BURNHAM MARKET (or BURNHAM St. Mary de WESTGATE) is a parish and small town, and station on the West Norfolk junction railway, 123½ miles from London by rail, 24½ north-east-by-north from Lynn by rail, 10 north-west from Fakenham, 7 west from Wells-by-the-Sea, 36 north-west from Norwich by road, and 2½ south-by-west from the harbour and the fine and extensive sea-sands of Burnham Overy Staithe; it is in the Western division of the county, Brothercross hundred, Docking union, Little Walsingham county court district, Burnham rural deanery, Norfolk archdeaconry and diocese of Norwich. The town which includes the parishes of BURNHAM WESTGATE, ULPH and SUTTON, is very pleasantly situated in a valley sheltered from the sea,in a rich agricultural district, on the old road from Lynn to Wells-next-the-Sea: a rivulet runs between it and Burnham Overy, falling into the harbour. The church of St. Mary the Virgin, built of flint with stone dressings, consists of chancel, nave, aisles and south porch: the clerestory windows are perfect, and a square tower at the west end contains 4 bells and a clock, and is surmounted by a stone battlement, ornamented with the old cipher of the Virgin, and figures representing the events from the Salutation of the Virgin to the Crucifixion; the interior has been carefully restored, the chancel also; and some other works of restoration performed; the windows in the north and two in the south aisle and tower have been restored and filled with memorial glass. The register dates from the year 1538. The living is a rectory, in the gift of Christ's College, Cambridge, and consists of a mediety of the rectory of Burnham Westgate, united with medieties of the rectories of Burnham Norton and Burnham Ulph; there are 91 acres of glebe and a residence; and the rector's tithes have been commuted at £361; the other mediety of Burnham Westgate, tgether with 19 acres of land in that parish belongs to the College; the Rev. James Henry Lamb M.A. late fellow of Christ's College, Cambridge, has held the living since 1878. Here are Congregational, Primitive Methodist and Wesleyan chapels. There are some small charities belonging to the parish chiefly for educational and church purposes, which are now in the hands of the Charity Trustees. The market has long been discontinued. Fairs for pleasure are held on the monday and tuesday in Easter week, and on the 1st and 2nd of August. Quantities of malt are manufactured in the neighbourhood, chiefly to supply the London breweries. There is an iron foundry and wind and steam corn mills. In the neighbourhood are Holkham Park, the ruins of Creake Abbey and Norton Priory, and Burnham Thorpe, the birthplace of Lord Nelson. Burnham Hall, formerly the seat of the late Sir Roger Martin, bart. now the residence of Mrs. Clarke, is a square brick building,situated at the wets end of the town, near the church; its park, pleasure grounds and woods add much to the beauty of the scenery, and from the surrounding hills extensive views of the German Ocean and Holkham Park are obtained. The chief landed proprietors are the trustees of the late John Calthrop esq. the trustees of the late Mr. Blyth, and the owners of the Hall estate. The hills on the north of the valley are chiefly of chalk, while those to the south have strata of marl and gravel, in which water is easily obtained; a stream of water occasonally issues from under the chalk formation, and flows from the park through the town for many months at a time. Crops of turnips, mangold wurtzel, barley and wheat are raised, and large supplies of fat cattle and sheep are sent to London. The area is 3,047 acres; rateable value £5,780 7s. 10d.; the population in 1881 was 968.
POST MONEY & TELEGRAPH OFFICE & Savings Bank.—John Cable, postmaster. Letters through Lynn arrive at 1.27 a.m. & 7.50 a.m.; dispatched weekdays at 10.20 a.m. & 4.45 p.m. & sundays at 2.5 p.m. Box closes at 4.35 p.m.
INSURANCE AGENTS:—
Norwich Union Fire, W. H. Spencer
Sun Fire & Life, G. Hudson
PUBLIC ESTABLISHMENTS;—
Fire Engine Station, Back st.; key at Mr. Geo. Hudson's
PUBLIC OFFICERS:—
Admiralty Surgeon & Agent (Burnham district), Augustine Dennis
Assistant Overseer, George Hudson
Registrar of Births & Deaths & Vaccination Officer for the Burnham Sub District & Relieveing Officer Eastern District Docking union, William Smith
Medical Officer & Public Vaccinator, Burnham District, Docking union, Augustine Dennis
Relieving & Vaccination Officer, Eastern District, William Smith
Town Crier. William Allen
PLACES of WORSHIP, with times of service:—
St Mary the Virgin, Rev. J. H. Lamb M.A. rector, 11 a.m. 3 p.m. & 7.0 p.m.
Congregational, 10.30 a.m., 6.30 p.m.; wed, evenings 7.30
Primitive Methodists, 10.30 a.m. 2.30 p.m. & 6.30 p.m.
Wesleyan, 2.30 p.m. & 8.30 p.m.
A School Board of 9 members was formed in 1871 for the United District of Burnham Westgate, Burnham Norton and Burnhmam Sutton-cum-Burnham Ulph; George Hudson, clerk to the Board. There are three large schoolrooms, one for boys, another for girls, & the third for infants, & two residences for teachers, erected in 1837
Burnham Westgate Board Schools, to hold 320 children, average attendance 160; Charles Banks, master; Miss Ellen Donpghue, mistress; Miss Sarah Jane Grand, infants' mistress
Railway Station (G.E.R.), James Atkin, station master
CARRIERS TO:—
The G. E. RAILWAY Co.— Stephen Geagen
LYNN—Henry Howard, from his house, mon. & thurs. returning tues. & fri. passing through Docking and Bircham
WELLS—Henry Howard, from his house, saturday
Transcription Copyright © E.C. ("Paddy") Apling, November 2010.
1891 Census Names Index
White's 1854
Burnham Market Archeology [Norfolk Heritage Explorer]
Burnham Market postmill [Jonathan Neville]
Inns of Burnham Market [Norfolk Pubs]
Local web-site [Deepdale Farms]
Parish Information [Geoff Lowe & Andrew Rivett]
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