Norfolk: Denver

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

[Transcription copyright © Pat Newby]

DENVER is a small village, 1½ mile S. of Downham, including in its parish 910 inhabitants, 2,976 acres of land, and the hamlets of DENVER SLUICE and SALTER'S LODE, distant about one mile W. of Denver on the river Ouse; the former at the mouth of the New Bedford river, or 100 feet drain, and the latter at the confluence of the Old Bedford river; both navigable for small craft, and having sluice-gates and locks. Denver Sluice is crossed by a bridge of five arches, and was built at a vast expense, when the Bedford level was drained, but was destroyed by the violence of the tides, in 1713, and soon afterwards rebuilt. In 1834 and '5, it was again partly rebuilt, and widened, at the cost of £30,000. At Salter's Lode, are two sluices or locks, one opening into the Well Creek, and the other into the Old Bedford river, the former rebuilt in 1827, and the latter in 1828.

The parish is in two manors, called East and West Hall, of which Edward Roger Pratt, Esq., is lord; but J.R. Fryer, Esq., (of Crow-Hall,) and Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, have large estates here; and the latter has the patronage of the CHURCH, (St. Mary,) a small stuccoed building with a tower, a small spire, and five bells. The rectory, valued in the King's Book at £10 13s. 4d., and in 1831 at £898, is in two medieties, called St. Peter's, Easthall, and St. Michael's, Westhall. The Rev. S.E. Smith is the incumbent.

In the chancel, a black marble stone covers the remains, and records the worth of Dr. Robert Brady, a native of this parish, and physician inordinary to Charles II. and James II., and master of Gonville and Caius College, to which he bequeathed all his estate in Denver. He wrote several excellent works, one of which was "A complete History of England, from the first entrance of the Romans, to the end of Richard II." He died in 1700.

The Church Land, 28A. 2R., is let for £33. The Poor's Land, 28A., was partly allotted at the enclosure, and is let for about £30. The poor have also £2 a year from 1A. 2R. given by Alex Dillingham; and £4 a year as the rent of "Patch-brigs," purchased with £100 left by Mrs. Stafford.

Here is a Wesleyan Chapel, built in 1838.

A great shew of Leicester Rams is held at Mr. Thos. Brown's, yearly, in June.

In the following Directory, those marked 1 are at Denver Sluice; 2 at Slater's [sic] Lode; and the rest at Denver.

           Ambrose  Wm.               blacksmith & ironmngr
         2 Bowker   J.                river-dues collector
           Fryer    Jno. Richardson,
                      Esq.            Crow Hall
           Johnson  Eliz.             grocer and draper
           King     Thomas            cooper
           Kirchen  Wm.               mole catcher
           Mann     Rev. Chas., M.A.  rector of Southery, &c., East Hall
           Mann     Geo.              deputy overseer
           Neave    Richard           butcher
         2 Pinnick  John              sluice keeper
           Porter   John              corn miller
           Sayer    Lucy              schoolmistress
           Smith    Rev. Samuel
                      Coleby, M.A.    Rectory
         1 Stevens  George            sluice keeper
           Towler   Robt.             baker & confectioner
 
              PUBLIC HOUSES.
 
           Parker   James             Bell
           Clements Geo.              Carpenters' Arms
         1 Houghton Robert            Crown
         2 King     James             Three Tuns
         1 Godfrey  John Tyler        Jenyns' Arms, (and boat builder)
 
              Beer Houses.
 
           Dungay   Moses             (& baker)
           Flatt    John
           Green    Jno.              butchr.
           Hovell   Thomas
           Prentic  John
 
              FARMERS.
 
         2 Allen    John
           Brown    Thos.             (ram breeder) Chapel farm
           Clack    Jas.              (hind)
           Curson   Edward
         1 Flatt    John
           Gascoign John              Fen
           Gates    William
         1 Hopkins  Abhm.
           Hutson   Edward
           Palmer   Wm. Clifford      College fm.
           Porter   John
         1 Watson   Thomas
           Wood     Geo.              chief constable
 
              Shoemakers
 
           Allcock  John
           Clack    John
           Nott     Luke
           Robinson Henry
           Vincent  Robert
 

CARRIER to Lynn, Edw. Wright, tue. & saturday
POST OFFICE, at Wm. Ambrose's; letters to & from Downham daily

See also the Denver parish page.

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Copyright © Pat Newby.
April 2015