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Norfolk: Watlington
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William White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk 1883
[Transcription copyright © Pat Newby]
WATLINGTON is a neat scattered village, 6 miles S. by W. of Lynn, in the fertile marshes on the east side of the Great Ouse river, about 1 mile east of the bridge at Wiggenhall St. Mary Magdalen, and near the Lynn and Ely Railway, on which it has a station called Magdalen Road in this parish. Its parish is in Downham union and county court district, Lynn bankruptcy district, Wiggenhall St. Mary Magdalen polling district of West Norfolk, Clackclose hundred and petty sessional division, Fincham rural deanery, and archdeaconry of Norfolk. It had 619 inhabitants in 1881, living on 1604A. 2R. 30P. of land, and has a rateable value of £3883.
The soil is mostly the property of the Rev. Cannon Birch, of Prestwich, near Manchester, who owns the Hall, a handsome mansion, with a fine park and plantations, where he occasionally resides. G. Coote, Esq., of Sudbury, is lord of the manor of Gawsels in Watlington, for which courts leet and baron are held yearly.
The CHURCH (St. Peter and St. Paul) is a large structure, comprising nave, aisles, chancel, vestry, south porch, and square tower with three bells. The sedilia and piscina still remain, and here are mural tablets of the Plestow, Pratt, Patrick, and other families, and a small organ. In the south aisle are effigies of Thomas Gawsel and his wife. The rectory, valued in the King's Book at £41 15s. 8d., is in the patronage of Gilbert Barker, Esq., and incumbency of the Rev. Geo. Llewellyn Barker, M.A., who has 23A. of glebe, a good residence, and a yearly tithe rent-charge of £425.
The Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists have each a chapel here.
A SCHOOL BOARD was formed for this parish in 1875, and a handsome school and master's house was erected in 1877, at a cost of £1500; it is attended by 120 children. Messrs. Samuel Bateman (chairman), Jas. Bear, Jesse Bradfield, Wm. Spratt, and Alfred A. Turner are the present members of the board; Mr. T.L. Reed is clerk.
A yearly rent-charge of £5 4s., left by John Davis, out of land called Holybreads, is distributed in doles of 4s. worth of bread every alternate Sunday, among six poor people of each of the parishes of Watlington and Tottenhill. At Christmas £12 8s. 3d. is distributed among the poor of Watlington in coal. This sum arises as follows:- £9 from a close of 2A., left by Edward Shouldham in 1646; 20s. charged on a cottage, by Henry Punting; 10s. charged on land, left by Thomas Watson; and £1 18s. 3d., from the interest of £42 10s., given by W. Snelling, H. Punting, and W. Cawood.
POST OFFICE at Mr. Geo. Riches'. Letters arrive at 9 a.m., and are despatched at 4.30 p.m., viâ Lynn. St. Germans is the nearest Money Order and Telegraph Office.
Allen Mrs Phœbe
Balls George farmer
Barker Rev. Geo. L. M.A. rector
Bateman Mrs Maria
Bateman Samuel farmer
Baxter Burton grazier & landowner
Bear James baker and flour dealer
Bird Misses Dora Jane
& Hannah K. girls' day and boarding school
Bird Mr Josiah
Bishop John farmer and landowner
Bowden Thos. mkt. grdnr. & landownr
Butter Fredk. carpenter and builder
Carter William farmer
Cason Abraham carrier
Childs John bootmaker
Chilvers John vict. Queen's Head, farmer
and cattle dealer
Clare Chas. Jas. builder, contractor, timber
merchant & coach builder
Crabbe Mrs Mary Ann
Dower Mr. Henry
Eggett Richard farmer
Failes George farmer & landowner
Featherby Jas. plumber & painter
Fendley Wm. frmr. beerhs. & coal dlr
Foster J.H. brick & tile mfr.; h Wisbech
Fox John carpenter
Franklin Geo. blacksmith & beerhouse
Gathergood Joseph farmer
Jackson Edward farmer
Kidman Geo. grazier & cattle salesmn
King Wm. Louis, surgeon, public vaccinator &
M.R.C.S., medical officer for the 4th
L.R.C.P. district of Downham union,
The Cottage
Knights Mark Abraham police cnstbl
Lack George saddler
Langley Mrs Ann Park house
Malt Robert market gardener
Meek James grocer, draper, butcher and
beer and wine retailer
Miland William market gardener
Moughton John beerhouse
North James board schoolmaster
Parker William farmer
Pinnock Mrs Sarah vict. Angel
Potter Stibbard station master
Riches Geo. blacksmith, agricultural
implement manufr. & post master
Simons John wheelwright
Skerritt Jas. Henry grocer & draper
Spratt William coal dealer
Stibbon John butcher and farmer
Sweeting Joseph brickyard foreman
Tann James farmer and horse dealer
Tann Jas. jun. farmer & hose dealer
Turner Alfred grocer
Turner A.A. corn miller, bkr. & farmer
Violen William butcher and farmer
Ward Miss Annie dressmaker
Webster Thomas grazier
See also the Watlington parish page.
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Copyright © Pat Newby.
July 2015