Norfolk: Forncett St Peter

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

[Transcription copyright © Ann Duncan]

FORNCETT ST. PETER, on the west side of a rivulet, opposite the above [ie Forncett St. Mary], 11½ miles S.S.W. of Norwich, and 5½ miles N.E. of New Buckenham, has a station on the Great Eastern Railway. The parish is in Depwade union and hundred and petty sessional division, Wymondham county court district, Norwich bankruptcy district, Stratton polling district of South Norfolk, Depwade rural deanery, and Norfolk archdeaconry.

It had 616 inhabitants in 1881, living on 1831 acres of land, of a rateable value of £3302 5s. The parish includes the hamlets of Forncett-end, 1½ miles W. of the church, and Bustard's green, on the east side of the rivulet. The soil chiefly belongs to Sir C. Harvey, Thomas Palmer, Esq., and Miss E. Bradshaw. The manor has been enfranchised.

The CHURCH was restored in 1857, and comprises nave, chancel, aisles, fine north porch, and round embattled tower with five bells. The porch contains a holy water stoup, and over the entrance is a partially erased inscription:- 'St. Peter and Paul Patronys of this Place Pray to I.H.S. in Heven yt we may see his face.' The tower is said to have been erected by the English before the Conquest, and the rest of the church appears to have been built about the middle of the 15^th century. The chancel contains a piscina, and has a stained glass window in its south wall, representing the patron saints of the church, and purchased by subscription, in memory of the Rev. Joseph Bell, M.A., a late curate.

The rectory was consolidated with Forncett St. Mary till 1846, as noticed above [ie in the entry for Forncett St. Mary]. It is in the patronage of the Earl of Effingham, and incumbency of the Rev. William Greive Wilson, M.A., J.P., who has 57A. of glebe, and a good residence near the church, with an avenue of lime trees. The incumbent must be a fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge. The tithes of the parish have been commuted for £793 per annum, of which £578 belong to the rector of St. Peter's, and the remainder to the rector of St. Mary's.

The Primitive Methodists and Baptists have each a chapel here. The Primitive Methodist Chapel, built in 1865, is a large and handsome structure.

The Town Lands were exchanged at the enclosure in 1809, for 6A. 3R. 28P., let at £10 10s., which is applied towards support of the National School; together with a yearly rent-charge of 32s., left by an unknown donor, out of land belonging to Sir C. Harvey, Bart. The School was built in 1848, at a cost of £630, and is attended by about 60 children. There is also an Infant School at Forncett-end which is attended by upwards of 30 children.

The interest of £50, left in 1859 by the late Sir R.J. Harvey, is distributed amongst poor aged women.

POST viâ Long Stratton. Letter-box at Forncett-end cleared at 3.45 p.m. Letter-box near church cleared at 4.15 p.m. Nearest Money Order and Telegraph Office at Long Stratton.

         Alborough   George          farmer
         Browes      J.              vict. Trowel and Hammer
         Cannell     Mrs Eliza       farmer
         Caston      Charles         carpenter
         Caston      Mrs  Chas.      infant schl.mistress
         Coleman     Elijah          farmer
         Cooper      William         butter-dealer
         Day         Robert          collar and harness maker
         Dunthorne   Henry           farmer
         English     Thos.           shopkper & beer retailer
         Furness     John            solicitor, Norwich; h Forncett St. Peter
         Gibson      Benjamin        corn-miller
         Hales       James           farmer and earpenter for Sir
                                       F. Boileau, Bart. [see note below]
         Keeler      Robert          vict. coal dealer and posting, Safety Valve
         Kirk        William         farmer
         Knights     George          corn-miller
         Knights     Mrs Jdth.       brhs, Jolly Farmers
         Ludkin      Henry John      miller, merchant, and seed-grower
         Matthews    George          farmer
         Moore       Mrs Ann         baker
         Moore       William         farmer and owner
         Murrills    Richard         grocer and draper
         Myhill      Geo. T.         registrar of births and deaths for
                                       Forncett dist. of Depwade union,
                                       & relieving officer for same
         Norman      Joseph          station agent
         Palmer      Mrs Martha
         Palmer      Thomas          farmer and owner
         Patrick     Walter          painter, plumber, glazier, and
                                       pork butcher
         Peacock     George          blacksmith
         Poll        Miss Annie      schoolmistress
         Price       John            shoemaker
         Reynolds    Edward          farmer
         Self        Charles         farmer
         Smith       George          farmer, Home farm
         Smith       William         shopkeeper
         Spratt      Jas.            farmer, and at Tacolestone
         Tann        Miles           carpenter and shopkeeper
         Tooley      Samuel          farmer
         Tyler       George          farmer      
         Walpole     James           farmer
         Ward        John            farmer, and butter dealer
         Waters      John            farmer
         Williams    James           carrier
         Wilson      Rev. Wm. Greive,
                       M.A., J.P.    the Rectory
 

CARRIER. --- Jas. Williams, to Norwich Wed. and Sat.

Note: the original text is transcribed, but probably misprinted for "carpenter".

See also the Forncett St Peter parish page.

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Copyright © Pat Newby.
August 2001