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[Transcription copyright © Richard Johns]
CAWSTON is a considerable village and parish, 2 miles E. of Reepham, and 4 miles W.S.W. of Aylsham, comprising 1130 inhabitants, 4296A. of land (only 3805A. assessable,) and the scattered hamlets of Eastgate, Southgate and Woodrow, the latter of which has a good inn on the Norwich and Holt road, 1 mile E. of the village. Three FAIRS are held here annually on Feb. 1st, and the last Wednesdays in April and August; the latter of which is a large sheep fair.
W.E.L. Bulwer, Esq., owns a great part of the soil, and is lord of the manor, which he holds in free soccage of the Duchy of Lancaster; in token of which, he has carried before him (or his steward,) on the court days, a brazen hand holding a ploughshare, and a mace surmounted by a bearded arrow. The custom of the manor is gavelkind, with dower and arbitrary fines. In 1263, John de Burgh obtained a charter for a market here every Wednesday, and a fair on October 1st and 2nd, but these have long been obsolete.
The Church (St. Agnes,) is a noble Gothic structure of freestone, in the crucifix form, with a fine square tower, containing six bells; the whole built by Michael de la Pole, (Earl of Suffolk,) and Catherine his wife, except the north aisle. In the windows are some fragments of ancient stained glass, and on the screen have been painted figures of the apostles, &c., but these are nearly obliterated.
The Rectory, valued in the King's Book at £15. 13s. 11d, is in the gift of Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, and incumbency of the Rev. A.E.L. Bulwer, B.A., who has a yearly rent of £1023, awarded in 1845, in lieu of tithes. The Church Land is 1A.3R.
In the chancel, are neat mural monuments to the late rector, and his second son, Major Baker, who was killed at the battle of Toulouse, in 1814. In a small planting, near Woodrow Inn, is a monument in memory of Sir Henry Hobart, who was killed there in a duel with Oliver Neve, in 1698. On the north side of the parish, is Docking farm, where it is said there was anciently a large village called Alvington. The Independents have a chapel in the village.
The Workhouse, which was built for 70 paupers of this and adjacent parishes, is now converted into tenements, let by the overseers to the poor parishioners, who have the interest of £120, left by Robert Mott, in 1760, Edward Dewing, in 1764, and Edward Lombe, in 1740. In 1818, Dr. Baker, the late rector, left the interest of £100 for the support of a Sunday School. At the enclosure of the Heath, in 1802, an allotment of 100A. was awarded to the parishioners for fuel.
In the following Directory, those marked 2 are at Eastgate; 3, Southgate; 4, Woodrow; and the rest in Cawston:-
Austin Matthew beerhouse keeper Austin Lydia straw hat maker Austin Thomas butcher Austin Watts confectioner Baker Wm. chimney sweeper Bennett Robert baker & flour dealer Bulwer Rev Augustine Earle Lloyd, B.A. Rectory Cook Martha dressmaker Dewing Robert joiner Dewing Richard joiner Dewing Wm. pump maker Dyball Samuel vict. Bell Easton Edward vict. White Horse 4 Easton Isaac vict. Woodrow Inn Ellis Wm. saddler Fisher Marker grocer and draper Fox Thos. tailor Holmes B. fishmonger 3 Howes J. beerhs Hurrell Dennis vict. King's Head Jary Hy. tailor 2 Lewis Leond. vict. Ratcatcher Inn Massingham Sarah Ann straw hat mkr Massingham Wm. cooper Matthews John rat catcher Mears John blacksmith Morrell John surgeon Ottway Thomas blacksmith Pye Saml. miller [see note below] Pye Matthew joiner [see note below] Robins Joseph baker & flour dealer Russell John watchmaker Sendall Mr Joseph [see note below] Sendall Thomas postman [see note below] Slipper George smith, wheelwright, beerhouse, and shopkeeper Southgate Barnard sawyer Spencer Rev C. curate Sparks Wm. wheelwright Springhall Charles bricklayer Tallant Wm. land agent, &c. Thomas Rev Richard Caddy Towell Mr Mtn Tudnam James tailor Wakeford Eliz. & Son grocers & drspr Wardigan Jacob baker Watts Wm. bricklayer Watts Wm. hardwareman Wells Wm. schoolmaster Yallop Robert D. schoolmaster Boot & Shoe Mkrs. Blogg John 3 Comer Wm. Douglas Wm. Drake Samuel Harvey James Wiggett Wm. Williams Brettenham Woods James FARMERS. * are Owners. 3 Bird Edward Howes James Bond John 3 Ireland Sarah *Cable James 2 Page Samuel Cook Wm. Plane Wm. 4 Dix James 2*Roberson Hy. *Easton James Soames William, Docking farm 3 Easton John Spencer John 3*Easton Haylett 2 Taylor Thos. Hickling Samuel Williams John
CARRIERS. Jas. Howes and Wm. Tudnam, to Norwich, W. and Saturday
POST to Reepham, Thomas Sendall.
Note: in the original, these are:
Pye Saml. miller, & Matthew, joiner
Sendall Mr Joseph || Thomas, postman
See also the Cawston parish page.
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Copyright © Pat Newby.
February 1999