Norfolk: Filby

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

[Transcription copyright © Juanita Hadwin]

FILBY is a small parish and straggling village on the Norwich turnpike, 6 miles N.W. of Yarmouth. It is in Flegg union, East Flegg hundred, East and West Flegg petty sessional division, Yarmouth county court district and bankruptcy district, Ormesby polling district of North Norfolk, Flegg rural deanery, and Norwich archdeaconry. It had 670 inhabitants in 1881, living on 1191 acres of land, exclusive of roads, 100A. in plantations, and about 160A. in a fine lake, called Filby Broad, and abounding with fish and wild ducks. It has a rateable value of about £2000.

The Rev. Charles Lucas, B.A., J.P., is chief owner of the soil and lord of the manor, which was anciently held for a family of its own name. He resides at Filby House, a handsome mansion of white brick, erected in 1833. The soil is a rich deep loam, and market gardening is carried on extensively in the parish, large quantities of raspberries and other fruit being annually sent to the London and provincial markets.

The CHURCH, dedicated to All Saints, stands on an eminence above the lake, and has a nave, chancel, north and south aisles, a north porch, and a lofty embattled tower with five bells. It contains a beautiful marble monument (executed by Herrmann, of Dresden, a former pupil of Thorwalsden, of Rome) in memory of the late Charles Lucas, Esq., and there are five stained glass windows in memory of members of his family. The font is of Purbeck marble, and there is a stoup near the north door. The lower part of the rood-screen is finely painted, and exhibits the figures of eight saints. In the small door leading to the belfry, which is strongly covered with cross iron bars, are seven different sized key holes. A restoration of the building was commenced in 1851, and was finished in 1879, at a cost of £3000. The nave was reroofed, and a window of stone and flint put in the tower. The church contains 300 sittings.

The rectory, valued in the King's Books at £11 1s. 6d., and in 1331 [should probably be 1881] at £520, has 24 acres of glebe, and is in the patronage and incumbency of the Rev. Charles Lucas, B.A., J.P. The tithes have been commuted at £597 13s. 8d. per annum.

At the enclosure in 1802, 10A. 1R. 23P. of the marsh was allotted to the poor, and 2R. 4P. for the repairs of the roads.

Here are a small Primitive Methodist Chapel, and an Unitarian Chapel, built and endowed by Henry Daliel, who died in 1710.

A School Board was established here in 1875. Rev. Charles Lucas, B.A., J.P., is the chairman; Rev. J.N. Dredge, hon. secretary; and Charles Broom, clerk. The Schoolroom was built in 1852, at a cost of £200, by the rector, and is attended by about 50 girls and boys.

POST OFFICE at Samuel Walpole's. Letters, viâ Yarmouth, arrive 6.45 a.m., and depart 6.43 p.m. Great Ormsby is the nearest Money Order Office.

         ALLARD     John             market gardener
         ALLARD     William          market gardener
         AMISS      George           shoemaker
         BROOM      Charles          parish clerk
         BUNN       William English  beerhouse
         BURROUGHS  Thomas Proctor   solicitor, Yarmouth: h Hampden lodge
         CHAPMAN    William          butcher & farmer
         CULLEN     Robt.            mkt. grdnr. & warrener
         CULLEN     Robert           carrier
         DECK       Robert           mkt. gardener, fruiterer, and brickmaker
         DIXON      Mrs Mary         butcher & farmer
         DREDGE     Rev. John
                      Norris, B.A.   curate, The Cottage
         ENGLISH    Benj.            shoemkr. & mkt. grdnr
         ENGLISH    John             tailor
         ENGLISH    William          farmer, Heath
         ENGLISH    Zaccheus         mkt. grdnr. & carrier
         GOBELL     Geo.             mkt grdnr. & pork butchr
         GOBELL     Michael          market gardener
         GOODWIN    Charles          market gardener & victualler,
                                       Fox and Hounds
         GOODWIN    George           market gardener
         GREEN      George           farmer
         GREEN      John             farm bailiff
         GREENACRE  Charles          farmer
         HARRIS     John             sadler
         HARRIS     Wm.              farmer and mkt. gardener
         HOWES      Adam             shoemaker
         HUNT       William          blacksmith
         LILLY      George           shoemaker
         LILLY      Isaac            machine owner
         LINGWOOD   James            market gardener
         LUCAS      Rev. Charles,
                      B.A., J.P.     rector, Filby house
         LUCAS      George           solicitor, Yarmouth; h Filby house
         NOCKOLDS   Hy.              mkt. grdnr. and farmer
         NOCKOLDS   Robert           market gardener
         OWLES      Henry            farm bailiff, Heath farm
         PALMER     Edmund           market gardener
         RUDD       Miss Sarah       Board schoolmistrs
         SAUNDERS   William          wheelwright
         SHREEVE    John             blacksmith
         SKOYLES    Howard           plough maker
         TRETT      Edward Elijah    farmer, fruit merchant,
                                       and assistant overseer
         WALPOLE    Samuel           market gardener
         WALPOLE    Samuel jun.      grocer, draper and postmaster
         WARD       John             greengrocer
         WARR       John             market gardener
         WRIGHT     Adam             market gardener
 

CARRIERS. -- To Yarmouth, Robt. Cullen, Wed. and Sat.; and Zaccheus English, Mon. and Thurs.

In the first paragraph: the rateable value is £3151.
In the seventh paragraph: the schoolroom is now transferred to the Board.
In Directory, take out 'Broom Charles, parish clerk;' for 'Gobell' Geo. & 'Gobell' Michael, read 'Gorbell.'
Take out of Carriers 'Z. English.'

See also the Filby parish page.

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Copyright © Pat Newby.
November 2001