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Norfolk: Watton
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William White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk 1883
[Transcription copyright © Pat Newby]
WATTON is a small market town, has a station on the Swaffham and Thetford Railway, and is pleasantly situated at the junction of roads from Norwich and Dereham to Brandon and Thetford, on the south side of the vale of a rivulet, 21 miles W. by S. of Norwich, 10 miles S.S.W. of East Dereham, 9 miles S.E. by E. of Swaffham, and 96 miles N.N.E. of London. It is in Wayland union, hundred, and petty sessional division, Attleborough county court district, Norwich bankruptcy district, Watton polling district of West Norfolk, Breccles rural deanery, and Norwich archdeaconry. It had 1407 inhabitants in 1881, and comprises 1807 acres of land. It has a rateable value of £7533. It has been much improved of late years, and consists chiefly of one broad street of considerable length, lined with neat houses and well-stocked shops. The river Wissey divides this parish from the adjoining parishes. The soil belongs to a number of proprietors, the largest of whom are Lord Walsingham and Joseph T. Mills, Esq.
Here are two manors - Watton Hall, of which Joseph T. Mills, Esq., is lord, and Rokeles, of which Mr. John Alexander is lord. In 1204 there was a writ brought to inquire whether the market here, granted to John de Vaux, was not prejudicial to Saham, and being found so, the market was recalled; but before the expiration of the year, Oliver de Vaux, having the manor of Watton Hall conveyed to him by his brother, and having great influence with the king, obtained a new charter for a market to be held every Wednesday, as it still continues, chiefly for corn; but it was formerly celebrated as a great butter mart, immense quantities of that article being purchased here weekly, and sent by factors to London. There were formerly five annual fairs.
In 1673, on Saturday, April 25, this town suffered greatly by an accidental fire, which destroyed above sixty houses, with the butchers' shambles, and other property, to the amount of £7450 in buildings and £2660 in goods and chattels. To alleviate the subsequent distress, 'a brief was granted to gather all England over, till the 20th of September 1675.'
In 1820 a neat obelisk was erected on the site of the old Market Cross, on which the town's name was oddly expressed by a rebus carved in oak, viz., a W., a hare, and a tun. On the demolition of the cross, these devices were placed in front of the Bell House and lock-up - a small square building, erected soon after the fire, but now called the Clock House, from a clock placed in it about sixty years ago.
Wayland Hall is a neat building of red and white brick, with stone dressings, situated in the Market-place, and erected in 1853 at a cost of £1350. It contains a library, a magistrates' room, and a large, lofty, and well-lighted Corn Hall, which is occasionally used for balls, concerts, &c., and has an open timber roof of the hammerbeam kind, the spandrels filled with tracery. Petty Sessions are held here on the first Wednesday in each month, and Richard Robinson, Esq., is clerk to the magistrates. The Police Station is a brick edifice, built in 1855, at a cost of £950, and having cells for the temporary confinement of prisoners and a residence for the inspector. Gas Works were erected here in 1859, at a cost of £1300, raised in £10 shares.
The CHURCH (St. Mary) comprises nave, aisles, chancel, vestry, and round tower, with octagonal belfry containing three bells. Most of the building was erected in the time of Henry II., but the aisles were rebuilt in 1840. On the east gable of the nave is a curious crucifix of stone, which formerly stood over the north porch, long since destroyed. Here were three guilds, dedicated to St. Giles, St. Mary, and St. John the Baptist. The pulpit, lectern, and rood-screen are of handsomely carved oak, and the seats are open benches.
Six of the windows are filled with stained glass, and here are several mural tablts of the Wodehouse, Fleming, Hicks, Harvey, Tillott, and other families. The ancient poor's box of this church is of solid oak, and represents a priest holding in his left hand a bag, in the upper part of which is an orifice to receive the money, which is passed into the box beneath. On the breast is carved 'Remember the Poore, 1639.'
The discharged vicarage, valued in the King's Book at £7 0s. 4d., is in the patronage of Joseph Trueman Mills, Esq., the impropriator of the great tithes, which have been commuted for £290 per annum. The Rev. Thomas Brookes Wrenford, D.D., is the incumbent, and has 13 acres of glebe, a yearly tithe rent-charge of £190, and a good brick residence, built in 1840.
The NATIONAL SCHOOL was erected by William Robinson, Esq., in 1819, and rebuilt on a larger scale in 1842. Its playground, about 2 acres, was given by Mrs. C. Harvey in 1834. An Infant School was built in 1876. Six boys of Watton are entitled to free instruction at Saham-Toney school.
The Independent Chapel was built in 1856, and contains 300 sittings. The Primitive Methodists and the Wesleyans have also chapels here.
A fine celt of yellow flint was found here.
Wayland Agricultural Association hold its annual meetings at Watton.
The Church Land, 14A. 1R. 20P., is let for £50 10s. per annum. In the town are almshouses, with small gardens, for four poor widows, founded in 1611 by Edward Goffe, who endowed them with a yearly rent-charge of £5. An allotment of 1A. 22P., awarded to them at the enclosure in 1801, is let for £5. per annum. Mr. Edward Stevens built four cottages about forty-five years ago, for the residence of four poor couples of the age of sixty years who have resided in the parish for thirty years. The Fuel Allotments, awarded at the enclosure, comprise 54A. 2R. 25P., and 9A. 35P. of land left by Richard Turner and Thomas Scott, in 1643 and 1727, except some small allotments awarded at the enclosure. The rent, £116 10s., of the above estates is distributed in coal and bread. The poor have likewise the yearly sum of 10s., left by Edward Goffe in 1611. Here are several friendly and benefit societies.
POST, MONEY ORDER, and TELEGRAPH OFFICE, and SAVINGS BANK. William Stoveld Stace, postmaster. Letters received from Thetford at 4.15 a.m. and 1 p.m. from London, despatched at 7.55 p.m. Box closes at 7.35 p.m.
Adcock
& Son joiners, builders, and contractors
Adcock Fredk. watch and clock maker, jeweller,
and tobacconist
Adcock George watch and clock mkr. and jeweller
Adcock James carpenter, Dereham rd
Adcock Robert builder (A. & Sons)
Adcock William builder (A. & Sons)
Albrecht Mr John Lewis Rokeles; and 7, Albemarle st. London, S.W.
Alexander Henry manager at Messrs. Gurney's bank,
agent to the Royal Farmers', and
General Fire, Life, & Hail Insurance
Co. Bank house
Alexander Mr John Edmund Gladstone villa
Alexander Thomas Arthur physician and surgeon, medical officer
to the Saham-Toney district of the
Swaffham Union, Clematis house
Amiss John tailor, Dereham rd
Baldry Edwd. blksmith. & bricklayer
Barber Mrs Ann Neaton villa
Barker Mr William East house
Barton Miss Elizabeth
Beets Miss Neaton
Bicker Mrs Caroline infant schlmstrs
Bicker George hairdresser and glover
Brunton William tailor and beerhouse, Saham road
Buckenham Mrs Elizabeth dressmkr. Dereham road
Buckle John coal merchant, Station, and corn
and flour dealer
Butters John fish dealer
Button Robert sawyer
Buxton Henry tinman and brazier
Cann William stationmaster, Railway Station
Claxton Thomas yeoman
Coleman John Abraham clerk
Coller R. & Son corn, coal, and cake merchants,
Railway station
Cooper - ironmonger; and at East Dereham
Culley Stephen jobbing gardener
Dodd Mr Philip Edward West house
Dunnett Daniel grocer, draper, and agent to the
General Assurance Co.
Durrant George Cubitt grocer and draper
Eagleton Mr John Dereham road
Edwards John photographer & taxidermist
Elsegood Mrs Sarah baker
Elsegood William butcher
Fickling Jeremiah cattle dlr. & frmr
Frost George Alfred joiner & builder
Frost Thos. Crawshay brewer, maltstr. wine and spirit
merchant, mineral water manufctr.
Watton brewery
Fuller Charles practical brewer
Gant Douglas Ambrose bkr. & confctr
Garner Jas. blacksmith, Dereham rd
Garner Jas. pork butcher, Dereham rd
Garner James engineer, implement maker, and
general smith, opposite Railway
station
Girling George shoemaker
Goodrick Horatio manager to the Watton Iron Works Co.
agt. to the Equitable Insurance Co
Gorman - agent to the Thetford and Watton Times
Gowing Mr Jas. Warden Neaton cott
Gowing Stephen Sead commsn. agent, and agent to the
Bressington Sovereign Insurance Co. Dillwyn hse
Greengrass George William castrater
Greengrass Henry beerhouse & farmer
Grigson Lieut. Henry clerk to Guardians of Wayland Union
Francis and Rural Sanitary Authority,
superndt. registrar, secretary to
Watton Gas and Coke Co. (lim.),
the Wayland Hall Co. (lim.), and to
the Wayland Agricultural Exhibition
& Poultry Show, clerk to the
Hockham and to the Stow Bedon School
Boards
Grigson & solicitors, agents to the Norwich Union
Robinson Fire and Life Insurance Co.
Grigson Edward Robert solicitor (G. & Robinson)
Grimes James shoemaker
Harvey Edwd. (Stace & H.), and assist. overseer
and poor's rate collector, secretary
to the Oddfellows' Society
Holmes Richard vict. The George and Dragon,
Guilliard commercial hotel and posting-house
Horsley Mrs Elizabeth
Howlett Thomas Shepherd corn, coal, and cake mercht. Railway
station
Hubbard Chas. bookseller, stationer, and toy dealer
Hughes Thomas farm bailiff to George Jacobs, Watton
green
Hunton Wm. iron and brass founder, opposite
Railway station
Jacobs George horse dealer, farmer, posting and job
master, Crown Commercial Hotel, &
inland revenue office; h High house
Kendall William grocer, draper, outfitter, and hatter,
agt. to the Perth Dye works
Knight Mrs Susan laundress
Knights G.E. chemist and druggist
Knopwood Mr Robert Leinster lodge
Knott Chas. coal mcht. Railway statn
Knott Mrs Susan
Lebbell John tailor and woollen drpr
Leggett William pork butcher
Lintott Chas. & Mrs E.A. master and mistress at National school
Lake William carter
Mallins Henry, A.B., physician & surgeon, medical officer
M.B., & M.Ch. to the Watton district of the
Wayland union
Martin Robert corn, cake, seed, and manure mercht.
commission agent, land surveyor,
agent to the Alliance Fire and Life
Insurance Co.
Meek Wm. saddler and harness maker
Minns George woollen draper, tailor, hatter, and
outfitter
Myhill William farmer, Watton grn
Nichols Wm. plumber, glazier, painter, gasfitter,
and earthenware dealer
Pitts Mrs Mary Ann dressmaker
Powley William shoemaker and rural post messenger
Powley Mrs Zillah dressmaker
Reed William earthenware & general dealer
Reeve Henry basket mkr. & beerhse
Robinson Richard solicitor (Grigson & R.), clerk
to the justices for Wayland petty
sessional division, and to the
commissioners of taxes, agent to
the Economic Life Insurance Co.
Rodwell Mrs Ann
Rook Miss Sarah Thetford road
Rudland Mr John
Sample Frederick carpenter
Sample Mrs Sarah Ann vict. Green Man
Sayer William leather merchant, and farmer at
Watton Wick
Semmence Wm. vict. Jolly Farmers, mineral water
manufacturer, and wooden bowl turner
Sharp Richard stone, marble, and monumental mason
Short Samuel baker and confectioner, and baking
powder manufacturer
Siggins Henry painter and plumber
Skipper Uriah leather mercht. & boot manufr.;
and at East Dereham
Smith Jas. cabinet mkr. & upholsterer
Snare Miss Elizabeth
Spanton Miss Sarah victualler, The Bull Hotel
Springall Robert French English and foreign timber merchant,
and sawmill proprietor at King's
Lynn; depôt, Railway station
Stace &
Harvey printers & bkbinders
Stace William Stoveld printer (S. & Harvey), postmstr. stamp
distributr. stationer, bookseller,
news agent, agent to the Alliance
Insurance Co. clerk to the poor's
allotment charity, post, money
order, and telegraph office
Starling Wm. maltster to T.C. Frost
Targett Misses Mary Ann
and Jane day school
Taylor Miss Eunice London road
Tennant Edward joiner & victualler, Live and Let Live
Thompson Miss Ellen day school
Thompson Mr John Hicks
Toombs Edwin Tyson hairdresser
Vincent Lacey Andrew chemist and druggist, agt. for W. & A.
Gilbey's wines and spirits, and
E. Green & Son's Bury ales;
and Hingham
Walker G.H. auctioneer & monetary agent;
h East Dereham
Walters Daniel plumber, painter, glazier, and house
decorator
Ward Frederick boot and shoe maker and leather seller
Warman John farmer, Wood farm
Waton Herbt. Carley clk. at brewery, agent to the Alliance
Insurance Co. & the Norwich & London
Accident Association
Watson Joseph market gardener
Walebelly James butcher and farmer [see note below]
Walebelly Robert butcher
Walebelly William butcher
Woodrow Mr James Burleigh house
Worm James Stebbing,
M.R.C.V.S. veterinary surgeon
Wrenford Rev. Thomas vicar of Watton and Surrogate,
Brookes, D.D. The Vicarage
White Jno. Daniel inspector of police
Wright Richard vict. Railway Hotel
Wyer Robert farm bailiff to William Sayer,
Watton Wick
In the original, the following entries are placed alphabetically in the list above.
- Gurney & Co.
- bankers (draw on Barclay & Co); Hy. Alexander, mgr
- National Provincial Bank;
- W. Walker, manager
- Watton Gas Light & Coke Co. (lim);
- H.F. Grigson, secretary
- Watton Iron Works Co.
- iron and brass founders & agricultural implement makers; Horatio Goodrick, mngr
- Wayland Agricultural Exhibition and Poultry Show;
- H.F. Grigson, sec
- Wayland Hall Co. (lim.);
- H.F. Grigson, secretary
Note:
Walebelly should probably be Whalebelly
See also the Watton parish page.
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Copyright © Pat Newby.
May 2016