New Archive Data

Going over the Archive records I've found records  haven't seen before.These are now on nons. As the last two Blogs have shown, there are more Needham lines than I thought -  more on that soon

Calendar of Close Rolls

Close Rolls. As part of a review of medieval records the Hundred Rolls, the Feudal Aids, Book of Fees and Close rolls have been re-looked at; new entries have been found. Because of this The Close Rolls have now been given a new page on nons. These rolls run from 1199 to 1468.

The Close rolls are a series of administrative records created in medieval times by the Chancery, consisting of 'letters close' (sealed by application of the Great Seal, so only the recipient could read their contents). The first Close Roll was started in 1204 in the reign of King John and although the contents of these rolls were of a personal nature, they could deal with matters of great importancee. The rolls are available on line with earlier rolls being in Latin. Thanks to my cousin and Google translate I can read them

The Hundred Rolls found Adam de Nedham in St Albans. The Close rolls show he took a number of people to court because they owed him money; his last entry is 1302. He appears to be quite an important person being a Berger of St Albans. He died in the first decade of the 14th century with his son Luke as his heir. It would appear that he had a second son John who had to be looked after by the State. Further, records in the Feet of Fines shows Adam had a wife Emma in 1292 Where was Adam born and what happened to his descendants is the question?

The Close rolls also identify a Richard Nedham a citizen and mercer from London. At some stage he was also a Sheriff of London (1460). He first appears in 1445 and is still going in 1465

The third Needham in the Close Rolls is John Nedham who was a judge (1452-1460)

In addition there was a Thomas Nedham from Derbyshire, a Richard Nedeham from Kent, John Nedam from Shenton and Richard Nedham from Staffordshire

Adam de Needham

In the Hundred Rolls of 1275 there is reference to Adam de Nedham of St Albans, when a bailiff took money from him during interrogation(1) One wonders why and for what reason was he been interrogated. It also raises the question of where Adam came from, what roll he has and what happens to his family line?

Well we have some answers. In 1259 an Adam de Nedham is appointed a burger of St Albans (2). Further in the Calendar of Close calls beween 1288 and 1302 an Adam de Needham is acknowledge to be owed considerable monies froma range to people from knights to land owners whose lands stretched from Westmoreland to Northampton, Essex and Suffolk/Norfolk. The 1302 entry includes his  son Luke. While in 1318 a John de Needham brother of Luke is mentioned. Thus it would appear that Adam dies after 1302 and has two sons John and Luke
An Adam de Nedham is also mentioned in Feet of Fines. In 1292 Adam de Nedham has a wife Emma mentioned in a Plea of Covenant
However, there are three further entries in the Feet of Fines records for Adam de Needham dated 1311, 1318 & 1333. in the two earlier records Adam is described as a clerk. Because of this and the dates I believe this is a second Adam probably the son of the first Adam de Needham. Time will tell
1. Rotuli Hundredorum vol 2 p192
2. Monachi Sancci Albani, Chronica Majora, Matthew Paris, Ed H R Luard Vol 6, p 422 & 432

Derbyshire Charters & Hundred Rolls

1. Derbyshire charters - I've updated the earlier data which will be consolidated into the Archive page when I've finished my review of medieval records

2. Had the Hundred Roll entries for Needham's translated:

•  1. Johes de Nedh’m – High Peak. Vol 1 p60: It is said that J de N, an associate of a certain Hubert, thief, later hanged at the castle, pledged/paid a fine of 5 marks to Thomas Folejambe, on behalf of his lord R<obert> Extraneus, in order to remain in his home town <i.e. not be exiled?> .............................. Likewise, Henry C<o>licus<?>  took from the said J de N one acre of meadow valued at 40 solidi, so that he would help him in his deliberation <court defence?>

• 2. Adam de Nedham – Hertford Vol 1 p 190: It is said that Symon Starlyng bailiff of the hundred of Doncaster<?>  took from Adam of N 40 denarii while he was under interrogation.

• 3. Johe de Nedh’m Com’ Derb’ Vol 2 p290:  <Earlier part of records describes a break-in/robbery at Bauquelle, presumably Bakewell>.Henry C<o>licus<?>  took from the said J de N while he was imprisoned one acre of meadow valued at 40 solidi, so that he would help him in his deliberation <court defence?>

• 4 Albrico de Nedham Com’ Cant’ Vol 2 p 493:Andrew Fitz Roger holding of the said vassal 2 acres of land paid annually to Albrico de Nedham 2 denarii.Roger Bercar  holding  1 acre of land of the same vassal  paid annually to Albrico de Nedham 1 denarius. Alan Alward  holding  1 acre of land of the same vassal  paid annually to Albrico de Nedham 2 denarii. Henry Bele  holding  1 acre of land of the same vassal  paid annually to Albrico de Nedham 1 denarius. Albicus <de Nedham> from the said Edmund 1 denarius for services rendered

• 5 Eustace Nedham Com’ Cant’ Vol 2 p 357:Likewise they <the Canonici> have <...> an acre of land in perpetuity as a gift <bequest?> from Eustace de N

• 6 Hug’ de Nedh’m Com’ Cant’ Vol 2 p 400; Hugh de N owns a messuage in Bernewell which he bought from Galfrus Carvar. GC bought it from Rado of Theviham<?>. R of Th bought it from Matilda, daughter of Peter Stote, who had inherited it from Peter Stote her father. Peter bought it from William C<o>licus<?> <...>. The said H de N gave the said R de Th 8 denarii per annum

Upgraded sheffield BBM

1. The Sheffield BBM pages were scruffy so I've cleaned them up!

Shropshire Needham's, High Needham & Early Needham's

1. Visited High Needham on foot today via Hurdlow and Crowdecote. Missed out Cronkston Grange

                                          Copyright Ordnance Survey

It was a beautiful day and the views of the surrounding countryside were magnificent. But these days are painfully few as you can see by the amount of moss on the walls in front of Needham Grange

 Needham Grange

High Needham Farm

2. Early Needham's 1274-1275

I was always led to believe that in the Hundred Rolls ( Rotuli Hundredorum Vol l &2)  there were mentions of two Needham's Johes de Nedh'm & Robert de Nedham  both living in Derbyshire. Francis Needham (1) refers only to the Needham family and quotes Tilley while Rainey refers to both Johes and Robert and gives two references (2).However, a closer examintion reveals that in the Hundred Rolls there five/six Needham's: Both Johes in the High Peak in Derbyshire and Adam de Nedh'm in Hertfordshire appear in Volume 1. However, in Volume 2 there is reference to four (three if you think Johe is a duplicate) more Nedham's. Three were in Canterbury, Kent viz Albrico de Nedham, Eustace de Nedh'm, Hug' de Nedh'm and Johe de Nedh'm was living in Derbyshire.Johes and Johe are probably the same person. BUT to date I haven't found a Robert linked to Derbyshire.

To be fair to Rainey he gives two  references for Johes & Robert. The first is the Hundred Rolls whilst the second  is  dated July 1305 from the 'Calendar of Early Mayor's Court Rolls' and refers to a Robert de Nedham who is either living in Herfordshire or more likely London

Shortly after the Hundred Rolls were completed Elias de Nedham is a witness on a land transaction at Hudlow and Earl Sterndale in the late 13th century, ( both Hurdlow and Earl Sterndale are close to High Needham), and Henry de Nedham is a witness to a similar transaction in Flagge (similarly Flagge is close to High Needham) in 1284 (3).

So it looks as if in the periods 1275-1300 we have a Johes, Elias & Henry de Nedham, living at or close to High Needham.  An Albrico, Henry & Hugh living in Kent and Adam living in Herfordshire. I'm getting the Hundred Rolls translated as they are in Latin so we shall see what that turns up.

1. History of Needam Grange: Francis Needham

2. Dictionary of British Surnames: P.H. Reaney

3. Derbyshire Charters - Jeaye


3. Shropshire Needham's
I've got BBM data which should be on nons tomorrow

Origins & correpondence

1. Origins: After correspondence with george M I've updated the Origins page adding a section on the derivation of the place name of Needham and  expanding the history of High Needham. It is much better now:

Derivation of the Place Name Needham (see note 1)

Thus having concluded that the basis for the surname Needham is locational then the drivation of the name must have come from one or all of the places called 'Needham' . The OS map has three places in England with Needham in it: Needham , Derbyshire; Needham, Norfolk, and Needham Market in Suffolk.
There are at least two theories (16) on the derivation of the place name Needham;

• "Needham" might have come from the Olde English pre 7th century elements 'ned' meaning need, with 'ham', a homestead or village; the name indicating a place that provided a poor living. A similar formation from the same period was the place called Hungerton, also meaning a poor or hungry village. See note 2
• According to thee Needham Historical Society, “Needham” might have come from the Anglo-Saxon and means “Lower Village,”(17) with nieder being Germanic for nether or lower, and ham signifying a village or hamlet, according to the Needham Historical Society. As has been pointed out by George Moore this has some  appeal because of the common use of Nether in place-names in both Hallamshire (Nether Hallam Bierlow) and in Hartington Parish, Derbyshire (the parish of High Needham) which had upper, middle, town, and nether quarters.

I'll leave others to decide which is correct

High Needham

.....................................
What of the history of Needham Grange. The first thing to say is that it is not recorded in the Doomsday book which probably means it was a farmstead and part of a larger settlement rather than a hamlet which may be an indicator of its earlier reason for its existence.
According to Francis Needham (13) the current owner of Needham Grange, the first time the Grange's existence is recorded is in 1244 and is referred to as Nedham (14). By 1541 it is known as Nedeham Grange. Maps are a good source of names as cartographers generally name places after consulting the locals. From 1577 to 1750 three map makers refer to Nedam Grange, while one mid 18th century map calls it Needham. Others refer to it as High Nedham in 1614 (14) and by 1817 as High Needham(15). On today's maps it is referred to as both Needham Grange and High Needham on the 1:25k map and as lonely High Needham on the 1:50k map
Nothing exists of the early Grange with the present building thought of as 17th century with a 16th century courtyard and evidence of medieval structures in adjacent fields,(13)
Nearby are Cronkston Grange and Pilsbury Grange which both belonged to the Cistercian Abbey of Merevale in Warwickshire at some stage. These Granges were farmed and provided a source of income for the Abbey although I have not seen any documentation detailing the size of these properties and when owned by the abbey. Some have suggested that Needham Grange may have been a farmstead of the larger settlement of Cronkston and owned by the Abbey prior to the Needham's taking ownership (13). However, the timings for this look wrong. The Cistercian order was formed in France in 1098, and arrived in England in 1128 (18). The Abbey at Mereville itself was formed in 1148 by Richard de Ferrers, Earl of Derby (19) . Additionally, at the beginning of the second half of the 12th century Roger Fitzwilliam de Stanton marries the heiress of High Needham and adopts the name de Nedham. Burke first dates the Needham's of Needham as 1155. This would suggest that during the 12th Century High Needham could not have been owned by the abbey. If all these dates are correct then Mereville was formed in 1148 (assume Needham Grange was associated with the Abbey at its formation). Ownership would then have had to have been transferred to a third party, they would have had to have died and the daughter (the heiress of the Manor of High Needham) met and married Roger Fitzwilliam de Stanton so that Burke could refer to the Needham's of Needham by 1155. The dates appear to be too tight, but I could be wrong.  It is feasible that Needham Grange was part of one of these properties (ie Cronkston or Pilsbury Granges) before they belonged to Merevale  monastry, which would thus explain why it was not mentioned in the Doomsday book; we need to understand ownership of Cronkston, Pilsbury and Needham Granges during the 12th century.

2. Correspondence
In error on photos attached to Sir John Needham (1569-1618) I forgot to put the source of the images. This has been corrected - Base Tree