GENUKI: Norfolk: Bressingham, Norfolk

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

BRESSINGHAM, a large scattered village, on the north side of the vale of the Waveney, 2 miles W. by N. of Diss, is in Guiltcross union, Diss county court district, Ipswich bankruptcy district, Diss hundred, Diss petty sessional division, Diss polling district of South Norfolk, Redenhall rural deanery and Norfolk archdeaconry. It had 509 inhabitants in 1881, living on 2313 acres, and has a rateable value of £3601 5s.

The parish lies mostly in the Duke of Norfolk's manors of Bressingham and Boyland, (fines arbitrary), and partly in the rectory manor and Buckenham Priory manor, of which the rector is lord. The Duke of Norfolk, Arthur Pontifex, Esq., Mr. Rt. N. Bunn and Mr. H.R. Woodcock, of Fersfield Hall, are the principal landowners.

Bressingham Hall, the seat of Arthur Pontifex, Esq., is a spacious mansion pleasantly situate near game covers. Boyland Hall, an ancient mansion, with a large farm, is the Duke's property, and was built by Sir Richard de Boyland, a judge of the time of Edward I., who formed here a subterraneous walk, or conduit, by which water was brought to his baths and moats, from an overflowing well, which still remains.

The CHURCH (St. John the Baptist) was rebuilt by Sir Roger Pilkington, in 1526, and is a large structure, chiefly of Perpendicular architecture, comprising nave with aisles, chancel, porch, and fine tower with five bells. In the porch are the remains of a holy water stoup; and the east window has four figures in stained glass.

The rectory, valued in the King's Book at £15, is in the gift of Jno. Wilson, Esq., of Bridgenorth, and incumbency of the Rev. George Henry Clarke Bidwell, B.A., who has 35A. of glebe, a handsome rectory house, built in 1842, and a yearly rent of £614, awarded in 1843, in lieu of tithes.

The Wesleyans, Baptists, and Primitive Methodists have chapels here.

The School Board, elected July 1, 1875, consists of the Rev. Edmund Farrer (chairman), and Messrs. A. Goodchild (vice-chairman), G. Hall, G. Hawes, and F. Crick. Mr. F. Fowell, of Garboldisham, is their clerk. A school was opened December 31, 1877, to accommodate 100 children. The Board have borrowed £836 at 3½ per cent., repayable in 49 annual instalments of £4 5s. 3d. and the balance of principal and interest at the expiration of fifty years.

In 1728, Elizabeth Barker left a house and land to be applied by the rector and churchwardens in the support of a School for poor children. The property, including an allotment awarded to it at the enclosure, consists of a house and schoolroom, and 5A. 3R. 8P. of land, worth about £12 a year. This is now used as a Sunday School.

A yearly rent-charge of £2, left by John Welham, in 1702, is distributed among the poor in bread. The Fuel Allotment, 24A. 15P., was awarded at the enclosure in 1802, and is divided into small lots, on which the poor cut turf, &c. The Town Lands, partly acquired at the enclosure, comprise 10A. 31P., let for £15 a year, which is carried to the church and poor rates. Here are also two houses and 3R. of land, occupied by paupers.

LETTERS from Diss arrive at 7.30 a.m., depart at 6.15 p.m., no Sunday post. Diss is the nearest Money Order and Telegraph Office.

         Bailey      James             shoemaker
         Bidwell     Rev. George Henry
                       Clarke, M.A.    The Rectory
         Bunn        Rt. Newson        farmer and land owner,
                                         assessor of taxes
         Crick       Arthur            farmer, High street
         Crick       Fredk.            farmer, parish clerk and sexton,
                                         assistant overseer and road
                                         surveyor, Poplar farm
         Denny       Chas.             frmr. Three Gates farm
         Eaton       Peter             grocer
         Elliott     Wm.               farmer, Valley farm
         Elwood      James             shoemaker
         Fairweather Jas. Wm.          blacksmith
         Farrer      Rev. Edmund       curate
         Goodchild   Alf.              farmer, Boyland hall
         Gooderham   Mrs Mary          yeast and coal dealer and carrier
         Hall        George            farmer
         Hawes       -                 farmer, Wilney green
         Huson       Mrs Elizabeth     Ivy cottage
         Jolly       John              farmer
         Jolly       Wm.               beerhouse and thatcher
         Knights     Miles             miller and owner
         Landamore   Mrs Eliza         shopkeeper
         Last        Mrs Sophia        blacksmith
         Long        Rt.               farmer, Folly farm
         Loveless    William           farrier
         Mason       John              farmer
         Matthews    Charles           miller
         Noble       Mrs Emily         shopkeeper
         Noble       James             working cutler
         Noble       Robert            working cutler
         Orford      George            farmer
         Orford      Harry             farm steward to Arthur Pontifex, Esq.
         Page        Joseph            farmer
         Pontifex    Arthur, Esq.      landowner, Bressingham hall
         Porcher     Frederick         shoemaker
         Porcher     John              farmer
         Read        William           cottager, Common
         Shepherd    Charles           cottager, Common
         Skerry      Saml. Cornelius   Board schlmstr
         Spurdens    William           farmer
         Styles      Thos.             butcher and pig dealer
         Wade        Barnabas          wheelwright
         Woodcock    Mrs Elizabeth     farmer and landowner, The Oaks
         Woodcock    Horace Rt.        farmer and landowner; h Fersfield Hall
         Wright      John              farmer, The Common
         Youngman    Benjamin          farmer, Bressingham wood; h Wortham

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Norfolk: Bressingham

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