Worlington Scales (aka “Tyndalls”)

Worlington is a small village on the south of the River Lark, one mile west of Mildenhall.

According to the Domesday Book the only holding at that place when it was surveyed was that of Ormer, and consisted of 60 carucates of land, 16 villeins, 6 bordars, 2 serfs, 2 plough-teams in demesne and 4 belonging to the men, 12 acres of meadow, 2 fisheries and a mill. There was also a church without land, a horse, 20 beasts and 80 sheep (which were increased to 100). The value was formerly £6 and at the time of survey £8. It was 11 quarentens long and 6 broad and paid in a geld 20d. The Domesday tenant was Frado, the Abbot’s brother. (Dom. 11, 355.)

According to Copinger (Vol. IV, p. 215) after Ormer the Manor was vested in Agnes de Revell, from whom it passed in the time of Henry II to her daughter and heir, Agnes. She was married to Roger de Scales, fourth Baron. He was in the expedition into France in 1372 and upon the breaking out of the insurrection under Jack Straw he was one of the persons whom the insurgents seized and compelled to march along with them.

In the 15th Century the Scales possessions were divided and this Manor was allotted to Sir William Tyndall, hence its alternative name. By an inquisition taken in 1568 it was found that Henry Payne, late of Nowton died seized of the Manor.

The earliest of the records to be handed over to a purchaser on completion shows a General Court Baron held on 5th June, 1733 for Bernard Bolen, his Steward being John Turner. The custom of descent on intestacy in this Manor was to the eldest son and the fines payable by a tenant on alienation, or by a successor under his will, were “arbitrary”, i.e., two years’ annual value as opposed to “fines certain”, which were based on twice the annual quit rent. The tenant John Godfrey, under the will of his father, was £33 10s. 0d. The entry also records that: “Because the said John Godfrey was within the age of 21 therefore the Lord of this Manor did by the hands of the said Steward commit the guardianship of the said copyhold lands and tenements to Vine Godfrey, his mother, as well as of the person of the said John Godfrey until he shall attain the age of twenty-one years.”

On 10th October, 1745, was held the General Court Baron of John Swale, his deputy Steward being James Goodall. At a Court held on 2nd October, 1759, the Stewardship had passed to Thomas Swale Junior. In September, 1772 John Swale Junior had become Lord of the Manor and his Steward was John Swale Senior. There was another Court in 1775 when the Lord and Steward were the same. This curious change of Lord and Stewardship was possibly the result of a family arrangement.

At a General Court Baron held on 31st December, 1810, at which William Isaacson was Steward and William Poulter and William Ship were the Homage, the third proclamation was made for the heirs of Francis Diggons whereby “the Lord of the Manor was then without a tenant for the said copyhold premises therefore a warrant of Seizure was ordered to the Bailiff of this Manor and Minister of this Court to seize the said lands of the said Lord as forfeited for want of a tenant”. Very often, at the next Court, it was recorded that there was a regrant to the tenant of the seized land when payment of the fines and fees were properly payable.

On 7th November, 1821, was held the first General Court Baron of George Gataker before Cotton Isaacson. At this Court it appeared that at a Court held on 30th March, 1758, Joseph Taylor had been admitted under the surrender of Martin Challis to “All those 3 acres of customary arable land lying in six several pieces in the small Common fields of Worlington aforesaid formerly Webbs…” and also other lands and tenements in Bernars Common rights in Warblington and in the Cow Heath, Heath Leys and common pasture. In the meantime the said Joseph Taylor had been entitled to an Act for dividing and allotting the whole year of common, half year and shack lands, common meadows, Heath, Warrens and Waste within the parish of Worlington in the County of Suffolk.

At a General Court Baron of George Gataker held on 21st November, 1825, before Wootton Isaacson it was recorded that Henry Coats and John Copping were sworn Constables of the Parish of Worlington until the next General Court Baron or until others should be appointed.

At a Court held on 4th November, 1839, Samuel Ricke was appointed Pindar and duly sworn in open Court accordingly. Enrolled, or rather pasted on the fly-leaf of the Court Book for the period 1733–1839 is a Perambulation of the Fishery which appears to have belonged to the Manor since the Domesday survey. It reads as under:

27th May, 1822

We the undersigned did on the above Day with George Gataker Esquire Lord of the Manor of Worlington Scales alias Tyndalls, go to the Boundary of the Fishery belonging to the said Manor, beginning at a Ditch dividing Worlington and Freckenham boundaries about 333 yards beyond West Row Ferry, such Ditch being in line with a Plantation called Worlington Hare Park—and proceeding upwards through the Staunch called the Great Staunch to a Ditch dividing the Grounds of the Lord of the Manor and the parish of Barton.

Signed,

Will. Isaacson Richd. Warren Saml. Watson

There was a second Manor in Worlington which went by the name of Worblington Abergavenny alias Bergavenny and in 1853 it was vested in the Marquis of Bristol.

The records to be handed over on completion are as under:

Court Book, 1733–1839 (Suede bound). Court Book, 4th November, 1839–20th October, 1886 (Vellum bound). 12th November, 1873: Enfranchisement Agreement between Richmond Tupper and James Reeve.

The Vendors will convey as Trustees for Sale, and the title shall commence with a mortgage dated 8th April, 1907.

Rights, customs and incidents

At this Court it appeared that at a Court held on 30th March, 1758, Joseph Taylor had been admitted under the surrender of Martin Challis to “All those 3 acres of customary arable land lying in six several pieces in the small Common fields of Worlington aforesaid formerly Webbs…” and also other lands and tenements in Bernars Common rights in Warblington and in the Cow Heath, Heath Leys and common pasture.
Enrolled, or rather pasted on the fly-leaf of the Court Book for the period 1733–1839 is a Perambulation of the Fishery which appears to have belonged to the Manor since the Domesday survey.
We the undersigned did on the above Day with George Gataker Esquire Lord of the Manor of Worlington Scales alias Tyndalls, go to the Boundary of the Fishery belonging to the said Manor, beginning at a Ditch dividing Worlington and Freckenham boundaries about 333 yards beyond West Row Ferry, such Ditch being in line with a Plantation called Worlington Hare Park—and proceeding upwards through the Staunch called the Great Staunch to a Ditch dividing the Grounds of the Lord of the Manor and the parish of Barton.

The Domesday holding at Worlington was held by Frado, described as the Abbot's brother, under the earlier holding of Ormer. According to the supplied Copinger-based account, the manor later passed to Agnes de Revell and, in the time of Henry II, to her daughter and heir Agnes, who married Roger de Scales. In the fifteenth century the Scales possessions were divided and Worlington Scales was allotted to Sir William Tyndall, giving rise to the alternative name Tyndalls. An inquisition of 1568 found Henry Payne, late of Nowton, seised of the manor. Later recorded lords or persons described as lords include Bernard Bolen in 1733, John Swale in 1745 and later courts, John Swale Junior by 1772, and George Gataker from 1821 through the nineteenth-century court records.