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Norfolk: Watton -

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Church History: Congregationalism
Browne, John, B.A., Congregational Minister at Wrentham.
History of Congregationalism and Memorials of the Churches in Norfolk and Suffolk.
[London, Jarrold and Sons, 1877]

[Transcription copyright © Pat Newby]

WATTON. page 358

The Rev. R. Fairbrother, of Dereham, opened a cottage for public worship in 1818, and a chapel was opened at Neaton, a hamlet of Watton, September 3rd, 1819. A church was formed in February, 1822, in which year, on the 22nd of October, the REV. HENRY ELEAZAR ROBINSON was ordained its first pastor. He removed in 1826, when MR. RADCLIFFE came and ministered to the congregation; he was succeeded in 1829 by MR. BARNES.

Hitherto the work met with little encouragement. In the following year, Watton and Hingham were united under the REV. M.B. DIFFEY as a Home Missionary1, and the church was reorganized. Mr. Diffey retired in 1840, and was succeeded by the REV. JOHN MORFITT2; but in 1844 Mr. Diffey returned, church order was restored, and Carbrooke was taken into connexion with Watton.

In 1847 the REV. JAMES READING supplied for a short time, and in 1848 the REV. ALFRED GRIFFIN came, who removed to Southminster in 1855; he was immediately succeeded by the REV. JOSEPH HORSLEY, during whose ministry a new chapel was opened, August 10th, 1856, accommodating 300 persons, in which galleries for the school were erected in 18713.

The REV. W. HICKMAN SMITH came in 1857, and removed to Sheerness in 1858. The REV. HENRY COPE, from Tetsworth, came in 1859, and removed to Youghall in 1867. In the January following, the REV. WM. THOS. BLENKARN came from Nottingham; he left in 1871, in which year the REV. JOHN FARQUHAR came from Seaham Harbour; and in 1874 the REV. EDWARD CRESSELL came from Houghton. He is the present pastor.

Notes:

  • 1. Congl. Mag., 1830, p.705.
  • 2. See Obituary, Year Book, 1855, p.229.
  • 3. The school-room was erected in 1862 as a memorial of 1662.

See also the Watton parish page.

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Copyright © Pat Newby.
May 2016