Hide
Norfolk: Catfield
hide
Hide
William White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk 1883
[Transcription copyright © Peter Green]
CATFIELD, a large but straggling village, in several detached portions, on the Yarmouth and North Walsham Line, 14 miles N.W. of Norwich, and 3 miles S. by E. of Stalham, is in Smallburgh union, Norwich bankruptcy district, Happing hundred, North Walsham county court district, Happing and Tunstead petty sessional division, Stallingborough polling district of North Norfolk, Waxham rural deanery, and Norfolk archdeaconry. It had 630 inhabitants in 1881, living on 2393 acres. The rateable value is £3858, and the gross estimated rental £4418. The parish includes part of Hickling and Barton Broads.
The Hall, a good residence, situated on a verdant lawn, embosomed in woods, belongs to and is occupied by John Joseph L'Oste Lubbock, Esq., J.P., the lord of the manor. The other principal landowners are Mr. W. Barber, Mrs Rudd, Mr Rope, and Mr W. Salmon.
The CHURCH (All Saints) is an ancient building of flint and rubble, consisting of a nave with aisles, chancel, south porch with parvise, and low square embattled tower containing a fine peal of five bells. It is chiefly of the late Decorated period of architecture, and contains a good chancel screen. In the chancel are marble tablets of the Cubitt, Prowett and Storey families, and also a stone coffin in fine preservation.
In 1840, on removing the whitewash, it was found that the whole surface of the walls of the nave had been covered with paintings, representing a variety of scriptural and legendary subjects. The finest of these was of such curious character as to have been deemed unique. The general idea of the artist seems to have been to represent a tree, bearing for its fruit the seven deadly sins, and at the same time exhibiting their fatal consequences in a language that the most ignorant could not fail to comprehend with ease, the most learned to contemplate with advantage. The whole picture was treated with great spirit and displayed much artistic skill; from the dresses of some of the figures, the work must have been executed about the reign of Edward III. All the paintings have again been hidden from observation.
In 1852 the seats in the church were re-arranged, by which 145 additional sittings were obtained; and the nave was new roofed in 1864. In 1875 the chancel was restored at a cost of £500.
The living is a discharged rectory and vicarage united, and is valued in the King's Book at £7.10s. The Bishop of Norwich and the executors of the Rev. B.L. Cubitt are patrons alternatively, the present incumbent being the Rev. Arthur Brown. The rectory house is a good residence of white brick, erected in 1852, near the site of an older building in which the poet Cowper often stayed as a visitor. The glebe is 21A.3R.11P., and the tithes have been commuted for £606 per annum.
The Registers date from 1559, and contain some curious entries by a former rector, Anthony Harrison, who was chaplain to the Bishop of Norwich in the beginning of the 17th century.
Here is a PRIMITIVE METHODIST CHAPEL, built in 1838 and enlarged in 1859. The NATIONAL SCHOOL was built in 1853, and will accommodate about 100 children.
The poor have 4A.22P. of land at Ludham, given by unknown donors, and now let for £10; and the interest of £43, arising from the sale of five tenements. The Poor's Allotment, awarded at the enclosure in 1802, consists of 57A.9P. of heath and marsh land now let for about £50 per annum.
POST OFFICE at Mr John Huson's. Letters, via Stalham to Norwich arrive at 7.50 a.m. and depart at 2.55 p.m.; via Yarmouth, depart at 5.55 p.m. Stalham is the nearest Money Order and Telegraph Office.
Addy James farm bailiff
Baldwin George bricklayer
Baldwin John bricklayer
Barber William farmer and owner, coal, corn, seed,
&c. merchant, and thrashing machine
owner; and at Sea Palling
Bean - farmer
Beck William miller and farmer
Bensley Robert butcher and farmer
Brookes Charles shoemaker and horse and trap letter
Brown Rev. Arthr.,
B.A. rectr. Rectory
Christmas William tailor
Crowe Miss Sophia Providence cot.
Dawson George farmer and owner
Dawson Robert
Greensmith farmer
Dyball - stationmaster
Dye William emigration agent
Fox - farmer, Longmoor
Gibbs Hy. Thos vict. White Horse Inn
Gibbs Mrs Sarah grocer and draper
Gibbs William & Son blacksmiths
Hammond Mrs My.Ann vict. Crown Inn
Harbord Thomas blacksmith
Hewitt Richard farm bailiff
Hindrey - grocer, draper & overseer
Huson John Watson grocer, draper and postmaster
Lowe William baker and shopkeeper
Lubbock John Joseph
L'Oste,J.P. farmer and owner, The Hall
Mace John farmer and owner
Marler (Miss Mary)
& Coe (Mrs Rebecca) grocers and drapers
Myhill Edward wheelwright, parish clerk,
assistant overseer & collector
Neve Edwd. cattle salsmn., Paradise hs
Page John wheelwright
Pigg Philip
& James frmrs. & ownrs
Pollard George market gardener
Pycroft Thomas shoemaker
Riches Edward corn & coal merchant,
and miller at Stalham
Riches John George corn, seed, cake, manure and coal
merchant, The Staithe; and Stalham,
North Walsham, and Yarmouth
Rope John Gillett farmer and owner
Rudd Mrs frmr. & owner, Heath frm
Salmon Wm. frmr. & ownr. Bleak hs
Simms Friday carpenter
Slipper William farmer
Stimpson Miss Eliza schoolmistress
Whittleton George Walter farmer, Wood Street farm
Woolston Robert cartowner
Wright John farmer
RAILWAY STATION on the Yarmouth & North Norfolk line. Trains to and from Yarmouth and North Walsham several times a day. Robert Harvey, collector.
From ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS on pages 13-16:
"for 'Stallingborough,' read 'Stalham.'
See also the Catfield parish page.
Copyright © Pat Newby.
February 1999