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Norfolk: Thornham

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

[Transcription copyright © David E.A. Matthews]

THORNHAM is a large village, near the salt marshes, on the Hunstanton Road, 6 miles W. by N. of Burnham Market. It is in Smithdon hundred, Smithdon and Brothercross petty sessional division, Docking union, Fakenham county court and Norwich bankruptcy district, Heacham rural deanery, and Norfolk archdeaconry.

About half a mile north of the village is a warehouse, at the head of a small creek from Brancaster Bay, navigable for small vessels which bring in coals and take out corn. The parish extends to the beach, and had 653 inhabitants in 1881, and 2154 acres of land, mostly belonging to Captain Ames-Lynde, the lessee of the lands and rectorial tithes under the Bishop of Norwich, who has the larger manor. The rateable value is £3975. The Dean and Chapter have a small manor here; and the Hall is the property of Mrs. Margaret Hogge, of Lynn, but is now occupied as a farmhouse.

The CHURCH is a spacious building, having a lofty nave with aisles and clerestory, a chancel, a large south porch, and a massive square tower, which only rises to the height of the nave, its further progress having probably been stopped by the civil war in the time of Charles I., and never resumed. The bell still hangs in a wooden frame in the churchyard, where it appears to have been placed during the building of the tower, which, as well as the nave, is in the Perpendicular style, but the chancel and south doorway are Early English. The nave is of 5 bays, and has a fine open timber roof. The lower part of the screen remains, and has upon its panels sixteen well-painted figures, supposed to be prophets. The chancel contains a piscina with a lateral opening, some portions of the sedilia, a tablet to the late G. Hogge, Esq., and a handsome five-light lancet window, inserted in 1850. Some of the old open seats still exist, but the aisles and chancel are disfigured by large square pews, and the whole church is much in need of restoration.

The vicarage, valued in the King's Book at £10, and now at £420, with that of Holme-next-the-Sea annexed, is in the alternate patronage of the Bishop and T. Ewen, Esq., and incumbency of the Rev. Edward Ewen, M.A., who has here 14 acres of glebe and a handsome residence, built in 1848 at a cost of £2000. He has also a yearly tithe rent-charge of £250, besides £20 out of the great tithes, which have been commuted for £480 per annum.

The Wesleyan Chapel was erected in 1870, at a cost of £180, and will seat 100 persons. The Primitive Methodist Chapel was built in 1869, at a cost of £350, and has 130 sittings.

The NATIONAL SCHOOL, a handsome Decorated Gothic building, with rooms for boys and girls, and a master's house, was built in 1857 by the late William Hogge, Esq. It is attended by 140 children, and supported by voluntary subscriptions and school pence.

In 1857 the vicar built here a commodious room for evening lectures, &c.

The Church Land, 7A. 3R., is let for £17 a year. The Fuel Allotment is about 16 acres, awarded at the enclosure in 1794. The poor cut furze and whins upon it. In 1720 Walter Walterson left £100 to be laid out in land - two-thirds for the poor of Thornham, and one-third for the poor of Titchwell. The land purchased was exchanged at the enclosure for 12A. 2R. 12P., let for £24 per annum. The poor of Thornham have also £2 a year, as the gift of Edward Robinson and Mr. Reed, and the interest of £400 three per cents., bequeathed by G. Hogge, Esq., in 1847; and the parish has the right of sending four boys to the Free School in Brancaster.

POST OFFICE at Mr. John Edwards's. Letters arrive at 8.30 a.m., and are despatched at 4.30 p.m., via Lynn. Brancaster is the nearest Money Order Office.

         Allen        William             vict. Chequer Inn
         Ames-Lynde   Captain Lionel
                        Neville Frederick,
                        Esq., J.P.        The Cottage
         Barnes       Henry               farm bailiff
         Brooke       Mr Robert
         Bunting      Miss Emma           Albert House
         Callaby      Francis             bricklayer
         Cook         Robert              cartowner
         Crane        Edwd.               carpenter & wheelwright
         Crane        Jph.                vict. King's Head, & frmr
         Crane        Thomas              corn miller and baker
         Curtis       Wm. Aster           grocer, assistant overseer, and agt.
                                            for the Integrity Assurance Office
         Ducker       William             cartowner
         Edwards      John                postmaster
         Evans        Thomas              bricklayer
         Ewen         Rev. Edward, M.A.   vicar, The Vicarage
         Flegg        Mrs Ann             victualler, Oak Inn
         Flegg        Isaac               saddler
         Green        John                farmer, Malthouse farm
         Green        John                shopkeeper
         Green        William             bootmaker
         Haines       Thomas              butcher
         Harris       Richard             schoolmaster
         Heading      George              farmer, The Hall
         Helsdon      Mrs Mary            farmer & butcher
         Howard       John George         carpenter and builder
         Howard       William             farmer
         Howard       William             bootmaker, toy, and smallware dealer
         Inkson       Miss Martha
                        Harriette         infant schoolmistress
         James        Mrs Ann
         Johnson      James               grocer and draper
         Johnson      Miss Lydia          Beach Cottage
         Jones        Thomas William      farmer
         Laws         Frederick           baker
         Lincoln      James               bootmaker
         Nurse        Mr John Daniel
         Pearman      George              carrier
         Renant       Edward              farmer
         Renant       Samuel              farmer
         Renant       Thomas Samuel       blacksmith
         Renant       Thos.               grcr. drpr. & tax collctr.
         Roye         William             farm bailiff, Lynn farm
         Sadler       Mrs Elizabeth       beerhouse
         Sadler       William             cartowner
         Seapey       George              farmer & lime mercht
         Southerland  Edward              fisherman
         Southerland  Henry               coal merchant
         Yaxley       Edward              blacksmith
 

CARRIER - George Pearman, to Lynn Tuesday.


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See also the Thornham parish page.

Copyright © Pat Newby.
December 2000