Brief history of Hingham
1793 Universal British directory entry
Pigot's 1830 [GENUKI-NFK]
1845 White's Directory entry
1854 White's Directory entry
1883 White's Directory entry
1883 Kelly's Directory entry
1891 Census Names Index
Parish Register information [Geoff Lowe & Andrew Rivett]
More on Hingham [GENUKI-NFK}
Local Web-site Pictures, maps, etc
American Connection
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Norfolk: Hingham

Entry in Kelly's Directory for Norfolk, 1937, pp.199-200.

[Complete entry. Transcription Copyright © E.C."Paddy" Apling, February 2001.]

HINGHAM is a small market town and parish on the road from Norwich to Brandon, 3 miles south-west from Kimberley and Hardingham stations on the Wymondham and Dereham sections of the London and North Eastern railway, 6 west from Wymondham and 116 from London, in the Southern division of the county, Forehoe hundred and petty sessional division, Forehoe and Henstead rural district, Wymondham county court district, rural deanery of Hingham, archdeaconry of Norfolk and diocese of Norwich. The church of St. Andrew, a noble edifice of flint stone, is a fine specimen of the Decorated style, consisting of chancel, lofty nave of six bays, aisles, south porch, vestry on the north side, and a massive western tower containing a clock and 8 bells, rehung in 1891: in the chancel is a stained window containing 15th century glass of German manufacture, presented in 1814 by John, 1st Lord Wodehouse, and there are various others, including one of the Rev. Martin Baylie Darby, nearly fifty years rector of the adjoining parish of Hackford, who resided at Hingham, and died March 15th, 1880: on the north side of the chancel is a lofty and highly-wrought monument to Thomas, 5th Baron Morley, and Marshal of Ireland, who died in 1435: in the nave are two small and ancient brasses dated respectively 1615 and 1622, but without any names: there are memorials to Matthew Amyas M.D. 1729; John Watson M.A. formerly rector of this parish and Scoulton, d. 1727, and to Elizabeth, his wife; a brass to Frederick Wodehouse, captain R.A. son of the Rev. the Hon. William Wodehouse, rector here from 1811, who died at St. George's Fort, Bermuda, 25 Sept. 1853; and various inscribed tablets: a new organ was added in 1878 at a cost of £750: in the same year a massive brass lectern was given by Lady Mary Currie, and carved oak stalls were erected in the chancel: the east end of the chancel was raised and paved with marble mosaic work in 1880 and 1882: a new pulpit, designed by the late Sir A. Blomfield A.R.A. and costing £130, and four stained windows in the chancel, were erected in 1887 as a memorial to the Rev. M. W. Currie M.A.: a stained west window was presented in 1903 by Ernest Noel, esq. of The Hall, in memory of Lady Augusta Noel, his wife, who died in 1902: and two others in 1907 by Henry Wharton, esq.: in 1872 the roof was repaired and the church reseated and restored at a cost of about £3,300, and in 1874 the porch was restored as a memorial to the Rev. Edward Gurdon, rector 1870-3, who died July 31st, 1873: in 1886 the vestry was restored at a cost of £1,000 wholly defrayed by the Rev. Maynard Wodehouse Currie M.A. rector 1873-87: in 1919 a bust of Abraham Lincoln was placed in the centre of the north aisle: there are 860 sittings. The register dates from the year 1601. The living is a rectory, net yearly value £1.078, with 23 acres of glebe and residence, in the gift of the Earl of Kimberley C.B.E., M.C. and held since 1924 by the Rev. Percy Greeves M.A. of St. John's College, Cambridge, who is also rural dean of Hingham. Robert Peck M.A. rector 1605-36 and 1646-56, levelled the altar and lowered the whole chancel by a foot, and being persecuted in consequence by Bishop Wren (1635-8) he fled the kingdom, and went over to New England with many of his parishioners, who sold their estates, and formed in New England a town and colony in the name of Hingham, where many of their posterity still remain: Mr. Peck, after ten years' voluntary banishment, returned here in 1646, and, resuming his rectory, died in the year 1656. There is a memorial in the churchyard to the men of the parish who fell in the Great War, 1914-18. The Congregational chapel, erected in 1836, is an edifice of red brick, and will seat 300, and there is a Methodist chapel, erected in 1900 and seating 150. A cemetery of 1¼ acres was formed in 1880, and is under the control of the churchwardens. Lincoln Hall, named after Abraham Lincoln, whose ancestors emigrated from Hingham, is used as a village institute and club. The Foresters' Hall, erected in 1900, will seat about 300 persons. The "Loyal Wodehouse Lodge" of the Oddfellows of the Attleborough district, No. 3,661, Manchester Unity meets here: in connection with this there is also a juvenile lodge. The "Robin Hood, the Pride of Hingham" Lodge of the Ancient Order of Foresters, No. 3,415, also meets here, and a juvenile lodge of 28 members. Two fairs are held annually for cattle and pleasure on March 7th and October 2nd. Tuesday is market day. The fuel allotment of 34 acres produces £22 yearly, which is distributed among the poor of the parish in coals, and charities producing about £20 yearly are distributed in bread to the poor. In front of the Sea Mere, the residence of Frederick Gordon George, esq. is a large lake or mere covering about 20 acres, and abounding in pike, roach, perch and other fish: it is surrounded by a plantation of 40 acres. The Earl of Kimberley C.B.E., M.C. is lord of the manor. Mr. Miles Charles Baker is the chief landowner. W. Rackham esq. solicitor of Norwich, is lord of the manor of Hingham Gurneys. The soil is of a mixed nature; subsoil, clay and brick earth. The chief crops are turnips, barley, wheat and mangolds. The parish contains 3,664 acres of land and 34 of water; the population in 1931 was 1,322.

Post, M. O., T. & T. E. D. Office. Letters are received from Norwich.

Hingham and District Fire Brigade, under the control of the Parish Council; station at the Cock P.H.

Carrier.— To and from Norwich, Maurice King, mon. wed. fri. & sat. & to Watton, tues, thurs. & sat.

Motor Omnibus services to Norwich, United Automobile Services and Eastern Counties, daily.

Transcription Copyright © E.C."Paddy" Apling, February, 2001, with corrections, January, 2002.

Brief history of Hingham
1793 Universal British directory entry
Pigot's 1830 [GENUKI-NFK]
1845 White's Directory entry
1854 White's Directory entry
1883 White's Directory entry
1883 Kelly's Directory entry
1891 Census Names Index
Parish Register information [Geoff Lowe & Andrew Rivett]
More on Hingham [GENUKI-NFK}
Local Web-site Pictures, maps, etc
American Connection
Return to villages index
Paddy's home page