Norfolk: Hickling

William White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk 1845

HICKLING, a scattered village and parish, 18 miles N.E. by E. of Norwich, and 4 miles E.S.E. of Stalham, has 860 souls and 4334 acres of land, of which nearly 2000 are marshes. About 1¼ miles S. of the Church, is Hickling Broad, an extensive lake, upwards of three miles in circumference, and navigable for small craft to the Thurne and the Bure.

Nathl. Micklethwait, Esq., is the principal landowner, and lord of the manor, for which he holds a court in November. Some of the copyholds are on fine certain, and others arbitrary. He is also impropriator of the rectorial tithes, and patron of the vicarage, which is valued in the King's Book at £5.3s.4d., and from 1782 to 1784 was augmented with £400 of Queen Anne's Bounty, and £200 given by John Micklethwait, Esq., and the Rev. John Wells, all laid out in 17 acres of marsh land, at Acle.

The Rev. C.F. Millard, A.B., of Norwich, is the incumbent. The rectorial tithes have been commuted for £814, and the vicarial for £344 per annum. The Church (St. Mary,) is a handsome Gothic structure, with a tower and five bells; and about half a mile to the north, in the outbuildings of a farm-house, are the remains of the Priory, which was founded in 1185, by Theobold de Valoins, for canons of the order of St. Austin, and granted at the dissolution to Sir. W. Woodhouse. The last remaining window of the priory was taken down in 1825, and forms a porch to the farm-house, now occupied by labourers.

Hickling had anciently a market, and has now a holiday fair, on April 23rd. In the parish are a Wesleyan and two Primitive Methodist chapels.

In 1682, James Scamler left the yearly sums of 10s to the poor, 2s to the parish clerk, and £2.2s. to the vicar for a sermon. The Poor's Allotments, awarded at the enclosure, in 1805, comprise 83A.2R.30P., now let for £64 a year, which, after the payment of the drainage rate, &c., is distributed in coals, together with the interest of £106, which arose from the sale of two poor-houses, in 1811. The rent of five roods of land, called the Widow's Acre, (£4,) is distributed amongst poor widows. In 1803, the Rev. John Wells left £250, four per cent. Consols, for the education of poor children, for the dividends of which ten free scholars are instructed.

In the following DIRECTORY, those marked 1, are at Eastfield; 2, Green; 3, Heath; 4, Hickling; 5, Stubb; and 6, Winmore Hall.

         4 Applegate John           Natl. Schl.'master
         2 Bates     Bj.            joiner & vict. Greyhound
         4 Burton    Juby           shopkeeper
         4 Burton    Mary           vict. Bull
         2 Cannell   Thomas         tailor
         5 Frankling Dionesius      wheelwright
         2 Garret    Israel Ryal    corn miller
         4 Harbord   Robt.          schoolmaster
         4 Kennell   John           tailor
         2 Kidd      Rev John, M.A. curate
         3 Mack      Miss Sarah
         3 Minner    Edward         farm steward
         4 Neale     Jas.           shopkr. & coal dealer
         4 Neave     Jacob          blacksmith
         4 Pilgrim   Wm.            blacksmith
         2 Steward   Joshua         vict. White Horse
 
                       FARMERS. (*are Owners)
 
         5*Barber      Jonth.          3 Gibbs    Pp. jun.
         2 Beaumont    Abm.            3*Mack     Edward
         3 Bell        Ann             3 Money    Wm.
         3 Bishop      Mrs             2 Myhill   John
           Borrett     Jno. Hall       1 Neale    Wm.
         5*Brackenbury William         2*Newman   Sml.
         4 Clipperton  Jno.              Newman   S. jun.
         5 Derry       Thos.           3 Nudd     Robort (sic)
         5 Durrant     Wm.             5*Plummer  Chs.
           George      Daniel          6 Slipper  Benj.
         4 Gibbs       Geo.              Skipper  John
         2 Gibbs       Philip
 
              Shoemakers.
 
         2 Gaze        John
         4 Gibbs       Samuel
         2 Trory       Wm.
           Turner      Benj.
 
 

CARRIER.
John Goose, to Norwich, Sat.

Copyright © Pat Newby.
June 1999