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After the greater part of this
History had been printed, it was discovered that the family was mentioned
in the Court Rolls of Monks Eleigh, Suffolk, which belong to the Ecclesiastical
Commissioners, and are kept at the Public Record Office in London. The
manor of Monks Eleigh, which is 3½ miles from Lavenham, is the property
of the Dean and Chapter of Christ Church Cathedral, Canterbury, and in
the old days was administered for them by the Prior of the local monastery.
Thorough search has been made of these rolls
and also in the library of Canterbury Cathedral, ( Though we cannot absolutely prove that we are descended from these Wendecoles, I cannot think there is any reasonable doubt. We find them living at Swingledon Green, at Wincoll's Hall, which is barely 2½ miles from Nether Hall, Little Waldingfield; not a very big move. We see the name passing from Wendecole in 1361, to Wyndecole in 1420, and Wyncolles in the Terrier and Wincolles in the "Rental of Monks Eleigh, 1544." Moreover the christian name throughout is "John," as in the cases of John Wyncoll "A," his eldest son "Black" John and his eldest son John "The Rich" who had no son. We first find the name mentioned in the rolls in 35 Edward III. (A.D. 1361) where John Stowe appears for licence to agree with John Wendecole on a plea of trespass. There are only two earlier rolls legible, viz., 26 Edward III. and 33 Edward III., but the name does not appear in them. There is no legible roll from that on till 40 Edward III. (1366) where we find John Wendecole a taster of bread and ale and also an Afferor. He is mentioned in the same offices in the following year. In 42 Edward III. (1368) John Wendecole is a Chief Pledge. In 46 Edward III. (1372) he becomes possessed of Kynggesfen, which entry is confirmed in Register "B," Canterbury Cathedral Library, and is again Chief Pledge, as he is in the following year 1373, the Roll for which is very imperfect. There is no legible Roll after this till 1 Henry V. (1413) and I think the John Wendecole of 1361, 52 years before must have died, or he would he a very old man, and would hardly have been fined for an assault as a John Wendecole was in this year. This year John Wendecole was fined for not attending the Court, and John Wendecole the younger for not flushing his ditch. In 7 Henry V. (1419) John Wendecole the elder is mentioned and John the younger purchases land. On 8 Henry V. (1420) John Wendecole the elder (I think the second one) has died lately and John the younger is named as an executor of his will, and John Wendecole both elder and younger are named as Chief Pledges. There is a big gap in the Court Rolls after this date, and we can gain no further information from them. From the "rental of Monks Eleigh 37 Henry VIII. (1544)" we find that Thomas Sprynge then held Wyncolls. The "Terrier" tells of what lands it consisted. |
