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Norfolk: Stow Bardolph
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William White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk 1883
[Transcription copyright © Pat Newby]
STOW-BARDOLPH, a small village on the Lynn and Ely Railway, and on the Lynn road, nearly 2 miles N. by E. of Downham, is in Downham union and county court district, Lynn bankruptcy district, Downham polling district of West Norfolk, Clackclose hundred and petty sessional division, Fincham rural deanery, and archdeaconry of Norfolk.
It had 1054 inhabitants in 1881, living on 6127 acres of land, more than half of which is fen, but well cultivated, being drained and enclosed under Acts passed in 1798 and 1802. It extends beyond the middle level drain, and nearly to North Delph Bridge, including parts of Salter's Lode and Barroway Drove, and has a rateable value of £8550.
About 2 miles W.N.W. of the village is the hamlet of Stow-Bridge, on the river Ouse, where there is a fair for the sale of horses, cows, &c., on the Saturday after Whitsuntide.
Thomas Leigh Hare, Esq., owns a great part of the soil, and is lord of the manors, which were purchased in 1553 by his ancestor, Sir Nicholas Hare, who was lord keeper of the great seal and one of the privy council of Queen Mary. Messrs. Joseph Morton, Charles Edwards, and other smaller owners have estates in the parish. Stow Hall, the seat of Thomas Leigh Hare, Esq., originally built in 1589, at a cost of £40,000, by Nicholas Hare, Esq., and modernised in 1796, was rebuilt of red brick with stone dressings in 1874, at a cost of about £18,000. It is in the Elizabethan style, and stands in a well-wooded park of about 260 acres. It is the seat of Thomas Leigh Hare, Esq.
The CHURCH (Holy Trinity) consists of nave, north porch, chancel with north chapel, and low square tower. The latter is Norman, and contains five bells and a clock with chimes, but the rest of the building is Early English, and was thoroughly restored and partly rebuilt in 1850, at a cost of about £2100. The patron contributed more than £1500, and the remainder was raised by subscription and rate.
The seats are open benches of oak with poppy heads, and the new oak screen is a beautiful example of the Decorated style. The pulpit, altar and font are of handsomely carved Caen stone. All the windows of the church are filled with stained glass, and the floor is paved with Staffordshire tiles. On the south side of the chancel are three sedilia, a double piscina, a lychnoscope, and a priest's door, all of which have been judiciously restored.
The mortuary chapel on the north side of the chancel was built in 1589 by Nicholas Hare, Esq., and re-roofed and leaded in 1624 by Sir John Hare. It contains several beautiful monuments of the Hare family, amongst which is an altar-tomb of white marble, on which lies the effigy of Sir Thomas Hare. During the restoration a number of mural paintings were discovered in the nave, some of them possessing considerable merit. The represented St. Christopher, the martyrdom of King Edmund, &c. The ancient Norman stoup, and portions of several stone coffins, were found in the walls.
The discharged vicarage, valued in the King's Book at £6 6s. 8d., and now worth £538 per annum, with rectory of Wimbotsham attached, is in the patronage of Thomas Leigh Hare, Esq., who also owns the great tithes. The Rev. Edward Blencowe, B.A., is the vicar, and has a good residence, built in 1778 and enlarged in 1847. The tithes of Stow-Bardolph were commuted in 1845 for £352 4s. 8d. to the impropriator, and £159 to the vicar.
In 1873, a handsome school, with master's house adjoining, was erected by the late Sir Thomas Hare, near Stow-Bridge, at a cost of about £1000. The school is dedicated to St. Paul, and is licensed for divine worship. In 1877 a SCHOOL BOARD was formed for this parish and Wimbotsham. The present members are Messrs. William Goulder (chairman), John Morton, E. Durrant, William Lewis, and John Hutson. Mr. E.S. Copeman is clerk to the Board. They hold the schools belonging to T.L. Hare, Esq., at a low rent.
Here are six almshouses, built by Sir Ralph Hare, Kt., who endowed them in 1622 with 86A. 3R. of land in the parish of Wiggenhall St. Mary Magdalen, the rent of which, after payment of incidental expenses, ought to be divided in money, coal, and clothing, among the six almspeople, who are generally poor widows, and are appointed by Thomas L. Hare, Esq., the sole trustee. The rent of the Town Lands, 18 acres, is partly carried to the overseers' accounts, and partly dispensed in doles to the poor.
At Stow-Bridge are chapels belonging to the Baptists, Primitive Methodists, and Methodist Free Church.
Here is a Wall Letter-Box, cleared at 7 p.m. week days, and 11.15 Sundays. There is also a receiving office at Mr. Geo. Howlett's, Stow-Bridge, where letters are received at 7.30 a.m. and despatched at 5.45 p.m., viâ Downham, which is the nearest Money Order and Telegraph Office.
Those with * opposite their names should be addressed Outwell, Wisbech
Alflatt Goodens bricklayer, builder, brickmaker,
and farmer
Alflatt Jas. Hy. bricklayer and builder
Asplin Peter farmer, Stow bridge
Bates Mrs Hanh. fmr. Barroway drove
Beart Chas. farmer, West Head farm
Bell Thomas blacksmith
Blencowe Rev. Ed.
Everard, B.A. vicar
Bonus Wm. bootmaker, Stow bridge
Bush George farmer
Bussens William estate agent to T.L. Hare, Esq.
Carter Elijah farmer
Carter Samuel coal mert. Stow bridge
Cooper Robert beerhouse, brewer, and farmer,
Stow bridge
Filby Edward farmer
Flatman Charles farmer, Stow bridge
Foreman Jas. farm bailiff, Salter's lode
Fox Geo. bootmaker, Stow bridge
Gill William police sergeant
Goddard John G.E.R. station-master, Stow bridge
Gooden - beerhouse, Stow bridge
Gore Frederick farmer
Griggs John vict. Crown Inn, butcher, and farmer,
Stow bridge
Groom George beerhouse, Stow bridge
Grounds John farmer and landowner, Barroway drove
Hammond Wm. blacksmith, Stow bdge.
Harpley John blacksmith, Stow bridge
Hopkin Wm. Wells farmer, Home frm.
Howlett Geo. grocer & draper, Stow bdge.
Howlett Robt. assistant overseer, road surveyor, &
collctr. of taxes for Stow Bardolph
& Wimbotsham, Stow bdge.
Hudson Fredk. farmer
Hutson John corn & coal merchant, & farmer,
Stow bridge
Jones George farmer, Hill farm
* Judd John farmer, Fen
King Thomas farmer, Salter's lode
Lewis Fras. jun. fm. blff. Barroway drove
Lewis Wm. farmer & land owner, Barroway drove
Lockwood Chas. carpenter & wheelwrt.
Morton Jno. fmr. & ld. owner, Fences fm.
Morton Jph. fmr. & ld. owner, New bdge.
Murfet John Thomas farmer
* Proctor Wm. Kemp farmer, Fen
Reeve John farmer, Westhead road
Reeve Wm. Thos. corn miller & farmer, Stow bridge
Rolfe Edward farmer, Westhead road
Rolfe Fredk. Wm. farmer, Stow bridge
Rolfe Thomas farmer, Westhead road
Rolfe William farmer, Stow bridge
Savage Robert farmer, Stow bridge
Sayle Harry vict. Hare Arms, plumber, glazier,
painter, and paperhanger
Sherwood Edward blacksmith
Southwell Robt. farmer & landowner, Barroway drove
Stimson Samuel cowkeeper
Taylor Westwood Tiffin carpenter, Stow bridge
Fowler Isaac beerhouse, Stow bridge
Wright Wm. grocer, draper, & baker, Stow bridge
G.E. RAILY. STATION. - John Goddard, stationmaster. Trains to Lynn, Ely, and all parts, several times a day
See also the Stow Bardolph parish page.
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Copyright © Pat Newby.
September 2007