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Norfolk: Hickling
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Kelly's Directory of Norfolk and Suffolk 1912
[Transcription copyright © Ray Martin]
HICKLING is a large and scattered parish, 3 miles north-east from Catfield station on the Midland and Great Northern joint railway, 8 miles from Worstead station on the Norwich and Cromer section of the Great Eastern railway, 16 north-west from Yarmouth, 3 south-east from Stalham and 18 north-west from Norwich, in the Eastern division of the county, Tunstead and Happing petty sessional division, Happing hundred, Smallburgh union, North Walsham county court district, rural deanery of Waxham (Happing division), and archdeaconry and diocese of Norwich.
About one-third of the parish may be said to be marsh and common lands; the marsh lands are drained by water mills. Hickling Broad, an expanse of water about 700 acres, is used by small craft to communicate with the River Bure.
The CHURCH of St. Mary is a very fine building of flint and stone, consisting of chancel, nave, aisles, south porch and an embattled western tower, 90 feet in height and containing 5 bells: the nave was thoroughly restored in 1875 at a cost of £1,877, and in the following year the chancel was restored at a further cost of £573: in 1890 the tower was restored and the bells re-hung, two being recast, at a cost of about £600, by Major G. N. Micklethwait in the memory of his brother, who was for 40 years vicar of the parish: there are nearly 500 sittings. The register dates from the year 1653. The living is a vicarage, net yearly value £270, including 16 acres of glebe, situated in the parish of Acle, with residence, in the gift of John Digby Mills esq. B.A. of Bisterne, Hants, and held since 1889 by the Rev. Arthur Adam Taylor Crosse B.A. of Emmanuel College, Cambridge.
The vicarage house was built in 1850 by the patron, at a cost of about £1,400. There are Wesleyan and Primitive Methodist chapels. The poor's land of 83 acres produces about £50, which is distributed in coals, and the widows' acre produces £3; other charities are also distributed annually.
A pleasure fair held on the 23rd of April is now obsolete. The inhabitants are employed in agriculture or in the neighbouring North Sea fisheries. Hickling PRIORY was founded by Theobald de Valoins or Valence in 1185, for the canons of the order of St. Austin, and dedicated to St. Mary, St. Austin and All Saints: Robert Botyld, alias Wymondham, became the last prior in 1503, and with three of the canons subscribed to the King's supremacy in 1534, when the revenues were estimated at £137: the ruins of the priory are gradually decaying. John Digby Mills esq. B.A. is lord of the manor and the principal landowner. The soil is fair mixed; subsoil, sand and clay. The chief crops are wheat, oats and barley. The area is 3,948 acres of land and 296 of water; rateable value, £5,455; the population in 1911 was 761 in the civil and 721 in the ecclesiastical parish in 1901.
Parish Clerk, Augustus Myhill
Post, M. O. & T. Office - James Turner, sub-postmaster. Letters arrive from Norwich, via Stalham, are delivered at 7 a.m. & 4.45 p.m. (5.45 p.m. July to Sept. partial delivery only); dispatched at 6.45 a.m. & 3 & 4.45 p.m. (5.45 p.m. July to Sept.); no delivery or dispatch on sunday. Letter Box, Hickling hall, cleared 7.10 a.m. & 2.50 p.m.
Letter Box, Hickling Heath, cleared 4.45 p.m. Oct. to June & 5.45 p.m. July to September
Public Elementary School (mixed and infants), erected in 1861, & enlarged in 1874 & 1880, for 160 children; average attendance, 155; the school has an endowment of £250 left by the Rev. John Wells & invested in Consols; there is a teacher's residence, erected & furnished in 1879 at a cost of £325; John Prickett, master
Carrier.- Walter Wallace, to 'Duke's Palace', Norwich, wed. & sat. returning at 5 p.m.
PRIVATE RESIDENTS
Crosse Rev. Arthur Adam Taylor B.A. vicar, Vicarage Edgell Herbert The Thatched cottage Elphicke Brett A. Broad house Ridgway Edward Red house Smith Herbert Norman Hickling hall
COMMERCIAL
Abagail William shopkeeper Balls William farmer Beales Albert shopkeeper Beales George farmer Beales George, jun. apartments Bell James farmer Bilby Frederick Lewis farmer & landowner, Poplar farm Carpenter Harry Pleasure Boat inn Chapman Arthur H. farmer Chapman Ernest farmer, The Heath Chapman Josiah farmer, The Green Chapman Lewis farmer Clarke Mrs Elizabeth farmer Deary Arthur thatcher Disney Robert J. farmer, Whinmere hall Dunham Herbert farmer Flatt William Charles coal dealer Fox Peter butcher Gaze John farmer Gaze Juby farmer Gibbs Frederick blacksmith Gibbs Herbert Henry shopkeeper Harvey George gamekeeper to H. N. Smith esq Lambert Bros. bricklayers, builders & contractors Lambert Frederick boot maker Markin Mrs Kate butcher Martin John William grocer Myhill Edward carpenter, builder, wheelwright & general contractor, overseer & collector of rates, taxes &c. clerk to Parish Council, The Hollies Myhill George farmer Myhill Lewis farmer Neal George William farmer, Stubbs & Hall farms Newman John farmer & landowner, Priory farm Nudd Thomas marshman for the commissioners of drainage Pollard Robert blacksmith, The Green Powles Edward George Greyhound P.H. Pratt Henry Bull inn Sadler Matthew farmer, Winmere Skipper John farmer, The Heath Taylor Leonard vermin destroyer Turner James grocer, draper, flour & offal dealer, & general stores, Post office Turner Richd. Frank farmer, The Green Turner William wheelwright Vincent Robert vermin destroyer Wallace Walter carrier Whittleton Leonard farmer, Heath Wright Henry farmer Youngs George farmer, Brightmere
See also the Hickling parish page.
Copyright © Pat Newby.
February 2000