NORFOLK

The earliest Cory recorded in the county was Geoffrey Cory in 1324 in the Patent Rolls. However, it is the line of Robert Corie that provides the earliest family tree in Norfolk. He travelled from Launceston to Norwich, which was at that time one of the most important towns in England. Robert purchased land in 1399 and in 1403 he bought an estate in the village of Bramerton. The Hall was the seat of the Corys until it passed out of the Cory family after Thomas's son and the last heir died in 1682. As Thomas died without issue, the Bramerton estate was passed to his mother Ann Corbett's nephew, John Houghton.

Cory descendants visiting Norfolk particularly want to see Bramerton because of its very early Cory connections. (Table A1 Norfolk Corys.) In St. Peter’s church there is a Cory memorial in the form of a small brass plaque on the north side of the chancel. It is on the wall on the left of the altar rail and is in memory of Robert Cory, who died on 17 August 1629 "after long and tedious sickness of above four years continuance, which he endured with patience". He was 56 years of age and left a second wife, 6 sons and 2 daughters which he had by his first wife. At the quarter of the hour the church bells peal. Thomas Cory gave one of the bells in 1607 although this was recast in 1924. St Peter’s church is well worth a visit for its particular charm is in its air of simplicity. The font bowl in the church dates from the 14^th century and at least 20 Corys were baptised there between 1630 and 1730. As you step through the church door it almost seems as if the church has hardly changed from those early Cory years.

The Corie memorial on the right is in St. Margaret’s Church at Old Catton. It is very pretty church and its painted white interior is very striking. Catton church benefits from its connections to the Bignold family and through them the firm of Norwich Union, so it has been exceptionally well maintained. The memorial is a large white marble monument 1940mm high by 1200mm wide and can be found in the eastern end on the north wall of the north aisle. It is in memory of William Corie, son of Thomas Corie & Elizabeth Layer who married Judith Copping by licence on 17 November 1679. (Table A27 Norfolk Corys)

The inscription reads:-

His earthly remains here laid aside,
Wept over by his family but welcome to the saints,
And shining with eternal youthfulness,
With swift wing ascends to his ethereal home,
William Corie, Esquire, Scion of the noble house of Corie;
A man born for great things, if he had not desired greater,
But entrusted to the earth. The heavens call for him,
And nothing, alas, do they give in return.
He was, while on earth A most learned lawyer,
and (rare combination!) most just.
Faithful to God and to godlike Princes;
Cheerful in character and mild in his speech;
Sweet of manner, and imbued with integrity;
And (once and for all) the constant friend to the Church,
But his soul now free from its chains (not inconstant nor seductive, but a dweller with God)
Now received into its homeland by right,
Hears nothing but a joyful HURRAH;
And makes no sound or break save HALLELUIAH
Which, that one day you may accompany, Reader,
Now, now while there is still time, sing.
He died on 24th December in Year of our Lord 1686
In whose memory, with sobs, his inseparable (Oh if only) wife Judith Corie set this up.

Another interesting branch of Corys from the Bramerton line is the Kettlestone family who, between father and son, tended to the spiritual needs of the parish of Kettlestone for 96 years. Kettlestone is a pretty village 4 miles E.N.E. of Fakenham. James Cory MA (1733-1793) was rector of Kettlestone from 1766 until his death and then his son James took over. James Cory Jnr BA was one of 8 children all born in the rectory and he and his wife Jane Erratt had 17 children! The living was valued in K.B.at Ł10 in 1845. According to the records of the parish, the rectory seemed to have been in need of constant repair. Nearby on Kettlestone Common a gibbet stood on Fox Hill, where the last person executed there was hung in 1772. According to Mary Hardy, a noted diarist of her day, the body still hung in its chains yet the skeleton had hung there for 30 years. Small wonder that poor William Anthony was the last person to be hung at that spot!

Below the east window of All Saints Church are the graves of the Cory family. The imposing lych gate was erected by the Cory family in 1907 in memory of James Cory Senior and James Cory Junior and although damaged by German bombs in 1941 it was rebuilt in 1955.

Resources:
Cory Archives; White's Gazxeteer 1845;The History of Kettlestone with Pensthorpe by Donald Tuck.

Census Returns for 1841(4) 1851(5) 1861(6) 1871(7) 1881(8) 1891(9) 1901(10) at:-

Acle 10; Aylsham 4 5 6 7; Bacton 5; Beeston 5; Blofield 4; Bradestone 4 5; Brundall 6; Burnham Thorpe 4; Caister Next Yarmouth 10; Colton 5; Diss 4; Docking Workhouse 9; Downham Market 4 5; East Dereham 10; Edgefield 10; Erpingham 4; Fakenham 4; Freethorpe 4 5 6 7 8 9 10; Great Dunham 4 5 6 7 8 9 10; Great Yarmouth 4 5 10, Gorleston 10, Gresham 4 5 6 7 8 9, Hainford 5 7 8 10, Heacham 4 5 10, Hempton 5, Hilgay 4, Holt 4, Horstead with Stanninghall 10, Ingham 4, Little Dunham 5, Little Fransham 5, Kettlestone 4 5 6 7, Lingwood 4,
Norwich 10,: Eaton 5, Lakenham 5, St. Andrews 5, St Clements Within 5, St George Colegate 5, St Saviours 5,
Ormesby St Margaret with Scratby 10, Poringland 4 5, Runham 4 5, Sedgeford 5, Shotesham, All Saints 4, South Lynn 9, Stalham 5, Stoke Holy Cross 4, Stratton Strawless 4 5 6 7, Swaffham 4 5 10, Terrington St John 9, Weeting with Broomhill 4, Wiggenhall St Germans 4.

Suffolk Census Return for Ilketshall, St Andrews 1881