STOW BARDOLPH is a village and parish 1 miles north from Downham Market and 1¾ south-east from Stow Bridge station on the East Anglian railway, in the Western division of the county, Clackclose hundred, Downham union and county court district, rural deaner of Fincham, archdeaconry of Norfolk and diocese of Norwich. Stow Bridge is about 2 miles west-north-west of the church. The river Ouse passes through the parish. The church of the Holy Trinity was restored in 1850, the south side being entirely new: it is a small building, in the Decorated style, having a chancel and nave, with a square tower containing 8 bells: attached to the church, on the north side is a spacious mortuary capel, built by Nicholas Hare esq, which contains several handsome and highly finished monuments to the Hare family. The register dates from the year 1558. The living is a discharged vicatrage, with the rectory of Wimbotsham annexed, joint yearly value £530. with 29 acres of glebe in the two parishes, in the gift of Thomas Leigh Hare esq, and held since 1860 by the Rev. Edward Everard Blemcowe B.A. of St. Alban Hall, Oxford. The small tithes of this parish are commuted at £150 yearly, with 18 acres of glebe land, and the great tithes, belonging to Thomas Leigh Hare esq, are commuted at £320 a year. Here are chapels for Baptists, Primitive Methodicts and United Free Church. The charities are £169 16s. yearly value. Here are 6 almshouses, supported by Thomas Leigh Hare esq, A large cattle fair is held here on the Saturday after Whitsuntide. Stow Hall, the seat of Thomas Leigh Hare esq. D.L.,J.P. who is lord of the manor, was originally built in 1584, by Sir Nicholas Hare knt. and entirely rebult in 1873; it is in the Elizabethan style, with extensive pleasure grounds and stands in a beautiful park. The principal landowners are Thomas Leigh Hare esq. Mr. Charles Edwards, Miss Jones, Mr. Joseph Morton and Mr. A. Ridlington. The soil is peat and gravel; subsoil, clay. The chief crops are wheat, oats and potatoes, and some flax is grown. The area is 6,127 acres' rateable value, £8,550; the population in 1881 was 885.
Parish Clerk,David Charlton.
POST OFFICE.—George Howlett, Stowbridge, receiver. Letters received from Downham at 7.10 a.m.; dispatched at 6.25 p.m. & on sundays at 10.40 a.m. The nearest money order and telegraph office is at Downham. Wall Letter Box. opposite the Almshouses, cleared week days at 7 p.m. & on sundays 11.15 a.m.
A School Board of 6 members was formed on 1877, for the united district of Stow Bardolph & Wimbotsham; E. S. Copeman, Downham, clerk to the board. This parish also contributes 2 members to the Downham Market School Board
Stow Bridge Board School, formerly St. Paul's National School, is a handsome building, situate in the Westhead road, erected in 1872, at the sole expense of the late Thomas Hare bart.; it has been licenced for public worship; John Boden, master
Railway Station, (Stow Bridge) John Goddard, station mastr
PRIVATE RESIDENTS.
Blencowe Red. Edward Everard [vicar]
Hare Thos. Leigh D.L.,J.P. Stow Hall
Heffer Miss
Hutson Herbert William
Huston Walter
Morton Joseph
Morton William
