HINGHAM, which gives name to a deanery, is a small but neat market town, consisting of a large square of good houses and shops, with several narrow streets, pleasantly seated on rising ground, near a large lake or mere, extending a mile in circumference, abounding in pike, eels, and other fish, and supplied by several copious springs, which give rise to a rivulet, flowing eastward to the Yare. It is distant 14 miles W.S.W. of Norwich, 9½ miles S. by E. of East Dereham, 6 miles W. of Wymondham, and 97 miles N.E. by N. of London. Its MARKET, formerly held every Saturday, was revived a few years ago, after being long obsolete, and is now held on Tuesday, when some business is done in corn, cattle, &c., at the Cock and Ringers Inns. It has three large annual FAIRS for stock, &c., held March 7th, Whit-Tuesday, and October 2nd. Its PARISH has increased its population since the year 1801, from 1203 to 1691 souls, and contains 3525 acres of land, partly in the Rectory manor, and the Rev. W. B. Hurnard's manor of Gurney's, but mostly in Hingham Manor, of which Lord Wodehouse is lord, and owner of most of the soil. The common (800A.) was enclosed in 1781. The manor of Hingham was held during the 13th and 14th centuries, by the Marshals, Earls of Pembroke, and passed from them to the Morleys, and from the latter to the Wodehouses. The Church (St. Andrew,) is a large and handsome fabric, with a lofty tower, containing eight musical bells. It was rebuilt in 1316, by its rector, Remigius de Hethersete, and its patron, John le Marshal. Several chapels and numerous images decorated its interior, prior to the Reformation. Trinity chapel, at the north-east corner, had a fine stained glass window, with an inscription, which Blomefield reads thus:-"Thys window ys ye mayden cost of Hengham," from which it was supposed to have been glazed at the cost of the ladies of the town. On the north side of the chancel is a noble canopied monument, reaching from the floor to the roof, richly decorated with stone imagery and tracery; and though the brass inscriptions are gone, it appears from the arms remaining to have been raised to the memory of Thomas Lord Morley, baron of Rye, and marshal of Ireland, who died in 1435. The large east window is filled with beautiful stained glass, purchased on the continent by the late Lord Wodehouse, in 1813, and representing in figures as large as life, the Crucifixion, the Descent from the cross, the Resurrection, the Ascension, Adam and Eve, Moses, Aaron, St. Andrew, &c., all much admired for the beauty and brilliancy of the colours. The rectory, valued in K.B. at £24. 18s. 4d., is in the gift of Lord Wodehouse, and incumbency of the Hon. and Rev. W. Wodehouse, who has a good residence, 33A. 3R. 3P. of glebe, and a yearly rent of £1260. 12s. 3d., awarded in 1842, in lieu of tithes. In 1605, Robert Peck, M.A., was rector here, and being a man "of a very violent schismatical spirit," he pulled down the rails, levelled the altar, and sunk the whole chancel a foot below the nave; but being prosecuted for it by Bishop Wren, he fled to New England, where he and many of his parishioners founded a new colony by the name of Hingham, in which many of their posterity still remain. He promised never to desert those who emigrated with him; but hearing that the bishops were deposed, he left them to shift for themselves, and returned here in 1646, and died in 1656. Sir Ralph de Hingham, Kt., was a native of this parish, and Justice of the King's Bench, in the reigns of Henry III. and Edward I.; but being found guilty of bribery and corruption, he was fined 7000 marks, which not being immediately paid, he was afterwards banished, with nine more of the twelve judges, who had been convicted of similar crimes. He ultimately paid the fine, and was made Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, in the first of Edward II., but he died in the same year. The Independents and Society of Friends have each a chapel here. The town is in Hockham Police Division; and Petty Sessions are held at the White Hart Inn, as noticed on page 431. [Forehoe Hundred]
Hingham Free School was founded, and endowed with a valuable estate, by Wm Parlett, in 1727, for the support of a master and usher, to teach and instruct freely in the Greek and Latin tongues, and also in English, writing, and arithmetic, all the sons of the inhabitants of Hingham, Woodrising, and Southburgh. He directed that the master should be a graduate of one of the Universities, and should have two-thirds, and the usher one-third, of the clear yearly income, and that both should be natives of Norfolk or the city of Norwich. In 1728, Sarah Day gave £40 towards purchasing or building the school, on condition that one boy should be admitted from Scoulton, on the nomination of the minister of that parish. In 1750, Sir John Wodehouse conveyed to the trustees 1½ rood of land, on which a dwelling-house and school-room were built. Part of the School Estate was sold for the redemption of the land-tax, and some other parts were exchanged at the enclosure, in 1783. It now consists of a farm-house, and 122A. 0R. 4P.of land, let for £200 per annum. Since 1789, the master and usher have kept two separate schools. The master instructs boys on the foundation (seldom more than 10,) in Latin and Greek gratuitously. He has a good dwelling-house, which has room for 40 boarders. The usher's school is distant nearly 300 yards from the master's school, and was built about 1802, on land given by Lord Wodehouse. The usher has generally about 40 boys on the foundation, and instructs them gratuitously in English, reading, writing and accounts. Here is also a National School. The poor have three yearly rent-charges, amounting to £5, left by Francis Seaborn, in 1655, Robert Baldwin, in 1677, and Cphr. Adcock, in 1705. Thomas Heyhoe, in 1708, left 2A. of land (now let for £4. 10s.,) and directed 10s. to be paid yearly for a sermon; 1s. to the clerk, and the remainder of the rent to be distributed in bread among the poor. In 1724, Wm. Thurrold left land for a weekly distribution of bread; and in 1808, it was exchanged for 2A. 3R. now let for £6 a year. Edward Payne, in 1734, gave land for the benefit of the poor, and it was exchanged, about 1808, for 2A. 2R. 8P., now let to ten labourers, at rents amounting to £7. 10s. At the enclosure, in 1783, an allotment of 2A. 2R. 24P. was awarded in respect of the above-named charity lands, and is now let for £7, half of which is applied to the use of the church. At the same time, a Fuel Allotment of 34A. was awarded to the poor, and it is now let for £30, which is distributed, with most of the other charities, on St. Thomas's day and Candlesmas day, chiefly in coals. The CHURCH ESTATE, purchased with £20 in the reign of Henry VIII., was exchanged, at the enclosure, for 8A. 16P., let for about £20 a year. The POST-OFFICE is at Miss Large's, but Mr. John C. Woodrow is the postmaster. Letters arrive by mail-cart from Attleborough, at 10 morning, and are despatched in the afternoon.
Adcock Samuel carrier
Alexander Daniel solicitor, agent to
the Atlas Fire Office, &c.
Alexander Mr John
Bushell Mrs S.
Bailey Rev. Henry curate
Bedford Wm. clock & watch maker
Caston Wm. glover
Cawdron Hy. police
Collins Mr Thos.
Fisher Mrs Eliz.
Daines Mrs Mary
Darby Rev. Martin Baylie rector of Hackford, &c.
Downes Charles fishmonger
Fulcher Mr Richard
Gilman Edw. Case, Esq. & Miss Fanny
Gilman Lieut.-Col. Philip Case
Gilman Samuel Heyoe Le Neve solicitor
(office, Norwich)
Hardy Miss
Hastings John printer & bookseller
Hubbard Mr Ths
Hurnard Wm., Esq
Jickling George agent to Norwich Union Fire Office
Johnson Sarah
King Mr Robt.
Langford Samuel druggist
Matthews Rev. Richard Buck
Norton Fras. Tempnce. Coffee House
Press Edward, Esq. solicitor, coroner,
and superintendent registrar
Priest Mr Richard
Rands James police
Roberts Wm. horse letter, &c
Rushbrook Mr Reuben
Vince Thos.
Thurston Jeremiah cooper
Thurston Wm. confectioner
Waller Robert umbrella maker
Woodrow John Cooper postmaster
Wodehouse Hon. & Rev. Wm. Rectory
Wodehouse Rev. Algernon
Wodehouse Hon. Miss Sophia
Wright Mr Robert
INNS AND TAVERNS
Angel Rt. Yeomans (hair dresser)
Cock Robert Layt
Dog Robert Money
Eight Ringers Thos. Gaze (mercht)Unicorn John Ward
White Hart Inn Robert Coe
ACADEMIES
Free Schools, Rev. Robert Brown Slipper, A.M. master,
and John Woodrow, usher
Bassum Mary
National School, Thos.Lewis Dermer
Bakers, &c. Milliners, &c.
* are Millers. Adcock Sarah
Clarke Appalona Badley Eliz.
Lilley Richard Bedford Mary
* Fisher Wm. Hubbard Margt.
* Lane Andrew Precious Susan
* Pitts Philip Plumbrs. Glazrs. and Painters.Beer Houses. Lee Charles
Browne John Roberts Mary
Hastings Thos. Vince John
Blacksmiths.Saddlers.
Bassum Robert Child John
Feltham Daniel Feltham James
Gapp Charles Riddlesworth Frs
Pearce Charles Shoemakers.Bricklayers, &c. Bassum James N.
Elsy Wm. Curtis Wm.
(and brick & tile mkr) Eagling Thomas
Elsy John Hammond Wm.
Thurston Thos. King Philip
Butchers. Murrell Wm.
Coles John Parfitt Henry
Coles Susan Rose Thomas
Houchen Edmd. Rudderham Jas.
Newson Benj. Shopkeepers.
Nicholson John Clemmence Jas.
Carpenters. Elsy George
Elsy John Harvey My. Ann
Harwood George Hardy Large Sarah Ann and Eliza
Skipper John Pearce Charles
Thurston Thos. Vince James
FARMERS. Surgeons.
Brassnett Henry Cooper Matthew
Bird Jas. (steward) Tallent Jn. Thos.
Beales Wm. Tailors.
Capps George Browne John
Child Stephen Caston Wodehouse
Fisher Elizabeth Coldham John
Gapp Edmund Elmer Edmund
Gapp James Griston James
Hammond Hy. Pitts Phineas
Large Wm. Semmence Fras.
Lane Jno. (miller) Waller Wm.
Priest Richard Waller George
Spruce Miles Webster James
Gardeners. Vety. Surgeons.
Baxter Philip Bassum Charles
Dutchess John Cannell Abrahm.
Grocers & Drprs.Wheelwrights.
Chamberlain Chs. Hubbard John
Johnson Wm. Vince Thomas
Riddlesworth Frs Wine, Spirit and Porter Merchts.
Waller Wm. Dodds Ralph
Hairdressers. Howard Philip
Caston Wodehouse Newson My. Ann
Yeomans Robert (and brewer)
Ironmongers and Braziers.
Cable Charles
Elsy George
Emerson Wm.
Thurston Thos.
COACHES to Norwich, Wed, and Sat. 8 & 9 mg. and to Watton, 6½ evening
CARRIERS to Norwich, Watton, London, &c. from the Inns
Samuel Adcock and Robt.Layt, to Norwich daily, and to Watton, Wed. & Fri.
