[Transcription © SA Whittle-Bruce 2003]

Stow Bardolph,Norfolk

Kelly's 1933 Directory

Stow Bardolph is a parish and village, 1 3/4 miles south-east from Stow station on the Ely and Lynn section of the Great Eastern railway, and 2 north from Downham Market, in the South Western division of the county, Clackclose hundred and petty sessional division, Downham rural district and county court district, rural deanery of Fincham, archdeaconry of Wisbech and diocese of Ely. Stow Bridge is about 2 miles west-north-west of the church. The river Ouse passes through the parish.

The church of the Holy Trinity is a building of ragstone in the Decorated style, consisting of chancel, nave, north porch and an embattled western tower containing a clock and 8 bells: on the south wall of the chancel is a low side window; a stone font with a handsome oak canopy was presented in 1874 by the vicar; attached to the church, on the north side, is a spacious mortuary chapel, built by Nicholas Hare esq. of Stow Bardolph, who died in 1591, and containing several highly-finished monuments to the Hare family, including one to Sir Ralph Hare, created a knight of the Bath at the coronation of James 1. ob. Aug. 1623; another to Sir Ralph Hare, 1st bart. M.P. Norfolk, ob. Feb. 1671; his second wife, Elizabeth (Chapman), ob. 1683; and John, his son, ob. 1672; a monument of marble, with reclining effigy to Sir Thomas Hare, 2nd bart. M.P. Norfolk, ob. 1 jan 1693, erected by his wife, Elizabeth(Dashwood), in 1749, and a wax effigy, dressed in the costume of the period, of Sarah, his youngest daughter, ob. 1744, inclosed in an oaken case; another marble monument, with reclining effigy, to Susan, daughter of Sir Thomas Hare, 4th bart. ob. 1741 and to Sir Thomas himself, ob. 21 Feb.1760, and a memorial to his widow Elizabeth (Newby), ob. 1773; there are other monuments to Sir George Hare, 5th, and last bart. of the original creation, ob. 18 Mar.1764; Sir Thomas (Leigh) Hare, 1st bart. d. 12 Feb.1834; Mary (Geary), his first wife, d. 1801; his second wife, the Hon. Anne Elizabeth (Graves), d. 11 Sept. 1823, and to his daughter Elizabeth Anne, d. 1868; there is also a splendidly-carved marble monument, inlaid with brass, to Sir Thomas Hare, 2nd bart. of the second creation, and capt. and Life Guards, d. 14 Nov. 1880; and Grace Angelina Norman (Vaughan) his wife, d. 16 Jan. 1879; the church was restored in 1850 and has 170 sittings. The register dates from the year 1558.

The living is a vicarage, with the rectory of Wimbotsham annexed, joint net yearly value of £363, with residence, in the gift of Lt-Col. Sir Thomas Leigh Hare bart. M.V.O., D.L., J.P., and held since 1926 by the Rev. Robert John Small B.D., of Trinity College, Dublin. The great tithes, belonging to Lt-Col. Sir Thomas Leigh Hare bart. M.V.O. are commuted at £320 a year. St. Peter's Mission Church, Stow Bridge, erected in 1910 on land given by Lt-Col. Sir T.L. Hare bart. M.V.O. is a terra-cotta edifice, with a tower of the same material; there are memorial windows to the Rev. James Williams Adams B.A., V.C. vicar 1895-1902, and Edward Bussens, a chorister, and also a brass mural tablet to the Rev J.W. Adams, erected by F.M.Earl Roberts K.G. under whom he served as chaplain during the Afghan campaign and the Burmese war.

Here are Baptist and Methodist chapels. The charities are £109 10s. yearly, and there are six almshouses, endowed in 1603 by Sir Ralph Hare K.B. for six poor persons, being either natives of or residents for 10 years in this parish. this charity is now supported by Lt-Col. Sir T.L. Hare bart. M.V.O. A cattle fair is held here on the Saturday after Whitsuntide.

Stow Hall, the seat of Sir Thomas Leigh Hare D.L., J.P. who is lord of the manor, was originally purchased in 1553 by Sir Nicholas Hare knt. rebuilt in 1589 by Nicholas Hare esq. his grandson, at a cost of £40,000, and again rebuilt in 1873 by the late Sir Thomas Hare bart. and is a mansion in the Elizabethan style, standing in a beautiful park, with extensive pleasure grounds attached. The principal landowners are Lt-Col.Sir T.L. Hare bart. M.V.O.. D.L., J.P. Joseph Morton esq. and the Norfolk County Council. The soil is peat and gravel; subsoil clay. The chief crops are wheat, oats and potatoes. By the Divided Parishes Act 633 acres of land were transferred from Downham Market to this parish, and by the same Act 488a. 2r. 3p. were transferred from Stow to Downham; the total acreage is now 6,378 acres of land, 21 of water, 18 of tidal water and 10 of foreshore; the population in 1921 was 1,275 in the civil ans 1.361 in the ecclesiastical parish.

Post & T.E.D. Office. Stow. Letters through King's Lynn.Downham Market nearest M.O. office.

Post, T. & T.E.D. Office, Stow Bridge. Letters through King's Lynn. The nearest M.O. office is atWatlington.

Post & Tel. Call Office, Barroway Drove. Letters through Downham Market. Nordelph nearest M.O. & T. office.