| Sketch of Shelton Manor from a view of the mansion built 1480 in Shelton, Norfolk, England, by Sir Ralph [1] Shelton and his wife Margaret. It is said to have burned. |
The Sheltons of England were lords of many manors & estates. Sir Ralph [15] is the last of the lords of Shelton Manor in Norfolk County. The “[15]” means the fifteenth GENERATION OF LORDS of Shelton Manor. While estates were often handed down from father to oldest son or next son in line, this has not always been the case. Shelton Manor passed back and forth, for awhile, from one brother’s family to another. Sir Ralph [15] was the third son of Sir Ralph [14] to hold Shelton Manor. Author Kathryn Morris Brown explains about Shelton Village of Norfolk County, the church at Shelton Village and Shelton Manor. Brown provided the drawing of Shelton Manor in her book "The Sheltons". (BROW) Brown quotes the source in her book as an “Extract from MS in the British Museum, Vol. VI, Shelton, copied for Mildred Campbell Whitaker by F.P. Caesar Hawkins in 1925'.
A contemporary Shelton researcher points out that Ms. Whitaker (after publishing her books on the Sheltons) admitted in a letter to a Virginia journal that her English researcher misled her. To what extent I do not know; but most modern researchers agree that Whitaker’s work is flawed. The most glaring instance is that Sir Ralph who died at the Isle of Rhe died without issue. The account describes the manor’s interior taken from Shelton family records of Sarah, daughter of Maurice Shelton of the 17th century, which also included an inventory of the contents.
SHELTON VILLAGE: The village was in the Doomsday Book as Seelton. The family which assumed their surname from this parish (or vice versa) is said by W. Bloomfield to have been originally seated at Stradbroke (Stradbrooke) in Suffolk but an ancient MS, which formerly belonged to the family, asserts that the Sheltons had resided in this village of Shelton for 200 years before the Norman Conquest (1066). (It is also noted that the private record seems rather unsupported by historical evidence.)
CHURCH AT SHELTON VILLAGE: William H. Shelton in 1925 stated he spend a day and a night “at the present Shelton Hall which is a handsome house more than a hundred years old standing in one corner of the moat that surrounded the old Hall. … I found a fine old Norman Church, built by Sir Ralph Shelton and Margaret his wife about 1480.” He describes the grounds then adds, “The church is all Shelton … the stained glass windows are Shelton windows. The chancel is framed with Shelton tombs. On the right is the tomb of Sir Ralph (b 1315, d 1358) and his wife … the tomb of ten panels on the left side of the altar is the record of the marriage of Sir Ralph to the daughter of Sir William Wodehouse … The Doomsday Book has a record that a church existed at Shelton at the period of its compilations (1066) and of that 16 acres of glebe … of this edifice … not a trace remains.” There was a later structure, still built before 1500. About a particular stained glass window William H. continues, “Sir John Shelton, son of the founder, emulating his father’s piety, glazed the east window of the chancel and in it are represented the effigies of himself and his wife, Anne Boleyn, aunt to the Queen, in devotional attitude.” Sir Ralph (6), 14th Lord of Shelton Manor built the old Shelton Hall (a fortified castle) and St. Mary’s Church at Shelton, Norfolk. From Mr. Bloomfield we learn that “the brass effigy of this warrior Sir Ralph Shelton (d 1358) adorned the floor of Shelton Church but has now disappeared.” The figure was described as being in complete armor, having Sacacens head couped (an honorable memorial of the Crusades).
SHELTON MANOR: About half a mile eastward of the church Sir Ralph built, as a family residence, a spacious Manor House. (The site is now only determined by the hollows of the moat. In modern times, a farmhouse was there built, which retained the name of Shelton Hall.) There exists a drawing of the original mansion, taken in the reign of Queen Elizabeth which gives a most complete idea of the edifice. Also of great interest is documentation of an inventory taken about 1606, complete with estimated values, of this noble house. Names of the rooms included The Great Parlour, The Drawing Room next to Parlours, The Little Parlour, The Armory, The Library, The Picture Gallery. It is reported the whole house was profusely ornamented with stained glass. Indeed so few houses have we remaining of the date (Henry VIII) which retain anything of their original character, that this little sketch is regarded as of great value on that account. The final note says, “This noble house with the Park and Demisne was sold to Robert Houghton, Knight, the same who lies buried in the chancel, about 1606, probably soon after the inventory was taken.”
Of interest, ten years later, appears the following: “Agreement, 1616, May 20. 14 James I. 1 item: parchment; 35 x 60.5 cm. SUMMARY: Agreement between Henry Shelton of Carrowe in the county of Norfolk, esquire, and Sir Ralfe Shelton of Shelton in the county of Norfolk, knight, to the effect that whereas Sir Ralfe Shelton and Dame Dorothy his wife, Sir Charles Cornwallis and Dame Anne his wife, and the said Henry Shelton, by indenture pripartite of even date, covenated with Sir William Pooele, knight, and Sir Robert Killingrewe, knight, to convey to the said Henry and any future wife, in tail male, certain messuages and lands listed and named in Shelton and Hardwick in the said county, and now or late in the tenures or occupations of Margarett Dixon, John Lord, Ralfe Dawson, Ralfe Nevitt, Robert Butcher, Francis Dawse, Richard Tooley, Robert Trewe, and Ralfe Ward or of their heirs or assigns; this indenture witnesses that the said Henry grants to Sir Ralfe and his heirs peaceful enjoyment of the premises aforesaid for a term of 21 years for a rent of 240.” (Source: Harvard Law School Deeds Collection for Norfolk.)
Sheila Gibson ~ SpiritHawk
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Copyright © 2003 Ethereal World ~ 09 Sep 2003 10:00:00 GMT