Norfolk: Wighton

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

WIGHTON is a parish and large village, 3 miles S. by E. of Wells, and 2 miles N. of Walsingham, containing 559 souls, and 2932 acres of land, including a heath of 97 acres, on which are the remains of a Danish entrenchment, with three trenches, and ramparts thirty feet high. Near the windmill was another camp, called Crabbe's Castle, where several Roman coins have been found. The Earl of Leicester owns the greater part of the soil, and holds the manor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

The Church, (All Saints,) is a large fabric, with a square tower, and in its burial ground are some curious tomb-stones. It was given by Henry II., to Norwich Cathedral, so that the Dean and Chapter are now appropriators of the rectory, and patrons of the vicarage, valued in the King's Book at £11. 11s. 8d., and in 1831, at £120.

The Rev. John Wm. Methold, B.A., the present incumbent, erected some years ago, a new Vicarage House, in digging the foundations of which, a large quantity of human bones and ancient pikes were discovered, supposed to have been buried after a battle between the Saxons and Danes. The great and small tithes have been commuted for £810 per annum. On land occupied by Mr. Waters, are still some traces of a chapel of ease. The vicarage was augmented in 1767 and 1807, with £400 of Queen Anne's Bounty, laid out in land at Bodham, besides which here are 22A. 2R. 38P. of glebe.

The rent of 19A. 32P. of land at Great Snoring, let for £30 a year, and derived from the bequests of George Smith and Wm. Feke, about 1590, is distributed in weekly doles of bread among poor widows. The rent of 10A., in Hindringham, left by Humphrey Bedingfield, in 1672, and let for £10, is distributed among four poor men not receiving parochial relief. The yearly rent of £9, from 10A., given by Thomas Earl of Leicester, in 1759, and the dividends of £499. 2s. 4d. three per cent. Consols, left by Christiana Bedingfield, in 1800, are distributed in coals among the poor of the parish. All the poor widows have divided amongst them the dividends of £212. 13s. 2d. new 3½ per cent. stock, left by Lucy Bircham, in 1803. Mrs. Sarah Charles (relict of a late vicar,) in 1790, charged an estate at Hindringham, now belonging to R. England, Esq., with the yearly payment of £6 for schooling 12 poor girls, and £8 for division among four poor men with large families.

	  Cooper    Wm.           blacksmith
	  Jarvis    John          cattle dealer
	  Lack      Charles       grocer, &c
	  Methold   Rev John Wm.,
	              B.A.        vicar
	  Moyse     David         butcher
	  Newton    Isaac         vict. Gibraltar
	  Penman    Henry         grocer, &c
	  Stringer  Charles       blacksmith
	  Thurtell  Walter        corn miller
	  Vertagan  Isaac         vict. Red Lion
	  Williams  Joshua        baker

	     Boot & Shoe Mkrs.

	  Franklin  John
	  Franklin  J., jun.
	  Harvey    John
	  Temple    David

	                FARMERS.
	            (* are Owners.)

	  Jarvis    Ann           Powell    Charles
	  Gowing    John          Read      Thomas
	  Hudson    John          Waters    Wm.
	* Moyse     Thomas        Wiffin    Wm.
	* Potter    Samuel        Wright    John