White's Directory entries for 1845 and 1854
Kelly's Directory entries for 1883; 1892; 1896; and 1937
1891 Census Names Index
Local web-site [Simon Paget]
More on Watlington [GENUKI-NFK]
More Parish information [Geoff Lowe & Andrew Rivett]
Return to villages index
Paddy's home page

Norfolk - Watlington

Kelly's Directory for Norfolk, 1904, pp. 506-507:

WATLINGTON is a parish and village on the east side of the Great Ouse river, with a junction station called "Magdalen Road," on the Lynn and Ely section of the Great Eastern railway, 6 miles south from.Lynn, in the South Western division of the county, Clackclose hundred and petty sessional division, Downham union and county court district, rural deanery of Fincham (Eastern diviaion), archdeaconry· of Lynn and diocese of Norwich. The church of SS. Peter and Paul is a fine building of rubble, brick and carr stone, in the Decorated style, consisting of .chancel, nave, aisles, south porch and an embattled western tower with small spire and containing 5 bells, two of which are of Pre-Reformation date and bear the inscriptions--"Sit Nomen Domini benedictum," and "Sancta Anna ora pro nobis." In Aug. 1902, . the church tower was struck by lightning, but has since been restored. The church originally contained a fine brass, with an inscription in Norman French, to Sir Robert de Montalt, who died about 1329, the chancel retains a fine sedilia and a piscina, and in the south-east cha.pel is a double piscina and a hagioscope : outside the north wall of the chancel are two aumbries, a piscina and a priest's door ; the church was restored in 1900-2 at a total cost of about £2,500, which included the re-leading of the roofs of the nave and aisles : new oak benches for the nave were given by Mrs. Birch : the chancel screen incorporates a fragment of 13th cent. work, which was formerly in the south aisle : the organ was also the gift of Mrs. Birch : the church affords 250 sittings. The register dates from the year I570. The living is a rectory tithe commuted at £491, net yearly value £300, including 21 acres of glebe, with residence, in the gift of Isaac Bugg Coaks esq. Of Thorpe Hamlet, and held since 1899 by the Rev. Edgar Wallace Bayly M.A. of Caius College, Cambridge There is an iron churcli room for Sunday school and other pur·poses. Here is a Wesleyan chapel, erected in 1858, and a Primitive Methodist chapel. The charities amount to £9 7s. 5d, yearly, and include John Davis's charity £5 4s· yearly, left in I747, and distributed in 12 small loaves weekly, 8 to poor widows of Watlington and 4 to others of . The parish land of 2 acres, situated in Tottenhill, is now let for £3 10s. yearly, which sum is distributed in money at Christmas. Watlington Hall, a mansion of brick and stucco, pleasantly situated in a well-wooded park of about 80 acres, is the residence of Mrs. H. M. Birch and A. E. H. Birch esq. J.P. who, together with the trustees of the late John Morton esq. of West Rudham, the trustees of the late George Heading eeq. of Thorpland, and the trustees of the late George Coote esq. of Sudbury, Suffolk, are the principal landowners. The soil is mostly gravel and silt; subsoil, gault and clay. The chief crops are wheat, beans and oats. The area is 1,687 acres of land, 5 of water, 13 of tidal water and 11 of foreshore; rateable value, £3,741; the population in 1901 was 586.

Post, M. 0. & T. O.. T. M. 0., E. D., S. B. & A. & I. Office—George Benjamin Rsches, sub-postmaster. Letters arrive from Downham at 8 a.m. & 3 p.m.; & dispatched at 10 a.m. & 5·55 & I0.5 p.m; eundays, arrive at 8 a.m.; dispatched at 10 a.m. & 10.5 p.m.
Public Elementary School (mixed), with master's residence attached, built in 1878, for 120 children; average
attendance, 110; Alfred Lucas, master; Mrs. Sarah Lucas, miatress
Railway Station, Edward George Paige, station master
Carrier to Lynn.--Richard Spratt, tues. & sat.

COMMERCIAL.

The Angel P.H.

Downham

relieving & vaccination oflicer & collector to the guardians

beer retlr

Queen's Head P.H.

beer retailer

& agricultural implement agent &c. cab & carriage proprietor, posting, &c. Post office