Robert de Thorpe

  Information about this person:

• Background Information. ¹⁴¹
Robert de Thorpe, son and heir, held lands in Ashwellthorpe, Massingham and Fundenhall, Norfolk, Sharpenhoe, Beds, and Cotton, Suffolk, in 1267. He married Maud, whose parentage is uncertain*. He died before 20 Jul 1304, when his widow was holding the manor of Sharpenhoe for her life. She died 28 October between 5 July 1307 and 1 May 1316.

~Cokayne's Complete Peerage, 2nd Edition, Vol. XIIA, p. 718

* According to Blomefield and Copinger, Maud was niece of Richard de Eyre, Rector of Fundehall, Norfolk temp. Henry III. By fine (1277-78) Richard de Eyre conveyed lands in Tacolneston, Norfolk and Fundenhall to Robert, son of John and Maud his wife.

• Background Information. ¹²⁴⁷
Robert Fitz-John de Thorp succeeded Sir John de Thorp, who in King Henry the Third's time, 1236, was one of the resident Barons of the Exchequer, his countryman, Master Hervy de Belet, being then Chief Baron, Richard de Eye, rector of Fundenhale, released to him and Maud his wife, his niece, all his right after his death, to Sir Philip de Eye, his brother, in his manors and lands in Horham, Hoxne, Stradbrook, &c. in Suffolk; and Sarah de Halmo, Richard son of James Suddimere, and Philip de Braseworth, released all their rights in Horham, Titshall, Fresingfield, Fundenhale, and the mediety of the advowson of Fresing field; and Robert de Hemenhale conveyed to them all his tenements in Norwich, which he purchased of the prioress and nuns of Haliwell, for a gold ring given to the said Robert; he was lord of Hapton, and bare chequy or and gul. a fess erm. In 1266, King Henry III. confirmed to Robert son of John de Thorp, free-warren in all his demeans here, and in Massingham and Fundenhale in Norfolk, in Cotton in Suffolk, and Sharpenhowe in Bedfordshire, by his charter dated at Cambridge Apr. 7, in the 51st year of his reign. This Robert, in 1264, had several manors, lands, &c. confirmed to him, by Robert son of Sir Richard Nerford, Knt. of Wreningham, in Wreningham, Thorp, Fundenhall, Hapton, Flordon, Ashwell, and Tacolneston. In 1271, he was impleaded for erecting a gallows at Ashwell Thorp, when the manor never had that liberty, which he took down again; but had then free-warren, view of frankpledge, assize of bread and ale allowed to the manor in Eire. It seems Margery Creke his mother, was alive in 1274, and had an annuity out of the manor: in this year Robert Fitz-John was sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk. In 1282, he had another charter for freewarren in his manors of Horham, Hoxne, Wytton, and Stradbrook in Suffolk, and in Wreningham, Bunwell, and Fundenhall in Norfolk. In 1284, he was allowed the liberties of a gallows, pillory, and weyf, in this manor.

~An Essay Towards a Topographical History of the County of Norfolk: Vol. V, pp. 142-163

Robert married Maud de Eye, daughter of Sir Philip de Eye Knight and Unknown ¹⁴¹.^,160