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Beeston St Lawrence

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"BEESTON ST. LAWRENCE, 10 miles N.E. of Norwich, is a small parish with only 48 inhabitants, and 519 acres of land, nearly all belonging to Sir Jacob Henry Preston, Bart., the lord of the manor, who resides at Beeston Hall, a large Gothic mansion of flint, with stone quoins, &c., and a beautiful park of 300 acres. This has long been the seat of the ancient family of Preston, who distinguished themselves as loyalists during the civil wars in the reign of Charles I. As a last tribute of affection, this unfortunate monarch, when upon the scaffold, presented Jacob Preston, Esq., with an emerald ring, which is still preserved here. The CHURCH (St. Lawrence,) is a small ancient structure, with a round tower; but a great part of it was rebuilt by the late Sir Thomas Preston, who died in 1820. The east window is of stained glass, and over the altar is a picture of the last supper. Here are many handsome mural monuments to the Preston family." [William White, History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk (1845) - Transcription copyright © Pat Newby]

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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 Waxham, 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 Lawrence.
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Church Records

Parish Register Transcripts
Baptisms, Banns, Marriages and Burials.
Parish Register Transcripts
Baptisms 1559-1712,1743-1901, Banns 1755-1899, Marriages 1558-1712,1734-1838 and Burials 1558-1712,1733-1764,1771-1900.
[Parish Register Transcription Society, Dart Series, 2000?]

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 1869 (and for the censuses in 1851 and 1861), Beeston St Lawrence was in Tunstead and Happing Registration District.

This district was renamed on 1st January 1870 and, from then until 1930, Beeston St Lawrence was in Smallburgh Registration District for civil registration and for the censuses of 1871 to 1901.

See also Norfolk Parish Links: Civil Registration

You can see pictures of Beeston St Lawrence which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

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Historical Geography

Beeston St Lawrence is in Tunstead Hundred.

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

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference TG328217 (Lat/Lon: 52.742735, 1.447275), Beeston St Lawrence which are provided by:

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Poor Houses, Poor Law