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Almost as numerous as the Yorkshire and Durham Farrers, and equally as difficult to sort out, are the 'Farrours' who lived in Norfolk. W. Rye, the author of Norfolk Families discovered this and wrote: As these names are absolutely indistinguishable in early day, I will deal with them together till they separate into the families of Ferrier of Hoo, Wendling, Norwich and Yarmouth. Henry de Ferriers received 211 manors in Norfolk after the Norman conquest and some families who lived there may be his descendants. Robert de Ferriers held land in West Rudham towards the end of the 12th century and this remained in the possession of his offspring for more than a hundred years. During in the following centuries, other families became established in nearby villages, all situated to the North-West of Norwich: Sculthorp, Attleburgh, Hoo (or Hoe), Deopham, Wendling and Gressenhall. One main branch were lords of the manor of Herefords or Harfords in Gressenhall. They were sufficiently important to have a chapel in the local church named after them which became known as Ferriour's Chantry. John Ferrour of Wendling made his will in 1483 and directed that a priest should be sent from Gressenhall to Rome to sing masses for his soul. He left money for the repair of the buttresses and bells, money to buy bread for his tenants and gave legacies to Norwich cathedral, the monks of Thetford, friars of several houses, the prioress of Carhow and to lepers. Other families prospered and settled in the city of Norwich. William Ferrour of Deopham was admitted a freeman in 1348, Richard Ferrour, Sheriff in 1468, and Mayor in 1473, 1478, 1483, 1493 and 1498. William Ferrour was Sheriff in 1483. Richard, a dyer by trade, lived in St Michaels Coseany, a house by the river having a garden on the other side of the steam. He had land at Guist, Wood Norton and Beeston. Out of seventeen freemen of Norwich named Ferrour (or similar) in the 15th and 16th centuries, two were scriveners, two traded in fish, one was a shoemaker and the rest were either weavers, dyers, listers, cordwainers or drapers. Robert Ferrier, son of John Ferrier of Hoo, moved to Norwich and became its mayor in 1536. His descendants prospered from the wool trade in Great Yarmouth during the 17th century. Ferrour, Ferrier and Ferror were spellings often used by the Norfolk families. In many cases, by the mid 17th century, it had become Farrer. The Gressenhall branch use Arms which consisted of a silver shield and a black lozenge between three black horseshoes. William Ferrour, Citizen and Alderman of Norwich used similar to those of the Ferrers who were Earls of Derby in the 13th century. However, to signify a difference a `chief' was added with three eagle's heads. The churches at Gressenhall and Wendling have survived, but disappointment lies in store for those wishing to visit other buildings associated with these early Norfolk families. A number were destroyed when the villages were taken over by the Military and used as training grounds. Farrars from Norfolk are credited with being the first Farrar settlers to arrive in New England, USA. John Farrow arrived there from Hingham with his wife Frances and one child in 1635. He was amongst a large party who arrived in Massachusetts and established a community called Hingham named after the Norfolk town. It lies 19 miles SE of Boston and in later years the making of iron tools and nails, textiles and fishing were amongst its industries. References: |
