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Gasthorpe

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"GASTHORPE, anciently called Gatesthorpe, is a parish in the vale of the Little Ouse, 3 miles S. by W. of East Harling, containing only a few scattered houses, 111 inhabitants, and about 825 acres of land, belonging to Thos. Thornhill, Esq., lord of the manor and patron of the CHURCH (St. Nicholas,) which has been long in ruins, and its rectory consolidated with Riddlesworth. The glebe is 21A., and the poor have 20s. a year, from land left by Dorothy Gawdy, in 1660." [William White, History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk (1845) - Transcription copyright © Mike Bristow]

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Gasthorpe is about 7 miles S.E. of Thetford.
It is also known as Gatesthorpe.
For church and cemetery records see also Riddlesworth.

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Census

See also Norfolk Parish Links: Censuses

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Church Directories

  • In 1883 the parish was in the Deanery of Rockland, in the archdeaconry of Norfolk.
    It could have been in a different deanery or archdeaconry both before and after this date.
  • The parish church is dedicated to St Nicholas, but it has been in ruins since before 1845.
    Its rectory was consolidated with Riddlesworth in 1681.
    Blomefield said that, in 1736, the church had an aisle, chancel and tower, and there were services once a fortnight.
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Church History

Church of St Nicholas
Description and pictures of the ruins.
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Church Records

King, Graham Loveday
Riddlesworth with Gasthorpe Parish Registers.
Baptisms 1686-1840, Marriages 1688-1840, Burials 1686-1840.
[Transcript in Norwich Local Studies Library, 2010]
Parish Register Transcripts
Baptisms 1813-1880 for Riddlesworth with Gasthorpe
Marriages
These are included in Boyd's Marriage Index.
They are not included in Phillimore's Marriage Registers.

See also Norfolk Parish Links: Church Records

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Civil Registration

For the civil registration of births, marriages and deaths between 1837 and 1902 (and for the censuses of 1851 to 1901), Gasthorpe was in Guiltcross Registration District.

This district was abolished on 1st April 1902 and, from then until 1930, Gasthorpe was in Thetford Registration District for civil registration.

See also Norfolk Parish Links: Civil Registration

You can see pictures of Gasthorpe which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

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Historical Geography

Gasthorpe is in Guiltcross Hundred.

Parish outline and location.
See Parish Map for Guiltcross Hundred
Description of Guiltcross Hundred
1845: White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk
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Land & Property

Land Tax
Principal property owners and occupiers, and the amounts paid.
1767-1833.

See also Norfolk Parish Links: Land and Property

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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference TL976809 (Lat/Lon: 52.390425, 0.90303), Gasthorpe which are provided by:

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Poor Houses, Poor Law

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Population

These figures are from the population tables which were produced after the 10-yearly national censuses. The "Families" heading includes families and single occupiers.

Year  Inhabited
Houses
FamiliesPopulation
1801  810  51
18111017  89
1821  918113
18311020112
184121--111
185118--103
Year  Inhabited
Houses
FamiliesPopulation
186118--87
1871202094
1881212194
1891202087
1901181871
1911--2070

There may be more people living in detached parts of the parish (if there were any) and, if so, the number may or may not be included in the figures above. It is quite difficult to be sure from the population tables.

1841 and 1851 Censuses
"Gasthorpe having no church is united with Riddlesworth for ecclesiastical purposes."
1861 Census
"GUILTCROSS. The decrease of population in most of the parishes of this District is attributed partly to the migration of labourers to towns and manufacturing districts. In some parishes it has also been consequent upon the failure of hand-loom hemp-cloth weaving."

Other population figures