GENUKI: Norfolk: Wighton, Norfolk

Hide

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

WIGHTON is a parish and large village, 3 miles S. by E. of Wells, and 2 miles N. of Walsingham, containing 559 souls, and 2932 acres of land, including a heath of 97 acres, on which are the remains of a Danish entrenchment, with three trenches, and ramparts thirty feet high. Near the windmill was another camp, called Crabbe's Castle, where several Roman coins have been found. The Earl of Leicester owns the greater part of the soil, and holds the manor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

The Church, (All Saints,) is a large fabric, with a square tower, and in its burial ground are some curious tomb-stones. It was given by Henry II., to Norwich Cathedral, so that the Dean and Chapter are now appropriators of the rectory, and patrons of the vicarage, valued in the King's Book at £11. 11s. 8d., and in 1831, at £120.

The Rev. John Wm. Methold, B.A., the present incumbent, erected some years ago, a new Vicarage House, in digging the foundations of which, a large quantity of human bones and ancient pikes were discovered, supposed to have been buried after a battle between the Saxons and Danes. The great and small tithes have been commuted for £810 per annum. On land occupied by Mr. Waters, are still some traces of a chapel of ease. The vicarage was augmented in 1767 and 1807, with £400 of Queen Anne's Bounty, laid out in land at Bodham, besides which here are 22A. 2R. 38P. of glebe.

The rent of 19A. 32P. of land at Great Snoring, let for £30 a year, and derived from the bequests of George Smith and Wm. Feke, about 1590, is distributed in weekly doles of bread among poor widows. The rent of 10A., in Hindringham, left by Humphrey Bedingfield, in 1672, and let for £10, is distributed among four poor men not receiving parochial relief. The yearly rent of £9, from 10A., given by Thomas Earl of Leicester, in 1759, and the dividends of £499. 2s. 4d. three per cent. Consols, left by Christiana Bedingfield, in 1800, are distributed in coals among the poor of the parish. All the poor widows have divided amongst them the dividends of £212. 13s. 2d. new 3½ per cent. stock, left by Lucy Bircham, in 1803. Mrs. Sarah Charles (relict of a late vicar,) in 1790, charged an estate at Hindringham, now belonging to R. England, Esq., with the yearly payment of £6 for schooling 12 poor girls, and £8 for division among four poor men with large families.

           Cooper    Wm.            blacksmith
           Jarvis    John           cattle dealer
           Lack      Charles        grocer, &c
           Methold   Rev John Wm.,
                       B.A.         vicar
           Moyse     David          butcher
           Newton    Isaac          vict. Gibraltar
           Penman    Henry          grocer, &c
           Stringer  Charles        blacksmith
           Thurtell  Walter         corn miller
           Vertagan  Isaac          vict. Red Lion
           Williams  Joshua         baker
 
              Boot & Shoe Mkrs.
 
           Franklin  John
           Franklin  J., jun.
           Harvey    John
           Temple    David
 
                          FARMERS.
                      (* are Owners.)
 
           Jarvis    Ann            Powell    Charles
           Gowing    John           Read      Thomas
           Hudson    John           Waters    Wm.
         * Moyse     Thomas         Wiffin    Wm.
         * Potter    Samuel         Wright    John

Hide

Norfolk: Wighton

hide

Hide

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