UPWELL is a large village and very extensive parish, formerly a market town, 4 miles south from the Emneth station, and 6½ south-east from the Wisbech station of the Great Eastern railway, which company is constructing a steam tramway for the conveyance of goods and passengres between here and Wisbech; it is partly in the hundred of Wisbech, in the Isle of Ely, and a large portion of the hundred of Clackclose, county of Norfolk, union and county court district of Wisbech, rural deanery of Fincham. archdeaconry of Norfolk and diocese of Norwich. Domesday Book informs us that it belonged, with Outwell, to the Abbey of Ramsey, and was at that time a place of some note: it is situated on either side of the river Nene, which divides the shires. The following relates only to the portion in Norfolk: the Cambridgeshire portion of this parish is given in Kelly's directory of that county, of which Christchurch, a separate ecclesiastical parish, forms part. The church of St. Peter is a large and handsome stone building, in the Prependicular style, with some traces of early Norman, having chancel, nave with clerestory, aisles, a square tower with octagonal top containing 6 bells, south porch, organ, and clock, and a beautiful stained east window. The register dates from the year 1650. The living is a rectory, yearly value £3,058, with residence, in the gift of Charles Watson Townley esq, and held since 1879 by the Rev. John Beauvoir Dalison M.A. of Merton College, Oxford, There are chapels here for Wesleyans, Baptists and Primitive Methodists. The Almshouses were erected by the late James Lee, in 1819, and are for five poor widows. The Public Hall was erected by a limited company: in it are held meetings, concerts and lectures; there is also an Odd Fellows' Lodge (Manchester Unity) held fortnightly on Wednesdays. The fire engine was presented to the parish by the late Mr. James Lee; it is manned by volunteers, adn the keys for the engien house are kept by Mr. William Bradfield. The Ecclesiastical Commissioners are lords of the manor of Wisbech Barton which extends into this parish, and C. W. Townley esq. is lord of the manor of Beaupré Hall. The principal landowners are C. W. Townley, George Croft Huddleston, Tristram Fredk. Croft Huddleston, Jackson Hunt esqrs. the Rev. John Fenwick, the representatives of the late Hanslip Palmer, John Cabread Jones, Thomas Wright esqrs. Mrs. Gambier, Sir J. B. Byles, Randle Jackson and Richard J. W. Orton esqrs. The soil is loamy, in many parts highly fertile, and the subsoil clay. The crops are wheat, potatoes, peas, beans and oats, with other produce. The area is 16,454 acres; rateable value of the Norfolk portion, £15,665; the population of the entire parish in 1881 was 3,440, viz., in Norfolk, 2,083; Cambridgeshire, 1,357.
Parish Clerk, Benjamin Webber.
Nordelph, or Northdelph. is a fen hamlet 4 miles west from Downham and about the same distance from Upwell village, and is the converging point of five different parishes. viz. Downham, Denver, Upwell, Outwell, and Stow Bardolph: it is intersected by the river Nene, over which there is an iron bridge. Holy Trinity church, erected by the Rev. William Gale Townley M.A. in 1865, consists of a chancel with stained east window, nave, vestry and south porch with 1 bell, and a chapel of ease to the parish church: the Rev. Samuel Lee Coverley B.A. of University College, Durham, is curate in charge. There is a Wesleyan chapel, and a Wesleyan Reformed chapel.
POST, MONEY OORDER & TELEGRAPH OFFICE, Savings Bank & Government Annuity & Insurance Office, Upwell.---James Henry Inman, postmaster. Letters arrive at 5.30 a.m. & 3 p.m.; dispatched at 8.30 a.m. & 7.5 p.m. Sunday letters arrive at 5.30 a.m.; dispatched at 7.5 p.m. Money ordres are granted & paid from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Telegraph office open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. week days & from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. sundays
POST, OFFICE, Nordelph.--Thomas Newton, postmaster. Letters through Downham, arrive at 7.40 a.m.; dispatched at 5.55 p.m. in the summer months & 4.40 p.m. in the winter. The nearest money order & telegraph office is at Downham POST, OFFICE, Three Holes, William Cawthorn, receiver. Letters arrive at 5.40 a.m. & are dispatched at 6.30 p.m.
LETTER BOX "Lake's End", cleared (week days only) at 3.45 p.m. in wintr, & 4.45 p.m. in summer
INSURANCE AGENTS:--
Norwich & London Accident & Phœnix, A. J. Elworthy
Royal Exchange, Charles S. Elworthy
PUBLIC OFFICERS:--
Clerk to the School Board, James Webber
Collector of Income Taxes, Assistant Overseer & Surveyor of Highways,
A. J. Elworthy
Medical Officer & Public Vaccinator 11th & 12th districts,
Wisbech Union & 2nd district Downham Union, Walter Berry
Registrar of Births & Deaths for Upwell sub-district, Edward James Hugh Waudby
Town Crier & Public Hall keeper, Hy. West Hartley
The National School has been converted into the Church Institute & Literary Association
A School Board of 5 members was formed in 1874 for Upwell district, & there are schools at the following places:--Upwell village (Norfolk side), Christchurch, Lke's End & Nordelph
BOARD SCHOOLS:---
Upwell St. Peter, Wm. Harris, head master; Mrs. Maria Harris, head mistress; Miss Fanny Ritchie, infants' mistress
Lake's End, Miss S. H. Long, mistress
Nordelph, Miss Helen Law, mistress
CARRIERS:---
Whitehead, to Wisbech. daily; Bensley, from Tip's End. viâ Christchurch & Upwell, to Wisbech, tuesday & saturday; Boyce, from Welney, viâ Lake's end & Three Holes, tuesday, thursday & saturday
PRIVATE RESIDENTS.
Chapman Charles, Walnut Tree house
Cowan Rev. Robert David Russell B.A. [curate], Lode house
Dalison Rev. John Beauvoir M.A., J.P. Rectory
Elger Miss
Harwin Edward
Osborn John Charles
COMMERCIAL.
Arbin Thmas, Black Horse Baker James Morton, blacksmith
Barnes C. Edward, grocer & draper
Beckett John, farmer
Bowers John, farmer & market gardener
Bowers. Thomas, farmer
Bradfield Willia, grocer & draper
Bradley Willia,, farmer
Burgess Willaim John, farmer
Carter John. farmer
Dales Joseph, farmer
Delph John, farmer & poulterer
Deptford John, Rose & Crown Elworthy A. & C., auctioneer & appraisers, house & land agents;
