Norfolk: Wormegay

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

[Transcription copyright © Pat Newby]

WORMEGAY, or Wermigey, is a small scattered village, 6 miles S.S.E. of Lynn, lying on the south side of the navigable river Nar. Its parish extends to Setch Bridge, and is in Downham union and county court district, Lynn bankruptcy district, Wiggenhall St. Mary Magdalen polling district of West Norfolk, Clackclose hundred and petty sessional division, Fincham rural deanery, and archdeaconry of Norfolk. It had 472 inhabitants in 1881, living on 2785 acres of land, and has a rateable value of £3398 5s.

Henry James Lee-Warner, Esq., is the principal owner of the soil and lord of the manor; but Mrs. Cartwright, R. Henry Household, J.P., William Boon, J.J. Coulton, Esqs., and Mrs. C. Thompson have estates in the parish, and Captain Bulwer is impropriator of the tithes.

This lordship was anciently held by the Warennes, Ferrars, and Bardolphs, the latter of whom had a castle here, of which the moat still remains. In 1405 Thomas, Lord Bardoff, Baron of Wyrmygey, Westbrage, Tottenhill, &c., in Norfolk, fled into Scotland with the then Earl of Northumberland, and the King reduced all the castles and fortresses of these noblemen. In 1407 they re-entered England, but were defeated by Sir Thomas Rokesby, Sheriff of Yorkshire, at Bramham Moor, when both Northumberland and Bardoff were slain. Then, on the attainder Lord of Bardoff (May 8, 1408), the lordship or barony of Wyrmygey (otherwise spelt Wyrmyngey, Wirmegay, Wringay, and Rungay) was granted with all its knight's fees to Thomas Beaufort, Erle [sic] of Dorset, the king's brother, afterwards Duke of Exeter, who died without issue in the 5th of King Henry VI. (1418), when it returned to the descendants (female) of Lord Bardoff.

The Warrens founded a priory near the village, in the reign of King John, for Austin canons; but a farmhouse now occupies the site, which was granted at the Dissolution to the Bishop of Norwich, together with the advowson of the perpetual curacy, which was certified at £20, and augmented with £400 of Queen Anne's Bounty in 1779 and 1800. It was further augmented in 1876 by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners; it is now valued at £300, is consolidated with the perpetual curacy of Tottenhill, and is in the incumbency of the Rev. William Henry Henslowe, M.A.

The CHURCH (St. Michael) is a small edifice, comprising nave, chancel, and square tower with one bell. It was repaired and reseated in 1848. The Register dates from 1561.

The National School, built in 1839, was enlarged by the addition of a class-room in 1879, at a cost of £70. It is supported by voluntary subscriptions, Government grants, and school pence, and is attended by 150 children.

Here is a Primitive Methodist chapel, erected in 1862; it will seat 250 people.

The Fuel Allotments, awarded at the enclosure in 1811, comprise 21A. 3R. 23P., vested in the lord of the manor, churchwardens, and overseers, is let for £30 a year, and is distributed in coal at Christmas. The poor have £2 a year, paid by the lord of the manor, as interest of money left by R. Maltby, G. Brown, and other donors.

In the village is the remains of the ancient village cross, which was repaired several years ago by Mr. W.G. Hoff.

WALL LETTER-BOX cleared at 3.20 p.m. week days and 10.30 a.m. Sundays, viâ Lynn, which is the nearest Money Order and Telegraph Office. The nearest Railway Station is Magdalen Road.

         Bennett    John            pig dealer
         Bussens    John William    relieving officer and registrar of
                                      births and deaths
         Drew       Jas.            blacksmith; h Middleton
         Fish       William         victualler, Red Lion
         Gamble     John            victualler, Crown; and carpenter
                                      and assistant overseer
         Gore       William         farmer
         Hawkins    Thos.           brewer, Setch bridge
         Hearn      Edward          beer retailer and market gardener
         Henslowe   Rev. William
                      Henry, M.A.   incumbent
         Hoff       Henry           farmer
         Hoff       William Gilson  farmer
         Hogge &                    ale and porter brewers and spirit
           Seppings                   merchants, Setch bridge Brewery
         Lockwood   Mrs.            grocer, draper, & beer retailer
         Neal       Hammond         bootmaker
         Nurse      Davis           farmer
         Nurse      Robert          farmer
         Seppings   Jas.            (Hogge & S.) The Grange
         Short      Thomas          shopkeeper and road surveyor
         Smith      Thomas          fish dealer
         Thurston   James           fish dealer
         Tranter    Charles Dryland cashier, Setch bridge
         Warden     Miss Eliza      schoolmistress
         Watkins    William         grocer and butcher
         Youngs     John            farm bailiff
 

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Copyright © Pat Newby.
March 2006