Norfolk: Great Walsingham

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

WALSINGHAM, (GREAT) or OLD WALSINGHAM, is a large parish and village, in the vale of the Stiffkey rivulet, 1 mile N. of the town of New Walsingham, containing 426 inhabitants, and 2,367 acres of land, belonging to a number of proprietors; the largest of whom is - the Rev. D.H. Lee-Warner, the lord of the manor, (mostly fines arbitrary,) and patron of the CHURCH, (St. Peter,) which is an ancient fabric, with a nave, aisles, and tower, and formerly had a large chancel, now in ruins. Here was formerly another church, dedicated to All Saints, and standing a little north of St. Peter's, but no vestiges of it now remain. The benefice is a donative, consolidated with Little Walsingham. The joint livings were valued in 1831 at £168, and the tithes were commuted in 1808.

Berry Hall, a large ancient mansion, in the vale below the church, is the seat of John Brooke, Esq.

In a field near the village, were dug up, in 1658, from 40 to 50 Roman urns, some containing two pounds of burnt bones, and fragments of various ornaments. Near them, were found coals and incinerated substances, which led to conjecture that the bodies had been burnt there.

In 1674, Robert Ward, charged his estate with the yearly payment of 20s., to each of the parishes of Great Walsingham and Thursford, for the poor. The estate charged, belongs to the Flood family, except one moiety, which they have sold to Sir C. Chad. The poor of this parish have also a yearly rent-charge of 20s., left by Henry Graye, in 1601; and a Fuel Allotment of 12A. 1R. 7P., awarded at the enclosure, in 1810, and now let for £19 a year.

           Brooke   John, Esq.   Berry Hall
           Cornish  Henry        machine maker and founder
           Lewis    Wm.          smith & vict., Three Tuns
           Magnus   Alexander    tea dealer, plumber &c.
           Parker   Mr. John
           Scott    Thomas       victualler, Half Moon
           Stringer Charles      blacksmith
           Wright   John         baker & flour dealer
 
              FARMERS.
         * are owners
 
           Buscall  Robert
         * Groom    John
           Howell   John
           Lowne    Joseph
           Merrison Mary
           Simpson  William
           Smith    Joseph
           Tofts    Thomas
         * Tuck     Maria
 

See also the Great Walsingham parish page.

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Copyright © Pat Newby.
May 2000