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Norfolk: Watton
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William White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk 1883
[Transcription copyright © Pat Newby]
WATTON is a small market town, has a station on the Swaffham and Thetford Railway, and is pleasantly situated at the junction of roads from Norwich and Dereham to Brandon and Thetford, on the south side of the vale of a rivulet, 21 miles W. by S. of Norwich, 10 miles S.S.W. of East Dereham, 9 miles S.E. by E. of Swaffham, and 96 miles N.N.E. of London. It is in Wayland union, hundred, and petty sessional division, Attleborough county court district, Norwich bankruptcy district, Watton polling district of West Norfolk, Breccles rural deanery, and Norwich archdeaconry. It had 1407 inhabitants in 1881, and comprises 1807 acres of land. It has a rateable value of £7533. It has been much improved of late years, and consists chiefly of one broad street of considerable length, lined with neat houses and well-stocked shops. The river Wissey divides this parish from the adjoining parishes. The soil belongs to a number of proprietors, the largest of whom are Lord Walsingham and Joseph T. Mills, Esq.
Here are two manors - Watton Hall, of which Joseph T. Mills, Esq., is lord, and Rokeles, of which Mr. John Alexander is lord. In 1204 there was a writ brought to inquire whether the market here, granted to John de Vaux, was not prejudicial to Saham, and being found so, the market was recalled; but before the expiration of the year, Oliver de Vaux, having the manor of Watton Hall conveyed to him by his brother, and having great influence with the king, obtained a new charter for a market to be held every Wednesday, as it still continues, chiefly for corn; but it was formerly celebrated as a great butter mart, immense quantities of that article being purchased here weekly, and sent by factors to London. There were formerly five annual fairs.
In 1673, on Saturday, April 25, this town suffered greatly by an accidental fire, which destroyed above sixty houses, with the butchers' shambles, and other property, to the amount of £7450 in buildings and £2660 in goods and chattels. To alleviate the subsequent distress, 'a brief was granted to gather all England over, till the 20th of September 1675.'
In 1820 a neat obelisk was erected on the site of the old Market Cross, on which the town's name was oddly expressed by a rebus carved in oak, viz., a W., a hare, and a tun. On the demolition of the cross, these devices were placed in front of the Bell House and lock-up - a small square building, erected soon after the fire, but now called the Clock House, from a clock placed in it about sixty years ago.
Wayland Hall is a neat building of red and white brick, with stone dressings, situated in the Market-place, and erected in 1853 at a cost of £1350. It contains a library, a magistrates' room, and a large, lofty, and well-lighted Corn Hall, which is occasionally used for balls, concerts, &c., and has an open timber roof of the hammerbeam kind, the spandrels filled with tracery. Petty Sessions are held here on the first Wednesday in each month, and Richard Robinson, Esq., is clerk to the magistrates. The Police Station is a brick edifice, built in 1855, at a cost of £950, and having cells for the temporary confinement of prisoners and a residence for the inspector. Gas Works were erected here in 1859, at a cost of £1300, raised in £10 shares.
The CHURCH (St. Mary) comprises nave, aisles, chancel, vestry, and round tower, with octagonal belfry containing three bells. Most of the building was erected in the time of Henry II., but the aisles were rebuilt in 1840. On the east gable of the nave is a curious crucifix of stone, which formerly stood over the north porch, long since destroyed. Here were three guilds, dedicated to St. Giles, St. Mary, and St. John the Baptist. The pulpit, lectern, and rood-screen are of handsomely carved oak, and the seats are open benches.
Six of the windows are filled with stained glass, and here are several mural tablts of the Wodehouse, Fleming, Hicks, Harvey, Tillott, and other families. The ancient poor's box of this church is of solid oak, and represents a priest holding in his left hand a bag, in the upper part of which is an orifice to receive the money, which is passed into the box beneath. On the breast is carved 'Remember the Poore, 1639.'
The discharged vicarage, valued in the King's Book at £7 0s. 4d., is in the patronage of Joseph Trueman Mills, Esq., the impropriator of the great tithes, which have been commuted for £290 per annum. The Rev. Thomas Brookes Wrenford, D.D., is the incumbent, and has 13 acres of glebe, a yearly tithe rent-charge of £190, and a good brick residence, built in 1840.
The NATIONAL SCHOOL was erected by William Robinson, Esq., in 1819, and rebuilt on a larger scale in 1842. Its playground, about 2 acres, was given by Mrs. C. Harvey in 1834. An Infant School was built in 1876. Six boys of Watton are entitled to free instruction at Saham-Toney school.
The Independent Chapel was built in 1856, and contains 300 sittings. The Primitive Methodists and the Wesleyans have also chapels here.
A fine celt of yellow flint was found here.
Wayland Agricultural Association hold its annual meetings at Watton.
The Church Land, 14A. 1R. 20P., is let for £50 10s. per annum. In the town are almshouses, with small gardens, for four poor widows, founded in 1611 by Edward Goffe, who endowed them with a yearly rent-charge of £5. An allotment of 1A. 22P., awarded to them at the enclosure in 1801, is let for £5. per annum. Mr. Edward Stevens built four cottages about forty-five years ago, for the residence of four poor couples of the age of sixty years who have resided in the parish for thirty years. The Fuel Allotments, awarded at the enclosure, comprise 54A. 2R. 25P., and 9A. 35P. of land left by Richard Turner and Thomas Scott, in 1643 and 1727, except some small allotments awarded at the enclosure. The rent, £116 10s., of the above estates is distributed in coal and bread. The poor have likewise the yearly sum of 10s., left by Edward Goffe in 1611. Here are several friendly and benefit societies.
POST, MONEY ORDER, and TELEGRAPH OFFICE, and SAVINGS BANK. William Stoveld Stace, postmaster. Letters received from Thetford at 4.15 a.m. and 1 p.m. from London, despatched at 7.55 p.m. Box closes at 7.35 p.m.
Adcock & Son joiners, builders, and contractors Adcock Fredk. watch and clock maker, jeweller, and tobacconist Adcock George watch and clock mkr. and jeweller Adcock James carpenter, Dereham rd Adcock Robert builder (A. & Sons) Adcock William builder (A. & Sons) Albrecht Mr John Lewis Rokeles; and 7, Albemarle st. London, S.W. Alexander Henry manager at Messrs. Gurney's bank, agent to the Royal Farmers', and General Fire, Life, & Hail Insurance Co. Bank house Alexander Mr John Edmund Gladstone villa Alexander Thomas Arthur physician and surgeon, medical officer to the Saham-Toney district of the Swaffham Union, Clematis house Amiss John tailor, Dereham rd Baldry Edwd. blksmith. & bricklayer Barber Mrs Ann Neaton villa Barker Mr William East house Barton Miss Elizabeth Beets Miss Neaton Bicker Mrs Caroline infant schlmstrs Bicker George hairdresser and glover Brunton William tailor and beerhouse, Saham road Buckenham Mrs Elizabeth dressmkr. Dereham road Buckle John coal merchant, Station, and corn and flour dealer Butters John fish dealer Button Robert sawyer Buxton Henry tinman and brazier Cann William stationmaster, Railway Station Claxton Thomas yeoman Coleman John Abraham clerk Coller R. & Son corn, coal, and cake merchants, Railway station Cooper - ironmonger; and at East Dereham Culley Stephen jobbing gardener Dodd Mr Philip Edward West house Dunnett Daniel grocer, draper, and agent to the General Assurance Co. Durrant George Cubitt grocer and draper Eagleton Mr John Dereham road Edwards John photographer & taxidermist Elsegood Mrs Sarah baker Elsegood William butcher Fickling Jeremiah cattle dlr. & frmr Frost George Alfred joiner & builder Frost Thos. Crawshay brewer, maltstr. wine and spirit merchant, mineral water manufctr. Watton brewery Fuller Charles practical brewer Gant Douglas Ambrose bkr. & confctr Garner Jas. blacksmith, Dereham rd Garner Jas. pork butcher, Dereham rd Garner James engineer, implement maker, and general smith, opposite Railway station Girling George shoemaker Goodrick Horatio manager to the Watton Iron Works Co. agt. to the Equitable Insurance Co Gorman - agent to the Thetford and Watton Times Gowing Mr Jas. Warden Neaton cott Gowing Stephen Sead commsn. agent, and agent to the Bressington Sovereign Insurance Co. Dillwyn hse Greengrass George William castrater Greengrass Henry beerhouse & farmer Grigson Lieut. Henry clerk to Guardians of Wayland Union Francis and Rural Sanitary Authority, superndt. registrar, secretary to Watton Gas and Coke Co. (lim.), the Wayland Hall Co. (lim.), and to the Wayland Agricultural Exhibition & Poultry Show, clerk to the Hockham and to the Stow Bedon School Boards Grigson & solicitors, agents to the Norwich Union Robinson Fire and Life Insurance Co. Grigson Edward Robert solicitor (G. & Robinson) Grimes James shoemaker Harvey Edwd. (Stace & H.), and assist. overseer and poor's rate collector, secretary to the Oddfellows' Society Holmes Richard vict. The George and Dragon, Guilliard commercial hotel and posting-house Horsley Mrs Elizabeth Howlett Thomas Shepherd corn, coal, and cake mercht. Railway station Hubbard Chas. bookseller, stationer, and toy dealer Hughes Thomas farm bailiff to George Jacobs, Watton green Hunton Wm. iron and brass founder, opposite Railway station Jacobs George horse dealer, farmer, posting and job master, Crown Commercial Hotel, & inland revenue office; h High house Kendall William grocer, draper, outfitter, and hatter, agt. to the Perth Dye works Knight Mrs Susan laundress Knights G.E. chemist and druggist Knopwood Mr Robert Leinster lodge Knott Chas. coal mcht. Railway statn Knott Mrs Susan Lebbell John tailor and woollen drpr Leggett William pork butcher Lintott Chas. & Mrs E.A. master and mistress at National school Lake William carter Mallins Henry, A.B., physician & surgeon, medical officer M.B., & M.Ch. to the Watton district of the Wayland union Martin Robert corn, cake, seed, and manure mercht. commission agent, land surveyor, agent to the Alliance Fire and Life Insurance Co. Meek Wm. saddler and harness maker Minns George woollen draper, tailor, hatter, and outfitter Myhill William farmer, Watton grn Nichols Wm. plumber, glazier, painter, gasfitter, and earthenware dealer Pitts Mrs Mary Ann dressmaker Powley William shoemaker and rural post messenger Powley Mrs Zillah dressmaker Reed William earthenware & general dealer Reeve Henry basket mkr. & beerhse Robinson Richard solicitor (Grigson & R.), clerk to the justices for Wayland petty sessional division, and to the commissioners of taxes, agent to the Economic Life Insurance Co. Rodwell Mrs Ann Rook Miss Sarah Thetford road Rudland Mr John Sample Frederick carpenter Sample Mrs Sarah Ann vict. Green Man Sayer William leather merchant, and farmer at Watton Wick Semmence Wm. vict. Jolly Farmers, mineral water manufacturer, and wooden bowl turner Sharp Richard stone, marble, and monumental mason Short Samuel baker and confectioner, and baking powder manufacturer Siggins Henry painter and plumber Skipper Uriah leather mercht. & boot manufr.; and at East Dereham Smith Jas. cabinet mkr. & upholsterer Snare Miss Elizabeth Spanton Miss Sarah victualler, The Bull Hotel Springall Robert French English and foreign timber merchant, and sawmill proprietor at King's Lynn; depôt, Railway station Stace & Harvey printers & bkbinders Stace William Stoveld printer (S. & Harvey), postmstr. stamp distributr. stationer, bookseller, news agent, agent to the Alliance Insurance Co. clerk to the poor's allotment charity, post, money order, and telegraph office Starling Wm. maltster to T.C. Frost Targett Misses Mary Ann and Jane day school Taylor Miss Eunice London road Tennant Edward joiner & victualler, Live and Let Live Thompson Miss Ellen day school Thompson Mr John Hicks Toombs Edwin Tyson hairdresser Vincent Lacey Andrew chemist and druggist, agt. for W. & A. Gilbey's wines and spirits, and E. Green & Son's Bury ales; and Hingham Walker G.H. auctioneer & monetary agent; h East Dereham Walters Daniel plumber, painter, glazier, and house decorator Ward Frederick boot and shoe maker and leather seller Warman John farmer, Wood farm Waton Herbt. Carley clk. at brewery, agent to the Alliance Insurance Co. & the Norwich & London Accident Association Watson Joseph market gardener Walebelly James butcher and farmer [see note below] Walebelly Robert butcher Walebelly William butcher Woodrow Mr James Burleigh house Worm James Stebbing, M.R.C.V.S. veterinary surgeon Wrenford Rev. Thomas vicar of Watton and Surrogate, Brookes, D.D. The Vicarage White Jno. Daniel inspector of police Wright Richard vict. Railway Hotel Wyer Robert farm bailiff to William Sayer, Watton Wick
In the original, the following entries are placed alphabetically in the list above.
- Gurney & Co.
- bankers (draw on Barclay & Co); Hy. Alexander, mgr
- National Provincial Bank;
- W. Walker, manager
- Watton Gas Light & Coke Co. (lim);
- H.F. Grigson, secretary
- Watton Iron Works Co.
- iron and brass founders & agricultural implement makers; Horatio Goodrick, mngr
- Wayland Agricultural Exhibition and Poultry Show;
- H.F. Grigson, sec
- Wayland Hall Co. (lim.);
- H.F. Grigson, secretary
Note:
Walebelly should probably be Whalebelly
See also the Watton parish page.
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Copyright © Pat Newby.
May 2016