GENUKI: Norfolk: Marham, Norfolk

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

MARHAM, or Cherry Marham, a long village and parish, with several good houses, 7 miles W. of Swaffham, and 8 miles N.E. by E. of Downham. It is in Downham union and county court district, Lynn bankruptcy district, Clackclose hundred and petty sessional division, Downham polling district of West Norfolk, Fincham rural deanery, and Norfolk archdeaconry. It had 752 inhabitants in 1881, living on 3966A. 3R. 24P. of land, and has a rateable value of £4499 15s.

Marham was formerly noted for its great abundance of cherries and walnuts; but most of the walnut trees were cut down during the French war, and sold to gunmakers, some of the largest for as much as £100 each. The principal owners of the soil are Thomas Leigh Hare, Robert C. Winearls, Henry Winearls, and Henry Villebois, Esqrs.; the first is lord of the manors of Newhall and Shouldham; and the last is lord of Oldhall and Westacre, and resides at Marham House.

There was formerly a nunnery here, belonging to Ely Abbey, founded for the Cistercians, in 1251, and granted at the dissolution to Sir Nicholas and Robert Hare. Some remains of it may be seen adjoining a farmhouse and outbuildings, a little west of the CHURCH (Holy Trinity), which is a large edifice comprising nave, south aisle, chancel, and lofty square tower with six bells. It contains several painted windows given by H. Villebois, Esq., and an ancient monument to Humphrey de Shouldham. The church was restored and reseated, in 1875, at a cost of £1500, towards which St. John's College, Cambridge, gave £250.

Here was another church (St. Andrew), and some traces of its foundation are still extant.

The vicarage, valued in the King's Book at £6 13s. 4d., was augmented in 1738 with £200 Queen Anne's Bounty, and £200 given by the Rev. Edward Brooke. The registers date from 1562. The Rev. Henry Josiah Sharpe, M.A., is incumbent; there is a good vicarage house, and 11 acres of glebe. The advowson and appropriation of the rectorial tithes belong to St. John's College, Cambridge. In 1840, the rectorial tithes were commuted for £640, and the vicarial for £371 per annum.

Two Poor's Allotments, containing 200 acres of fen land, were awarded under the enclosure act of the 33rd of George III. Every poor parishioner was formerly allowed to cut fuel on this land. In 1868 a new scheme was issued by the Charity Commissioners for the management of this charity. The lords of the two manors, the churchwardens and overseers for the time being, and the vicar are the trustees. Mr. Thomas Brown is treasurer. The annual rent is about £100.

The Wesleyans and Primitive Methodists have each a chapel in the village, the latter was erected in 1879, at a cost of £530, and will seat 250 persons. It is a handsome structure of red brick, with white brick dressings.

The NATIONAL SCHOOL, now attended by about 130 children, was built in 1841, with a house for the master, at a cost of about £400, on land given by Sir Thomas Hare, and considerably enlarged, in 1872, at a cost of £400.

The family of Winearls has resided at East Gate for nearly three centuries. This parish will participate in the Nar valley drainage scheme.

POST and MONEY ORDER OFFICE at Mr. Robert Parlett's. Box cleared at 5 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. Sundays, viâ Downham, but Narborough is the nearest Telegraph Office.

         Able         John             butcher
         Anthony      Thos. Hy.        frmr. Manor farm
         Baldry       George           farmer
         Battle       Frederick        farmer
         Boughen      James            cowkeeper
         Brown        Thomas           farmer, The Hall
         Butter       Thomas           farmer
         Butter       William          vict. Ball Inn
         Cackett      Isaac            farmer
         Codling      Henry            bootmaker
         Dent         Geo.             corn miller, baker, farmer
                                         and tax collector
         Dye          John             beerhouse
         Dye          Wm.              carpenter and parish clerk
         Fox          William          carpenter
         Gooderson    Henry            bootmaker
         Gooderson    Robert           tailor
         Gooderson    Thomas           beerhouse
         Goodwyn      William          farmer, The Abbey
         Harvey       Reuben Thompson  grocer, draper and tailor
         Harwin       Jas. & Alfred    frmrs. Lion hs
         Hewing       Edward           grocer and butcher
         Hudson       Jno.             grcr. & drpr.; h Wereham
         Ketteringham William          bootmaker
         Mason        Henry            bricklayer
         Mason        Robert           bricklayer
         Miller       William          blacksmith
         Neville      George           farmer & cattle dealer
         Parlett      Robt.            pstmstr. grocer, draper,
                                         newsagent and sauce manufacturer
         Peck         Walter           farm bailiff
         Ramm         John             vict. Fox & Hounds, and pig dealer
         Rands        Walter Gladstone schoolmaster
         Stebbings    James            farm bailiff
         Sharpe       Rev. Henry       late Fellow of St. John's Coll.
                        Josiah, M.A.     Camb. vicar
         Steeles      Wm.              carpenter & wheelwright
         Steeles      Wm. junr.        whlwrght.& mchnst
         Towler       James            farmer
         Villebois    Hy. Esq.
                        D.L., J.P.     Marham hs
         Wilkinson    Jeremiah         grocer, draper, baker and
                                         pork butcher
         Winearls     Philip           carrier
         Winearls     Robert Collison  farmer and landowner, Eastgate house

CARRIER - Philip Winearls, to Lynn, Tues. Thurs. and Sat.

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Norfolk: Marham

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