GENUKI: Norfolk: Mendham, Norfolk

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Kelly's Post Office Directory of Norfolk and Suffolk, 1865

MENDHAM is a pleasant village and parish, on the river Waveney, in Hoxne union and rural deanery, partly in Hoxne hundred and partly in the hundred of Earsham in the county of Norfolk, Suffolk archdeaconry, and Norwich diocese, East Suffolk, Harleston county court district, 2 miles south-east from Harleston railway station, 7 south from Bungay, 10 north-east from Diss station, and 10 north-west from Halesworth.

The church of All Saints is in the Perpendicular style, consisting of nave, chancel, and aisles, with square tower and 6 bells: in the interior are several mural monuments and tablets, also three excellent brasses to the memory of the Frestone family. The parish register dates from the year 1678. The living is a vicarage, valued in 1835 at £104, with modern residence (and glebe consisting of 25 acres) in the gift of the Rev. E.W. Whitaker, of Stanton by Bridge, and held by the Rev. A.H. Brereton, B.A., of Queen's College, Cambridge. The rectorial tithes of a large portion of the parish have been purchased by the landowners, and Sir Robert Shafto Adair, Bart., is impropriator of the rest, which were, in 1841, commuted for £270, and the vicarial for £52 8s.

Near the church, on the Suffolk side of the river, was a priory, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, founded by William, son of Roger de Huntingfield, during the reign of King Stephen; a portion of its ruins is still visible. The parish lies in three manors, viz., Walsham Hall, Mendham King's Hall, and Priory: W.S. Holmes, Esq., is lord of the first, and Sir Robert Shafto Adair, Bart., is lord of the two latter. T. Thornhill, Esq., Thomas Rant, Esq., and several others are landowners.

Here is a Parochial school, supported by subscription.

The Independents and Wesleyans have chapels here.

The Priory is the residence of Captain Thomas Wood. The population in 1861 was 779; the area of the parish is 3,144 acres, of which 800 are on the north bank of the Waveney, in the hundred of Earsham, Norfolk, and form a part of the town of Harleston. The gross value is £5,671 10s. 6d., and the rateable value £4,907.

Parish Clerk, Samuel Buckingham.

Letters through Harleston, which is the nearest money order office. Letter box at J.H. Wood's, cleared at 6 p.m. daily

Parochial School, Miss Caroline Louisa Eglington, mistress

         Brereton   Rev. Arthur Henry, B.A. [vicar], Vicarage
         Chastone   Charles Benjamin, esq
         Gedney     Mr. George
         Gedney     Mrs
         Wood       Capt. Thomas            The Priory
 
            COMMERCIAL.
 
         Beaumont   James                   farmer
         Beaumont   John                    farmer
         Broughton  William                 farmer
         Brown      George                  farmer
         Buckingham John                    farmer
         Buckingham Samuel                  blacksmith
         Chase      George                  miller & farmer
         Chastone   Charles Benjamin        landowner & farmer
         Denny      Thomas Meeke            farmer
         Flatman    Eastgate                carpenter
         Godbold    Robert                  wheelwright & carpentr
         Goodwin    Frederick               Red Lion, & farmer
         Jeffs      Palmer                  farmer
         Lusher     George                  farmer
         Mark       James                   farmer
         Mobbs      Samuel                  musician
         Rant       Frederick               farmer
         Riches     William                 farmer
         Ringer     William Beverley        farmer
         Saunders   William                 farmer
         Savage     Edgar                   collector of poor rates
         Scotchmer  John                    shoe maker
         Shearing   Damaris                 farmer
         Snowling   Edward                  farmer
         Thurkettle James                   farmer
         Woods      John Hazel              grocer, provision dealer & draper

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Norfolk: Mendham

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Kelly's Post Office Directory of Norfolk and Suffolk, 1865