Thomas FENN [27793]

  General Notes:

Mike Fenn after further research in 2019 proposes that Thomas Fenne [27793] was born in Thorndon 4.4 miles from Kenton
and most likely died in Finningham 6 miles from Thorndon.

The first three generations of this Fenn family, of Kenton Suffolk, is a mixture of facts and conjecture, all that is currently known of the family members is published in their files. Further contributions of research are welcome.
Mike Fenn 2018.

Marriage possibly Kenton.

All Saints, Kenton, Suffolk
Kenton is a village in mid-Suffolk, 13 miles N of Ipswich. The nearest town is Debenham, 2 miles to the SW. The land here is the usual arable farmland of the East Anglian plain. A tributary of the Deben runs to the E of the village, and the church is in the village centre with the moated site of Kenton Hall, now a 16thc. building, half a mile outside the village to the S.

All Saints' church comprises a nave with S aisle and N and S porches, a chancel and W tower. The nave is of flint with a S doorway dating from the end of the 12thc. and a plain N doorway of the same period (not accessible). Both doorways are protected by flint porches: the N (now a vestry) plain and designed by Hakewill in 1871-72; the S more elaborate and 15thc. The nave windows, two on the N and one W of the porch on the S, belong to Hakewill's restoration, and he also lowered the nave roof slightly; the line of the old roof is visible on the tower wall. The S aisle is a two-bay brick structure built by John Garneys, Lord of the Manor, in 1520-22, as a chapel to St John the Evangelist. It occupies only the section of the nave E of the S porch, and can be entered from a doorway in the E wall of the porch. The flint chancel is by Hakewill (1871-72) in a 13thc. style and has two heavy brick buttresses at the E end and a reset plain 12thc. S doorway. The flint W tower is 14thc. with diagonal buttresses and a parapet with flushwork decoration of roundels. The church was restored by Hakewill in 1871-72. Apart from the S doorways to nave and chancel, there is a Purbeck marble font, probably 13thc. but included here.

History
A manor was held by Beorhtmaer, commended to Eadric, before the Conquest and consisted of 82 acres of ploughland, 2 acres of meadow and woodland for 12 pigs. Another 30 acres were held by two men before the Conquest; one commended to Beorhtweald, the other to Beorhtmaer, and a further 3 acres were held by three free men commended to Eadric. All of this was held by Robert Malet's mother from her son in 1086. Also listed among the holdings of Robert Malet in 1086 were a parcel of 30 acres held by Huna, a free man commended to Eadric before the Conquest, and a manor of 30 acres held by a free man, Wudu-Brun, commended to Eadric and held in 1086 by William Goulafre. This manor also contained half an acre of meadow and a church with 30 acres. A holding of 80 acres was listed under St Edmundsbury Abbey in 1086. This had been held by two free men from Durand, who held it from the abbot before the Conquest, and also included an acre of meadow and woodland for 10 pigs. A final holding, listed under the Bishop of Bayeux, was held before the Conquest by five free men, four commended to Ely abbey and the fifth to Saxi. This consisted of 30 acres, held in 1086 by Ralph de Savenay from Roger Bigod. In the late Middle Ages, the manor appears to have passed from the Ramseys to the Garneys before 1450, when Ralph Ramsey's daughter and heir Anne married Peter Garneys.

Debenham and Helmingham benefice, i.e. Aspall, Debenham and Kenton and Framsden, Helmingham, Pettaugh and Winston.

Searched by SRO 2018 unsuccessfully for Fenn references.
(1) Item C/3/10/2/5/4/14 Copies of court roll in respect of lands and tenements in Debenham, copyhold of manors of Crow's Hall with Woodwards, Debenham Butley, Kenton with Suddon Hall, and Scotnetts with the Haugh 1720 - 1851 Open

(2) HA193/D/1/17 Copy of Court Roll: Manor of Fleed Hall and Walthams Hall 8 Jul 1778 Open

  Research Notes:

Mike Fenn visiting Kenton in 2018 says: Visited the village and church. Kenton is in the middle of nowhere and reached from Ipswich by continuous z bends. Quiet flat country all arable fields and clearly a farming community. Very old church and very plain inside. Few memorials and apart from a record that a John Clodd was a church warden in 1714 nothing of interest. A fairly large cemetery with many large rectangular tombs but nothing old enough for our family.

Analysis of Fenn Land in 'neighbouring' Parish's to Kenton
As mentioned in various Fenn Wills and Grants
By Mike Fenn - 2018

Mileage from Kenton:
Bedfield - 2, Monk Soham - 2, Bedingfield - 2.4, Earl Soham - 3.2, Cretingham - 5.2 and Debenham 2.6

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Thomas Fenn (c1516- ?) Probably Kenton
No known will

Robert Fenn (c1520-1574) Probably Kenton
No known will

Robert Fenn (c1566-1639) Yeoman of Kenton
Extract leaves tenement and lands in Kenton to son John Full will now obtained.

John Fenn the elder (1607-1677) Yeoman of Kenton
Messuage and freehold in Kenton, Debenham, Earl Soham and land in Bedfield (Grant HD850/1/3/5)

John Fenn the younger (1640-1708) Gent of Kenton
Messuages houses lands tenements and hereditaments in Kenton, Monk Soham, Bedingfield, Earl Soham and Cretingham

Charles Fenn (1675-1745) Apothecary of Sproughton
Kenton and Debenham

Robert Fenn (1681-1749) - Yeoman (?) of Baylham and Offton Parish Officer 32 years
Messuage or Tenement with a Wind mill and the land and all edifices and all appurtenances thereunto in Great Bricett

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Bedfield - 2 miles from Kenton. Only two Fenne burials 1637 and 1638 (Nat. Burial Index)

Monk Soham - 2 miles from Kenton. No burials found (Nat. Burial Index)

Bedingfield - 2.4 miles from Kenton. No burials found (Nat. Burial Index)

Earl Soham - 3.2 miles from Kenton. Only one Fenn burial in 1724 (Nat. Burial Index)

Cretingham - 5.2 miles from Kenton. Only one Fenn burial in 1607 (Nat Burial Index)

Debenham - 2.6 miles from Kenton. Only six Fenn burials between 1638-1729 (Nat. Burial Index)
Christian Fenn bur St Mary 26 Dec 1657 dau Nathaniel
Christian Fenn bur St Mary 21 Jan 1661 wi Nathaniel
Nathaniel Fenn bur St Mary 10 Apr 1663
Thomas Fenn bur St Mary 27 Mar 1638 so Nathan
Mary Fenn bur St Mary 20 May 1704 wi Robert
Thomas Fenn bur St Mary 27 Nov 1710 so Mr Charles & Sarah
Sarah Fenn Bur St Mary 9 Nov 1729

Kenton - 24 Fenn burials 1551-1763 (Nat. Burial Index). Lack of Fenn burials in villages in which the Kenton Fenns owned land, the short distances from Kenton and known Kenton baptisms and marriages it seems reasonable to suppose that our family were probably living in Kenton prior to 1538

Kenton
18. Occupations:
1500-1549 1 yeoman
1550-1599 4 yeoman, 1 carpenter
1600-1649 5 yeoman
1650-1699 8 yeoman, 1 millwright, 1 cordwainer, 1 tailor
<https://heritage.suffolk.gov.uk/Data/Sites/1/media/parish-histories/kenton.pdf>

IRO Coppinger 1910
Vol vi Samford, Stow and Thredwastre
P222
Manor of Shelland
"…preserved amongst the Additional Charters in the British Museum, whereby Eleanor the widow of Sir William who had died in 1365, grants this manor together with others to…and William Atte Fen…

Manor of Drinkstone Hall or Lovayne's Manor
P262
Mention is again made of certain entries in the Additional Charters in the British Museum noting that a deed dated 10^th April 1386 grants land to a list of men including "William atte Fen"

Coppinger Vol v
Manor of Kessingland and Kingston's
P81
"It then passed to Hugh Atte Fenne in 1475".

Eibury or Erbury Manor
P289
"…her gracious majesty granted a lease of the manor to…and John Fenne, and by letters patent in 1556 annexed the manor to the Duchy of Lancaster."
It goes on to say
"Amongst the Chancery proceedings in the time of Queen Elizabeth we find a claim made under the lease by William Weakes and Ellin his wife, showing that John Fenne survived and bequeathed the lease to his children, one of who married the plaintiff Ellin, and by his will gave her the said lease"

Thomas married UNKNOWN [31845] [MRIN: 9827] circa 1538.