Monument record WSH 006 - Felchurch Church

Felchurch Church (Vicarage) - site of.
`Within the bounds of this parish there was formerly another church, and perhaps a Hamlet called Felchurch or Velechurch, which was impropriated to the Abbey of Albemarle; and upon the Dissolution of the alien Priories given to the Nunnery of Dartford and 31 Hen.8 granted to Sir Percival Hart, with the Rectory and advowson of the vicarage of Washbrook. The Vicarage of Felchurch was instuted into AD 1301, 1314 & 1338. We have lately been informed that in a field bordering on the road leading from Sproughton to Copdock Water, about forty rod on this side of the Water next Sproughton, the Ruins of the Church, if they are not now, were not long since visible.' (S1).
1254: Taxation of Norwich valued at 7 marks.
1291, Feldchirche (Felcherch) - taxed (pound) 4-13-4, belonged to Abbey of Albemarl in Normandy. Mention of a mill (R1).
1535, Felchirch - belonged to Monastery of Dartford in Kent. No vicar (R2).
Note field to E (WSH 008) known as Chapel or Chapel Yard (S2) suggesting plotted NGR too far west.
For excavation trenches in area of NGR see WSH 010.
On the tithe map for Washbrook surveyed in 1837 and the apportionment (S2), the Field 308 is called `Chapel' and measured at 4a 1r 37p. There are four other pieces of glebe in the area all of which can be matched to the pieces described in the glebe terriers held in the parish collection (S3). The earliest terrier available is amongst the diocesan collection and dated 1635 (S4). In this terrier there are six pieces of glebe in the area. `The Chappell yarde' is described as containing 3 rods and abutting glebe lands to the north and south. Another piece containing by estimation 2.5 acres abutts `the Kings hegh waigh leading from Hadly towards Ipswich towards the north and the other head abutteth upon the gleabe called Chapple yard towards the south'. It appears to be the case that these two pieces listed in 1635 were joined together at a later date, to become `Chapel' on the 1837 tithe. The southernmost dog-leg portion of this enlarged field, being about 3 rods in size, is the likely location of the church site (S5).
July 1996: Relocated from TM 125 430 to TM 1259 4294 (after S2-S5).
Further (unchecked) references to Felchurch exist at the National Archives (ref E.40/423) and in Rev Edmund Farrar's 'The Redgrave Hall Muniments, 1924, p375, no 497). A further reference by William Sergeant 1992 mentions the bridge of Goddesford in the parish of Felchurch, and Dungeacroft (email from Anthony Breen - details in parish file).
2022 identified in evaluation (awaiting details)
See also WSH 008.
Parish boundary changed from Washbrook to Pinewood.