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Wangford Hundred

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"WANGFORD, a district and a hundred in the NE of Suffolk. The district contains 28 parishes, and is divided into the sub-districts of Bungay and Beccles. Acres, 35,079. Poor rates in 1863, £7,563. Pop. in 1851, 10,014; in 1861, 13,619. Houses, 2,975. Marriages in 1,863, 104; births, 420,-of which 43 were illegitimate; deaths, 293,-of which 102 were at ages under 5 years, and 6 at ages above 85. Marriages in the ten years 1851-60, 912; births, 4,253; deaths, 2,845. The places of worship, in 1851, were 26 of the Church of England, with 16,039 sittings; 3 of Independents, with 2,075 s. 4 of Baptists, with 487 s.; 6 of Wesleyans, with 1,383 s.; 4 of Primitive Methodists, with 421 s.; 1 of Latter Day Saints, with 33 s.; and 1 of Roman Catholics, with 130 s. The schools were 18 public day-schools, with 1,170 scholars; 29 private day-schools, with 613 s.; 25 Sunday schools, with 1,442 s.; and 2 evening schools for adults, with 81 s. The workhouse is in Shipmeadow. The hundred excludes Beccles borough, but is otherwise identical with the district."

(From John Marius Wilson, Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72).)

Civil Registration

In 1836, White's Description of the Poor Law Unions and Registration Districts shows this Hundred to be served by the Registration District of Wangford.

See also Suffolk Registration Districts.

WANGFORD RD comprises the 27 parishes of Wangford Hundred, South Elmham All Saints and St. Nicholas being united as one. Wangford Union is divided into Beccles and Bungay sub-districts.

Historical Geography

See Vision of Britain for a description of Wangford through time.

Poor Houses, Poor Law

The Workhouse site has an interesting description of Wangford Workhouse.