Double Cottage at Penhill Road Photograph courtesy of the McDouall family This double cottage has stood along Penhill Road since at least 1811. Like many other historical houses in the village, the cottage has undergone many changes over the years. Furthermore, it will have seen the comings and goings of many occupants. We left Part…
Category: Allen
Brief History of the former ‘Beer House’ the Queen’s Head
The former Beer House and Queen’s Head Public HousePhotograph taken 2019 Historic England describes the Grade II Listed Building ‘The Old Queen’s Head’ as a late 17th century timber framed building. With a thatched gabled roof, the building is constructed on a flint plinth with a rendered wattle and daub infill. Built during the reign…
Assault on Police Constable Askew in the Crown Inn Yard
Crown Inn with adjoining shops. Postcard courtesy Carol Ewin The Downham Market Gazette of Saturday 5th June 1909 reported on the ‘Trouble at Ellingham’. It was reported that Great Ellingham labourer, John Hurrell, was brought before the Magistrates at East Harling charged with assaulting Police Constable Askew ‘while in the execution of his duty’. The…
Villagers in Contravention of World War II Blackout Regulations
Emergency Powers Just days before the outbreak of the Second World War, the Emergency Powers (Defence) Act 1939 came into effect. This new legislation gave the government “special powers to take almost any action necessary to carry out the war successfully.” The new powers controlled many aspects of everyday life during the war – including…
William & Virtue Fincham’s Home in Penhill Road
Although most census returns will tell us roughly where people lived in the village, the census does not always tell us exactly where along a lane or road the individuals or families lived. The census returns of 1891, 1901 and 1911 show that William and Virtue Fincham lived in Penhill Road. With the help of…
‘Harvest Frolic’ at the Queen’s Head
Illustration by Christine Fuller On the last Friday of September, 1894, and in celebration of the end of the Harvest, about fifty people sat down to a ‘repast of good old English fare‘ provided by the landlord of the Queens Head Inn, Charles Allen. The guests were seated at tables which had been set out…
Messuage divided into Three Tenements lying in Churchgate
During the 19th century, many of the dwellinghouses in the village of Great Ellingham were tenanted. Further, not all the landlords lived in the village. Late 17th Century Dwellinghouse in Church Street An example of this is a late 17th century dwellinghouse lying in what we today know as Church Street, just opposite Mill Farm….
‘Keen Agriculturalist’ Henry Colman dies aged 84
Great Ellingham Parish Church The Norwich Mercury of 21st October 1905 reported on the funeral which had taken place at the Parish Church in Great Ellingham of Mr Henry Colman. It was reported that Henry Colman was a keen agriculturalist and that he regularly attended Norwich Market. His last trip to the market was earlier…
The Allen Family of Bow Street
Headstone for William Allen and his wife Ann in the churchyard at St James Great Ellingham For nearly 160 years, the headstone marking the grave of William Allen and his wife Ann has stood amongst many other headstones and memorials in the churchyard at Great Ellingham Parish Church. Church of St Andrew Deopham Deopham to…
Robert & Sarah Simmons of Pen Hill
Notice to Creditors or Debtors of the late Robert Simmons Benjamin Barnard of Great Ellingham, the Executor of the late Robert Simmons, also of Great Ellingham, placed a Notice in the Norfolk Chronicle of 2nd April, 1859. The Notice requested that all persons owing money to, or are owed money by, the late Robert Simmons…