GENUKI: Norfolk: Ryston, Norfolk

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Kelly's Directory of Norfolk 1933

RYSTON (or Riston) is a parish three-quarters of a mile north from Ryston station (locally in the parish of Fordham), on the Downham and Stoke Ferry branch of the London and North Eastern railway, and 2 miles south-by-east from Downham, in the South Western division of the county, Clackclose petty sessional division and hundred, rural district and county court district of Downham, rural deanery of Fincham, archdeaconry of Wisbech and diocese of Ely.

The church of St. Michael is a small building of stone, consisting of chancel, nave, south porch and a western tower, restored in 1858 by Edward Roger Pratt esq. and containing one bell: in the church are several handsome monuments to the Pratt family, including one with an effigy of white marble to Anne (Monyns), wife of Sir Roger Pratt kt. d. 1684: most of the windows are stained: the church was reseated with oak benches in 1862, and in 1868 the plaster ceiling of the chancel was taken down and the original roof, 500 years old, disclosed and restored, as well as two low side windows, an aumbry and a very beautiful piscina, all discovered during the progress of the restoration: two curious windows in the porch were also renovated: the nave was new roofed in 1901, the whole work being carried out at the cost of E.R.M. Pratt esq.: the chancel was restored and the roof re-tiled in 1921-22 by the Dean and Chapter of Norwich: there are 100 sittings. The register dates from the year 1687.

The living is a vicarage, united with that of Roxham to the vicarage of Fordham, May 29th, 1877, joint net yearly value £350, including residence, in the gift of the Dean and Chapter of Norwich, and held since 1931 by the Rev. Francis Henry Cecil Poffley L. Th. of Durham University, who resides at Fordham.

In this parish, and about 300 yards south of Ryston Hall, stands Kett's Oak, or "the Oak of Reformation," the meeting place in 1549 of the West Norfolk rebels, who left Lynn, Downham and Swaffham to join Robert Kett, and thence proceeded to Brandon and Norwich. It was a noted tree of large dimensions, and is delineated in Sir Jonas Moore's map of the Great Level of the Fens of 1665.

Ryston Hall, built in 1660 by Sir Roger Pratt, is the seat of Lt.-Col. Edward Roger Pratt M.C., D.L. who is lord of the manor and owns the whole parish; the park extends over about 300 acres. The soil is of a mixed quality; subsoil, clay and sand. The area is 592 acres; the population in 1921 was 46 in the civil and 297 [sic] in the ecclesiastical parish.

Letters through Downham Market, nearest Money Order & Telegraph office

PRIVATE RESIDENT.
(For T.N. see general list of Private Residents at end of book.)

         Pratt   Lieut.-Col. Edward
                   Roger M.C., D.L.   Ryston hall

COMMERCIAL.

         Holman  Wltr.                gamekeeper to Lt.-Col. E.R. Pratt M.C., D.L.
         Newell  Fredk.               gardener to Lt.-Col. E.R. Pratt M.C., D.L.

The Telephone Number for Lieut.-Col. Edward Roger Pratt was Downham 72

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Norfolk: Ryston

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Kelly's Directory of Norfolk 1933