Kelly's 1933 Directory - West Dereham,Norfolk

 

 

[Transcription © SA Whittle-Bruce 2004]

West Dereham,Norfolk

Kelly's 1933 Directory

 

West Dereham is a village and parish, with a station, called "Abbey," on the Downham and Stoke Ferry branch of the London and North Eastern railway, 4 miles south-east from Downham, in the South Western division of the county, Clackclose hundred and petty sessional division, Downham rural district and county court district, rural deanery of Feltwell, archdeaconry of Wisbech and diocese of Ely. There were formerly two churches here, St.Andrew and St.Peter; the latter ceased to be a parish church in 1401 and has long since disappeared, though its foundations may still be traced in the western part of the churchyard, where in 1908 a stone coffin containing remains was found within nine inches of the surface. The church of St. Andrew is an edifice chiefly in the Perpendicular style, consisting of chancel(restored in 1895 and again in 1923), nave, south porch, vestry and a massive round western tower of ragstone, surmounted by an octagonal turret of brick and containing 5 bells: the tower was restored in 1909; the south doorway is of Early English character, and has a well-preserved holy water stoup on the east side; two windows contain ancient stained glass: in the church are two monuments to the Dereham family, one of them being an elaborate piece of work in various coloured marbles, erected at the beginning of the 18th century: there is also a life-sized marble statue of Colonel Soame, of West Dereham Grange, d.1706, and a slab with arms to Gregory Lovell esq. d.1693, who left £500 to the poor of the parish: there are also marble tablets to members of the Stebbing family, 1853-7; the Roper family, 1840-44, and to the Catton family, from 1792 to 1824: the church plate includes a silver flagon given in 1706 by Mrs. Mary Green, of The Grange, who also gave money to inclose the communion table with rails: the nave was completely restored in 1900, new roofed, refloored and reseated, with other repairs, at a cost of £950: there are 200 sittings. The register dates from the year 1558. The living is a vicarage,annexed to that of Wereham, joint net yearly value £390, with residence in the gift of the Bishop of Ely, and held since 1928 by the Rev. Lyonel George Evans, M.A. of St. Catharine's College, Cambridge.The vicarage house, which is near the church, was erected in 1874. There are two Methodist chapels. The charities amount to about £150 yearly, and are administered under a scheme by theCharity Commissioners. In 1873 a valuable bed of coprolites was found in the parish, but is not now worked. There was formerly an abbey of the Premonstratensian order here, founded in 1188 by Hubert Walter, then Dean of York, and afterwards Archbishop of Canterbury, who was a native of West Dereham; this monastic house was colonized from the abbey of Welback, in Notts, but few traces of the original abbey are now left; its revenues at the time of the Dissolution were estimated at £252 12s 11 1/2d. In the first year of King John, 1199, a charter was granted to the abbot and convent of West Dereham for a weekly market on Wednesday and an annual fair for four days, viz, 21st September and three following days. About 1564 the abbey farm was held for a time by Thomas Tusser, author of the "Five Hundred Points of Good Husbandry;" and Francis Dereham, the kinsman and early lover of Queen Katherine Howard, who suffered death on her account in 1542, was a member of the ancient family who took their name from this place, and obtained a grant of the abbey and its surrounding lands: the farm and abbey are now the property of T.A.W. Nicholson esq. J.P. Lt.-Col. Edward Roger Pratt M.C., D.L. who is lord of the manor, T.A.W.Nicholson esq. and Joseph Edwin Kerkham esq. are the principal landowners. The soil is of a mixed character; subsoil, ragstone, sand and clay. The chief crops are wheat and barley. The area is 3,341 acres; the population in 1921 was 410.

Post and Tel. Call Office. Letters through King's Lynn. Stoke Ferry nearest M.O. and T. office

Railway Station (called Abbey) (L. & N.E.)

 

PRIVATE RESIDENTS

Evans Rev. Lyonel George M.A. (vicar), Vicarage

Kerkham Joseph Edwin, Grange farm

Nicholson Thomas Archibald Wanless J.P. Abbey Farm

Porter Miss, The Hollies

COMMERCIAL

marked thus * farm 150 acres or over

Box Bramwell, blacksmith

Brighton Abraham, farmer, Bazil farm

Day Isaac, farmer, Lodge farm

*Glover Jn. farmer, White House fm

Hailstone Arth. farmer

Hammond Horace Wm, farmer, Manor farm

Harrison Jas. Wm. lime burner, Lime kiln (letters should be addressed Crimplesham, King's Lynn)

Horton Ida & Martha (Misses), dress mas

*Kerkham Joseph Edwin, farmer, Grange farm. TA "The Grange, West Dereham, Stoke Ferry;" TN Downham 39Y; (letters should be addressed Crimplesham, King's Lynn)

Marks William & Son, farmers

*Nicholson Thos. Archbld. Wanless J.P. cattle breeder, Abbey farm. TN Stoke Ferry 29

Osler William Wilson, farmer

Porter Charles, carpenter

Rolph Simon Jas, farmer, Church farm

Roby Wltr. G. Chequers P.H.

Rust Geo. beer retailer

Starling B.M. farmer, Hilgay rd

Taylor Walter, farmer,Willow farm

Wilmont Edwd, shopkpr. Post Office. TN Stoke Ferry 1

*Woodley Uriah, farmer, College farm

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