I have no doubt that many of the people living in the village today will remember Harry Rix. He was an upstanding member of the community and, for many years, was a member of the Parish Council. Harry, with the full name of Henry Robert Rix, was born in a cottage in Long Street on…
Category: Pubs & Beer Houses
The Prince of Wales & the Cottages in Watton Road
The three pairs of semi-detached cottages with the former Prince of Wales Inn to the right along the Watton to Attleborough Road. March 2026Courtesy Alison Crowter The Prince of Wales Inn and the three pairs of semi-detached cottages (six in all) may have been built at a similar time i.e. between 1843 and 1868. Extract…
Occupiers of the Cottages in Watton Road 1891-1942
The three pairs of semi-detached cottages with the former Prince of Wales Inn to the right along the Watton to Attleborough Road. March 2026. Courtesy Alison Crowter The above photograph shows the former Prince of Wales Inn (on the far right) and the three pairs of semi-detached cottages. These may have been built at a…
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…
Joseph Saunders ‘on remand’ for stealing Three Hens
Illustration Christine Fuller The illustration is creative interpretation and intended for humour only. No offence is intended or implied The following appeared in the Norwich Mercury on the 13th December, 1884: ALLEGED FELONYAt the Occasional Court House – present Rev. J Spurgin, Jos. Saunders, Great Ellingham, labourer, was charged by P.C. Fisher with stealing three…
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…
Charles Jaggs, Landlord of the Chequers Hotel!
At some point before 1923, Charles and Emma Jaggs arrived in Great Ellingham to take over at the Chequers Inn. Until then, the Chequers had been run by members of the same family since at least 1871. Local man Ellis Carter had been landlord of the pub for over 30 years before he ‘called it…
The History of Swamp Lane Cottages – Part I
‘Swamp’ can mean an area of low-lying, boggy or marshy uncultivated land. We can apply some of this description to ‘Swamp Lane’ in Great Ellingham. The area on the eastern side of the lane is certainly low, and was once part of the common of Great Ellingham. A stream or rivulet borders this area and…
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,…
Houchen’s Cottage in Hingham Road
Extract from 1802 Map of Great Ellingham. Russell James Colman Plans. Norfolk Record Office Cat. Ref. C/Ca 1/84. All rights reserved Norfolk Record Office. With kind permission of NRO At the turn of the 19th century, Stephen Houchen’s home was along the eastern side of the road to Hingham. The cottage (with a garden) stood…