Norfolk: East Rudham

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

RUDHAM (EAST) is a considerable village and parish, on the Lynn road, 7 miles W. of Fakenham, in Docking union, Fakenham county court district, Norwich bankruptcy district, Gallow hundred and petty sessional division, Massingham polling district of West Norfolk, Burnham rural deanery, and Norfolk archdeaconry. East Rudham civil parish had 781 inhabitants in 1881, living on 3891 acres, and has a rateable value of £4626; but its ancient parish also comprises Broomsthorpe hamlet, which is noticed on page 171 [which is the entry for Broomsthorpe]. Most of the parish belongs to the Marquis of Townshend, the lord of the manor.

The parish was celebrated for two annual fairs (now discontinued) for cattle and merchandise, held on May 17 and October 14, under a charter granted by King John to the ancient family of Belet, who long held this parish, and founded in it Coxford Priory, on the banks of a rivulet, nearly 2 miles E. of the village, adjacent to Tattersett. This extensive priory, of which but little is known, had a boundary wall enclosing about 30 acres; and two large pieces of it, with a noble arch, are still standing. It was granted at the Dissolution to Thomas, Duke of Norfolk. A small pot of Roman coins was dug up among the ruins, in 1719.

The CHURCH (St Mary) comprises nave, aisles, south porch, transept, and low square tower with three bells. The chancel was partially restored in 1860, and contains a small organ. In the south transept is a mural tablet to the Manby family. In 1873 the church was entirely restored, and the tower, which had fallen in 1871, rebuilt. The total cost being £2200, towards which the Marquis of Townshend gave £1200. In the porch is a remarkable old centre boss of the Trinity, and over the end of the south transept a fine old cross. Some curious alabasters were brought to light during restoration, one representing the coronation of the Virgin Mary.

The Marquis of Townshend is patron of the rectory, which was valued in the King's Book at £6. 6s. 8d., and is now consolidated with that of West Rudham, in the incumbency of the Rev. Francis Garratt Wilson, B.A., who has here a residence built in 1861, and one acre of glebe. The tithes of the two parishes were commuted, in 1839, for £560 to the vicar and £995 to the impropriator.

The National School is a neat Elizabethan building of brick, erected by subscription in 1859, at a cost of £800, and attended by about 180 children from the two Rudhams.

The Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists have each a chapel here.

The Fuel Allotment, 20 acres, was awarded in 1821, and the poor have £5 a year from Lady Berkeley's charity, left in 1617.

POST, MONEY ORDER, and TELEGRAPH OFFICE, and SAVINGS BANK at Mr. J. Dewing's. Letters arrive at 8 a.m., and are despatched at 4.40 p.m., via Swaffham.

         Beaver      George           bricklayer
         Bonner      Hy. Calthrop     farmer
         Bower       Wm. John Thos.   veterinary surgeon
                       M.R.C.V.S.
         Bussey      John             victualler, Rangers' Inn, Coxford
         Coe         Hy.              chemist, druggist, & newsagt
         Cook        J.T. & Co.       coal merts.; & Lynn
         Chrisp      Samuel           blacksmith & shopkpr
         Defew       Horace William   saddler and harness maker
         Dewing      James            postmaster
         Drage       Mrs
         Drage                        corn, seed, wool, wine & spirit
           & Son                        merchants; and Fakenham
         Drage       Thomas B.        (& Son)
         Drew        James            bootmaker
         Frost       John             miller and baker
         Gilham      James            beerhouse
         Harrison    Arthur           E. & M. Railway stationmaster
         Hawes       Hy.              parish clerk & whlwrght
         Hendle      Edwd. Hendle     vict. Crown
         Howard      Thomas           hawker
         Huggins     Samuel John      watchmaker
         Kitton      Mr Robert Thomas
         Kitton      Wm. Henry        grocer & draper; and at Great Bircham
         Manby                        surgeons
           & Manby
         Manby       Alan Reeve,      (M. & M.), and hon. sec. to Royal
                       M.R.C.S.(Eng.)   Medical Benevolent Fund
         Manby       Frederic         (M. & M.)
                       M.R.C.S.(Eng.)
         Mays        Mr William
                       (exors. of)
         Osborne     Alfred           plumber & glazier
         Pamment     Thomas           coal dealer and shopkeeper
                       (exors. of)
         Parker      Edward           tailor
         Powell      Thomas           blacksmith
         Riches      Thomas           tailor
         Roberts     Robert           schoolmaster
         Rollings    William          carpenter
         Rudd        Thomas           shopkeeper & carrier
         Secker      Augustus         butcher
         Shaul       Henry            tailor
         Steadman    John Bayes       farmer
         Stringer    William          beerhouse
         Summersford Rev. A.J.        curate
         Tipple      Edward           bootmaker
         Tipple      Miss Elizabeth   shopkeeper
         Tipple      John             carpenter
         Twiddy      Robert           beerhouse
         Twiddy      John             wheelwright
         Wade        John             grocer and draper
         Wilson      Rev. Fras.       vicar
                       Garratt, B.A.
         Woods       Fredk.           farmer and dealer
 

West Norfolk Coal Co. coal merts.; and Lynn

RAILWAY - Lynn & Fakenham statn,; H. Chester, stationmaster

CARRIER - T. Rudd, to Norwich, Tues. and to Lynn, Saturday

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See also the East Rudham parish page.

Copyright © Pat Newby.
January 2003