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WENDLING, on the East Dereham and Lynn railway, 4 miles W. by S. of East Dereham, is a parish of scattered houses, in Mitford and Launditch union and petty sessional division, East Dereham county court district, Norwich bankruptcy district, Launditch hundred, Litcham polling district of West Norfolk, and Brisley rural deanery and Norwich archdeaconry. It had 361 inhabitants in 1881, living on 1436 acres, and has a rateable value of £2544. The chief landowners are John Margarson, Esq. (lord of the manor of Herrings Hall with Dykewood), Hugh Rump, Cornell Fison, C. Earlham Cook, Samuel P. Dodds, James Ashley Rix, and several smaller owners.
Wendling Abbey, which stood near a small rivulet, was founded about 1268 by Sir William de Wendling, for canons of the Præmonstratensian order, and dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It comprised nave, choir, north and south transepts, sacristry, refectory, chapter house, cloister, almonry, &c. It was suppressed by a bull of Pope Clement, and granted to Cardinal Wolsey in 1528; its revenues being then valued at £55 18s. 4d. per annum. The last remains of the ruins and foundations were used in repairing the roads many years ago, when three stone coffins were discovered.
The CHURCH (St. Peter and St. Paul) comprises nave, chancel, south transept, porch, vestry, and square tower with three bells; and was thoroughly restored in 1858, and refitted with new open benches and pulpit of varnished deal, and a handsome carved oak reading-desk. Three of the windows are filled with rich stained glass. The perpetual curacy has been augmented with £600 of Queen Anne's Bounty, and is annexed to that of Longham. (See p.403 [which is the entry for Longham].)
The Primitive Methodists have a chapel here.
The SCHOOL BOARD, established 1875, meet quarterly at the clerk's residence. It consists of Mr. John Margarson (chairman), Rev. W.J. Eaton (vice-chairman), and Messrs. George Walker, and Philip Stanford. Mr. W.C. Lovett is clerk. A school was erected in 1876 at a cost of about £500.
The Fuel Allotment, awarded in 1815, is 10 acres. The Poor's Stock, £400 three per cent. consols, was derived from the sale of a house and land in 1816. The dividends are distributed in coal and money. The Widows' Land, 6A. 1R. 36P., is let for £12 a year, which is divided among poor widows belonging to the parish.
POST OFFICE at Mr. W.C. Lovett's. Letters through Dereham arrive at 7.20 a.m., depart at 5.20 p.m. Little Fransham is the nearest Money Order Office, and Dereham the nearest Telegraph Office.
Archer Frederick butcher Ayton Samuel miller's manager Bartle Abraham farmer, Honey Pot Bayfield George Clarke blacksmith Blades Arthur John grocer and general dealer Blades John baker Boddy Mrs Julia Carter Charles gardener, Rose cottage Dodds Samuel Pedley farmer & land-owner, Church farm Farrer Mr Edmund & William Wendling house Greaves George farmer Green William carpenter Haines Barnard farmer Hill Miss Ann Board schoolmistress Horsley Charles & Sons millers, &c. & Fakenham Huggens Robert stationmaster James Robert beerhouse Lovett William Creed commercial traveller, sub-postmaster, clerk to School Board, assessor and collector of taxes, and poor's rate collector Margarson John farmer and land owner, Manor house Moore John wheelwright Munday Wm. vict. Railway Tavern Neech John Thomas farmer Stanford Philip farmer Walker George farmer, Abbey farm Warner Charles farmer Wilson Barnard farmer, Grange farmRAILWAY - (East Dereham and Lynn branch of Great Eastern Railway); Robert Huggens, stationmaster
Copyright © Pat Newby.
September 2008