Norfolk: Great Walsingham

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

[Transcription copyright © Pamela Littlefair]

WALSINGHAM (GREAT), or Old Walsingham, is a parish and village, in the vale of the Stiffkey rivulet, 1 mile N. of the town of New Walsingham. It is in Walsingham union, Fakenham county court district, Norwich bankruptcy court district, Hindringham polling district of North Norfolk, North Greenhoe petty sessional division and hundred, Walsingham rural deanery, and Norwich archdeaconry. It had 452 inhabitants in 1881, living on 2170 acres, and has a rateable value of £3977.

Henry Jas. Lee-Warner, Esq., is the principal owner of the soil and lord of the manor, in which the copyholds are arbitrary. Berry Hall, an ancient mansion in the vale below the church, belongs to H.J. Lee-Warner, Esq., but is occupied by Captain Groom.

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

Here are the engineering works of Mr. J.J. Cornish, who employs a large number of men.

The CHURCH (St. Peter's) is a fine edifice, comprising nave with aisles and clerestory, south porch, and square tower with three bells. The chancel has long been in ruins. The roof, porch, and font are Perpendicular, but the rest of the church is of the Decorated period. The aisles have good windows with flowing tracery, and the clerestory windows are quatrefoils. There is a piscina at the east end of each aisle; and many of the old open seats with good poppies and perforated backs still remain. In 1860 a vestry was built by the Rev. Jno. Lee-Warner.

Hy. Jas. Lee-Warner, Esq., is patron of the living, which is a donative valued at £70, and in the incumbency of the Rev. John Lee-Warner, who resides at New Walsingham.

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.

A SCHOOL BOARD was established here in 1874, who have erected a good school and master's house at an outlay of £670; the present Board consists of Rev. J. Lee-Warner (chairman), and Messrs. J.J. Cornish, G. Wright, J. Howell and E. Fisher; Mr. R. Cowburn is the clerk.

In 1674, Robert Ward charged his estate, now belonging to J.S.S. Chad, Esq., with a yearly payment of 20s. to each of the parishes of Great Walsingham and Thursford, for the poor. 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 £20 a year.

WALL LETTER BOX, cleared at 5.35 p.m. week-days, and on Sundays 11.30 a.m., via New Walsingham, which is the nearest Money Order Office.

         Adcock     Wm. B.              farmer, Hill house
         Cornish    Jabez Jas.          engineer, ironfndr, agricultural
                                          implement maker and agent, North 
                                          Norfolk Iron Works, and Fakenham;
                                          and farmer
         Fisher     Edward              frmr. Edgar farm
         Grant      William & Mrs Alice Board schoolmaster and mistress
         Groom      Captain John Edmund (3rd West York Militia), Berry hall
         Howell     John                farmer
         Lee-Warner Rev. John           vicar; h New Walsingham
         Lewis      Robert              blacksmith, ironfounder and
                                          vict. Three Tuns
         Lown       Mrs. Betsy          farmer
         Sewell     Mrs Celia Anne
         Sewell     John (exors. of)    farmer
         Tuck       Samuel              grocer
         Tuck       William             farmer
         Twiddy     John                vict. Half Moon
         Wright     John Bailey         grocer & draper
         Wright     Jno. & Geo.         millers & bakers
 

See also the Great Walsingham parish page.

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Copyright © Pat Newby.
May 2000