GENUKI: Norfolk: Bracon Ash, Norfolk

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

BRACON-ASH, 6 miles S.W. of Norwich, is a parish with a village in an elevated situation, and its air is pure and bracing. The parish is in Henstead union, Norwich county court district and bankruptcy district, Humbleyard hundred, Swainsthorpe petty sessional division, Norwich polling district of South Norfolk, Humbleyard rural deanery, and Norfolk archdeaconry. It had 282 inhabitants in 1881, living on 974 acres, and has a rateable value of £1657 8s.

The parish is mostly the property of the Rev. Thomas Berney, M.A., who is lord of the manor, and Sir Kenneth H. Kemp, Bart. The former resides at the Hall, a spacious brick mansion, standing on the site of a much older building, which Queen Elizabeth is said to have visited, and situated in the ancient 'Brakene Ashe Parke.' The Berney family is of great antiquity, having originally come from Berney, now called Bernay, in Normandy, and settled prior to the Conquest in this county, where they gave name to the parish and manor of Berney (see p. 138 [which is the entry for Barney]). E. Corbould Warren, Esq., resides at Bracon Lodge, a handsome modern brick mansion, about half a mile east of the village.

The CHURCH (St. Nicholas) is a neat little structure, comprising nave, chancel, south aisle, north porch, and bellcot with one bell. It is mostly of the Decorated period; but the south aisle and the columns between the nave and aisles are Perpendicular. The piscina and chancel-screen still remain, and here are also a vault of the Berney family, and a tablet dated 1694 to William Bedingfield. The parish Register commences in 1563.

The Rev. Thomas Berney, M.A., is patron and incumbent of the rectory, which was valued in the King's Book at £10, and now has a yearly rent-charge of £243 8s., awarded in 1842 in lieu of tithes. Archbishop Tenison held this living for a short time, and resigned it in 1662.

A School occupies a neat building erected in 1846 by the late Miss Berney, and is now used as a Sunday School only. Here is a Board School for Bracon-Ash and Hethel. The Board consists of Mr. B.S. Fryer (chairman), Mr. Charles Cremer, Mr. William Gardiner, Mr. Frederick Myhill, and Mr. John Swann.

A house and garden, left by Anne Woode in 1720, are let for £2 a year, which is divided amongst four poor aged widows.

POST OFFICE at Mrs. Elizabeth Spurgeon's. Letters arrive at 8.40 a.m., and are despatched at 5.20 p.m., viâ Norwich. Mulbarton is nearest Money Order, and Flordon nearest Telegraph Office.

         Berney       Rev. Thomas, M.A.   rector; h Bracon Hall
         Church       James               (C. & Son); h The Beeches
         Church       Joseph Watts        (C. & Son); h The Vineyards
         Church                           farmers and fruit growers,
           & Son                            The Vineyards
         Cremer       Charles             farmer, Hall farm
         Dye          William             parish clerk
         Gillings     Edward              farmer
         Kemp         Sir Kenneth Hagar,
                        Bart
         King         Jeffries            farmer
         Law          N. George           shoemaker
         Middleton    Arthr.              butchr. & mkt. grdnr
         Middleton    William             shoemaker
         Myhill       Frederick           saddler; h Hethel
         Pyle         Miss Curtis         Board schoolmistress
         Rice         Robert              blacksmith
         Scales       Bernard             farmer
         Spurgeon     (Mrs Elizabeth)
           & Brigham    (Mrs Sophia)      grocers and drapers
         Warren       Mr E. Corbould      Bracon Lodge

CARRIERS from Forncett, New Buckenham, and Carlton Rode pass through to Norwich on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday

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Norfolk: Bracon Ash

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