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Norfolk: Welney

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William White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk 1845

[Transcription copyright © Pat Newby]

WELNEY, 10 miles S.W. of Downham, is a village and extensive parish lying in the cultivated fens of the Great Bedford level, (see p.608 [which is the entry for Clackclose Hundred];) and like Upwell and Outwell, it lies on both sides of the Welney or Croft river, partly in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, and in R.G. Townley, Esq.'s manor of Beaupre Hall, and the Bishop of Ely's manor of the Isle of Ely. It contains 996 inhabitants, and 5,160 acres of land, of which 1,900 acres, and 405 souls, are in Cambridgeshire, and form a separate township. Both townships are in Downham Union. The Norfolk part of the parish belongs to R.G. Townley, Esq., Messrs. Little and Beeten, and several smaller proprietors.

The small river which here divides the counties, is navigable to the Wisbech canal; and a little above the village is crossed by those broad drains, called the Old and New Bedford rivers, which open a direct navigation to the Ouse at Denver sluice. The New Bedford river, about 1 mile E. of Welney, is crossed by a handsome SUSPENSION BRIDGE, of great height, and 63 yards 2 feet long, built by the Rev. W.G. Townley, in 1826, from a design by Captain Brown.

The CHURCH is a small ancient brick edifice on the Cambridgeshire side of the parish, which keeps its poor separately. The living is a rectory consolidated with Upwell, (see p.621 [which is the entry for Outwell. The entry for Upwell is on p.627].)

In 1661, WM. MARSHALL bequeathed nine pieces of fen land, in a place called the Wield, in trust, to apply the proceeds thereof as follows:- one third for repairing the church and the bridge leading to it; one third for relieving poor widows, and apprenticing poor children; and the other third for repairing the highways of Welney. This estate comprises 466A. 36P. of land, let annually, in 18 lots, to the highest bidder. In 1827, the rents amounted to £781, but they now yield only about £500 per annum.

The income being more than necessary for the objects named by the donor, a new scheme was approved by the Court of Chancery, in 1819, for the future application of the net rents and profits, by which, one-third part is to be applied, annually, for relieving poor widows, and apprenticing (and clothing, if necessary,) poor children; and two-thirds are to be applied in repairing the church, bridge, and highways, and in supporting a FREE SCHOOL, for the instruction of poor children, of both sexes, in reading, writing, and arithmetic. The new scheme directs, that, as soon as possible, a school should be built, and a yearly salary of £60 paid to the master; but owing to the great expense of repairing the bridges and highways, only about £30 a year is paid for the education of poor children.

The drainage tax, paid by the estate, amounts to about £106 per annum. In 1832, the trustees built a new bridge over Delph-drain, at the cost of £518. The Bishop of Ely, the lord of the manor, the rector, and 16 others, were appointed trustees, in 1819.

WELNEY:- Marked 1 are in the Isle of Ely, Cambridgeshire; and 2 at the Suspension Bridge.

           Baker      Henry            blacksmith
           Beart      James            wheelwright
         2 Begley     Nunn             wheelwright
           Cain       Joseph           tailor and shopkeeper
           Curtois    Rev. Peregrine   curate
           Goddard    William          beer house keeper
         1 Green      Christopher      schoolmaster
           Redhead    Matthew          parish clerk
         1 Snell      Anthony          blacksmith
         1 Threadgill Richard          baker & shopkpr.
 
                           PUBLIC HOUSES.
 
         2 Lawrence   Geo.             Cock (& blacksmith)
         1 Porter     Frederick        Green Man
           Lock       William          Lamb & Flag
           Gill       Elizabeth        Three Tuns
 
                              FARMERS.
 
           Beart      John             Little     Geo. & Wm.
         1 Beart      Thomas           Loveday    John
           Clemison   Joseph           Murfit     Edward
         1 Cole       Mrs.             Rumble     Robert
         1 Dalton     Naylor           Rumble     Robt., jun
         1 James      Charles          Tomlinson  J.D.
 

CARRIERS to Wisbech, sat.; & to Ely, tu. & thurs.

           Clever     William
           Moxon      William
 

See also the Welney parish page.

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Copyright © Pat Newby.
July 2015