Priest Stephen Long

Vicar of Deopham 1556 – 1560¹.

It is believed that Stephen Long had been a “religious” – i.e. a monk – before becoming a priest².

Unbeneficed

By 1554 he had become rector of Systern (most likely Syderstone – next to South Creake, and which is in the Deanery of Burnham near King’s Lynn³). When the Catholic Queen Mary required that all clergy should be single and celibate, Stephen Long was “unbeneficed” from Systern, as recorded in the Book of Deprivations⁴ :-

Dns = Dominus = Lord
nup Rcōr ibm = nuper Rector ibidem = ‘lately Rector of the same place’ (i.e. Systern). (Thanks to Prof Diarmaid McCulloch for this translation.)
** indicates that the incumbent listed was not restored to his parish, although he may later have been appointed to another parish.

This entry is from the “Book of Deprivations” which lists clergy who lost their livings in 1554, after Mary came to the throne, because they were married. 360 priests lost their parishes in the diocese of Norwich – approximately a quarter. Many clergy took new roles having separated from their wives. They were also able to resume marital relations after Elizabeth came to the throne and the country rejected Catholicism again, returning to the Protestant ways established by Henry VIII. It may well be therefore that by the time Stephen Long took up the job of vicar of Deopham he was a married man (again).

The Book of Deprivations is consistent with Blomefield to the extent that Stephen Long was vicar of Deopham in 1560, but does nothing to substantiate the start and end dates of his appointment. The implication though is that he started at Deopham in 1560 rather than finishing in that year.

(Priest John Broughton was the vicar of Deopham at the time of these deprivations and accordingly was unbeneficed.)

Burial

Stephen Long was buried in Deopham churchyard in 1564; the following extract from the parish burials register records this event:

The transcription made by W.E. Daniel in 1889 of the above extract reads:

Marche the 8^th day was Steven Longe Vicar of Depham buried.

Notes

1. According to Francis Blomefield
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2. G. Baskerville: Married Clergy and Pensioned Religious in Norwich Diocese, 1555 Pt II; Pg 203, note 1. URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/552701
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3. Thanks to Dr. Nick Groves for this conformation.
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4. G. Baskerville: Married Clergy and Pensioned Religious in Norwich Diocese, 1555 Pt I; URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/552884
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Date	Change
9/10/23	Entry from burial register
15/1/23	Published