Norfolk: Dilham

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

DILHAM, a pleasant scattered village, nearly 5 miles S.S.E. of North Walsham, has in its parish 488 souls, and 1563A. of land, on the south-west side of the small, but navigable river Ant.

The soil belongs chiefly to W. H. Windham and S. T. Taylor, Esqrs. The former is lord of the manor, (fines arbitrary,) and the latter has a handsome seat here, called Hill House, and one of the prettiest pleasure grounds in the county, which, during the last 20 years, has been formed at much labour and expense, in what was previously a morass of 25 acres. Instead of a bog, this now delightful spot presents a fine lake, with six ornamental islands, approached by swing bridges, and one of them having a handsome summer-house. The lake or fish-pond is encompassed by beautiful walks, margined with trees and shrubs, and the whole is encompassed by a moat.

Dilham Staith, on the east side of the parish, is a hamlet on the navigation, partly in Smallburgh parish, and near it is Dilham Mill, with a dam of 15A. formed about 17 years ago.

The CHURCH (St. Nicholas,) was rebuilt about 20 years ago of brick, except the round flint tower which was re-constructed of the old materials.

The vicarage, valued in the King's Book at £5. 7s. 4d., and in 1831 at £272, with that of Honing annexed to it, is in the gift of the Bishop of Ely, and incumbency of the Rev. Hicks Deacle, of Coltishall. The rectorial tithes of both parishes belong to Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. The tithes of Dilham were commuted in 1838 for £315. 9s. 3d. per annum to the appropriators, and £163. 6s. 7d. to the vicar.

         Bates     Benjamin       shoemaker
         Gott      James          corn miller
         Gower     Geo.           farmer  [see note below]
         Greenacre Thos.          tonnage dues colr.
         Houghton  Robert         shoemaker
         Lacey     John           vict. Cross Keys
         Mattison  Wm.            maltster, and ale, porter, and coal
                                    mert. & lime burner
         Nash      Saml.          farmer  [see note below]
         Norfor    Mr William     land & tithe agent and valuer, and
                                    agent to Farmers' Insurance Company
         Page      Robert         butcher and farmer
         Rump      Wm.            shopkeeper and tailor
         Sadler    Henry          corn miller
         Southgate Wm.            tea hawker
         Taylor    Shepherd       Hill House
                     Thomas, Esq.
         Taylor    John           farmer, Hall
         Wells     Wm.            gentleman
         Wells     Wm. Harrison   corn miller, The Mills
         Wicks     Henry          excise officer
 

Note: in the original, the entry is:
"Gower Geo. and Nash Saml. farmers"

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April 2000