Evidence

Blomefield: the Gurney-held West Barsham living, its 1603-1743 institution gap, and the excluded Norfolk livings

Blomefield's parish histories locate the 1627 presentation on the West Barsham side. At West Barsham (vol. vii, pp. 42-47) the Gurneys held the vicarage advowson - 'In 1603, Leonard Metcalf occurs vicar, and certified 420 communicants; patron then, Henry Gurney' (Henry G15) - and the printed vicars list records no institution between 1603 and 1743, so a c.1627-28 presentation of Warford there is invisible in Blomefield; a competing Fermor advowson interest is also on record (William Fermor lord 'with the advowson' in 1627). The two other Gurney-associated Norfolk livings are excluded for 1627: Harpley (vol. viii, pp. 452-459) was held 1620-1648 by Edmund Gurnay B.D. under Sir William Yelverton, its advowson long out of the family, and Great Ellingham's one institution in the window (7 Nov 1628) was an Earl of Sussex presentation. West Barsham - where the heir Edward was in ward - is therefore the leading candidate for the presentation, with the Crown the likely patron of record during the minority whoever held the advowson in fee.

Confidence: Moderate

Date: 1603-1628 (West Barsham advowson; the 1627-28 institution window)

Topic file location: Origin — wardship and patronage network