GENUKI: Norfolk: Hillington, Norfolk

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

HILLINGTON, a village and parish on the Eastern and Midlands Railway, and on the Fakenham road, 7 miles N.E. by E. of Lynn, is in Freebridge Lynn union, hundred, and petty sessional division, Lynn county court and bankruptcy district, Massingham polling district of West Norfolk, Lynn (Norfolk) rural deanery, and Norwich archdeaconry. It had 285 inhabitants in 1881, living on 2529 acres of land, and has a rateable value of £2244.

All the soil belongs to Sir William Hovell Browne Ffolkes, Bart., M.P., the lord of the manor, who resides at Hillington Hall. This is a handsome mansion, seated in a spacious and well-wooded lawn and park, on the north side of the village, commanding a fine prospect of the vale down to Lynn Deeps. The hall was erected in 1627, by Richard Hovell, Esq., whose father purchased the estate in the reign of Elizabeth.

The late Sir W.J.H.B. Ffolkes, who succeeded to the title in 1821, considerably enlarged the house by the erection of a noble entrance hall, staircase, library, and other apartments; and the exterior walls of all the old parts were rebuilt. The whole has a very picturesque effect, being constructed of large iron-coloured carstone, except the quoins, battlements, pediment, &c., which are of brick, cemented in imitation of freestone. The north front presents an elevation of the early style of the 15th century, and in the centre rises a large square tower. The rivulet which flows through the estate has been opened out into a beautiful serpentine lake, and handsome lodges have been erected on the south and east sides of the park.

The present baronet, who was born in 1847, is the eldest son of the late Martin William Ffolkes, Esq., and succeeded his grandfather in 1860. His brother, Martin William Ffolkes, is the heir presumptive. This family is descended from Martin Ffolkes, attorney-general to Catherine Queen Dowager of Charles II., and the baronetcy was created in 1774.

On an elevated spot, a mile from the village, are the ruins of Bellemont House which was built by Sir James Johnstone.

The CHURCH (St. Mary) comprises, nave, chancel with north chapel, and western tower, and has 200 sittings. The nave was rebuilt in 1824, at a cost of £800. It contains two stained windows and several monuments of the Hovell, Browne, and Ffolkes families. The organ was built by Snetzler in 1756, and was placed in this church in 1857. The rectory, valued in the King's Book at £13 6s. 8d. and now having a rent-charge of £450, is in the patronage of Sir W.H.B. Ffolkes, Bart., and incumbency of the Rev. Henry Edward Ffolkes, M.A., who has a good residence, built in 1870, near the site of the former rectory house. There is a glebe of 60 acres.

The School, a neat building of carstone, with red-brick dressings, was erected in 1855, and is attended by about 45 children.

In 1509, Francis Callibutt gave a decayed tenement and 33 acres of land in Grimston, and directed the yearly profits thereof to be applied in paying the fifteenths and other King's taxes charged on the inhabitants of Hillington and East Walton; the surplus to be divided among the poor of those parishes. This charity estate now consists of 31A. 2R. 32P., let for £40 a year, which is divided equally between the two parishes for distribution among the poor, pursuant to a degree of Chancery, obtained in 1823. The poor of Hillington have also £1 16s. yearly, left by an unknown donor. The late rector, the Rev. Robert Hales, in 1853 bequeathed £200, the interest of which is distributed amongst poor aged widows.

POST, MONEY ORDER, TELEGRAPH OFFICE, and SAVINGS BANK, at Mrs. M.A. Blaxter's. Letters arrive at 6 a.m. and 2.30 p.m., and are despatched at 6.40, viâ Lynn.

         BARRETT    William             butcher
         BASS       Henry               bootmaker
         BLAXTER    Mrs. Mary Ann       postmistress
         BRADFIELD  John                farmer, Field farm
         BRIDGES    Benjamin Tindal     victualler, Buck Inn, and
                                          grocer, draper and blacksmith
         CUNLIFFE   Capt. Ellis L.      Hillington hall
         DERISLEY   H.                  farm bailiff, Valley farm
         FFOLKES    Rev. Henry Edward   rector and rural dean,
                      Browne, M.A.        the Rectory
         FFOLKES    Sir Wm. Hovell      Uphall
                      Browne, Bart.,
                      M.P., J.P., D.L.
         HEBGIN     John                farmer
         HUMPHREY   Henry               farmer
         REYNOLDS   Mrs.                fmr. & vict. Ffolkes Arms
         ROYE       Mark                coal and fish dealer
         SAYER      Alfd. Palmer        stationmr. & coal agt
         SPARLING   Rev. J.             Hillington hall
         STIBBON    Mrs. Elizabeth      schoolmistress
         WOODHOUSE  James               parish clerk

EASTERN & MIDLANDS RAILWAY. -- Trains in connection with all parts several times a day.

CARRIERS pass through to Lynn, Mon. Tues. Thurs. and Sat.

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Norfolk: Hillington

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