Norfolk: Burnham Norton

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

[Transcription copyright © Pat Newby]

BURNHAM NORTON, 1 mile N. of Burnham Market, is a parish, with a small village on a gentle ascent above the marshes, having 139 inhabitants, and comprising 1280 acres of land, belonging to the Earl of Orford, the lord of the manor. It is in Smithdon and Brothercross petty sessional division, Brothercross hundred, Docking union, Fakenham county court district, Norwich bankruptcy district, Docking polling district of West Norfolk, Burnham rural deanery, and Norfolk archdeaconry. The rateable value is £1857 8s. 8d.

The CHURCH (St. Margaret) is above half-a-mile south of the village, and is a spacious building, comprising nave with aisles and clerestory, north porch, and round tower with one bell. Almost all the windows are in the Perpendicular style, except those of the chancel, which are Decorated. The east window is filled up, and the aisles have been lately screened off from the nave, as the church is much too large for the present inhabitants of the parish.

The pulpit is dated 1450, and supposed to be unique. It is hexagonal, and was the gift of J. Golding and his wife, who are portrayed on two of its panels. The other panels bear paintings of the four doctors of the church. The whole of these figures have been well restored. The ancient screen still remains, and is ornamented with paintings of six saints; and also of John Groom and his wife, by whom it was erected in 1458. The south aisle contains memorials of the ancestors of the late Lord Chancellor Thurlow. The Registers date from 1559.

The rectory is in two equal medieties, consolidated respectively with Burnham Westgate and Burnham Sutton. The tithes have been commuted for £253; and here are 32 acres of rectorial glebe and 4 acres of church land. The rectors of Burnham Westgate and Burnham Sutton have each £126 10s. tithe rent-charge, and divide equally the rent of the glebe. The rector of this parish has £8 15s. from Burnham Thorpe.

A priory of white friars, founded here about 1240, was granted at the Dissolution to William Lord Cobham; and several remains of its buildings and walls may still be seen, as well as a fine western gateway with a gabled chamber above it, which was restored by the late Earl of Orford in 1840.

The children attend the Board School at Burnham Westgate.

Here is a WALL LETTER BOX, cleared at 3.40 p.m., viâ Lynn. Burnham Westgate is the nearest Money Order and Telegraph Office and Railway Station.

         Applegate John       farmer
         Barnes    William    parish clerk
         Claxton   Robert     farmer and cattle dlr
         Francis   John P.    farmer
         Kirk      John       beerhouse
         Spooner   James      farm bailiff
         Tuck      Jph.       shoemaker and dog trainer
 

See also the Burnham Norton parish page.

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Copyright © Pat Newby.
March 2007