KENNINGHALL, a parish in the hundred of
GUILT-CROSS, county of NORFOLK, 3 miles (E.byS.)
from East Marling, containing 1273 inhabitants. The
living is a discharged vicarage, in the archdeaconry of
Norfolk, and diocese of Norwich, rated in the king's
books at £5. 17 1., and in-the patronage of the Bishop
of Ely. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, has a door
in the Norman style, and a large square tower at the
west end. There is a place of worship for Baptists.
The name of this place is derived from the Saxon words
Cyning, king, and Halla, palace; it having been the residence
of the kings of East Anglia, the site of whose
eastle is clearly visible. The demesne was granted by
the Conqueror to De Albini and his heirs, to be held by
service of chief butler at the coronation of the kings of
England. Here was formerly a weekly market, now disused.
On the site of the ancient palace was erected
the manorial residence, which was afterwards destroyed
by Thomas, Duke of Norfolk, who built a most magnificent
edifice to the north-east, with two noble fronts:
it was forfeited to the crown by the attainder of Thomas
Howard, Duke of Norfolk, in the reign of Henry VIII.
and given to the Princess Mary, who, as well as her successor,
Queen Elizabeth, often resided here: in the seventeenth
century .it .was taken down and the materials
were sold. The only remaining traces are a few bricks
in the walls of the houses in the village, bearing the
arms of Arundel and Howard.