Norfolk: Shouldham Thorpe

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

SHOULDHAM-THORPE, anciently called Garbois-Thorpe, is a scattered village, on rising ground, nearly 5 miles N.E. of Downham, in Downham union and county court district, Clackclose hundred and petty sessional division, Lynn bankruptcy district, Downham polling district of West Norfolk, Fincham rural deanery, and Norfolk archdeaconry. It had 278 inhabitants in 1881, living on 1430 acres of land, and has a rateable value of £1877 5s.

Thomas L. Hare, Esq., is chief owner of the soil, and lord of the manor; and the rest belongs to Sir A. T. Bagge, Bart., The Rev. S. Allen, D.D., and a few smaller owners. About a mile N. of the village is the small manor of Fodderston, or Foston Gap, anciently a separate parish belonging to the Abbot of Ely, but now belonging to T. L. Hare, Esq., who is also impropriator of the tithes.

The appearance of the village has been much improved during the last few years by the erection of handsome cottages in the place of several old ones which have been pulled down.

The CHURCH (Virgin Mary) consists of nave, chancel, and bell turret at the west end, containing two bells; the entrance is at the west end, under a fine Norman arch. It was mostly rebuilt about twenty-six years ago, at the expense of the late Sir Thomas Hare. The seats are neat open benches of oak, and the floor is paved with tiles. The tower fell down in 1724. The living is in the gift of T. L. Hare, Esq., and is a vicarage annexed to Shouldham.

The Fuel Allotment, 60 acres, was awarded in 1794, and is let for £30. The rent of 6 acres is applied towards the repair of the highways.

Here are chapels belonging to the Wesleyans and Primitives, both erected in 1849.

WALL LETTER BOX cleared at 5:40 p.m. week days and 10 a.m. Sundays, via Downham, which is the nearest Telegraph Office. Fincham is the nearest Money Order Office. Downham and Magdalen Road are the nearest railway stations.

         Bowen       George           bootmaker
         Brackenbury W.T.             farmer, Hall farm
         Carter      Robert           farmer and butcher
         Carter      Mrs Sarah
         Cork        William          bootmaker
         Creed       Alfred           victualler, Foldgate Inn, and bootmaker
         Dane        Saml.            shopkeeper and bricklayer
         Easter      Thomas           farmer and cattle dlr
         Flatt       Wm. Hy. Townley  vict. Two Brewers, blacksmith,
                                        builder, wheelwright, farmer,
                                        and tax collector, Foston gap
         Gamble      John             farmer and landowner, Manor farm
         Goss        Jonathan Banks   farmer
                       Prestwood
         Lancaster   George           farm bailiff
         Muffett     Miss Maria       poultry dealer
         Pilgrim     Maurice          carrier
         Pollard     Jas.             corn miller & corn merchant,
                                        Foston gap, & (h) Wisbech
         Pollard     William          corn miller's manager, The Mill
         Watson      James            beerhouse & shpkeepr
 

See also the Shouldham Thorpe parish page.

Copyright © Pat Newby.
July 2000