Norfolk: Congham

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

[Transcription copyright © Pat Newby]

CONGHAM is a scattered, but pleasant village, 7 miles E.N.E. of Lynn, in Freebridge Lynn union, hundred, and petty sessional division, Lynn county court district and bankruptcy district, King's Lynn polling district of West Norfolk, Lynn rural deanery, and Norfolk archdeaconry. It had 331 inhabitants in 1881, living on 2850 acres. Its rateable value is £2944.

In the parish are extensive woods and plantations, most of them embowering Congham Lodge, which belongs to Sir William H.B. Ffolkes, Bart., M.P., and is occupied by George Ffolkes, Esq. The common was enclosed in 1812. Arthur Elwes, Esq., owns most of the soil, and is lord of Rusteyns, Beleters, and Reed Hall manors, and of the manor of Congham, which was held successively by the Paston, Daniel, Wodehouse, Spelman, Mordaunt, and other families.

That eminent English antiquary and lawyer, Sir Henry Spelman, was born here in 1564, and served as high sheriff of Norfolk in 1604. He died in London, in 1641, and lies buried in the south transept of Westminster Abbey. R.E. Everard, Esq., has a pleasant seat and estate in the parish, on the Grimston road, near Roydon, but he mostly resides abroad. Mrs. Elwes resides at Congham House, a neat Elizabethan mansion, erected in 1858. Grimston Road Station is about half a mile from the village.

The CHURCH (St. Andrew) is of the Decorated period, and comprises nave, chancel, chapel on north side of nave, and west tower containing one bell. There is a piscina at the east end, and a lychnoscope or low side window in the south wall of the chancel. In 1873 the chancel was restored by the rector.

The rectory, valued in the King's Book at £12. was endowed in 1718, by Ellen Spelman, with houses, land, and tithes, then of the yearly value of £53 18s. 6d. Mrs. Elizabeth J. Kersley is patroness, and the Rev. Richard Haking is the rector, and has a good residence, a yearly rent-charge of £550, and glebe producing £13 a year.

The School is a neat Gothic building, supported by Government grant, voluntary subscriptions, and school pence, and attended by 60 children. The parish Register dates from 1580. The Fuel Allotment, on which the poor cut turves, &c., is 19A., awarded at the enclosure in 1813. The poor have also the interest of £10, left by John Bailey, in 1712.

POST viâ Lynn. Post Office at Mrs. James'. Box cleared at 5.30 p.m. weekdays, and 12.30 p.m. Sundays.

         Alflett    George            farmer
         Bloomfield John              farmer and butcher
         Brown      James             schoolmaster
         Elwes      Mrs Mary Frances  Congham hse
         Ffolkes    Mr George         The Lodge
         Haking     Rev. Richard      rector
         Hamond     Mr Anthony        The Hall
         Hale       Henry             parish clerk
         James      Mrs.              postmistress
         Lewin      Chas. Sutton      frmr. Manor hse
         Marshall
           Bros.                      farmers; h North Lynn
         Rennitt    Thomas            butcher
         Rudd       James             coal dealer
         Shinkfield William           farmer
         Shipp      William           farmer
         Watson     Robert            farm bailiff
 

See also the Congham parish page.

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Copyright © Pat Newby.
December 2008