GENUKI: Norfolk: Narborough, Norfolk

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

NARBOROUGH, or Narburgh, 10 miles E.S.E. of Lynn, and 5 miles N.W. by W. of Swaffham, is an ancient village, on the river Nar, which is navigable for small craft from Lynn, and has here a water-mill (owned by Mr. Everett) and a wharf, where much business is transacted in coal, corn, malt, &c., by Messrs. Marriott. It is in Swaffham union and county court district, King's Lynn bankruptcy district, South Greenhoe hundred and petty sessional division, and Swaffham polling district of West Norfolk, North Cranwich rural deanery, and Norfolk archdeaconry. It had 435 inhabitants in 1881, living on 3545 (3411A. 2R. 4P. on rate book) acres, and has a rateable value of £3820.

Pentney station on the Lynn and Dereham Railway adjoins this parish.

Half of the land is cultivated heath extending southward to that of Swaffham. H. Villebois, John Hotblack, W.G. Winearls, and J.C. Martin, Esqrs., have estates in the parish, and the latter is lord of the manor, and resides at the Hall, an ancient mansion of brick and stone, formerly encompassed by a moat, and built in the reign of Henry VIII., by Judge Spelman.

Near the hall is a lofty entrenchment, from which a large fosse and rampart extended southward along the boundary of Clackclose hundred, to Eastmore fen, a distance of 8 miles, as may still be traced. John Brame, in a manuscript history quoted by Spelman in his "Icenia," says Narborough was a British city in the time of Uter Pendragon, about the year 500: that it was governed by Earl Okenard, and stood a seven months' siege against King Waldy. At the head of the fosse near the hall, Sir Clement Spelman dug up several human bones and pieces of armour, whilst making a garden, in 1600.

The manor was anciently held by a family of its own name, from whom it passed by marriage to the Spelmans and then to the Dashwoods.

The CHURCH (All Saints) comprises nave, chancel, aisles, and square embattled tower. It formerly had a spire, which was taken down in 1679, and it still contains several monuments and fine brasses to the Spelman family, and tablets to the Marriotts, Tyssens, and Chamberlins.

The vicarage, valued in the King's Book at £9 10s., is endowed with the rectorial tithes, and is annexed to Narford. The value of the joint benefices is £518 a year. The living is now in the patronage and incumbency of the Rev. William Edward Allfree, M.A. The vicarage-house is a good brick building, erected in 1765.

The sum of £91, given by Wm. Harvey and other donors, was laid out in 1761, in the purchase of ten small tenements, occupied by poor families. In 1793, the Rev. Henry Spelman gave £500 three per cent. stock, and directed the dividends to be applied as follows:- £5 5s. to the parish clerk, for teaching the catechism every Sunday to poor children; and the remainder for distribution in books and clothing among the children. By his will, dated 1803, he left £722, which was invested in the purchase of £968 5s. 7d. three per cent. Consols; the dividends of which are applied, as far as required, in paying a surgeon for attending poor lying-in women, and the residue is distributed in coals or money among the poor communicants.

The Wesleyans have a chapel here, erected in 1863, by H. Boyce, Esq.

An Act was passed in 1881 for improving the drainage of the Nar valley (see page 20 [which is part of the History of Norfolk]).

POST, MONEY ORDER, TELEGRAPH, and SAVINGS BANK at Mr. Daniel Nuthall's, sub-postmaster. Letters from Swaffham arrive at 7.50 a.m., despatched at 5.20 p.m., Sundays at 10 a.m.

         Allfree   Rev. Wm.
                     Edward, M.A.  The Vicarage
         Anthony   Thos.           farmer; h Marham
         Arnold    Wm.             shoemaker & poor's rate collector
         Boyce     Chas.           farmer, Lower farm
         Boyce     Henry           farmer, Church farm
         Brown     Mr Edwin
         Clark     Jas.            gamekpr. to J.C. Hotblack
         Coe       Mrs Susan       blacksmith
         Collinson Wm.             farm bailiff       [see note below]
         Everett   Frith           miller, bkr. & corn mht
         Hotblack  John            farmer; h Norwich  [see note below]
         Lawson    Thos.           shoemaker
         Marriott  Jno. & Rbt.     maltsters & mhts
         Marriott  Jno. Lewis      mht. (J. & Rbt.)
         Martin    Mr Joseph
                     Critchley     Narborough hall
         Mitchell  Wm. Saundirs    vict. Ship Inn and posting house
         Nuthall   Danl.           grocer, drpr. & post office
         Robinson  Geo.            farmer, Chalk farm
         Waller    Thos. Turner    btcr; h Pentney

RAILWAY STATION - James Chapple Smith, stationmaster

Note: in the original this is:
Hotblack John farmer; h Norwich
Wm. Collinson, farm bailiff

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Norfolk: Narborough

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