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Norfolk: Besthorpe

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

[Transcription copyright © Pat Newby]

BESTHORPE is a parish of scattered houses, 1 mile from Attleborough, [in] Shropham hundred, Wayland union, Attleborough county court district, Norwich bankruptcy district, Guiltcross and Shropham petty sessional division, Attleborough polling district of South Norfolk, Rockland rural deanery, and Norwich archdeaconry. It had, in 1881, 480 inhabitants, living on 2164 acres of land of a rateable value of £5000. The Earl of Winterton is lord of the manor and impropriator of the rectorial tithes, Messrs. Leonard J. Palmer, Richard Bryant, and James Clarke, and some smaller owners have estates here. The ancient Hall, now a farm house occupied by Mr. Bryant, was formerly a seat of the Drury family.

The CHURCH (All Saints) is a cruciform structure with a lofty square tower, and five bells. It was restored in 1861, and contains a marble monument representing Sir William Drury, his wife, and five children. The living is a vicarage valued in the King's Book at £5. 6s. 11½d., and now in the incumbency of the Rev. Edward Utten Browne, who is also patron of the benefice. The glebe comprises 35A., the yearly rent charge is £250, and the vicarage house was built in 1859.

A Primitive Methodist Chapel was built here in 1866.

The National School, erected about 1862, has been since enlarged, and is now attended by about seventy children.

The Fuel Allotment, 15A. 3R. 16P., was awarded at the enclosure in 1806, and was let in 1881 by public auction for eight years, the rent received being distributed in coal. There are 4A. 1R. 3P. of land, the rent of which goes towards payment of church expenses.

POST OFFICE at Mr. William Nelson's. Letters delivered at 7 a.m., and despatched at 7.40 p.m. via Attleborough, which is the nearest Money Order and Telegraph Office.

         Ayton     Charles        farmer
         Ayton     Noah           farmer
         Brasnett  Mrs. Anne
         Brown     Albert         farmer
         Browne    Rev. Edward
                     Utten        vicar, Vicarage
         Bryant    Richd.         frmr & owner, The Hall
         Burt      David          farmer
         Caddy     William        shopkeeper
         Canham    Miss Frances
                     Anne         shopkpr
         Clarke    Charles        farmer
         Clarke    James          farmer and owner
         Cowles    Miss Emma      schoolmistress
         Drake     Edward         farmer and owner
         Edwards   Samuel         carpenter and vict.
                                    The Rule and Compasses
         Edwards   William        farmer
         Forster   John           farmer
         Gilham    Robert Edward  farmer
         Gogle     John           farmer
         Greenacre Geo.           farmer & corn miller
         Howard    Samuel         farmer
         Howes     John           farmer
         Johnson   Jas.           frmr; h Carleton Rode
         Larkman   Jas.           machinist & blacksmith
         Page      Burrell        farmer
         Palmer    Robert         farmer
         Pooley    John           bricklayer
         Potter    Daniel Womack  farmer and cattle dealer
         Quantrill William        farmer
         Warren    John           farmer
         Weddup    Henry          beerhouse, Prince of Wales
         Wigby     Obadiah        wheelwright
         Woodrow   David          blacksmith and beer house,
                                    The Fox and Hounds
         Wright    Charles        billposter
 

From ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS on pages 13-16:

"for 'Norwich [archdeaconry],' read 'Norfolk [archdeaconry].'"


See also the Besthorpe parish page.

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Copyright © Pat Newby.
September 2004