one. The most complete genealogy of the Hicklings recorded commences
with the first known tenant of Overhall Manor, Brian de Hickeling (living 1150-1212), who held it of William de
Vescy by one knight’s fee. William de
Vescy held it of Lord Robert de Valoins,
and he of the honour of Richmond...
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N 1185 Theobald de Valoins (son of Robert de
Valoins) & his wife, Alice, founded The
Priory of the Black Canons of Hikelynge.
It was built on an island in the fens connected to Palling &
Hickling by causeways. The 13th Century oval seal of Hickling Priory, depicted
above is in the British Museum. The inscription around reads: SIGILL ECCE STE MARIE DE HICKEL Translated...”Behold the seal of St Mary of Hickel”
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RIAN de Hickeling, 1150-1212, held Overhall Manor in Hickeling of Wm de
Vescy by one knight’s fee, and he in turn of Lord Robert de Valoins and he of
the honour of Richmond. Brian’s
grandson, Brian (b.1270) married Elisabeth, dau. of Sir Robt de Mautby in 1293.
Brian bought Rishangles Manor in Suffolk. After his father Thomas died in 1294,
he inherited Overhall Manor in Hickling.
Brian (d.1315) and Elisabeth were buried in Mautby Church but the tomb
was destroyed in the 2nd World War. Blomefield’s Hist.Norf.xi.230, describes it:
“In the north window of the chancel are the effigies
of a man in complete armour,
and these arms, sable, a cross argent,
and under
it,
BRYAN DE HYKELING & ALIS.
SR. FEMA
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HOMAS (b.1294), son of Brian, inherited Overhall and
Rishangles Manors. He married Denise
& his son, Brian, was only two when he was killed in 1322 “on the King’s
service” at Boroughbridge. Denise
continued to live at Overhall, sold Riushangles and paid £10 for the King’s
licence to marry Robert de Valoins. When Brian became 21 in 1341 he was given
half of Overhall which was called Netherhall and de Valoins continued to hold
Overhall which was later given to the Priory. The Black Death claimed Brian in
1368 and his son John inherited Netherhall (valued at £24). A John de Hickeling was Prior from 1408
until his death in 1424. There was
also a Canon John Hickling at the Priory 1503-1532.
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CCORDING to the Herald’s Visitation Northants and
his memorial in Greens Norton Church the grandfather of John Hicklinge (1482-1558),
William Hicklinge was an armiger and “Lorde of Hicklinge in Norfolk”
The arms
description as follows:
Azure, three bars or and in chief as many lions’ heads
erased of the second.
Crest: A leopard’s head erased pelletee or.
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IS eldest son William inherited the Manor of Greens Norton and the patronage of Cold Higham from John when he died in 1558. William (d.1606) & detail from his memorial in Greens Norton Church shows him kneeling with
his wife, Frances, and his daughter, Christian, who married Thos Elmes of Lileford and bore him seven sons and five daughters.
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HERE are many records of Hicklings living in Norfolk
and Suffolk during the first half of the second millennium.