Norfolk Hundreds

White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk 1845

DEPWADE HUNDRED

It is bounded on the north by Forehoe, Humbleyard, and Henstead; on the east by Loddon; on the south, by Diss and Earsham Hundreds; and on the west by Shropham Hundred.

It forms the Deanery of Depwade, in the Archdeaconry of Norfolk; and the fee of it was in the crown till the reign of Richard I. In 1327, Edward III. granted it to John de Clavering, but it is now divided among various proprietors. Its Petty Sessions are held at Long Stratton, every Tuesday; and Mr. J. Hotson is clerk to the magistrates.

The following enumeration of its 21 parishes shews their population in 1841; the annual value of their lands and buildings, as assessed to the County Rate, in 1843, and their territorial extent, in assessable acres.

	+==================================================+
	|                        |        | Annl.|         |
	|     PARISHES.          |   Pop. | Val. |  Acres. |
	|                        |        |  £.  |         |
	+--------------------------------------------------+
	| Ashwellthorpe              469     1842      806 |
	| Aslacton                   404     1994     1163 |
	| Bunwell                   1001     3778     2423 |
	| Carlton-Rode               938     4960     2573 |
	| Forncett St. Mary          305     1556      731 |
	| Forncett St. Peter         669     3942     1851 |
	| Fritton                    301     1442      818 |
	| Fundenhall                 367     2358     1348 |
	| Hapton                     203     1028      657 |
	| Hardwick                   269     1294      855 |
	| Hempnall                  1255     5930     3583 |
	| Morningthorpe              192     1746      921 |
	| Moulton Great              444     2614     1346 |
	| Shelton                    215     1824     1176 |
	| Stratton St.Mary           690     3108     1268 |
	| Stratton St.Michl.         273     2070     1050 |
	| Tacolneston                518     2572     1396 |
	| Tasburgh                   527     1932      874 |
	| Tharston                   388     2922     1502 |
	| Tibbenham                  749     5088     3254 |
	| Wacton                     267     1526      896 |
	+--------------------------------------------------+
	|      Total *            10,444   55,526   30,491 |
	+==================================================+

* Its population, in 1831, was 10,031; and its annual value, as assessed to the property tax, was £45,832, in 1815; and £61,991, in 1842. It is in Long Stratton Police Division.

DEPWADE UNION comprises all the 21 parishes of Depwade Hundred, 13 parishes in Earsham Hundred, and 9 parishes in Diss Hundred. These 43 parishes comprise an area of 110 square miles, and had 25,590 inhabitants, in 1841, of whom 12,618 were males, and 12,972 females. Their average annual expenditure, from 1832 to 1835, was £24,008; but in 1838, it was only £13,459. Their expenditure, solely on their in and out door poor, in 1842 was £11,669; and for the quarter ending Dec. 1844, £3586. 17s 11¼d. The Union Workhouse is at Pulham St. Mary Magdalen, in Earsham Hundred, and was built in 1836-7, at the cost of £8240. It has room for 400 inmates, and had 130 in July, 1841, but has a much larger number in winter. They are fed and clothed at the weekly cost of 2s. 0½d. per head.

Mr. John Hotson, of Long Stratton, is Union Clerk and Supt. Registrar; and Mr. Thomas Mainey is master of the Workhouse. Messrs. Robt. Holmes, J. Stanton, and Rt. Austin, are the relieving officers; and Messrs. Robt. Holmes, James Aldis, John Stanton, and Thos. Cotman, are the District Registrars. Seven Surgeons are employed by the Union.

• General description and layout of Hundreds.
• Other hundred descriptions from White's 1845.

© Mike Bristow
April 2006