THEXTONS
Lancelot Thexton memorial 1588
Four THEXTONS have been rectors of Trunch. The first was Lancelot (1525? - 1588) who was appointed as Rector in 1572. He was born in Yorkshire and studied Divinity at Cambridge University. Before coming to Trunch he held a number of posts in London, Suffolk and Norfolk and was the Chaplain to Edward V1. His will of 1588 indicates that he was married to Katherine and then to Alice and that he had the following children - Robert, Lancelot, Elizabeth, John, Henry, Alice, Rachel and Margaret, as well as bringing up a John GRYME, his godchild.
As was common for rectors at the time he was wealthy, owning property and land in Trunch, Knapton and Aylsham and leaving cash sums as legacies. He also seems to have been a bit of a tyrant - stipulating that if any of his children challenged the will they were to receive nothing! He left all of his books to his son Robert and it is believed that Robert succeeded him as the Rector of Trunch in 1589.
As was common for rectors at the time he was wealthy, owning property and land in Trunch, Knapton and Aylsham and leaving cash sums as legacies. He also seems to have been a bit of a tyrant - stipulating that if any of his children challenged the will they were to receive nothing! He left all of his books to his son Robert and it is believed that Robert succeeded him as the Rector of Trunch in 1589.
A mysterious memorial in Trunch church
Robert (1) ( ? - 1624) was Rector from 1589 - 1619 He also studied at Cambridge, where he was the room-mate of the playwright Christopher Marlowe, and some sources say that he met his wife Alice Hodilow there and lived there until his father died in 1588. It is believed that their son Robert was born in Cambridge, before they moved to Trunch, although I can find no record for it. Once here they had 3 more children - Thomas, Hannah and Agnes. Alice died in 1615 and Robert in 1624 and the memorial on the right is said in most sources to be for Lancelot's son Robert and his wife Ann, but in fact his wife was Alice, so it may be for them or for a later Robert - a mystery to be solved!
Robert (2) (? - 1660) was Rector from 1619 - 1649 Little information is available about this Robert although he did matriculate from Christs College, Cambridge in 1591. I cannot find any record of a birth, marriage or children so it seems unlikely that he was the father of Robert 3 who became Rector in 1660, although several sources suggest that he was.
The period from 1649 to 1660 was the time of the Commonwealth when there were no Church of England Rectors in Trunch, although Robert is recorded as Rector of Gimingham in 1650.
The period from 1649 to 1660 was the time of the Commonwealth when there were no Church of England Rectors in Trunch, although Robert is recorded as Rector of Gimingham in 1650.
Gimingham Church
Robert (3) (1622-1709) Rector from 1660-1709 was I think the son of Thomas, and grandson of Robert 1. Thomas (1590-1688) was at Cambridge from 1612-16 and was Rector of Gimingham from 1623 - 1650 but all of his 10 children were baptised in Trunch including a Robert in 1622.
Robert 3 also studied in Cambridge and with Bridget his wife had 9 children in Gimingham and Trunch. Bridget died in 1670 and in his will Robert only mentions a son Edward and a daughter Mary. It also seems as though he left land for future Trunch Rectors.
Robert 3 also studied in Cambridge and with Bridget his wife had 9 children in Gimingham and Trunch. Bridget died in 1670 and in his will Robert only mentions a son Edward and a daughter Mary. It also seems as though he left land for future Trunch Rectors.
After Robert's death the THEXTONS disappear from the Trunch records although Andrew was the clerk at Gimingham until at least 1711 and then a Rector in Essex until he died in 1721.
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