Norfolk: Reedham

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

REEDHAM is a large scattered village, on the north side of the river Yare, 9 miles S.W. by W. of Yarmouth, close to the Norwich and Yarmouth Railway, which has a station here. It derives its name from the great quantity of reeds growing in the marshes, and is noted as being one of the seats of the Saxon Kings of East Anglia, and as the place where Lothbroch, the Dane, was murdered. (Vide p. 237 [which is part of the history of Yarmouth].) The matrix of an Agnus Dei was found here in 1816, in a field supposed to be the site of a Roman station.

The parish includes Whitten green and Reedham Ferry, about 1 mile W., and the modern hamlet of Berney Arms, 3 miles N.E. of the church; all on the banks of the Yare. It comprises 614 inhabitants, and 3241 acres, of which 2163 are marsh, or meadow, and 1067 arable.

J.F. Leathes, and T.T. Berney, Esqrs., are the principal owners, and the former is lord of the manor and patron of the rectory, which is valued in the King's Book at £18, and in 1831, at £607, with the vicarage of Freethorpe annexed to it, and now enjoyed by the Rev. Fred. Leathes, the brother of the patron. The glebe here is 92A. 1R. 9P., and the tithes have been commuted for £520 per annum.

The Church (St. John the Baptist,) has a handsome marble monument, with effigies of Thomas Guybon, his wife, and children; also several inscriptions to the Berneys, one of whom rebuilt the hall in 1557. It has recently been thoroughly repaired and beautified at the cost of upwards of £500, exclusive of the chancel, which was restored at the expense of the late rector.

A National School, of brick and stone, in the Elizabethan style, was erected here in 1844, at the expense of the patron and incumbent, aided by grants from the National School Society and the Committee of Council on Education. It has room for 100 children.

Here is a small Primitive Methodist Chapel.

Marked * are at Whitten Green.

	  Barnes       James          millwright
	  Bee          Robert         cooper
	  Blanchflower Thos. C.       druggist (and Loddon)
	  Case         Wm.            vict. Ship
	* Chaster      Francis        joiner
	  Goffen       Edward         vict. Lord Nelson
	  Goffen       Rd.            vict. Brickmakers' Arms
	  Goffen       Jas.           lime burner & coal dlr
	  Hall         James          boat builder
	* Jones        Samuel         bricklayer
	  Kidall       Robert         corn miller & mercht
	  Leathes      Rev Frederic   Rectory
	* Layton       Henry          beerhouse keeper
	  Maddison     George         relieving officer
	  Neale        John           vict. Railway Arms
	* Robbins      Rev William
	  Rushmer      Robert         vict. Berney Arms
	  Rushmer      James          cattle dealer
	  Sales        John           blacksmith

	     Butchers.                   Shoemakers.

	  Collins      Daniel         Anguish      John
	  Leeder       Richard      * Barnes       Wm.
	  Playford     John

	     FARMERS.                    Shopkeepers.

	  Benns        John           Barton       Wm.
	  Benns        Philip         Hindle       Nathl. (& blacksmith)
	  Browne       Robert         Lines        Julius (and tailor)
	  Burgess      James          Smith        Samuel
	  Cockerill    Ezekiel        Stone        Benj. (and brickmaker)
	  Gown         Henry
	  Hoggett      Jermh.
	  Jary         Mary

RAILWAY - Trains several times a day, to Norwich & Yarmouth.