Saint Mary's Church

Houghton-on-the-Hill, Norfolk

Kelly’s Directory

Over the coming months we hope to be able to add inserts and reports form Kelly’s Directory this will give an insight of how the village and importance of the church changed over the years. Initially these will not necessarily be in date order.

1912. Houghton-on-the-Hill is a parish consisting of 1 farm, two miles South-West from Holme Hale Station on the Thetford Swaffham section of the Great Eastern Railway, and 41/2 miles south-Eat of Swaffham in the south-Western division of the country hundred and petty sessional division fo South Greenhoe union and County court district of Swaffham, rural deanery of Cranwich (Northern division), archdeaconry of Lynn and diocese of Norwich. The Church of Saint Mary is a small building in decorated style, consisting of chancel, nave and a western tower containing one bell: some ancient windows in the nave, supposed to date from 1020, and which had long been built up were reopened and glazed in 1889: the church afforded 50 sittings. The register dates from the year 1678. The living is a rectory consolidated with that of North Pickenham, joint net value £346, including 110 acres of glebe and residence, in the gift of William Needham Longden Champion Esquire of Riddlesworth Hall, Thetford, and held since 1891 by the Rev. Francis Bereford champion M.A. of Jesus college, Cambridgeshire, and rural dean of Cranwich (North division), who resides at North Pickenham. George William Taylor Esq. of South Pickenham Hall is Lord of the manor and principal landowner. The soil is good stiff loam, and the subsoil is chalk. The chief crops are wheat, barley and turnips. The area is 609 acres; rateable value £483; the population in 1911 was 42.

Letters form Swaffham arrive by foot post about 7.30a.m; dispatched at 5p.m. Swaffham is the nearest money order office, 41/2 miles distant and south Pickenham 11/2 miles distant, the nearest telegraph office.

The children of the place attend the school at North Pickenham.

Mallon William - Farmer

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