As stated in the Domesday Book, Sharrington became part of the King’s Manor of Holt and all taxes would have gone to the King. If there had been a previous Saxon Lord of the Manor, he is not mentioned.

When William became King of England, he did not relinquish his Norman and French possessions and, in the following years, this was the cause of almost continual warfare in France, as his successors defended or tried to extend their extensive holdings in France.

When Stephen became King in 1135, his succession was disputed and a terrible civil war and anarchy ensued in England between Stephen and The Empress Matilda, the widow of the German Emperor and her son Henry of Anjou, exacerbated by disaffected barons. The Anglo Saxon Chronicle says:

“…..for the land was all ruined with such deeds; and they said openly that Christ slept, and his saints.”

On the death of Stephen in 1154, Duke Henry became Henry II of England.

It is presumed that Sharrington’s taxes continued to be paid to the King until the Civil War but, in 1219, during the reign of Henry III, Hamon Fitz Peter was “petent”[1] and Gregory de Sharenton, “deforciant”[2], were involved in some legal proceeding, which resulted in a fine being levied on Sharenton.

In 1228, Peter de Sharington (note the change of spelling) “conveyed lands to Qliva, daughter of Alan, son of Jordan, and it appears that these lordships were in this reign in the Earls of Clare, who were the Capital Lords”.

So it would appear that before or during the reign of Henry III, the ownership of Sharrington had changed. There was, obviously, trouble in Sharrington, in fact, there was always trouble between the Norman Barons and the King and, no doubt, these troubles filtered down to the poor shepherds, farmers and villeins.

Peter de Letheringset was Lord of the Manor in the sixteenth year of Edward I, 1288.

John (Dawbney) de Broughton held the Manor

“……and in 1323 presented to this church, and in 1327 as lord of Scarneton, or Sharington, as the institution books testify”. [3]

Lord of the Manor in 1349 was Sir John (Dawbney) de Broughton’s son, Robert.

This is the first we hear of the Daubney family, who, were to hold the Lordship of Sharrington for over two hundred years.

By Peter Chapman 2000

Reference:

• Blomefield on Sharrington. An essay towards a topographical History of the County of Norfolk. London 1808

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[1] Possibly Patent, Patentee, one who holds a Patent, an official government document

[2] One who resists an Officer of the Law in the execution of his duty

[3] Copies of old documents, that refer to John Dawbney de Broughton headed “Dawbney. Harl. 1552”