Norfolk: Winterton

White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk 1836

[Transcription copyright © Mike Bristow]

WINTERTON is an ancient fishing village, lying in a bay, 8 miles N. by W. of Yarmouth, and sheltered on the north-east by that bold promontory called Winterton Ness, and well known to the mariner as the most fatal headland between Scotland and London(see page 151.). The parish had 631 inhabitants, and about 1260 acres of land; of which Joseph Hume, Esq., M.P., and Lord Winterton are the principal owners. The latter is lord of the manor, and the former patron of the rectory, which is valued in the King's Books at £20.13s.4d., and has annexed to it the curacy of East Somerton. The Rev. J. Nelson, B.A., is the incumbent. The Church, dedicated to the Holy Trinity and All Saints, has a fine embattled tower, 120 feet high, overlooking the highest parts of the Ness, and commanding an extensive view of the ocean.

The Light House, which stands on a lofty summit, on the south-east side of the village, is an hexagonal tower, nearly 70 feet high, and now illuminated with patent lamps and reflectors. It is the property of Lord Braybrook, and was granted, in 1687, to Sir Edward Turnour, with "1d. per ton for every vessel sailing by." There were formerly two lights on the Ness, but they were removed about 5 years ago. A coastguard, with a number of beach men and a two pilots, are stationed here.

Winterton gives the title of Earl to the Turnour family, and had formerly a market, fair, and races. In 1665, by the sea encroaching on the cliffs, several large bones were found, and one of them, weighing 57 pounds, and measuring 3 feet 2 inches, was pronounced by the faculty to be the leg-bone of a man ! On December 27th, a high tide caused such alarming sea-breaches at Winterton, Horsey, and Waxham, as to threaten destruction to all the level of marshes from thence to Yarmouth, Beccles, &c. - Mr. Hume supports a school here for 30 children, and has a wild-fowl decoy, covering about 30 acres.

 
      Amis      Henry & John      mariners
      Bond      Mr. Henry
      Brown     Jph. Rt. & Thos.  mariners
      Cock      Wm.               gardener
      Goffin    Wm.               shoemaker
      Higson    Rd.               schoolr. & par. clerk
      Juby      John              beer house
      King      Ann               shopkeeper
      Learner   Samuel            bricklayer
      Leech     Mr Edw.
      Leigh     Lieut. Thos. R.N. officer of coast guard
      Nelson    Rev John, B.A.    Rectory
      Palmer    Edmund            corn miller
      Popay     Charles           tailor & overseer
      Rogers    Lawr.             vict. Three Mariners
      Skelton   Geo.              decoy man
      Slater    John              shopkeeper
      Smith     James             shoemaker
      Smith     Wm.               light house keeper
      Stead     Thos.             bricklayer
      Thornhill Thos. Esq.        Hill Cottage
      Tubby     John              shoemaker
 
   FARMERS.
 Diball  Christmas       Juby    Joseph
 Flaxman Wm              King    Abel
 Green   Ann             Page    Joseph
 Grimmer Benj.           Shales  Samuel
 Hodds   Hy. jun.        Womack  Wm.
                         Wright  John
 
 CARRIERS - Thos Dyball and Hy. Hodds, to Yarmouth, Wed. and Sat.
 

See also the Winterton parish page.

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Copyright © Mike Bristow.
January 2001