The location of this lordship appears (by some ditches and entrenchments cast up) to have been on the utmost western limits of the fields of this city, a little bit to the south of Langwade-Cross, the pedestal of which remains to be remaining, by the street that leads over the long wade or passage over the river, adjoining to the bounds of Goderston, which wade gave name to the Langwades, and to the cross additionally. Roger de Pavely, of whom we’ve got before made mention, in his grant of tithe to Castleacre or Lewes, (Castleacre being a cell to Lewes,) calls it the chapel of St. Edmund. Sir Edmund de Pakenham was lord in the 8th of Edward II. West Derham in Norfolk; and in the fifteenth of Edward I. the Abbot of West Derham (as I’ve above noticed) held an 100 acres of land, a freefald, &c. Rohesia his wife settled, by a wonderful then levied, this manor on themselves for life, remainder to Robert son of Edmund in tail, remainder to the suitable heirs of Roesia; by this it seems to have been her inheritance, and probably she was daughter and heir of Valoyns; and within the 17th of that King, the aforesaid Edmund de Pakenham, Henry de Aula, and Peter Tirrel, had been discovered to carry one price of the barony of Montchensy, which at that time, by descent, belonged to Aymer de Valence Earl of Pembroke; but in the 16th of Edward III.
Within the reign of Edward I. the chief part of this manor appears to have been within the possession of the Valoyns, or Waleyns, held of the Montchenseys; William Lord Montchensey, held here and in Foxley, within the 8th of that King, two knights fees of the honour of Richmond, and paid 20s. per annum to the castle-ward there, and the stated two manors were then prolonged at 45l. per annum; and within the fifteenth of the stated King, Sir William Waleyns was found to be lord, and to have free warren in his area lands here, and the assize of bread and beer, weyf, &c. Within the time of Edward I. this rectory was valued at 32 marks had a manse with forty acres of land belonging to it, the Peter-pence paid were 15d. The church of St. Edmund, is claimed to be a motherchurch, and the eldest, to which a mediety of the township belonged; and at the moment there have been burials there, but no baptism; and was previously the parish church of all the township, and had 100 acres of land; at that time it had a tower, or belfry, with 2 bells, and a couple of altars, apart from the principal altar, and was referred to as a chapel, improperly, by some negligent rector; but it seems from the Register of the abbey of Lewes, &c.
About this time, 1499, September 13th, Robert Tassell, of this city, by will wishes to be buried in the churchyard, leaves to the hey altyr for oblations and tithes not paid 6s. 8d. to the reparations of the church 40s. to the Trinity Gild here 4 bushels, of barley; to the White Fryers of Lyn, 4 bushels of barley; to the Grey Fryers there 4 bushels, &c.; to the Fryers Preachers there, 1 bushel; to the Awston Fryars there 1 bushel; and to a priest to pray on hoyl yer eight marks. William Earl Warren, who died in 1141, confirmed to the priory of Castleacre, the tithes of Wimer his sewer, of his demesnes here. Two freemen, and after them, Ralph Earl of Norfolk, held within the Confessor’s time, lands here; on the survey it was in the King’s hands, (the Earl having forfeited it for his rebellion,) and was managed for, or farmed of, the King by Godric, it having 4 carucates then in domain, now two, 6 freemen, 2 mills, and was one mile lengthy, and one broad, valued once at 6l. afterwards at 4l. and then at 5l. and paid 14d. to the gelt. Do your work, then step again.