Norfolk: Litcham

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

LITCHAM, formerly a market town, and now a large and well-built village, formed into several streets, distant 8 miles N.E. by N. of Swaffham, and 24 miles W. by N. of Norwich, includes within its parish 846 inhabitants, and about 1800 acres of land, of which about 1300 acres belong to F.W. Keppel, Esq., who purchased the manor of Lord Wodehouse, about the year 1833. The rest belongs to a number of smaller proprietors, except 128 acres, which lie in five small commons, on which the inhabitants have right of pasturage and cutting fuel.

In the 20th of Edw. I., Robt. de Felton had the grant of a weekly market at his manor of Litcham, and a fair yearly on the day and morrow of All Saints; but the market has long been obsolete. Two pleasure fairs are now held on November 1st and Whit-Tuesday.

On one of the small commons, there was formerly a hermitage, occupied by Thomas Cannon.

The CHURCH (All Saints) has a square brick tower, built by Matthew Halcott, who recast the five bells. It has recently been slated and repaired. In the chancel are memorials of the families of Neal, Lawrence, Glover, Lynes, and Halcott. The living is a discharged rectory, valued in the King's Book at £9. 2s., and in 1831 at £541, with that of East Lexham annexed to it, in the gift of Lord Wodehouse, and incumbency of the Honourable and Reverend Alfred Wodehouse, B.A. The glebe is 45 acres, and the tithes have been commuted for about £440 per annum.

Here is a National School, and a Wesleyan and Primitive Methodist Chapels.

In the village is a small Almshouse, for the residence of two poor aged people, founded in 1677, by John Halcott, who endowed it with a yearly rent-charge of £10, out of the farm at Beeston, called Barkhams. The poor parishioners have the following yearly doles:- £1. 12s. from Alee's Charity, (see East Lexham;) £3, left by Sir Thos. Wodehouse, in 1634, out of the manor farm; £2, left by Martha Glover, in 1741, out of land called Minns; and 35s., left by Matthew Halcott, in 1673. The Poor's Land, 6A. 2R. 35P., partly purchased with £30 benefaction money, in 1709, and partly allotted at the enclosure, in 1765, is divided into 31 garden plots, let to poor persons, at rents amounting to £14. 13s. 4d. per ann.

Petty Sessions are held on the first Wednesday in every month, at the Bull Inn, where the Launditch Societies, for encouraging industry, and prosecuting felons, hold their meetings. Mr. Thomas Palmer is solicitor to the latter.

         Adams       Wm.             schoolmaster
         Ashley      John            butcher
         Attoe       Mr Wm.
         Baker       Wm. Carmichael  animal and portrait painter
         Baley       Mrs E.
         Balls       Edward          brazier and tinner
         Blinkinsop  John            merchant & miller
         Bridgman    Rhoda           blacksmith
         Carmichael  John            plumbr. painter, &c
         Carter      James           veterinary surgeon
         Copeman     Abel Benj &
                       James Wm.     saddlers, &c
         Copeman     Mrs.            academy
         Curtis      Wm.             joiner and builder
         Fitt        William         baker
         Howard      Thomas          basket maker
         Jump        Charles J.      surgeon  [see note below]
         King        John            smith and wheelwright
         King        Mrs C.          dress maker
         Lynes       Douglas         merchant & maltster
         Palmer      Nathl.          veterinary surgeon
         Palmer      Thomas          solicitor
         Pile        Wm.             joiner, builder, surveyor, &
                                       agt to Norwich Union Fire Office
         Pond        Thomas          agriculturist
         Ransome     John            druggist
         Raven       Peter           surgeon
         Raven       Peter           gent.
         Sendall     Emma            straw hat maker
         Stanford    Mrs.
         Walker      Sarah           watch maker
         Wallis      Cphr.           surgeon  [see note below]
         Wodehouse   Hon and Rev A.  rector
         Wright      Miss Patience
         Wright      Chas.           solicitor, supt. regr., and clerk
                                       to Union, Magistrates, and
                                       Commissioners of Taxes
 
            INNS AND TAVERNS.
 
         Bunton      John            Bull Inn
         Copeman     John            Green Dragon, and brewer
         Sizeland    Robt. Violet    King's Arms, (and plumber, painter, &c)
         Wiseman     Jas.            New Inn (& brewer)
 
            FARMERS.
 
         Askew       Robert
         Attoe       Wm. jun.
         Carter      John
         Cook        Chas.           High House
         Hill        Chas. Case      (steward)
         Raven       Thomas
         Stanford    Henry
 
            Grocers & Drprs.
 
         Burton      John
         Leatherdale Fdk.
         Smithson    Jno.            (& ironmonger)
 
            Shoemakers.
 
         Banham      George
         Johnson     Thos.
         Johnson     John
         Perry       Wm.
         Powell      Jacob
         Took        Wm.
 
            Tailors.
 
         Bulman      Wm.             (& upholsterer)
         Bulman      W. jun.
         King        Benj.
         King        Wm.
 

POST-OFFICE at F. Leatherdale's. Letters by mail gig from Swaffham daily
COACH, Bett's, to Norwich, Sat. 6½ morning
CARRIER. Jas. Betts, to Norwich, Tue. & Fri., & to Lynn, Mon. & Thu. mg.

Note: in the original this is
     Wallis Cphr. and Jump Charles J. surgeons

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Copyright © Pat Newby.
February 2009