Norfolk Hundreds

White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk 1845

LAUNDITCH HUNDRED

[In the original this is LAUNDICTH]

Is of an irregular, quadrangular figure, averaging about 12 miles in length and breadth, and bounded on the north by Gallow, on the east by Eynesford, on the south by Mitford and South Greenhoe, and on the west by Freebridge-Lynn Hundred.

It is a highly cultivated district, rising in some places in bold and picturesque swells, with many thriving plantations and handsome mansions, and watered by the Wensum, the Nar, and several smaller streams, which rise within its limits. It takes its name from a long ditch and bank extending from Wendling-car to the low lands near Mileham, and supposed to have been made for the purpose of carrying off the drain water. At the point where this ditch crosses the Norwich road, the Hundred court was anciently held.

Launditch, (with the exception of Colkirk and Hoe,) forms the Deanery of Brisley, in the Archdeaconry of Norwich. The Launditch Society for encouraging good conduct, industrious habits, &c. among servants and labourers, holds its annual meetings for awarding prizes, &c. at Litcham, in October.

Petty Sessions for Launditch Hundred are held at Litcham, on the first Wednesday, and at North Elmham on the third Wednesday of every month. Mr. Charles Wright is clerk to the magistrates.

This Hundred contains thirty-three parishes, of which the following is an enumeration, shewing their population in 1841, the annual value of their lands and buildings, as assessed to the County Rate in 1843, and their territorial extent, in assessable acres.

[There is more information about individual parishes]

* DILLINGTON is a hamlet in East Dereham parish, but in Launditch Hundred. (See page 310 [East Dereham section].)

+ Gressenhall return includes 242 persons in the Union Workhouse.

! Beeston & Bittering Parva are ecclesiastically separate parishes, but united for the support of the poor.

@ Litcham return included 25 visitors attending theraces.

The whole Hundred is in MITFORD AND LAUNDITCH UNION, which has its Workhouse at Gressenhall, and is already noticed at page 307 [this is in Mitford Hundred description]. It is in Dereham, Castleacre, and Briningham Police Divisions. Its population, in 1831, was 12,579; and its annual value, as assessed to the PROPERTY TAX, was £59,165, in 1815, and £86,938 in 1842.

Notes

Some placenames in the transcription (of pages 326 to 327) above are given below together with their standard spelling :-
Beeston/"Beeston next Mileham" or "Beeston cum Bittering", Bittering/Bittering Parva, Bilney (East)/East Bilney, Dillington ham./Dillington hamlet, Dunham (Great)/Great Dunham, Dunham (Little)/Little Dunham, Elmham (North)/North Elmham, Fransham (Great)/Great Fransham, Fransham (Little)/Little Fransham, Kempstone/Kempston, Lexham (East)/East Lexham, Lexham (West)/West Lexham

** This should say "Beeston". The "All Sts." is an error.

For more information see :-

• General description and layout of Hundreds.
• Other hundred descriptions from White's 1845.
• Bittering Magna was formerely a parish lying between Gressenhall and Beetley.

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Copyright © Mike Bristow.
June 2016