Norfolk: Brockdish

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

[Transcription copyright © Juanita Hadwin]

BROCKDISH, on the north bank of the Waveney, 4 miles W.S.W. of Harleston, and 6 miles E. of Diss, is in Depwade union, Harleston county court district, Ipswich bankruptcy court district, Earsham hundred and petty sessional division, Harleston polling district of South Norfolk, Redenhall rural deanery, and Norfolk archdeaconry. It had 434 inhabitants in 1881, living on 1104 acres of freehold land. It has a rateable value of £1895.

Gervas Holmes, Esq., is lord of the manors of Brockdish Hall and Brockdish Earl and owner of the Hall, formerly the seat of the Le Grys family. The Hon. Sir Edward Ebenezer Kay owns and occupies Thorpe Abbotts, a handsome modern mansion of white brick, in a park and grounds of 90 acres, which is situate partly in this parish, and partly in Thorpe Abbotts parish. The Grove estate, anciently the seat of the Wythes, belongs to Alfred Walne, Esq.

The CHURCH, dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul, is a fine edifice of flint, in the Decorated and Perpendicular styles, and comprises nave with clerestory, chancel, south aisle, porch, and tower with six bells. Two of the bells have Latin inscriptions dating before the Reformation. Many of the windows are filled with modern stained glass, and in the south aisle is a curious and very early piscina. The roof is of open timber, supported on carved stone corbels, those in the chancel being full length figures of angels playing instruments, painted and gilt. The seats are open benches of oak, with handsomely carved poppies. The pulpit and reading-desk are also of oak, richly carved, and the communion table is of walnut. Part of the old painted screen remains, but the font is modern.

The building was restored and refitted in 1852 at the expense of the rector, who also, in 1864, rebuilt the tower, which is now 75 feet high. During the restorations several very small lancet windows, which had been blocked up, were discovered. The porch is very elegant, having a niche on each side and one over the outer doorway, and being surmounted by heraldic lions at the angles and a cross at the apex.

The rectory, valued in the King's Book at £10, is in the patronage and incumbency of the Rev. George France, M.A., who in 1844 erected a handsome rectory-house in the Elizabethan style. The glebe is 25A., and the tithes have been commuted for £350 per annum.

The School was formerly the village workhouse, but was bought by subscription in 1843, and adapted to its present purpose. It is attended by about 60 children.

The United Methodist Free Church have a chapel here, built in 1860, at a cost of £400, in lieu of a smaller one.

The Church Land, 7A. 1R. 24P., left by John Bacon in 1433, is let for £14. The poor have a yearly rent of 6s. 8d., left by John Sherwood in 1574, out of land at Hoxne.

POST OFFICE at Mr. William Booty's. Letters from Scole arrive at 8 a.m., despatched at 6 p.m., Sundays 10.30 a.m. Harleston is the nearest Money Order and Telegraph Office.

         BACON      Edward           butcher
         BARKWAY    Miss Lucy        beerhouse
         BEALES     Richd.           prkbtchr. dealr & bakr
         BOOTY      Wm.              tailr. parish clk. & post office
         BRUNDLE    Barnabas         farmer, The Hall; h Syleham, Suffolk
         CHAPLIN    John             farmer and surveyor of highways
         CHILVER    Mrs Lydia        carpenter & bldr
         COLEBY     Miss Victoria    Natl. schlmstrss.
         COOK       Amos             shoemaker
         COULSON    Chas. Benson     mngr. at factory
         FRANCE     Rev. George,
                      M.A., J.P.     rector, The Rectory
         GILLMAN    Wm.              threshing machine ownr
         GIRLING    George           farmer
         GOOCH      John             shoemaker
         GOWING     George           vict. King's Head, colt breaker,
                                       & farmer at Needham
         HINDS      Nathaniel        thatcher
         KAY        The Hon. Sir     judge of the High Court of Justice,
                      Edwd. Ebenezer   Chancery division, Thorpe Abbotts;
                                       & 37 Hyde Park gardens, London, W
         KEMP       Charles           builder
         KEMP       Charles, jun.     builder and vict. Greyhound Inn
         LORD       Rev. Morton
                      Frewen, B.A.    curate, The Hall
         MARRIOTT   Mrs. Mary         Lavender cot
         MILLER     William Edward    commander, R.N. Red house
         POLLARD    John              carpenter
         PRIME      Frederick         tinman and brazier
         RAYMOND    Wm. Hy.           grocer & draper
         ROBINSON   Walter Beart      grocer, draper, stationer, nwsgnt.
                                        & assist. overseer
         SHARMAN    Mr. Israel
         SHEMMING   William           basket maker
         SMART      Wm.               tailor and woollen draper
         SMITH      Alfred Smith      farmer
         STRANGE    Saml.             wheelwright, Crow hall
         WALKER     John              blacksmith
         WALNE      Daniel            farmer and landowner, The Grange
         WALNE      Miss Eleanor      The Grange
         WARNE      Mrs Harriet       porkbutcher
         WHITE      Mrs Caroline      baker &c
 

See also the Brockdish parish page.

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Copyright © Pat Newby.
October 2001