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Norfolk: Feltwell

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

[Transcription copyright © Pat Newby]

FELTWELL is a parish and a large village, 6 miles W.N.W. of Brandon, and 6 miles S. of Stoke-Ferry, in Thetford union, Grimshoe hundred, Thetford county court district, Norwich bankruptcy district, and southern division of Cranwich rural deanery, and Norfolk archdeaconry. The parish includes Feltwell St. Mary, and St. Nicholas, which are in Grimshoe petty sessional division and Southrey [sic] polling district of West Norfolk. It had 1681 inhabitants in the year 1881, and comprises 1400 acres of land, including about 1200A. of open common, on which all the tenants have a right of pasturage and fuel. About half the parish is low fen land, for improving the drainage of which a twenty-horse power steam engine was erected in 1835.

A part of the mother parish of St. Mary and St. Nicholas, extending over 6069 acres, and containing 310 inhabitants in 1871, now forms part of the ecclesiastical parish of St. John, Little Ouse, Cambridgeshire, which also includes Feltwell Anchor, a part of Hilgay, in Norfolk, and part of Littleport, in Cambridgeshire (see page 59 [which is the Ecclesiastical History of Norfolk]). A small fair is held at Feltwell on November 20 and 21.

The parish is in several manors, and belongs to a large number of small freeholders, and some copyholders. The Rev. William C. Newcome, who has a neat mansion here, is lord of the capital or chief manor, anciently held by the Bishop of Ely. Mrs. Newcome is lady of South Hall manor; the representatives of the late Rev. E.B. Sparke are lords of Wendlings, Spenvilles, and Duntons manor; and the Masters and Fellows of Christ's College, Cambridge, are lords of the manor of East Hall or Broomhill.

Here are two parish CHURCHES, both of which were thoroughly repaired about the year 1834. St. Mary's, the larger, is a handsome edifice, comprising nave with aisles and clerestory, chancel, and a massive square tower with three bells and a clock. The north aisle was rebuilt in 1862, and furnished with new open benches. It has a fine roof, and the corbels and capitals of the pillars are beautifully carved. Many of the windows are filled with rich stained glass, representing a number of scriptural scenes, chiefly from the New Testament. The piscina, the sedilia, and the stairs which lead to the rood-loft still remain. The nave contains old open benches with carved poppies, and its roof is ornamented with figures of angels. The screen is modern, and has upon it seven figures playing musical instruments. Here are kneeling effigies of Francis and Osbert Mundeford, and a fine brass representing Margaret Mundeford, all of the sixteenth century. There is also a brass to the Rev. William Newcome, who died about fifteen years ago.

St. Nicholas Church is a small pile, on an eminence at the west end of the village, with a tower, round at the base and octagonal above, and containing five bells. It was nearly destroyed by fire in 1494, when 'an indulgence' was granted for its reparation. Its chancel was taken down in 1862, when the rest of the building was repaired; but it is now only used as a mortuary chapel. The Registers date from 1562.

The two rectories are consolidated, and are in the alternate patronage of the Lord Chancellor and the Bishop of Norwich. St Mary's is valued in the King's Book at £14 17s. 3½d., and St. Nicholas's at £19. The Rev. H.T. O'Rorke is the rector, and has a good residence, 160A. of glebe, and a yearly tithe rent-charge of £1328 per annum.

The Wesleyans, Independents, and Primitive Methodists have each a chapel here.

Sir Edmund Mundeford, in 1643, bequeathed about 840A. of low fen land in Feltwell parish, to certain trustees to improve by drainage, &c., and to apply the clear profits, one-third for a distribution of clothing among the poor, and two-thirds for the support of a Free School; but as soon as the clear rents had been augmented to more than £60 a year, he directed all the surplusage above that amount to be applied in founding an almshouse for the aged poor of the parish. Part of the bequeathed land was taken by the Commissioners for the drainage of the Bedford Level. The charity estate now consists of two houses, outbuildings, a draining-mill, and 623A. 1R. 18P. of poor fen-land. The drainage taxes, which, for many years, exceeded the rents, have now been reduced.

Though the trustees were obliged to discontinue the distributions of clothing, and afterwards the schoolmaster's salary, they expended, in 1829, £500 in the erection of an almshouse, divided into eight tenements. According to the donor's will, the clear yearly sums of £40 for the school and £20 for distributions of clothing ought to have been realised before the erection of the almshouse, to which eight poor parishioners are admitted by the trustees, who in 1839 erected a large School, which is conducted on the National system, and attended by boys, who are all educated free. A girls' school was also built about the year 1854, and the pupils pay small sums ranging from 1d. a week to 7s. 6d. a quarter. Good houses for the master and mistress are attached, and an infant school is about to be added.

The Fuel Allotment consists of 360A. of the West Fen, awarded at the enclosure in 1815, for the use of the poor, and now let for £114 a year, out of which about £85 are paid for drainage taxes. Six poor labourers occupy, rent free, 4A. 2R. 19P. of land, received at the enclosure, in exchange for 6A. given by Robert Clough, in 1737, to be so occupied, for the purpose of enabling six poor parishioners to send their children to school. The occupants are to be appointed by the owners of the donor's capital messuage.

As noticed with Foulden, the poor of Feltwell have about £20 every fifth year from Atmere's Charity, for distribution in kersey and flannel. In 1729, the Rev. Thomas Rawlins left for the poor of Feltwell £50, which were laid out in the purchase of 9A. of land at Hockwold, now let for £9 a year, out of which £5 are paid for taxes. About 17 years ago, Miss Pleasance Clough left about £664 13s. 4d. to the poor of this parish, and the interest, amounting to about £20 a year, is distributed on New Year's Day.

POST and MONEY ORDER OFFICE at Mr. William Spencer's. Letters viâ Brandon.

Those with * opposite their names should be addressed Southery, Downham.

           Addison    Henry           hardware dealer
           Addison    Henry jun.      painter, plumber, and glazier
           Archer     George          surgeon & apothecary, medical officer
                                        for Methwold district of Thetford
                                        union and Foresters' & Odd Fellows'
                                        Societies, and medical referee for
                                        Norwich Union & National Provident
                                        Insurance offices
           Armstrong  Geo.            farmer, Popylot, Fen
           Ashton     Job             brazier and blacksmith
           Ashton     Park            ironmonger, brazier, and blacksmith
           Banham     Thomas          farmer, Fen
         * Barnes     George Henry    farmer, Fen
         * Barnes     John Wm.        farmer, Fen
         * Barnes     Joseph          farmer, Fen
           Bartlett   John Robert     seedsman
           Blyth      Rev. Gwyn, B.A. curate
           Brewington Shedrach        bootmaker
           Brown      Mrs Ann
           Brown      Anthony         agricultural implemt. proprietor
           Brown      Philip          farmer
           Buckle     Hy.             cabinet mkr. upholsterer, and shopkeeper
           Caney      George          bootmaker
           Carr       William         farmer, Fen
           Cock       Greenfield      carpenter, builder, wheelwright,
                                        hurdle, field-gate, and bin maker,
                                        and corn miller
           Cock       Robert          beerhouse
           Cocks      Miss Mary Ann   grocer and fancy repository
           Currey     William         beerhouse
           Daines     John            carpenter
           Day        Arthur          blacksmith & machinist
           Edwards    -               bricklayer
           Edwards    William         bricklayer
         * Feetham    James           vict. Anchor, and farmer, Fen
           Foulsham   Edward          butcher
           Griffin    Mrs Emma        frmr. Manor house
           Gunstone   Jacob           farmer & landowner
           Harlock    Henry           farmer, The Grange
           Harwin     Francis King    butcher
           Heading    Henry           farmer & landowner, Cambridge house
         * Hollox     John            beerhouse, Fen
           Hudson     John            farmer
           Johnson    George          baker, miller, & corn merchant
           Kelland    John            victualler, Oak Tree, and veterinary
                                        surgeon
           King       Horace Edmund   bkr. & confctr
           King       Francis         butcher, grocer, & frmr
           Kingdon    James           inland revenue officer
           Lambert    Daniel          farmer
           Lambert    William         farmer and landowner, Glebe farm
           Lambley    Mrs Martha      grazier
           Leach      Miss Susan
                        Elizabeth
           Leach      Mr Thomas
           Macnalley  Miss Mary Ann   day and boarding school
           Maggs      James           vict. Ship Inn, Fen
           Minns      John            farm bailiff, Shrubb hill
           Morley     Miss Elizabeth  schoolmistress
           Nattriss   Mark            schoolmaster
           Newcome    Mrs Amelia      The Hall
           Newcome    Lieut. Frncs.
                        D'Arcy        The Hall
           Olliff     Robt.           grcr. pork btchr. & beerhse
           O'Rorke    Rev. Hy. Thos.
                        M.A.          rector
           Palmer     Jonathan        grocer, draper, and wine and beer
                                        retailer
           Parker     George          grocer, draper, and clothier;
                                        and (h) Northwold
           Pearson    John            bricklayer
           Pightling  Samuel          farm bailiff
           Prior      Mrs Susan       druggist & stationer
           Pryer      Edward          farmer
           Pryer      Robert          farmer and landowner, Elm Tree farm
           Ray        Frederick       bootmaker
           Rice       Robert          farmer
           Rice       Robert          victualler, Chequers
           Richardson Walter          tailor
           Riches     John            carpenter & wheelwright
           Rix        Thos. Lincoln   assessor & collector of taxes, and agent
                                        for the Norwich Union Fire office
           Rolph      Richard         farmer
           Rolph      Robert          farm bailiff
           Rowe       Miss Sarah Ann
           Rudland    Henry           farmer & parish clerk
           Rudland    Mrs Mary        farmer
           Secker     John            farm bailiff
           Shearing   Rudd Wilson     carpenter, wheelwright, and blacksmith
         * Simpson    Thomas          engineer, Fen
         * Smith      Charles         farmer, Fen
           Southgate  William         turf dealer
           Sparke     Mrs Catherine
           Spencer    Mrs Elizabeth   vict. The Cock
           Spencer    Francis         plmbr. glzr. painter, and farmer
           Spencer    William         assistant overseer, land surveyor,
                                        and postmaster
           Spencer    Wm. jun.        frmr. & land agent
           Stallon    Edward          farmer
           Stallon    John            beerhouse and farmer
         * Starling   Robert          farmer, Fen
           Stebbings  William         farm bailiff
           Steward    Samuel          saddler
           Taylor     John            beerhouse
           Turnell    Jabez           grocer and draper
           Upcher     Henry Morris,
                        Esq. J.P.
           Upcraft    Walter          farmer & bootmaker
           Watts      Joseph          bootmaker
           Watts      Josiah          bootmaker
           West       Mrs Elizabeth   (exors. of), frmrs
           West       Mrs Susannah
           Whitmore   Henry           tailor and shopkpr
           Whitmore   Mrs Mary
           Whitmore   John Taylor     blacksmith, coal merchant, and farmer
           Whittle    George          farmer
           Willingham William         beerhouse
 

See also the Feltwell parish page.

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Copyright © Pat Newby.
December 2010