GENUKI: Norfolk: Shouldham, Norfolk

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

SHOULDHAM is a pleasant village, with several neat modern houses, on a small green, 5½ miles N.E. of Downham, and 10 miles W. of Swaffham. Its parish contains 683 inhabitants, and 3,775 acres, of which, 2,674 acres, including a rabbit warren, belong to Sir Thos. Hare, Bart., the lord of the manor; and the rest is the property of Mrs. Allen, Robt. Catton, Esq., and a few smaller freeholders. In some old writings it is called Market Shouldham, and it has still two fairs for horses, cattle, and sheep, on Sept. 19th and Oct. 11th.

Here was anciently a Priory, founded in the reign of Richard I., for monks of the order of St. Gilbert, by Jeffery Fitzpiers, Earl of Essex, and chief justice of England, who died in 1212, and endowed it with this manor, and twelve houses in St. Mary's, Colechurch, London. Robert Swyft, the last prior, subscribed to the King's supremacy in 1526. At the dissolution, the priory and its possessions was granted to Thomas Mildmay. On removing the priory ruins, in 1831, a decayed painted window, two stone coffins, and a vessel containing a human skull, were found; and on clearing the foundations in 1840, a walled passage, 30 yards long, and 2 feet broad, was discovered. To this priory was attached a large Grammar School, of which John Elvedon was master, in 1462. It had also a church, dedicated to St. Margaret, which was standing in 1519.

The parish CHURCH, (All Saints,) is at the east end of the village, and has recently been thoroughly repaired, and the chancel rebuilt. It contains a handsome marble monument, in memory of the late Mr. Thos. Allen, Esq., bearing a finely executed figure of Faith. Mr. Allen built Shouldham Hall, about 12 years ago. On the wall of the cemetery are several large gravestones, one of which has the insignia of a Knight Templar. The living is a perpetual curacy, (not in charge,) annexed to Shouldham-Thorpe, in the incumbency of the Rev. C.J. Orman, and patronage of Sir Thomas Hare, the impropriator of all the tithes, out of which he pays the curate's stipend, £120 per annum.

Here is a Wesleyan Chapel, built in 1816.

On Mr. Catton's estate is a fine chalybeate spring, called Silver Well, which gives rise to a small rivulet that flows through the village, and is so called from the silvery scum which flows on its surface, or, as tradition says, from a chest of silver coin lost in its unfathomable depth. The fabulous legend relates, that some workmen, employed in cleansing the well, discovered this treasure; but just as they had raised it to the surface, their ropes broke, and it sunk to some secret recess, where it has since remained. Near this, a new spring was discoverd [sic] about 10 years ago, and both of them possess similiar properties to those of Tunbridge and Toplitz. Over the latter a freestone obelisk was erected in 1839, and the water flows from it through a lion's mouth into a stone basin, about which shrubs are planted, and the whole is enclosed with paling. Near it have been found fragments of Roman urns, and a few coins.

The Fuel Allotment, 95A., was awarded at the enclosure, in 1794. The poor cut turf upon it, but the herbage is let for about £35 per annum, most of which is required for the drainage rates. One rood of old poor's land is let for 12s.

Here is a Sunday School, attended by more than 100 children.

         Allen     Mrs. Fanny      Shouldham Hall
         Brighton  William         warrener
         Catton    Robert          gentleman
         Catton    Robert Thomas   solicitor
         Cox       John            schoolmaster
         Cross     Robert          painter, plumber, &c.
         Orman     Rev. Chas.
                     Joseph, M.A.  incbt.
         Scott     Robert          corn miller
         Walker    William         beer seller
         Webster   Thomas          gardener
         Wilkin    Robert          baker
 
            PUBLIC HOUSES.
 
         Walker    William         Black Horse
         Easter    John            Chequers
         Eke       Eleanor         King's Arms
         Gateley   John            Rampant Horse
         Coxill    Jacob           Three Horse Shoes
 
            Blacksmiths.
 
         Drake     George
         Gateley   John
 
            Carpenters.
 
         Fenley    James
         Proctor   William
         Ramm      William
 
            FARMERS.
 
         Bird      John            Abbey Farm
         Brown     Davis           Old Hall
         Edwards   William
         Lemmon    Charles         Colts Hall
         Ramm      Richard         Button Fen
         Shickle   Henry           (& butcher)
         Story     Charles
 
            Grocers, &c.
 
         Buckenham John            (& bricklayer)
         Farrer    Eliza
         Wetherell Peter

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Norfolk: Shouldham

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