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NORFOLK. 



NORFOLK. 



1010 



surmonnted by figuresof fourmonks instead of pinnacles. The Wesleyan 

 Hethodiats and Baptists have places of worship, and there is a National 

 Bcbool. Near the village is Orm^bj Hall, a handsome gothic mansion. 

 Oxhorough, or Oxlurgh, population 293, about 7 miles S.S.E. from 

 SwaCTham, has a commodious gothic church, buUt of flint and stone, 

 with a square tower and a spire of considerable height. The interior 

 ia neat ; the roof is of carved oak : in the east window is some richly- 

 stained glass. The Roman Catholics have a chapel. A fair for horses, 

 cattle, toys, &c, is held on Easter Tuesday. Osborough Hall, a 

 castellated mansion of the 15th century, the seat of Sir H. R. P. 

 Bedingfield, Bart., is in the neighbourhood. At Warren Hill are 

 some ancient earth-works. Pulham, population 1414, pleasantly situ- 

 ated op an eminence 15 miles N. by W. from Norwich, has a handsome 

 church, with a lofty embattled tower, and a porch of Norman character 

 on the south-west side. The Baptists have a chapel, and there ia a 

 school with a small endowment. Lover Sherringham, population 1374, 

 about 7 miles E.N.E. from Holt, is a fishing village of some import- 

 ance ; the fishery, chiefly of cod, lobsters, crabs, whitings, and skate, 

 employing about 30 boats. There is here a station of the coast-guard. 

 Upper Sherringham, about 1 mile S.W. from Lower Sherringham, has 

 a handsome church of early English character, with some portions of 

 later date; the church has a lofty embattled tower. Shipdham, 5 

 miles S. by W. from East Dereham, population 1769, has a handsome 

 church, which was enlarged in 1845, and an Endowed school. The 

 Wesleyan and Primitive Methodists and Independents have places of 

 worship. A fair is held on the last two days of June. Sproviiton, 

 population 1308, about 2 miles N.E. from Norwich, consists chiefly of 

 one street about a mile long, containing many good dwelling-houses. 

 The church is ancient, but it has been greatly altered by repairs. 

 Brick-making and lime-burning are carried on. There are several 

 com-milU and saw-mills in the vicinity. Slalham, population 698, 

 about 12 miles N.E. by N. from Norwich, has an ancient church, of 

 which the tower was shattered by lightning some years since. The 

 chancel was built in 1827. The Wesleyan Methodists have a chapel, 

 and there is a National school. By Sutton Broad, or Lake, Barton 

 Broad, and the river Bure, there is navigable communication with the 

 sea at Yarmouth. Terrington HI. C'lemenlt, population 2250, about 4 

 miles W. from Lynn, has a cruciform church, the tower of which 

 stands apart from the body of the building. There are chapels for 

 Wealeyaa and Primitive Methodists, and a National school Petty 

 sessions are held fortnightly. Lovell's Hall, in the neighbourhood, is 

 a stone mansion of the 16th century. Thorpe, population 3000, 

 pleasantly situated on the left bank of the Yare, about 2 miles E. 

 from Norwich, has a small church, a chapel for Independents, National 

 and Free schools ; also extensive iron-works. About a mile east from 

 Thorpe is the County Lunatic Asylum, which in 1851 had 277 inmates. 

 The Norwich Yacht Club has its head-quartetB at Thorpe. The village 

 is a &vourite plaoe of resort for the inhabitants of Norwich on holi- 

 day occasions. TittlethaU, population 615, about 2 miles N. from 

 Litcham, has a church of ancient date, in which are several interesting 

 monuments, particularly one in black and white marble in memory 

 of Lord Chief Justice Coke, with a full-length effigy. Upvdl, popu- 

 lation of the Norfolk part of the parish 3189, about 7 miles W. from 

 Downham Market, on a branch of the river Nen, which here forms 

 the boundary between the counties of Norfolk and Cambridge. The 

 church is on the Norfolk side of the stream. There are in the village 

 meeting-houses for Methodists and Baptists, and a Charity school 

 WalpoU St. Peter, population 1361, about 7 miles W. by S. from 

 Lynn, has a very handsome church in the perpendicular style, with a 

 fine south porch and embattled tower. There is a Free school. The 

 R oma n embankment or sea-wall passes the village on the west. 

 WaUoien, population 2740, about a mile N.E. from Wiabeach, is a 

 fiivourite resort for the inhabitants of Wisbeach, there being pleasant 

 walks round the village. Walsoken, like the neighbouring villages of 

 Walton and Walpole, derives its name from its situation near the old 

 Boman wall or embankment against the inundations of the sea. 

 Wiltcn, population 1 069, near the south border of the county, about 

 9 mOee 8. by E. from Stoke Ferry. The land in the neighbourhood 

 ia chiefly heath. The parish church is a modem structure of stone 

 and flint, recently repaired. The Wesleyan and Primitive Methodists 

 have chapels. In the centre of the village is an ancient stone cross 15 

 feet high on a circular brick pedestal 6 feet high. There is a Free 

 ■chool. Winfarthirtg, population 691, pleasantly situated about 18 

 milea S.S.W. from Norwich, is chiefly the property of the Earl of 

 Albemarle. The church is ancient. The Wesleyan and Primitive 

 Methodists hare places of worship. WitUerlon, population 722, about 

 8 miles N. by W. from Yarmouth, ia a fishing village, chiefly belouRing 

 to Joseph Hume, Esq., M.P., and the Earl of Winterton, who is Jord 

 of the manor. The church has a fine embattled tower 120 feet high. 

 There is a National school. Many of the population are employed in 

 the herring and mackerel fishing. There is a station of the coast- 

 guard. Winterton Lightboum, a hexagonal structure seated on a lofty 

 eminence, is about 70 feet high. 



■fJUlory, AntiquUiei, dec.-Sorfolk formed part of the territory of 

 the IcenL In the Roman division of Britain it was included in the 

 province of Flavia Cnsariensia. There were many British and Roman 

 torwns or posts in this connty. Venta Icenorum was probably at 

 Ctirtor St. Edmund's, about 8 miles S. from Norwich, and was the 



0100. DIY. VOL, /II. 



chief town of the Iceni Eranodunum and Gariannonum, mentioned 

 in the ' Notitia Imperii,' were probably in this county ; the former at 

 Brancaster, tho latter on the a->stuary of the Waveney : and Ad Taum, 

 mentioned in the Peutinger Table, was probably at Taesbui-gh, on a 

 branch of the Yare. The mouth of the great a!stuary, where Yar^ 

 mouth now stands, is mentioned by Ptolemaeus under the name 

 (Jarryenus. 



Of Venta, the pimcipal Roman post on the east side of the island, 

 there are some remains on the right bank of the Taes, which joins the 

 Yare. It comprehended about 30 acres. Of a massive tower near 

 the river, designed to gunrd the gate toward the water, there are con- 

 siderable remains : it is still 30 feet high, and is composed of alternate 

 layers of Roman bricks and of flint, imbedded in a strong cement. 

 The parish church, which stands witliiu the area, is paitly built of 

 Roman bricks. 



There are traces in the connty of Roman or other ancient roada. 

 A road, nearly coinciding with the Norwich coach road, ran from the 

 neighbourhood of Diss to Venta Icenorum. Another from Ixworth in 

 Suffolk ran in nearly a direct line by Castle Acre to Holme, near 

 St. Edmund's Point. A third road ran from Venta, or Ad Taum, 

 across the valley or aiatuary of the Waveney at Bungay. The Ikeneld- 

 street crossed the Little Ouse above Thetford, and ran in the direction 

 of Venta. Several other roads traversed the coimty. 



After tho conquest of England by tho Saxons, Norfolk formed part 

 of the kingdom of East Anglia. In 823, Norfolk, with the rest of 

 East Anglia, quietly submitted to the sovereignty of Egbert, king of 

 Wessox ; but continued for some time under the immediate govern- 

 ment of the East-Anglian kings, and subsequently of ealJormen. In 

 the Danish descent upon England, in 866, the inhabitants made com- 

 mon cause with the invaders, part of whom settled in the county. In 

 870 the Danes returned and established themselves at Thetford. 

 Edmund, the East-Anglian king, in an attempt to expel them, was 

 taken prisoner and beheaded, Nov. 20th, 870, and the dominion of the 

 invaders became permanent. In the peace made between Alfred and 

 Outhrun or Qodrun (883), this county was included in the Danelagh, 

 and, though subject to the supremacy of the Anglo-Saxon kings, 

 became Danish in character. In 1004 Sweyn, king of Denmark, 

 brought his fleet up to Norwich, which he plundered and burnt ; but 

 he was forced to retire by Ulfketul, or Ulfkyttle, ealdo.-man of East 

 Anglia, who was himself of Danish extraction. In the reiga of Edward 

 the Confessor, the earldom of East Anglia was held by Harold, after- 

 wards king. 



After the Conquest the earldom of Norfolk and Suflolfc was 

 bestowed on Half de Guader ; but he, having rebelled, the earldom 

 of Norfolk was bestowed on Roger Bigod, another of the companions 

 of the Conqueror. On the death of William, Roger supported the 

 claim of his eldest son, Robert, to the throne, which led to the devas- 

 tation of tho county. In the rebellion of tho children of Henry II. 

 against their father (1177) Norfolk waa the scene of contest, Hugh 

 Bigod being a supporter of the young princes : he died attaiuted of 

 treason. His son John was one of tho barons who extorted Magna 

 Charta from John. In the subsequent war with the barous the king 

 came into this county ; and it was in crossing the Wash from Lynn 

 into Lincolnshiro that ha lost his baggage. The forces of Louis the 

 Dauphin and his confederates afterwards overran the county. In the 

 great rebellion of tho Commons under Wat Tyler (1381), the men of 

 Norfolk took part under the command of John the Litester (or Dyer) ; 

 but they were defeated at North Walsham, and the leaders were 

 executed. At this time the manufacture of woollen-atuflfs was 

 flourishing in the county, and Norwich was a large and populous city. 

 The earldom of Norfolk had before this period passed to tho Mow- 

 brays. Thomas de Mowbray was created Duke of Norfolk by 

 Richard II. before 1380. In the time of Edward IV., the direct male 

 line of the Mowbrays having become extinct, the title of Duke of 

 Norfolk came to Edward's son, after whose murder in the Tower the 

 dukedom was conferred by Richard IIL on Sir John Howard, in whose 

 family it ha^ ever since remained. 



In the disturbances which arose out of the Reformation, Norfolk 

 became the scene of tumult. A rising took place at Attleburgh in 

 1548, and it soon became serious. Ket, a tanner of Wymondham, 

 was chosen leader of the rebels, who encamped on Household Heath, 

 near Norwich, to the number of 20,000. Ket, with two assessors from 

 each hundred in the county, held a court of justice under an oak, 

 since called ' the Oak of Reformation,' and issued edicts levying con- 

 tributions for the support of his followers. The rebels were at length 

 attacked by the Earl of Warwick with an army that had been collected 

 to invade Scotland, and were totally defeated in a place called Duffen 

 Dale, to which they had retired. Ket was hanged on Norwich Castle, 

 and his brother on tho tower of Wymoudham church ; and tho rebel- 

 lion, which had also broken out in other parts of England, was put 

 down. In the struggle between Charles I. and tho Parliamout, Norfolk 

 zealously supported the cause of the Parliament, and was one of the 

 associated counties under the Earl of Manchester. 



Of the edifices of the middle ages, monastic, cccloaiastical, or castel- 

 lated, Norfolk has several remains. Tho principal castles are tliose at 

 Norwich, Castle Acre, and Castle Rising, and Caistor, described else- 

 where. 



There are levenil ancient manor-Uotues, Oxbur^h Hall, near Stoke 



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