Norfolk: Denton

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

DENTON, in the vale of the Waveney, 4 miles E.N.E. of Harleston, has in its parish 625 souls, and 2434 acres of land, belonging to many proprietors. Many of the copyholds are held of the manor of Topcroft-with-Denton, of which the Rev. W.J. Smyth is lord.

The commons were enclosed under an act passed in 1805. Here is also a small manor attached to the rectory. Denton House and Lodge are two handsome mansions, with lawns and plantations; the former is the seat of C. Umphelby, Esq., and the latter of the Rev. G. Sandby.

The Church (Virgin Mary,) is a fine antique fabric, which has lately been new-pewed, repaired, and beautified. The tower was raised ten feet in 1843, and a good organ has been presented by the rector. The east window is filled with stained glass, and the porch is finely groined, and decorated with carvings of the Resurrection, Salutation, our Saviour walking on the water, and the Last Judgement.

The rectory, valued in the King's Book at £24, is in the patronage of the Archbishop of Canterbury, who must confer it on one who either is or has been a fellow of Merton College, Oxford, pursuant to the will of the Rev. Matthew Postlethwayte, a former patron, who died in 1714. The Rev. Wm. Arundell Bouverie, B.D. (rural dean,) has been incumbent since 1839, and has greatly improved and enlarged the parsonage house. The glebe is 92A., and the tithes were commuted, in 1839, for £769 per annum, The Church Land is 6A., let for £12.

Here is an Independent Chapel, which was rebuilt in 1821, and has an endowment of about £80 per annum, and a good house for the minister.

The National School, built in 1840, has £8. 8s. a year from 7A. of land left by the Rev. Thomas Rogerson, in 1722, and now let in allotments for about £10. 10s. a year, of which £2. 2s. is distributed in bread among the poor, who have also the following yearly doles, viz., 8s. for two Bibles, left by Sarah Bedbank, in 1692, out of Stone-pightle; 20s. left by John Warner, out of land held by the Boys' Hospital, Norwich; £3. 10s. from 1½A. left by the Rev. John Porter; and 21s. left by John Button, in 1803.

	Bouverie     Rev Wm.
	               Arundell, B.D. Rectory
	Buck         James
	Button       Ephraim          corn miller
	Davis        Rev Jas.         (Independent min.)
	Delf         Daniel           blacksmith
	Delf         Thomas           vict. King's Head
	Hickman      Mrs Esther
	Middleton    Wm.              veterinary surgeon
	Pallant      Wm.              tailor
	Sandby       Rev George       Denton Lodge
	Umpheby      Chas. Esq.       Denton House

	                     FARMERS.

	Bowler       Benjamin         Howes       John Rayner
	Butcher      John             Paine       John
	Chambers     Wm.              Middleton   John
	Chittleburgh Wm               Middleton   Chas.
	Corneby      Wales            Rackham     Geo.
	Felmingham   Wm.              Rackham     James
	Hardingham   Jas.             Whitton     Cath.
	Haywood      C.               Wolterton   Robt.
	Holland      Wm.              Wolterton   Wm.

	   Schools.                      Shopkeepers.

	Bryant       Sarah            Burgess     Edward
	Gibbs        Fanny            Delf        Rhoda
	                              Simonds     Humpy.
	   Shoemakers.                Stiggles    James

	Browse       Charles
	Gibbs        S. and W.

Note: the surname is Umphelby in the text, and Umpheby in the directory.