Subseries V - Mutford cum Barnby and Wheatacre, Suffolk

In 1431-4 the rectory of Barnby, in the diocese of Norwich and the county of Suffolk, and in the gift of the Priory of Butley, Suffolk, was consolidated with the vicarage of Mutford; the College and the Priory having alternate presentations. The advowson of Mutford in the diocese of Norwich and the county of Suffolk had been purchased under agreement by William Bateman for Gonville Hall in 1354, and appropriated by the College. Rectorial revenues came to the College following its first presentation in 1361. In 1454 the advowson and the 3 roods of patronage land was given to the College in exchange for use of 1 College room for Butley. The College's right to present was challenged by the priory (see the lawsuit of 1470, as reported in The Caian, 1895, p.14), and as a result, between 1471 and 1583, there were separate presentations to Mutford and Barnby. In 1542 the right of alternate presentation to the advowson was claimed by the Crown, which had confiscated the lands of the priory.

By the sixteenth century, ownership of land at Barnby had become an annual rent-charge, which was last paid in 1628, and any claim to land was lost at enclosure. The rectorial glebe of Mutford was lost by 1624. In 1799, the land-tax payable by the rector of Barnby was redeemed by the College to improve the living. In 1800 under the enclosure award for the two parishes the rector was allotted 3 ares in lieu of common. In 1859 an exchange of land took place. In 1880 the College took all tithes for Mutford in return for repair of the chancel and free use of the parsonage house for whoever was resident curate, plus £100 per annum. In 1922 North Cove was added to Barnby. Between 1923 and 1954 the tithe rent charges for Mutford were to be redeemed by annuity. Between 1924 and 1959 the College still presented jointly to Mutford cum Barnby. In 1969 other parishes were added to Mutford cum Barnby to form a group ministry based in Rushmere. In 1983, following the removal of Mutford from the group ministry, all interest in Barnby was lost to the College.

In 1789 the living of Wheatacre in the diocese of Norwich and the county of Suffolk was consolidated with that of Mutford cum Barnby. The advowson of the Rectory of All Saints had been conveyed to the College in 1736 except for the next presentation reserved for the son of the donor. Following the consolidation a new parsonage house was built at Wheatacre for the resident curate there. In 1856 the living was separated from Mutford and held separately with a resident incumbent to 1922. In 1922 Wheatacre was united with Aldeby vicarage and the old parsonage house was sold (see Biographical History Volumes VI, p.559; VII, p.545). In 1960 Burgh St Peter was added to Wheatacre and Aldeby; and in 1966 Wheatacre became part of the Raveningham group of parishes.

(Further information regarding the Mutford, Barnby and Wheatacre estates is given in the Estates Chronicle, pp.5-6, 66-8, 97; and lists of presentations to the livings are given in the Biographical History Vols. V, p.26, 29-31; VI, pp.558-9; VII, p.545)