Lothingland

As explained in Chapter 2, the original grant of a market in Lothingland Half-hundred was made by King John in the year 1211 – three years after Great Yarmouth had received its charter of incorporation (March 1208) with specifically stated trading rights. With only Crown income in mind, the monarch either had no idea of the contention and strife these opposing privileges would cause or was unconcerned about them. No positive first-hand identification of the person, or body, to whom the grant was made has been found by the writer, but in at least one printed secondary source it is said to have been to the ‘men of Lothingland’, in return for a gift to the king of one palfrey (a small riding horse generally for women). Specific reference to the source of this information cites the Patent Rolls of 13 King John (May 1211 to May 1212), but the published reproduction of these royal grants and authorisations has the years 1209–12 missing. If the manor itself (together with its revenues) was wholly in the hands of the king at the time of the granting of market privileges, it is conceivable that he might have conferred this right in exchange for the lesser gift of a horse – be it a one-off payment or an annual one.

The term ‘men of Lothingland’ (if this was the term used of the grantees) probably referred to leading landholders in the half-hundred. The manor of Lothingland was a royal one which, in typical fashion, was leased to private individuals as a means of generating revenue for the Crown. It is recorded that from Easter 1199 onwards the estate was held by the brothers Geoffrey and Reginald du Bois (al. de Bosco) for an annual rent of £61 4s 0d, but there is no indication of their length of tenancy. It had presumably terminated before 1211, with full title returning to the monarch, in order for the grant of a market to be made to residents of Lothingland. The following year it was leased once again – to William de Longspée, earl of Salisbury (half-brother of John), who seems to have remained in occupation until his death on 7 March 1226.