Page:History of Norfolk 1.djvu/82

 and fined 4000 marks for his intolerable extortions. After this he retired hither, where he built a noble seat, surrounded with a large moat, which he continued round the orchards, park, and all his lands, the remains of which may be seen at this day; [1736;] but his greatest work was that subterraneous vault, or arch, now remaining, commonly called the Conduit, which was made with a double design, both for bathing and for a continual supply of water to these moats. It is situate about half a furlong SW. from the house, and is very remarkable, being arched over very strong, ceiled very smooth, and paved at the bottom; the mouth of it is about three feet wide, but when you enter beyond the rubbish which is thrown in, a man may fairly walk upright; it goes in a straight line about 30 or 40 rods in length, and near the further end is a large well, exceeding deep, beyond which there is a wall, and there the straight line of the vault ends. This well continually overflows, so that the water runs about a foot deep the whole length of the vault, occasioned by its outlet being almost stopped up with rubbish, or else it would not run above two or three inches in depth. When you have entered this vault about four rods, there are two mouths of other arches, one on the right hand and another on the left, from which the water continually flows into the great arch, so that the three currents have one discharge only; what is in these two I know not, for though the mouths seem large, the arches are not big enough for one to enter. Right over the well, in the close, is a hill, raised (as I take it) to determine the place where the well is; when the water runs out, it comes directly into a square bath, over which there was lately a bathing-house of brick, with a summer-house joined to it, the ruins of which still [1736] remain. Out of this the water runs into such another square bath, which was designed as a common one, it being never covered; from this is a small conveyance, which seems to have been arched over formerly, that leads directly into the moat that surrounds the orchard. Whether this water was heretofore remarkable for any medicinal virtue I know not, but if not, am apt to think that this overflowing spring induced him to settle here, a spring of any kind being very rare in this part, there being little water for use, but what comes from ponds and moats, which might be the reason he bestowed such a cost on it. The water is very cold, and in the extremity of frost never freezes, though the motion is but little. The people that come to see this place have pulled down most of the ruins, to throw into the vault to hear the sound, which is very great, and continues long. The meadow is called the Conduit Meadow, and is part of the estate of the Duke of Norfolk. [1736.]

In 1285, he had a charter for free warren in all his demeans here, and in Wilby in Norfolk, and Chedeston in Suffolk; about this time he added to the manor divers lands and tenements in this town, which he purchased of Robert, son of Roger Le Bretun, and had them settled on himself, and Maud his wife, and their heirs, all which  are specified in the deed enrolled in the King'sBench. I am apt to think that Sir Richard was son of Roger de Boyland, and Alice his wife, which Roger was dead before 1256, for