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Norfolk: Thornage

William White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk 1883

[Transcription copyright © Pat Newby]

THORNAGE is a pleasant village and parish, 2½ miles S.W. of Holt, in Erpingham union, Holt county court district, petty sessional division, and hundred, Holt polling district of North Norfolk, Norwich archdeaconry, and Holt rural deanery. Its rateable value is £2057 6s. 3d.

It had 327 inhabitants in 1881, and comprises 1266 acres of land, mostly belonging to Lord Hastings, who is lord of the manor; but the executors of James Cooke have an estate here. About three quarters of a mile N.E. of the village is a large water mill, and a pleasant residence, occupied by Mr. F.A. Buttrum; and in the parish is an iron foundry.

The CHURCH comprises nave, chancel, north porch, and square tower with one bell; and contains a piscina. The rectory, valued in the King's Book at £6 18s. 4d., and now worth £508 a year, with that of Brinton annexed, is in the patronage of Lord Hastings and in the incumbency of the Rev. Charles John Brereton, B.A., who has here 35A. 1R. 1P. of glebe, and a good residence. The tithes of Thornage were commuted in 1839 for £331 per annum.

The communion plate is very ancient, and the cup is inscribed, 'was the gyfte of John Butts (or Butes), and Margaret, his wife - 1456.' His family were long possessed of the manor; and one of them, Henry Butts, D.D., was vice-chancellor of Oxford University in 1629, but was found, soon afterwards, 'hanging in his garters in his own chamber.' He was the son of Sir William Butts, physician in ordinary to Henry VIII.

A piece of land, called the Bell Acre, was left about 300 years ago by an unknown donor, who, tradition reports, had lost his way during a snow storm, but recovered it through the ringing of the bell. It now lets for £1 a year, which is given towards the purchase of bell ropes.

This parish is united with Brinton as a SCHOOL BOARD district, and the children attend the school at Brinton.

POST from Briningham, viâ East Dereham.

	Abraham    Alfred         ironfounder's mngr. and shopkeeper
	Baker      Charles        farmer, Hill house
	Brereton   Rev. Chas.
	             John, B.A.   rector
	Buttrium   Frederick
	             Alexander    miller and farmer
	Clare      Wm. Saml.      builder, contractor, and ironfounder
	Cozens     Richard        shoemaker
	Fox        George         corn and flour dealer
	Graveling  Jacob          yeast dealer
	Hill       Joshua         farmer
	Hunter     Alfred         parish clerk
	Ives       Alfred         baker, grocer, and draper
	Ives       Thomas         butcher and farmer
	Moore      Miss Frances   dressmaker and draper
	Peck       Mrs Elizabeth  vict. The Black Boy's Inn, and farmer
	Peck       William        shoemaker
	Raby       Robert         butcher
	Sewell     James          farmer
	Sheringham Henry          farmer, The Hall
	Sheringham Mr Valentine
	             Denis        The Villa
	Woods      Robert         gamekeeper

See also the Thornage parish page.

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Copyright © Pat Newby.
March 2006