Norfolk: Rackheath

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

[Transcription copyright © Pat Newby]

RACKHEATH, a parish and scattered village, 4½ miles N.E. by N. of Norwich, on the Worstead road, has 276 inhabitants, and 1980A. of light, loamy land, with a sub-stratum of chalk. It was anciently in two parishes, called Great and Little Rackheath; but the church, in the latter division, was taken down several centuries ago, and its site is now unknown.

The remaining CHURCH, (All Saints,) is a small structure, standing alone in the fields, and is a rectory, valued in the King's Book at £6. 13s. 4d., but now has 26 acres of glebe, and a yearly rent of £450, awarded in 1837, in lieu of tithes. The Rev. George Stracey is the incumbent; and the patronage is in Sir Edward H.J. Stracey, Bart., the owner of the soil, and lord of the manor, who resides at the Hall, a modern mansion of white brick, standing on an eminence, in a richly wooded park.

Rackheath was anciently held by a family of its own name, and had a priory, the temporalities of which were valued, in 1428, at 41s. 3d. The Yelvertons, afterwards Earls of Essex, were seated here in the reign of Edward II.

At the enclosure, in 1802, a yearly rent of 10d. per acre, amounting to £22 per annum, was charged on the allotments, to be paid to the poor for a distribution of coals.

Directory:-

         Stracey   Sir Edward Hardinge
                     John, Bart.        Hall
         Crickmay  Thomas               blacksmith
         Watson    Mary                 vict. Green Man
 
            farmers.
 
         Aldous    Fredk.
         Etheridge Thomas
         Nicholson Jonathan
         Utting    John
 

See also the Rackheath parish page.

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Copyright © Pat Newby.
January 2015