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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