The Lordship is first known to have been the possession of Ralf Guader, Earl of Norfolk who was Lord during the reign of Edward the Confessor. After 1066 Ralf fled England and the manor was seized by William I who later granted it to William De Albany. The Manor was originally held by service of being Butler to the Kings of England on the day of their coronation.

​

Albany was therefore styled Pincerna Regis or King’s Butler. He constructed the first castle in Old Buckenham and founded Wymondham Abbey, a few miles to the North, in 1107. He was succeeded by his son William in 1139.

William fought for Stephen during the period of civil war in England known as the Anarchy and was raised to the Earldom of Arundel in 1138. He assisted in brokering a truce in 1153 which eventually led to the reign of Henry II and he served this king loyally for the rest of his life. He was known as William Strong Hand, a nickname earned through his reputation as a valiant and brave knight.

​

Old Buckenham descended with the Earls of Arundel for several generations. William was succeeded by his son, William and he was succeeded by his son William, the third Earl, who died whilst on after returning from Crusading in 1221. The Lordship then passed to William’s brother, Hugh a minor at the time of his brother’s death. Hugh died without a male heir and his vast fortune was divided between his four sisters.

​

His widow, Isabel, founded a nunnery at Marham in his memory. Old Buckenham passed to his eldest sister, Mabel, who was married to Sir Robert de Tateshale. Hayes father was a great benefactor of Buckingham Priory and the cannons of the Priory expressed their gratitude by altering the seal and including his arms. Robert continued his family connection with the Priory, granting the cannons liberty of foliage for 200 sheep with free pasturage, and 53 acres of arable land. He’s also recorded as holding the castle and the Manor by service of Royal Butler. He died in 1248, leaving his son, Robert, as his heir.

​

Robert stood firm at the side of Henry the third and his wars with the barons in the 1260s, and was besieged at Bukenham Castle by Sir Henry Hastings. He died in 1272, leaving the lordship to his son, Sir Robert de Tateshale.

In 1285 he held a view of frankpledge over the Manor, with the right of free warren (to keep game), gallows, a Saturday market, assize of bread and ale and It happened that the Queen of France, being then a widow, and a very beautiful woman, became much in love with a knight of that country, who was a comely person, and in the flower of his youth: and because she thought that no man excelled him in valour, she caused a tournament to be proclaimed throughout her dominions, promising to reward those who should exercise themselves therein, according to their respective demerits; and concluding that if the person whom she so well affected could act his part better than the others in those military exercises, she might marry him without any dishonour to herself.

 

Hereupon divers gallant men, from forrain parts hastening to Paris, amongst others came this our William de Albini, bravely accoutered, and in the tournament excelled all others, overcoming many, and wounding one mortally with his lance, which being observed by the queen, she became exceedingly enamoured of him, and forthwith invited him to a costly banquet, and afterwards bestowing certain jewels upon him, offered him marriage; but, having plighted his troth to the Queen of England, then a widow, he refused her, whereat she grew so much discontented that she consulted with her maids how she might take away his life; and in pursuance of that design, inticed him into a garden, where there was a secret cave, and in it a fierce lion, unto which she descended by divers steps, under colour of shewing him the beast; and when she told him of its fierceness, he answered, that it was a womanish and not a manly quality to be afraid thereof. But having him there, by the advantage of a folding door, thrust him in to the lion; being therefore in this danger, he rolled his mantle about his arm and, putting his hand into the mouth of the beast, pulled out his tongue by the root; which done, he followed the queen to her palace and gave it to one of her maids to present her.

 

Returning thereupon to England, with the fame of this glorious exploit, he was forthwith advanced to the Earldom of Arundel, and for his service he was given the rights to an annual fair, held on St Martins Day, November 11. The right to market and fair had been granted in 1275. Old Buckenham remained in the Tateshale family through several generations until the death of Robert de Tateshale, a minor, in 1310.

 

The Lordship was divided at this point between his three aunts. There follows a fairly involved descent of the divided lordship, the majority of which passed the Clifton family on the marriage of Adam de Clifton and Margaret de Caily, granddaughters of Sir Osbert de Caily who married Emma, one of the heirs of the last Robert de Tateshale. The other portion of the Manor eventually descended through the families of Driby, Orriby and Bernak and Cromwell before coming to Elizabeth, the daughter of the last Ralf Cromwell. She married Sir John Clifton.

 

He died without male heirs and the whole estate was then reunified on the marriage of his sister, Elizabeth and Sir John Knevet, who, at this time, held Buckenham Castle. The whole lordship and estate now descended with the Knevet family. His grandson, Sir William was attainted by the Parliament of January 1483, called by Richard III. He was charged with being a supporter of Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond and he was required to convey the Manor and Castle to the king. When Richard’s reign came to a bloody end at Bosworth in August 1485, Sir William was given back his estate and the Lordship of Old Buckenham. It passed to his son Sir Edmund, who had been present at Bosworth but he drowned at sea during a sea battle, the details of which are elusive. His son and heir, Sir Thomas, was standard bearer to Henry VIII and when Buckenham Priory was dissolved 1537, he received it and its estates.

​

His status in Tudor society was enhanced when he married Muriel, the daughter of Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk. Old Buckenham with its several manors and the family estates remained with the Knevets until 1649 when it was sold by Sir Philip to Hugh Audley for £18,508.10s. A year later Audley served as Sheriff of Norfolk but died without males heirs and settled his estate on his three sisters. Elizabeth, Alice and Sarah.

​

The manor was divided once more but the majority passed to the descendants of Sarah and her husband Robert Harvey, Comptroller of the Custom House. The remainder came to Ambrose Holbech. In 1755 the entire manor was united in the person of Meadow Taylor of Diss. The Manor remained in the hands of the Taylor family until it was sold by A H O Taylor to Lionel Robinson in 1914. The Robinson family held the title for three generations until 1987 when it was acquired by Terry Cracknell a local farmer who lived in the village. The current Lord is Rupert Rawcliffe, who acquired the title in April 2022. *Credit Stephen Johnson M.A

​

​

​

​