Norfolk: Wicklewood

William White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk 1883

[Transcription copyright © Pat Newby]

WICKLEWOOD, a parish and scattered village, 3 miles W. of Wymondham and E. of Hingham, is in Forehoe union, hundred, and petty sessional division, Wymondham county court district, Norwich bankruptcy court district, Wymondham polling district of South Norfolk, Forehoe division of Hingham rural deanery and Norfolk archdeaconry. It comprises 1564 acres of land, and had 730 inhabitants in 1881, including 137 in Forehoe Hundred Workhouse, which is described below.

Here is a large pond covering 1½ acre and abounding in pike and other fish. Henry VI. granted Wicklewood a market and two fairs, but they became obsolete more than two centuries ago. The soil belongs to many proprietors, the largest of whom is the Earl of Kimberley, lord of the manor of Wicklewood, but here is a small rectorial manor called Ampners, belonging to A.C.H. Percy, Esq., and the executors of the late Rev. B.M. Darby, M.A., as impropriators of the rectorial tithes and patrons of the vicarage, valued in the King's Book at £6 3s. 11½d., and now in the incumbency of the Rev. William Acton, B.A., for whom a new vicarage house was erected about 1863.

The CHURCH (All Saints) is a spacious structure in the Perpendicular style, comprising a lofty nave and chancel, with a massive square tower containing one bell and curiously situated over the south porch. It was restored in 1867. The roof is of open timber, and the steps leading to the rood loft may still be seen behind the pulpit. The chancel contains sedilia and piscina, and in the porch is a holy water stoup. Some fragments of stained glass still remain in the north-east window of the nave. Here are mural tablets of the Colman and Stone families. There was formerly in the same burial ground another Church (St. Andrew) belonging to the rectory, but it was dilapidated in 1367.

Here is a National School, built in 1841.

The Primitive Methodists have a chapel in the parish.

The fuel allotment, 12 acres, was awarded at the enclosure under an Act of the 47th George III., and is let for £15 10s. a year. The tithes were commuted in 1844 for £340 to the impropriators, and £130 to the vicar.

A new Board School was built in 1878 to accommodate 160 children.

FOREHOE INCORPORATION. - All the 24 parishes in Forehoe hundred, except Honingham (in St. Faith's Union), were incorporated by Act of Parliament in 1776 for the maintenance of their poor and the erection of a House of Industry, at Wicklewood, at the cost of £11,000, borrowed, at five per cent. interest, on a tontine scheme of 110 shares. This large workhouse has accommodation for 450 paupers, but it has seldom half that number. The 23 incorporated parishes, forming Forehoe union, comprise about 36,500 acres and 11,971 inhabitants. Their annual expenditure in support of in- and out-door poor since 1838 has averaged only about £4300, but the total amount for the year ending March 25, 1863, was £8555 4s.

The Board of Directors and acting guardians are still governed by their own local Act of Parliament, though they are under the control of the Local Government Board. The Earl of Kimberley is chairman. Messrs. Horace Turner, Thomas L. Lack, Robert Heald, David W. Hughes, G. Lowe, and George Taylor, are medical officers; Mr. Lowe, workhouse medical officer; the Rev. William Acton is chaplain; Mr. H.G. Smith, master; Mrs. E.J. Campling, matron; Miss Mary Ann Clarke, schoolmistress; Mrs. C. Clarke, cook; Mrs. C. Rump, nurse; Mr. H. Leach, porter; Mr. G. Barker, industrial trainer; Mr. Thompson, barber; Mr. H. Murrell and Mr. G.F. Dawes, relieving officers; Mr. George Plumstead, clerk.

The following table is an enumeration of the parishes in the incorporation, showing the territorial extent in acres, their population in 1881, and the parochial assessment.

LETTER-BOX cleared at 6.45 p.m. Letters viâ Wymondham. Nearest Money Order and Telegraph Office at Wymondham.

         Attoe         George William  farmer
         Banham        Wm.             farmer; h Runhall
         Bishop        Samuel          farmer
         Breeze        Jas.            vict. & frmr. The Wild Man
         Browes        Frederick       general shopkeeper
         Buck          Mrs Mary Ann    shpkpr. & beerhs
         Burrell       John            farmer; h Yaxham
         Cann          Mr Edward
                         Troughton
         Cann          Samuel          farmer
         Carr          William         blacksmith
         Chaplin       George          farmer; h Morley
         Chenery       William         carpenter, wheelwright,
                                         and blacksmith and beerhs
         Clarke        Charles         farmer; h Morley
         Clarke        Edward          farmer
         Cook          F. William      farmer
         Doughty       James           miller
         Ellis         Mrs Hannah      beer retailer, beerhouse,
                                         The Cherry Tree
         Evans         William         farmer
         Gath          James           farmer
         Hatton        Christopher     farmer
         Head          John            farmer
         Howard        Samuel          farmer
         Hubbard       Thomas          farmer
         Kett          William         tailor and postman
         Knivitt       Charles         farmer
         Livock        William         farmer, butcher, shopkeeper
                                         and overseer
         Long          William         beerhouse
         Mallett       John Browning   farmer
         Mann          Mr Richard
         Mann          Samuel          miller
         Mann          William         shopkeeper
         Miller        Samuel          farmer
         Office        William         farmer
         Pearce        William         coal dealer
         Read          Benjamin        farmer
         Ritchie       Joseph          farmer
         Rowing        Achibald [sic]  fmr.; & at Deopham
         Smith         William
                         Partridge     farmer
         Turner        John            farmer and guardian
         Turner        John            farmer
         Wade          Mrs Ann         frmr.; h Crownthorpe
         Watling       Charles         farmer
         Watts         Alfred          shoemaker
         Weston        Edward          shoemaker
         Wigby         Robert          dealer
         Wilkinson     Thos. West      frmr. & surveyor
         Wrigglesworth William         farmer
         Youngman      John            farmer, Church farm
 

See also the Wicklewood parish page.

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Copyright © Pat Newby.
February 2011