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Methwold

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"METHWOLD, vulgarly called Muel, is a large village, with several neat houses, 6 miles N.N.W. of Brandon, and 4 miles S.S.E. of Stoke-Ferry. It has in its parish 1441 inhabitants, and 12,958 acres of land, a great part of which is fen and sandy heath, all enclosed, the latter under an act passed in 1807, previous to which here was an extensive warren, famous from an early period for the abundance and excellence of its rabbits, called by the poulterers, Muel rabbits, under which name those from the surrounding warrens are still sold. . . . A small FAIR for horses, cattle, &c., is held here on April 23rd, and a Hiring Session on the Tuesday before Old Michaelmas; but a market, formerly held here every Tuesday, has long been obsolete. The Church (St. George) is a large fabric, with a fine tower, containing six bells, and surmounted by an octangular spire. In the chancel are several neat mural monuments to the Partridge family. H.S. Partridge, Esq., is impropriator of the great tithes, and patron of the living, which is a discharged vicarage, valued in the King's Book at £9. 1s. 3d., and consolidated with Cranwich rectory." [William White, History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk (1845) - Transcription copyright © Pat Newby]

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Methwold is about 10 miles N.W. of Thetford.
It includes the hamlet of Methwold Hithe (or Methwold Hythe).

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Census

See also Norfolk Parish Links: Censuses

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Church Directories

  • In 1883 the parish was in the Deanery of Cranwich, in the archdeaconry of Norfolk.
    It could have been in a different deanery or archdeaconry both before and after this date.
  • The parish church is dedicated to St George.
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Church History

Church of St George
Description, history and pictures.
Methodist Church
Minister, services, picture, etc.
Follow the link to the home page, then search for the church.
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Church Records

Marriages
These are not included in Boyd's Marriage Index or Phillimore's Marriage Registers.

See also Norfolk Parish Links: Church Records

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Civil Registration

For the civil registration of births, marriages and deaths between 1837 and 1930 (and for the censuses from 1851 to 1901), Methwold was in Thetford Registration District.

See also Norfolk Parish Links: Civil Registration

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Description & Travel

Methwold
Description, history, church, pictures, etc.
Flogdell, Cliff
Methwold Inns and Innkeepers, 1836 to 1970.
[Mildenhall, 2004]
Flogdell, Cliff
Methwold Memories, 1930-1970.
[Mildenhall, 2004]
Hall, Godfrey; and Flogdell, Cliff
Methwold in Words and Pictures.
[Mildenhall, 2004]
Whitmore, George Frederick
Tobacco growing.
[Cambridge, printed by Foister and Jagg, 1913]
[Anthony Forbes Whitmore, 1999]
Methwold Brandon Road Tower Mill
Description, history and map.
Methwold Hythe Post Mill
Description, history and map.
Methwold Hythe Road Post Mill
Description, history and map.
Methwold Old Feltwell Road Tower Mill
Description, history and picture.

See also Norfolk Parish Links: Description and Travel

You can see pictures of Methwold which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

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Historical Geography

Methwold is in Grimshoe Hundred.

Parish outline and location.
See Parish Map for Grimshoe Hundred
Description of Grimshoe Hundred
1845: White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk
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History

Gedge, John Denny
The history of a village community in the eastern counties.
[Norwich, Agas H. Goose, Transactions of the Norfolk and Norwich Archaelogical Society, 1893]
Yates, Edward Marshall
Land and life at the Fen Edge: as depicted in the medieval muniments of Methwold, Norfolk.
[Occasional paper (no.17), King's College, University of London, 1984]
Younge, John
The area of Methwold and its people.
[Methwold, 2001]
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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference TL733948 (Lat/Lon: 52.523272, 0.55232), Methwold which are provided by:

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Poor Houses, Poor Law

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Population

These figures are from the population tables which were produced after the 10-yearly national censuses. The "Families" heading includes families and single occupiers.

Year   Inhabited
Houses
Families Population
1801 133 187   865
1811 174 187   942
1821 220 230 1164
1831 244 264 1266
1841 279 -- 1441
1851 339 -- 1669
Year   Inhabited
Houses
Families Population
1861 332 -- 1509
1871 342 352 1428
1881 328 332 1453
1891 316 317 1362
1901 302 302 1254
1911 -- 322 1325

There may be more people living in detached parts of the parish (if there were any) and, if so, the number may or may not be included in the figures above. It is quite difficult to be sure from the population tables.

1861 Census
"The decrease of population in Methwold parish is attributed to emigration."
1901 Census
"Including Methwold Hithe."