Church Farmhouse. Photograph 2022 According to Historic England’s website (historicengland.co.uk), Church Farmhouse, is a Grade II Listed Building and was built in the early 17th century. However, the present owners believe it was built much earlier, as there are parts of the building which may date from the 14th or 15th century. Earlier Property Ownership…
Category: Wilkins
Harry Rix’s Early Boyhood Recollections of Great Ellingham – Church Street
Many of us will have memories of our childhood. For example, recollections about our family, where we lived and went to school, the names of our friends and neighbours, and who else lived in our street. The recording of our memories ensures a long lasting legacy for the next generations. Similarly, the recording of local…
Harry Rix’s Early Boyhood Recollections of Great Ellingham – Attleborough Road
The recording of everyday histories is of vital importance. Written accounts often focus on prominent figures and major events. Documenting daily life preserves the lived experiences of ordinary people. Great Ellingham is particularly indebted to two Great Ellingham inhabitants who recorded some of the history and life in the village: William Robert Lebbell (1884-1965) and…
Timeline of the History of The Crown
Church Street including the Old Thatche Shoppe to the left, Islay House to the right and the Crown Public House with adjoining shops in the centre. Date unknownAttleborough Heritage Group For centuries, the Crown Public House has been an integral part of Great Ellingham. It is one of five known pubs in Great Ellingham and…
Edward Gaskin and his link to Tanyard Farm
Tanyard Farm. Photograph Lucinda Bell-Tye There is no doubt that a last will and testament can provide family historians with valuable information. However, it can throw up more questions than answers! Here we look at the content of the will of Edward Gaskin dated the 15th October, 1763. A time when George III occupies the…
The History of Swamp Lane Cottages – Part III
It is not until the 1901 census that I find the name ‘Swamp Lane’ recorded on the census returns. However, earlier electoral registers going back to at least 1878, refer to the area as ‘The Swamp’ or ‘Swamp’. Nevertheless, some of the census returns prior to 1901 refer to the few cottages along the lane…
The History of Swamp Lane Cottages – Part IV
Extract from 1906 Ordnance Survey Map. Second Edition. Surveyed in 1881. Revised 1904. Swamp Lane lies at the northern side of the main road leading from the village to Attleborough. Indeed, the lane is not far from the parish boundary. There are several dwellings (of all types) on the eastern side of the lane. However,…
The History of The Crown Public House – Part I
Extract from an 1802 Abstract of Title to an Estate called the Crown in Great EllinghamCourtesy Shirley Caston Deeds contain fascinating and interesting information. For example, details of the land, premises, owners, occupiers and even lenders. Maps or plans drawn on early Indentures are ‘few and far between’. Accordingly, these early documents describe the position…
Frederick Barker Fined Thirty Shillings for Stealing a Hen
In the past, many of the inhabitants of Great Ellingham kept hens. These chickens provided many a ‘cash- strapped’ villager with a plentiful supply of fresh eggs and, on occasions, ‘Sunday lunch’. Unsurprisingly, there were several instances of hen thefts. Consequently, many offenders appeared before the Magistrates. One such wrong-doer was Frederick Barker. Illustration Christine…
Part IV – A History of the Cottage adjoining The Crown Public House
Charles Drake’s premises (cottages with shops) to the right of The Crown Public HousePostcard courtesy Carol Ewin Parts I, II and III of a series of blogs, take the history of the cottage from around 1749 to 1895, when Harry Warren sold the property to Charles Drake. In this blog, we pick up the story…