ATTLEBOROUGH is a small market town, parish, head of a county court district, and station on the Great Eastern railway, 100 miles from London, 15 south-west from Norwich, 5½ south-west from Wymondham, and 14 north-east from Thetford, in the Southern division of the county, Wayland Union, hundred of Shropham, rural deanery of Rockland, archdeaconry of Norfolk and diocese of Norwich. The church of St. Mary, a noble stone building, in the Norman and Early English styles, was once a cruciform structure, and possessed a spire, which fell some years back, and destroyed the chancel, which has never been rebuilt: it consists at present of nave, aisles, two chapels and a porch, with a tower at the east end, which has an embattled parapet of red brick, and contains 6 bells and a clock: the interior was repaired and newly seated in 1844: there is a fine organ, also a stained window; and there are several handsome monuments and tablets to the families of the Ratcliffes, Mortimers, and Chanticlers. The register dates from the year 1552. The living is a rectory, yearly value £1,504 tithe rent charge, with 17 acres of glebe and house, in the gift of Sir William Bowyer-Smijth bart. and held since 1866 by the Rev. William Chartres Safford M.A. of Corpus Christi college, Cambridge. Here are places of worship for the Wesleyans, Primitive Methodists and Baptists, and a Friends' meeting-house. The Wesleyan chapel, in the Station road, was opened in 1872: it is of red brick with stone dressings, and will seat about 400 person: the total cost was about £1,000. The charities consist of Nerford's, for educating six poor children, value about £20, now given as prizes at the Board School, and £2 12s. a year given to six poor widows in bread every sunday: Sir F. Bickley's, the proceeds of six acres of land, and Andrew Reeder's the proceeds of 2A. 3R. 23P. given to the poor of the parish; and the rent of the fuel allotment, comprising 57A. 2R. given in money; there are also 11A 3R. 14P. left for beautifying the church, and the rent of 1A. 2R. 32P. for ringing the morning and evening bells. A corn market with hall and reading room has been erected by a limited liability company, at a cost of £1,000, for the farmers who attend Attleborough market: it is a white brick building, and was opened in August, 1863; there is a library of about 300 volumes in connection with the reading room. The market is on thursday; and fairs are occasionally held here. There is a banking agency. The principal landowners are Sir W. Bowyer-Smijth bart. who is lord of the manor, Sir T. Beevor bart. Arthur Temple Cockell, esq. Thomas Q. Daniel esq. and George Shepherd esq. The soil I clay; subsoil, clay and gravel. The chief crops are barley and wheat. The area is 5,260 acres; rateable value £13,471; the population in 1881 was 2,244.
Parish Clerk, William Barnard Page
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POST & MONEY ORDER & TELEGRAPH OFFICE, & Savings Bank & Government Annuity & Insurance Office.— William Barnard Page, postmaster.
INCOMING MAILS.
Delivery begins
London & places through & from London, Norwich, Yarmouth &c. Diss. Scole &c....................................
Parcels Post, deliveries commence 9 a.m. & 3.30 p.m.; despatched at 12.0 noon, 7.50 p.m. & 9.0 p.m.
Telegraph business begins on week days from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; on Sunday from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Inland revenue licenses issued on week days from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. & on Saturday till 8 p.m. Ordinary business is transacted on week days from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; on Sunday the office is open from 7 till 10 a.m. only
INSURANCE AGENTS:—
County Fire, Charles Le Grice
North British & Mercantile Fire & Life, R. Ketteringham
Norwich Union Fire & Life, J. Bacon
Phœnix Fire, W. B. Page, Post office
Sun Fire, Wilkinson & Slann
Collector of Rates, William Barnard Page, Post office
Medical Officer, Attleborough District, Wayland Union, Carteret George Ellis L.R.C.P. Edin
Registrar of Births, Deaths & Marriages & Relieving Officer for the Attleborough District of the Wayland Union, William Shepherd, Rockland
Stamp Distributor, Alfred Muskett
PLACES OF WORSHIP, with times of Services —
St Mary's Church, Rev. William Chartres Safford M.A. rector;
A School Board of 5 members was formed in 1871; M. W. H. L. Brooke, clerk to the board; Robert Copling, attendance officer
Board School, George Welton, master
Railway Station, Arthur Taylor, station master
CARRIERS TO NORWICH:— John Capes, saturday; Robert Whant, wednesday & saturday
PRIVATE RESIDENTS.
Ashley William, Bowden villas, Connaught road
Brooke Melancthon William Henry Lombe
Brothers Charles, Besthorpe road
Brown Mrs. London road
Clifford Hy. John, Kent ho. London rd
Cockell Arthur Temple, Hill house
Cockell Mrs. Hill house
Davison Rev. John [Primitive Methodist], Hargham road
Foster Henry George
Foulsham Frederick
Franckling Mrs. G. E. Ivy lodge
George Thomas Howell, Bowden villas, Connaught road
Hewitt James,
Hewitt William, Fair View cottage
Holden Mrs. Station road
Horn Robert James, Halford house
Houchen William, Station road
Jary Thomas Henry, Swangay farm
Jones Edward, Market hill
Kenny Robert, Connaught road
Ketteringham Mrs. John
Keteringham William, Prospect cott
Land Robert, The Ferns, London road
Le Grice Samuel
Limmer Mrs. London road
Long Charles, Claremont ho. Station road
Long George, Prospect cottage
Long Zedekiah, Station road
Lovett Robert Jas. Tenby vil. Station road
Mills James, Connaught road
Nash John, London road
Nicholls John
Peck Mrs. Station road
Postle Raglan, Norwich road
Preston Rev. D'Arcy Harrington B.A. [curate], Point house
Rayson William France
Reeves James
Safford Rev. William Chartres M.A. Rectory
Salter William Herbert, The Hall
Shepherd George, Fenn farm
Slann Thomas Holloway, Connaught rd
Sparrow Jonn.. Belle Vue, London road
Taylor Charles, London road
Turner Rev, Thomas [Baptist]
Tyrrell Rice Bailey, Connaught road
Wellingham Mrs. Norwich road
West Robert, Dale villa
Wharton Edwin Charles
Wiles Charles Barsham
Wright Mrs. Martha
COMMERCIAL.
Adams Frederick, farmer, Dairy farm
Allen George, horse breaker
Allen Henry, horse clipper
Amis Walter John, accountant, Montrose house
Bacon James, auctioneer, valuer & estate agent,
& sec. to Norfolk Agricultural Association
Barker Henry, King's Head Barnard Alice Mary (Miss), milliner & dress maker
Barnard George, hurdle maker
Barnard William, White Swan Bateman Colin, carpenter & upholsterer
Bateman William, London tavern Baxter James Ezinah, farm bailiff
Bayes Joseph, builder
Beck William, blacksmith
Beckett John, grocer & draper
Bone Robert, grocer & draper
Brighton William, flour & meal dealer
Brooke Melancthon William Henry Lombe, solicitor, commissioner for oaths
