Norfolk: Witton (near North Walsham)

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

WITTON, a parish and scattered village, from 3 to 4 miles E. by N. of North Walsham, has 280 inhabitants, and 1720A. of land, mostly the property of Lord Wodehouse, whose principal seat is at Kimberley, (see page 440 [which is the entry for Kimberley];) but his lordship, or some part of his family, are frequently resident at WITTON HALL, a large quadrangular mansion of white brick, [with] an entrance tower in the west front, and a semi-octagonal centre in the east front. The erection was commenced in 1770, by the late Jno. Norris, Esq., who encompassed it with a large park and some fine plantations; but he died before its completion, in 1777. The hall, standing on an eminence, commands a fine prospect of the ocean, which is distant only about two miles.

The CHURCH (St. Margaret,) has a nave, chancel, side aisles, a porch, and a round tower. It is a vicarage, valued in the King's Book at £4. 13s. 1d., and in 1831 at £136. It was augmented with £400 of Queen Anne's bounty, in 1767 and 1786. The glebe is 7A. 1R. 38P. The Bishop of Ely is patron, and the Rev. George Hewitt incumbent. The rectorial tithes are partly appropriated to the vicarage, and the rest are held by Lord Wodehouse. The tithes were commuted in 1839, the vicarial for £120. 13s. 4d., and the rectorial for £264 per annum.

A cottage and 5A. 1R. 36P. of land, left by Richard Drake, in 1649, for poor widows, are now let for £9 a year. Lands given for the relief of the poor, at an early period, by Robert Annison, were exchanged at the enclosure, in 1828, for several allotments, comprising 11A. 5P., let for £12 a year. In 1777, Jno. Norris, Esq., left money which was laid out in the purchase of £855 three per cent. consols, and directed the yearly proceeds to be applied, £10 for schooling twelve poor children, £10. 10s. to the vicar for extra duty, and the remainder to such charities as the vicar should think fit.

A Gothic cottage and School-room were built in 1834, at the cost of Lady C.L. Wodehouse.

The Church Land, 2A., is held by Lord Wodehouse, rent free, in consequence of his having expended above £200 in rebuilding the steeple about twenty years ago.

DIRECTORY:

	Wodehouse Hon. Edward        Witton Hall

	Francis   Marshall           beer seller
	Mayhew    B.                 schoolmistress
	Pestell   Samuel             bricklayer

	   shoemakers                   wheelwrights

	Cole      Robert             Lacey     John
	Burton    Wm.                Larter    Edw.
	Grimes    Robert

	                 farmers

	Barker    K.                 Monsey    Thomas
	Bullen    Thos.              Smith     Geo.
	Cubbitt   Thos. (Old Hall)   Turner    Joseph
	Emerson   Wm.                Watts     Joseph

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See also the Witton (near North Walsham) parish page.