Norfolk: Besthorpe

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

BESTHORPE is a parish of scattered houses, 1 mile from Attleborough, [in] Shropham hundred, Wayland union, Attleborough county court district, Norwich bankruptcy district, Guiltcross and Shropham petty sessional division, Attleborough polling district of South Norfolk, Rockland rural deanery, and Norwich archdeaconry. It had, in 1881, 480 inhabitants, living on 2164 acres of land of a rateable value of £5000. The Earl of Winterton is lord of the manor and impropriator of the rectorial tithes, Messrs. Leonard J. Palmer, Richard Bryant, and James Clarke, and some smaller owners have estates here. The ancient Hall, now a farm house occupied by Mr. Bryant, was formerly a seat of the Drury family.

The CHURCH (All Saints) is a cruciform structure with a lofty square tower, and five bells. It was restored in 1861, and contains a marble monument representing Sir William Drury, his wife, and five children. The living is a vicarage valued in the King's Book at £5. 6s. 11½d., and now in the incumbency of the Rev. Edward Utten Browne, who is also patron of the benefice. The glebe comprises 35A., the yearly rent charge is £250, and the vicarage house was built in 1859.

A Primitive Methodist Chapel was built here in 1866.

The National School, erected about 1862, has been since enlarged, and is now attended by about seventy children.

The Fuel Allotment, 15A. 3R. 16P., was awarded at the enclosure in 1806, and was let in 1881 by public auction for eight years, the rent received being distributed in coal. There are 4A. 1R. 3P. of land, the rent of which goes towards payment of church expenses.

POST OFFICE at Mr. William Nelson's. Letters delivered at 7 a.m., and despatched at 7.40 p.m. via Attleborough, which is the nearest Money Order and Telegraph Office.

	Ayton     Charles        farmer
	Ayton     Noah           farmer
	Brasnett  Mrs. Anne
	Brown     Albert         farmer
	Browne    Rev. Edward
	            Utten        vicar, Vicarage
	Bryant    Richd.         frmr & owner, The Hall
	Burt      David          farmer
	Caddy     William        shopkeeper
	Canham    Miss Frances
	            Anne         shopkpr
	Clarke    Charles        farmer
	Clarke    James          farmer and owner
	Cowles    Miss Emma      schoolmistress
	Drake     Edward         farmer and owner
	Edwards   Samuel         carpenter and vict.
	                           The Rule and Compasses
	Edwards   William        farmer
	Forster   John           farmer
	Gilham    Robert Edward  farmer
	Gogle     John           farmer
	Greenacre Geo.           farmer & corn miller
	Howard    Samuel         farmer
	Howes     John           farmer
	Johnson   Jas.           frmr; h Carleton Rode
	Larkman   Jas.           machinist & blacksmith
	Page      Burrell        farmer
	Palmer    Robert         farmer
	Pooley    John           bricklayer
	Potter    Daniel Womack  farmer and cattle dealer
	Quantrill William        farmer
	Warren    John           farmer
	Weddup    Henry          beerhouse, Prince of Wales
	Wigby     Obadiah        wheelwright
	Woodrow   David          blacksmith and beer house,
	                           The Fox and Hounds
	Wright    Charles        billposter

From ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS on pages 13-16:

"for 'Norwich [archdeaconry],' read 'Norfolk [archdeaconry].'"