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Lessingham

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"LESSINGHAM, 8 miles E. by S. of North Walsham, and 3½ miles N.N.E. of Stalham, has in its parish 241 souls and 640A. of land, mostly belonging to Mr B. Cubitt, but the manor is held by King's College, Cambridge. The Church (All Saints,) is a rectory, valued in the King's Book at £6, and consolidated with Hempstead. The glebe here is 21A.1R.16P., and the tithes were commuted in 1841 for £240 per ann. Here was a Priory, subject to Bec abbey in Normandy, but it was suppressed in the reign of Henry VI." [William White, History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk (1845) - Transcription copyright © Peter Green]

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Lessingham is about 13 miles E. of Aylsham.

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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 Waxham, 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 All Saints.
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Church History

Methodist Church
Minister, services, picture, etc.
Follow the link to the home page, then search for the church.
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Civil Registration

For the civil registration of births, marriages and deaths between 1837 and 1869 (and for the censuses in 1851 and 1861), Lessingham was in Tunstead and Happing Registration District.

This district was renamed on 1st January 1870 and, from then until 1930, Lessingham was in Smallburgh Registration District for civil registration and for the censuses of 1871 to 1901.

See also Norfolk Parish Links: Civil Registration

You can see pictures of Lessingham which are provided by:

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Gazetteers

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Historical Geography

Lessingham is in Happing Hundred.

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

Land allotment and drainage
See Hempstead.

See also Norfolk Parish Links: Land and Property

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Maps

You can see maps centred on OS grid reference TG394282 (Lat/Lon: 52.79778, 1.550015), Lessingham 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
Families Population
1801 31 40 159
1811 30 37 169
1821 34 47 195
1831 47 47 191
1841 47 -- 241
1851 47 -- 191
Year   Inhabited
Houses
Families Population
1861 50 -- 175
1871 45 52 188
1881 41 42 176
1891 40 40 182
1901 43 43 182
1911 -- 42 177

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.