Norfolk: Alburgh

William White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk 1883

[Transcription copyright © Richard Johns]

ALBURGH, a pleasant village on an acclivity, 3 miles N.E. by N. of Harleston, and 5 miles W. of Bungay, is in Depwade union, Harleston county court district, and Ipswich bankruptcy district, Earsham petty sessional division and hundred, Harleston polling district of South Norfolk, Redenhall rural deanery, and Norfolk archdeaconry. It had 602 inhabitants in 1881, living on 1514 acres of land, and had a rateable value of £2,381 10s., and a gross rental of £2,750 15s. The soil belongs to several charities in Norwich, to Osborn Springfield, Esq., and others. It lies in several manors. Homersfield Station, on the Great Eastern Railway (Waveney Valley Line), is situated in this parish.

The CHURCH (All Saints), a plain edifice with a nave and chancel, and a lofty and handsome square tower containing eight well-toned bells, was restored in 1876, at a cost of £1,400. The walls of the chancel were raised nearly six feet, and a new waggon-headed ceiling erected. A vestry was built on the north side of the chancel, on the site of the ancient chapel of St. Margaret. The large western gallery was removed, and the tower arch opened. The floor of the entire church was paved with Minton's tiles.

Two windows of the chancel are filled with stained glass, in memory of the late Mr. Barnabas Bond and of a son of the rector, and the rest of the windows are filled with cathedral glass. The font, which is of Debased character, has been placed under the tower. The south side of the chancel and the centre of the nave were reseated with open benches of pitch pine. A new oak pulpit, reading-desk, lectern, communion table, &c., were also provided. During the restoration, a stone sedilia, a piscina, and the rood-loft stairs were discovered. An organ has subsequently been erected in the chancel. The church is warmed by a heating apparatus. The Registers date from 1540.

The living is a rectory, valued in the King's Book at £12 in the patronage of St. John's College, Cambridge, and has a gross value of £460. The Rev. Charles William Lohr, B.A., is the incumbent, and has a good residence, built in 1848 at a cost of £1,500, a yearly tithe rent-charge of £461, and five acres of glebe. There is a small manor attached to the rectory.

The National School was built in 1848, and is attended by about 90 children.

The Town Estate, purchased in the reign of Henry VIII. with £20 left by Richard Wright, and other moneys paid by the parish, consists of a farm of 83A. at Wissett, 3A. 2R. of land in Alburgh, and a farm of 25A. in South Elmham. The rents amount to about £200 a year, out of which the town reeves pay all the expenses attending the church, and other town charges, and apply the balance in aid of the poor rates. At the enclosure, under an act of the 41st George III., an allotment of 13A. 1R. 20P. was awarded to the poor of Alburgh and Wortwell, and is now let for about £40 a year which is distributed in coal.

POST OFFICE at Mr. Robert Taylor's. Letters, viâ Harleston, arrive at 8 a.m., depart at 5.15 p.m.

         Alger     Mrs Ann          day school
         Banham    --               frmr. & ownr.; h Geldeston
         Barrett   John             joiner and carpenter
         Berrett   John Day         beerhs. and farmer
         Blofield  Mr Wm. Watling   landowner
         Breck     Samuel Youngs    builder, bricklayer, blacksmith, and
                                      wheelwright, Peartree cottage
         Chase     Alfred Hy.       farmer & guardian
         Cornaby   Mrs Eliz.        Holbrook hill
         Coston    Miss Mary Ann    National schoolmistress
         Cox       Stephen          miller and farmer
         Curtis    Tuttell Mann     butcher & frmr
         Dunn      Charles          farmer
         Fairhead  Michael          shoemaker
         Flatman   Mrs Hannah       shopkeeper
         Flegg     Alfred           farm steward
         Hayser    David            farm steward
         Lohr      Rev. Charles
                     William, B.A.  rector, The Rectory
         Matthews  William          blacksmith
         Miles     George
                     Christopher    farmer
         Miles     Isaac Cannell    farmer & owner, White house
         Murrell   Thomas           baker and grocer
         Oakley    Robert           farmer
         Pearce    Charles          farmer
         Prince    George           parish clerk
         Rolfe     George           stationmaster
         Sewell    John Wm.         farmer, The Limes
         Smith     Thomas           vict. King's Head Inn
         Spelman   Isaac Gower      farmer and owner, Red house
         Taylor    Robert           postmaster
 

RAILWAY -- (Homersfield) Station. G.E.R., Waveney Valley Line; George Rolfe, stationmaster

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See also the Alburgh parish page.

Copyright © Pat Newby.
October 2001