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THE MUNDEFORDS OF FELTWELL.
(article four in the Moundeford sequence)

There were two brasses in St. Mary's Church which have disappeared; one to the memory of Adam Mundeford, who died A.D. 1463, and Esselina his wife; the other to the memory of Osbert Mundeford, son of the above Adam, who died A,D. 1479, and Elizabeth his wife. There is also a brass now on the south wall of the Chancel, to the memory of Margaret, wife of Francis Mundford, who died A.D. 1520. On the south wall of the Chancel is a monument with the effigies of Osbert Moundeford in armour, who died A.D. 1580, and his two wives, all three kneeling; one wife, presumably the first, kneels behind him, while in front, facing him, kneels the other. By the first wife, Margaret Townesend, he had one only daughter; by the second wife, Bridget Spelman, he had nine sons and five daughters. Above the figures in large letters is the Mundeford motto, Soyes loyall et foyall, i.e., Be loyal and faithful. There is also a monument with the effigy of Francis Moundeford in armour, who died without issue A.D. 1590.

The Mundefords of Feltwell were a younger branch of the HockwoId family, the above-named Adam being a son of Osbert Mundeford, of Hockwold.

According to the pedigree given in Rye's, Norfolk Families, no less than seven reigning Mundefords bore the name of Osbert. The fourth Osbert, by his Will, dated 4th October, 1456, bequeaths his body to be buried in Hockwold Church, before the Chancel door; he also bequeaths 6/8 a piece to, six churches which he names; and 7 marks, i.e., £4 13s. 4d., to the poor of Hockwold, Wilton, Mundford, Feltwell, Methwold, Northwold, Cranwich and Weeting for a feast at his burial. Seven marks in those days would represent a large sum of money.

The last of the Feltwell family was Sir Edmund Mundeford, M.P. for Thetford in 1628 and for Norfolk in 1640. He died without issue in 1643, and Feltwell is indebted to him for the parochial charity known as the Mundeford Charity.

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