Norfolk: Hilborough

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

HILBOROUGH, or Hilburgh, is a scattered, but pleasant village, with a handsome hall, a good posting inn, and a large water mill, on the London road, 6 miles S. of Swaffham. Its parish has 337 inhabitants, and 2807 acres of land, nearly all the property of Henry Berney Caldwell, Esq., the lord of the manor, who resides at the Hall, a square brick mansion in a well-wooded park, on the western bank of a rivulet, erected in 1779, by Ralph Caldwell, Esq., who purchased the manor of James Nelthorpe, Esq., in 1763, after which he erected on it three new farm-houses, &c.

The CHURCH (All Saints) is a neat edifice, with a fine square tower, containing five bells, and having freestone quoins and battlements. Over the western door are two effigies, one a man in armour, the other a savage, bearing in his left hand a ragged staff, and in the other a man's head. The living is a discharged rectory, valued in the King's Book at £13.6s.8d., and in 1831 at £390, in the patronage and incumbency of the Rev. John Dolignon, M.A. In 1804, it was augmented with £200 of Queen Anne's Bounty, and £200 given by the Rev. John Nelson, a late incumbent, and brother to the hero of the Nile.

On the north-west side of the village, in a grass close, are the remains of St. Margaret's Chapel, where pilgrims used to halt, in their way to Walsingham Abbey. It was a free chapel endowed with 100 acres of land, at an early period; and was dissolved by Edward VI. The tithes were commuted in 1845.

The Church has £2, and the poor £1.17s.6d. yearly, from land given by unknown donors. At the enclosure, in 1769, two allotments were awarded to the poor - viz., 30A. to cut furze upon, and 6A. for pasturage.

DIRECTORY:

	Caldwell   H.B., Esq.      Hall

	Bird       Jacob M.        corn miller
	Cole       John            land agent
	Copping    George          vict., Swan Inn
	Dolignon   Rev. John       Rectory
	Dolignon   Agnes           ladies' school
	Dongar     George          baker
	Gathercole B.              game keeper
	Loveday    James           blacksmith
	Rolfe      Joseph          farm bailiff
	Spinks     John            wheelwright

	    farmers.

	Brighton   John
	Harvey     Charles and Wm. (the Grange)
	Norman     Robert Turner   (the Lodge)   (*)

The London Coach and Carriers, and the Mail Gig, from Brandon to Swaffham, pass through the village.

* In the original, this is:
"The latter occupies the Lodge."