Norfolk: Bridgham

For more information about this parish see Norfolk Parish Links.
Search for more references to this parish - See Contents & Search above.
Modern and Historical Maps of this Parish.

Bridgham is about 6 miles N.E. of Thetford.
The name may also be spelled Bridgeham.

Cemeteries

See Norfolk Parish Links: Cemeteries

Census

1891: Surname List

Church Directories

In 1883 the parish was in the Deanery of Rockland, in the archdeaconry of Norfolk.
The parish church is dedicated to St Mary the Virgin.
Nearby Churches of all denominations.

Church History

Church of St Mary the Virgin: Description, history and pictures.
Church of St Mary the Virgin: Description, history and pictures.
Church of St Mary the Virgin: Services, etc.

Church Records

Parish Register Transcripts: Baptisms 1813-1880
Parish Register Transcripts: Marriages.
Marriages: These are not included in Boyd's Marriage Index or Phillimore's Marriage Registers.

Civil Registration

For the civil registration of births, marriages and deaths between 1837 and 1902 (and for the censuses of 1851 to 1901), Bridgham was in Guiltcross Registration District.

This district was abolished on 1st April 1902 and, from then until 1930, Bridgham was in Thetford Registration District for civil registration.

Description and Travel

Bridgham: News, events, parish council, church, etc.
Harper, Charles Hugh Richardson: Breckland Portraits: recollections of a Norfolk parson.
Bridgham, Riddlesworth and West Harling.
[ISBN 1901470032, East Harling, Taverner Publications, 1997]
O'Neale, David; and Harper, Charles Hugh Richardson: A Breckland Time-piece: Tales of Bridgham folk and their Harling neighbours, in the words of 'Hugh the Harp'.
[1996]
O'Neale, David: Lest we forget: Bridgham and Roudham in the Great War.
[ISBN 1901470105, East Harling, Taverner Publications, 2006]
Bridgham Post Mill: Description, history and pictures.

Gazetteers and Directories

Bridgham is in Shropham hundred.

Land and Property

Great Britain: Statute: Bridgham Inclosure Act, 1804.
An act for inclosing lands in the parish of Bridgham, in the county of Norfolk.
[1804]

Maps

Parish outline and location.: See Parish Map for Guiltcross Registration District, 1836
Modern and Historical Maps: Maps of the parish and nearby places.

Military Records

Roll of Honour: World War 1.

Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc

After 1834 Bridgham became part of the Guiltcross Union, and the workhouse was at Kenninghall.

Population

These figures are from the population tables which were produced after the 10-yearly national censuses. The "Families" heading includes families and single occupiers.

Year Inhabited
Houses Families Population

1801 35 50 242

1811 36 50 245

1821 37 61 294

1831 37 60 291

1841 61 -- 328

1851 67 -- 339

Year Inhabited
Houses Families Population

1861 72 -- 328

1871 69 69 300

1881 47 71 274

1891 71 74 294

1901 64 69 255

1911 -- 65 254

There may be more people living in detached parts of the parish (if there were any) and, if so, the number may or may not be included in the figures above. It is quite difficult to be sure from the population tables.

1861 Census: "GUILTCROSS. The decrease of population in most of the parishes of this District is attributed partly to the migration of labourers to towns and manufacturing districts. In some parishes it has also been consequent upon the failure of hand-loom hemp-cloth weaving."
1881 Census: The number of inhabited houses really is 47.

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