Costessey
Encyclopedia
Costessey is a civil parish situated 4 miles (6.4 km) west of Norwich
in Norfolk
, England
. The parish comprises two settlements: the long-established village of Costessey (now commonly Old Costessey) (2005 population 4,611), and New Costessey (population 5,211), which developed during the first half of the 20th century and has become a suburb
of Norwich. The two settlements are separated by the River Tud
and by arable land. Costessey's northern boundary with Taverham
, Drayton
and Hellesdon
follows the course of the River Wensum
.
Costessey parish has an area of 12.39 km2 and in the 2001 census
had a population of 9,822 in 4,255 households. It constitutes the most northern reaches of the predominantly rural South Norfolk
District; Costessey is the second largest population centre within the district, after Wymondham
.
. Archaeological records indicate that there was a strong farming community on this site during the late Bronze Age and Roman times. Anglo-Saxon settlers established a community at some point after 600 AD, and it is generally believed that the name Costessey, translated as Kost's Island, dates from this time. Furthermore, records from 1648 recount that Oliver Cromwell
referred to the village and estate as Cossey, indicating that the current pronunciation of the name has long existed. There is also evidence to suggest that the spelling was changed from Cossey to Costessey in the 19th century.
Costessey features in the legend of St Walstan
, the little-known patron saint of farm labourers, who is remembered in villages across Norfolk and north Suffolk
. According to legend, Walstan was born into nobility at neighbouring Bawburgh
(then part of Costessey estate) circa 970, but he relinquished his privileges, choosing instead to spend most of his life working as a farm labourer in Taverham. His initial route by foot from Bawburgh to Taverham took Walstan through Costessey Park, where it is said he donated his noble garments to two passing peasants. Following his death and the return of his body by cart to Bawburgh, springs of holy water are said to have arisen at three sites in Taverham, Costessey and Bawburgh.
In Domesday
records, the village of Costesela appears, with mention of a mill, and of a manor
with over 80 square miles (207.2 km²) of estate across Norfolk, including the only listed hunting park in Norfolk. This formerly belonged to one Earl Guert but was awarded by William the Conqueror to the Count of Brittany, a commander at the Battle of Hastings
. Here began a 500-year period in which ownership of the manor passed through a variety of families, regularly being reverted to the Crown and reallocated.
In 1546, Henry VIII
granted the manor to Anne of Cleves
, although evidence suggests that she never actually occupied Costessey Hall. A surviving early Tudor building sited in what remains of Costessey Park is thought by some to be the hall granted by Henry. In 1555, Queen Mary
granted Costessey Manor to Sir Henry Jernegan, heralding a long period of occupancy by the Jernegans, Jerninghams and Stafford Jerninghams. Sir Henry commissioned the building of a new Tudor Hall on Costessey Park, beginning his residency there in 1565.
In 1827, Sir George William Jerningham, 8th Baron Stafford
, commissioned large-scale grand and elaborate expansions of Sir Henry's Hall, with many towers and mock-Tudor windows. The project was ongoing over several decades, continued by the 9th Baron Stafford from 1851, and although many features of the new design were realised, completion was ultimately prevented by dwindling funds. The 10th Baron Stafford, who inherited the title in 1884, was certified as a lunatic
; during his ownership, the estate was held by the Lunacy Commission. The generous and reclusive Sir FitzOsbert Stafford Jerningham, 11th Baron Stafford, resided at Costessey Hall until his death in 1913, upon which the Hall's contents were auctioned at a high-profile sale.
, who commandeered the Hall from 1914-18 for the training of infantry, cavalry and artillery troops to serve in World War I
. Soon after war ended, Costessey Park was divided into small plots sold cheaply to working-class residents of Norwich, who erected makeshift wooden houses or brought disused railway carriages as their dwellings. The well-trodden paths amongst these plots became the basis of a street network, and the ramshackle homes gave way to brick buildings during the 1930s - 1950s, to become New Costessey. The street name
s of Jerningham Road and Stafford Avenue honour the local associations with the aristocratic family.
The structure of Costessey Hall
was gradually weathered, plundered by builders, and carefully demolished over a period of several decades. During training for World War II
, one of the towers was struck by a fully armed Blenheim Bomber
from a nearby airfield, causing the death of the unfortunate pilot but inflicting remarkably little damage upon the tower. Today, all that remains of the building is the belfry tower, now ivy-clad, and a small adjoining block, which stand prominently in what is now Costessey Park Golf Course. Costessey village sign depicts the hall in its former splendour. Plans for the hall to be part of a new complex for an architecture business are only in their early stages.
The parish also contains out-of-town superstores and a Park and Ride
site, which serve communities to the west of Norwich. The Royal Norfolk Show
ground is situated on the western parish border with Easton. Marriott's Way
footpath follows the route of the dismantled Norwich-to-Reepham railway across the north of the parish. Pockets of old woodland remain at East Hills and Gunton Lane, the latter named after the prominent Gunton family of Costessey.
The Street...Then & Now
If you were to walk down The Street in Old Costessey in the middle 19th century you would recognise many of the houses, for most of them are still standing today and some still as they were back then. The Street has changed little over the past 100 years.
Costessey High School (1952–2010), became a Specialist Science College in 2003 and had around 1000 pupils from the ages of 11 to 18. It served Easton
, Marlingford, East Tuddenham
, Bawburgh and the neighbouring suburb of Bowthorpe
, as well as Costessey. The school staged premieres of various musicals for schools in Norfolk, performing Les Misérables
in 2003, Jekyll & Hyde
in 2006, All for one in 2008 and Hot Mikado in 2009. The school has also been attended by young actor Sam Claflin who made his film debut in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
, in 2011.
After much debate, Costessey High School was closed down in September 2010 and replaced by Ormiston Victory Academy. The Academy, which caters for 11 to 19 year olds, opened using the existing buildings and is run by principal Rachel De Souza. The Academy's sponsor is Ormiston Trust, a charity which supports children, young people and families in their community. The Academy's strategic partners are Norfolk County Council and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The Academy continued its predecessor's musical performances and put on a production of Disney's Beauty and The Beast in late 2010. Within the next few years, a new complex will be built replacing the old Costessey High School buildings, and will expand to cater for 1250 pupils. The academy has received a £15 million cash injection which will be used to revamp the old site. The school has a brand new £50,000 dedicated hair and beauty salon on site, the first in the country.
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The parish comprises two settlements: the long-established village of Costessey (now commonly Old Costessey) (2005 population 4,611), and New Costessey (population 5,211), which developed during the first half of the 20th century and has become a suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Norwich. The two settlements are separated by the River Tud
River Tud
River Tud is a tributary of the River Wensum, Norfolk in the East of England. The Tud's source is just south of East Dereham and it flows in an easterly direction for to its confluence with the Wensum below Hellesdon mill.-Course:...
and by arable land. Costessey's northern boundary with Taverham
Taverham
Taverham is a village and civil parish in Norfolk, in the UK. It is approximately 5 miles north-west of the City of Norwich. Taverham sits on the River Wensum.In 2001, Taverham had a population of 10,233...
, Drayton
Drayton, Norfolk
Drayton, Norfolk, is a suburban village in the county of Norfolk and district of Broadland north west of Norwich. It is situated on the A1067 road between Hellesdon and Taverham.- History :...
and Hellesdon
Hellesdon
Hellesdon is a thriving suburb of Norwich in the District of Broadland in Norfolk, England. It lies approximately 4 miles north-west of Norwich and has 11,177 inhabitants.- History :...
follows the course of the River Wensum
River Wensum
The River Wensum is a chalk fed river in Norfolk, England and a tributary of the River Yare despite being the larger of the two rivers. The complete river is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest and Special Area of Conservation ....
.
Costessey parish has an area of 12.39 km2 and in the 2001 census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
had a population of 9,822 in 4,255 households. It constitutes the most northern reaches of the predominantly rural South Norfolk
South Norfolk
South Norfolk is a local government district in Norfolk, England. Its council is based in Long Stratton.-History:The district was formed on April 1, 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972, as a merger of Diss Urban District, Wymondham Urban District, Depwade Rural District, Forehoe and Henstead...
District; Costessey is the second largest population centre within the district, after Wymondham
Wymondham
Wymondham is a historic market town and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It lies 9.5 miles to the south west of the city of Norwich, on the A11 road to Thetford and London.- Before The Great Fire :...
.
History
Costessey lies in the valleys of the Rivers Wensum and TudRiver Tud
River Tud is a tributary of the River Wensum, Norfolk in the East of England. The Tud's source is just south of East Dereham and it flows in an easterly direction for to its confluence with the Wensum below Hellesdon mill.-Course:...
. Archaeological records indicate that there was a strong farming community on this site during the late Bronze Age and Roman times. Anglo-Saxon settlers established a community at some point after 600 AD, and it is generally believed that the name Costessey, translated as Kost's Island, dates from this time. Furthermore, records from 1648 recount that Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
referred to the village and estate as Cossey, indicating that the current pronunciation of the name has long existed. There is also evidence to suggest that the spelling was changed from Cossey to Costessey in the 19th century.
Costessey features in the legend of St Walstan
Walstan
Saint Walstan was born either in Bawburgh in Norfolk, or Blythburgh in Suffolk, and because of his life dedicated to farming and the care of farm animals, is the patron saint of farms, farmers, farmhands, ranchers and husbandrymen.-Life:He was born into a wealthy family but when he was only...
, the little-known patron saint of farm labourers, who is remembered in villages across Norfolk and north Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
. According to legend, Walstan was born into nobility at neighbouring Bawburgh
Bawburgh
Bawburgh is a village and civil parish in the South Norfolk district of Norfolk, England, lying in the valley of the River Yare about west of Norwich city centre. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 466...
(then part of Costessey estate) circa 970, but he relinquished his privileges, choosing instead to spend most of his life working as a farm labourer in Taverham. His initial route by foot from Bawburgh to Taverham took Walstan through Costessey Park, where it is said he donated his noble garments to two passing peasants. Following his death and the return of his body by cart to Bawburgh, springs of holy water are said to have arisen at three sites in Taverham, Costessey and Bawburgh.
Costessey Hall & Manor
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
records, the village of Costesela appears, with mention of a mill, and of a manor
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
with over 80 square miles (207.2 km²) of estate across Norfolk, including the only listed hunting park in Norfolk. This formerly belonged to one Earl Guert but was awarded by William the Conqueror to the Count of Brittany, a commander at the Battle of Hastings
Battle of Hastings
The Battle of Hastings occurred on 14 October 1066 during the Norman conquest of England, between the Norman-French army of Duke William II of Normandy and the English army under King Harold II...
. Here began a 500-year period in which ownership of the manor passed through a variety of families, regularly being reverted to the Crown and reallocated.
In 1546, Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
granted the manor to Anne of Cleves
Anne of Cleves
Anne of Cleves was a German noblewoman and the fourth wife of Henry VIII of England and as such she was Queen of England from 6 January 1540 to 9 July 1540. The marriage was never consummated, and she was not crowned queen consort...
, although evidence suggests that she never actually occupied Costessey Hall. A surviving early Tudor building sited in what remains of Costessey Park is thought by some to be the hall granted by Henry. In 1555, Queen Mary
Mary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
granted Costessey Manor to Sir Henry Jernegan, heralding a long period of occupancy by the Jernegans, Jerninghams and Stafford Jerninghams. Sir Henry commissioned the building of a new Tudor Hall on Costessey Park, beginning his residency there in 1565.
In 1827, Sir George William Jerningham, 8th Baron Stafford
Baron Stafford
The title Baron Stafford, referring to Stafford, has been created several times in the Peerage of England. In the 14th century, the barons of the 1st creation were made earls. Those of the fifth creation, in the century became first viscounts and then earls....
, commissioned large-scale grand and elaborate expansions of Sir Henry's Hall, with many towers and mock-Tudor windows. The project was ongoing over several decades, continued by the 9th Baron Stafford from 1851, and although many features of the new design were realised, completion was ultimately prevented by dwindling funds. The 10th Baron Stafford, who inherited the title in 1884, was certified as a lunatic
Lunatic
"Lunatic" is a commonly used term for a person who is mentally ill, dangerous, foolish, unpredictable; a condition once called lunacy. The word derives from lunaticus meaning "of the moon" or "moonstruck".-Lunar hypothesis:...
; during his ownership, the estate was held by the Lunacy Commission. The generous and reclusive Sir FitzOsbert Stafford Jerningham, 11th Baron Stafford, resided at Costessey Hall until his death in 1913, upon which the Hall's contents were auctioned at a high-profile sale.
Costessey since 1913
The final owner of the empty but intact building was the War OfficeWar Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
, who commandeered the Hall from 1914-18 for the training of infantry, cavalry and artillery troops to serve in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Soon after war ended, Costessey Park was divided into small plots sold cheaply to working-class residents of Norwich, who erected makeshift wooden houses or brought disused railway carriages as their dwellings. The well-trodden paths amongst these plots became the basis of a street network, and the ramshackle homes gave way to brick buildings during the 1930s - 1950s, to become New Costessey. The street name
Street name
A street name or odonym is an identifying name given to a street. The street name usually forms part of the address...
s of Jerningham Road and Stafford Avenue honour the local associations with the aristocratic family.
The structure of Costessey Hall
Costessey Hall
Costessey Hall was a manor house in Costessey, Norfolk, England, four miles west of Norwich. The first mention of it dates to 1066, when William I gave it to Alan Rufus, Earl of Richmond. It was then described as Costessey Manor....
was gradually weathered, plundered by builders, and carefully demolished over a period of several decades. During training for World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, one of the towers was struck by a fully armed Blenheim Bomber
Bristol Blenheim
The Bristol Blenheim was a British light bomber aircraft designed and built by the Bristol Aeroplane Company that was used extensively in the early days of the Second World War. It was adapted as an interim long-range and night fighter, pending the availability of the Beaufighter...
from a nearby airfield, causing the death of the unfortunate pilot but inflicting remarkably little damage upon the tower. Today, all that remains of the building is the belfry tower, now ivy-clad, and a small adjoining block, which stand prominently in what is now Costessey Park Golf Course. Costessey village sign depicts the hall in its former splendour. Plans for the hall to be part of a new complex for an architecture business are only in their early stages.
Services
Costessey today has a range of local shops and services. There are four pubs (The Bush, The Harte, The Crown and The Copper Beech, which was built in 2011 near Longwater Retail Park); a fifth (The Roundwell), was situated on the former perimeter of Costessey Park, until it was demolished in 2010. A new doctors surgery, The Roundwell Medical Centre, was recently built on the site of the old Roundwell Pub, situated near the Dereham Road/Longwater Lane junction, replacing the old surgery at the opposite end of Longwater Lane. In early summer 2010 The Costessey Centre, a new community centre, opened at the Longwater Lane Recreation grounds.The parish also contains out-of-town superstores and a Park and Ride
Park and ride
Park and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip...
site, which serve communities to the west of Norwich. The Royal Norfolk Show
Royal Norfolk Show
The Royal Norfolk Show is an annual agricultural show, and is held by the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association. It is the largest 2 day agricultural show in England, and has been held almost every year since 1847. Shows were not held in 1866, 1911, 1934 and 1957...
ground is situated on the western parish border with Easton. Marriott's Way
Marriott's Way
The Marriott's Way is a long distance footpath and bridleway which forms part of the National Cycle Network and is open to walkers, cyclists and horse riders between Hellesdon and Aylsham, Norfolk, England...
footpath follows the route of the dismantled Norwich-to-Reepham railway across the north of the parish. Pockets of old woodland remain at East Hills and Gunton Lane, the latter named after the prominent Gunton family of Costessey.
The Street...Then & Now
If you were to walk down The Street in Old Costessey in the middle 19th century you would recognise many of the houses, for most of them are still standing today and some still as they were back then. The Street has changed little over the past 100 years.
Education
There are three schools in Costessey. Costessey Infant School and Costessey Junior School caters for the ages 4 to 11. Old Costessey is served by St Augustine's Roman Catholic Primary School which is also for 4 to 11 year olds.Costessey High School (1952–2010), became a Specialist Science College in 2003 and had around 1000 pupils from the ages of 11 to 18. It served Easton
Easton, Norfolk
Easton is a small village in Norfolk, to the west of Norwich. It covers an area of and had a population of 1,141 in 445 households as of the 2001 census. Located close to the Royal Norfolk Showground and the A47, it also houses Easton College, a large agricultural college...
, Marlingford, East Tuddenham
East Tuddenham
East Tuddenham is a village in the Breckland district of mid-Norfolk, East Anglia, England in the United Kingdom. It is around from the city of Norwich, and is close to the town of East Dereham...
, Bawburgh and the neighbouring suburb of Bowthorpe
Bowthorpe
Bowthorpe is located in the west of Norwich, England. It is a primarily residential area, but includes a large Industrial Estate and one small out-of-town shopping centre, with a supermarket and various smaller, retail outlets. A police station and community hall are situated close to Bowthorpe...
, as well as Costessey. The school staged premieres of various musicals for schools in Norfolk, performing Les Misérables
Les Misérables (musical)
Les Misérables , colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz , is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo....
in 2003, Jekyll & Hyde
Jekyll & Hyde (musical)
Jekyll & Hyde is a musical based on the novella Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. The original stage conception was by Steve Cuden and Frank Wildhorn. The music is by Wildhorn and the lyrics and book are by Leslie Bricusse.The musical ran on Broadway for 1,543...
in 2006, All for one in 2008 and Hot Mikado in 2009. The school has also been attended by young actor Sam Claflin who made his film debut in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides is a 2011 adventure fantasy film and the fourth installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean series...
, in 2011.
After much debate, Costessey High School was closed down in September 2010 and replaced by Ormiston Victory Academy. The Academy, which caters for 11 to 19 year olds, opened using the existing buildings and is run by principal Rachel De Souza. The Academy's sponsor is Ormiston Trust, a charity which supports children, young people and families in their community. The Academy's strategic partners are Norfolk County Council and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The Academy continued its predecessor's musical performances and put on a production of Disney's Beauty and The Beast in late 2010. Within the next few years, a new complex will be built replacing the old Costessey High School buildings, and will expand to cater for 1250 pupils. The academy has received a £15 million cash injection which will be used to revamp the old site. The school has a brand new £50,000 dedicated hair and beauty salon on site, the first in the country.
See also
- List of names in English with counterintuitive pronunciations
- Stafford knot — the family emblem, which is incorporated into the design of the StaffordshireStaffordshireStaffordshire is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. Part of the National Forest lies within its borders...
armsCoat of armsA coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
.
External links
- Lost Heritage: Costessey Hall - history and photos of Costessey Hall on the Lost Heritage website
- Costessey — pages containing a wealth of historical information, maintained by an expatriate with local connections.
- Picture Norfolk — database of Norfolk images, including many old photographs of Costessey Hall and village.
- Costessey Books Website
- The Costessey Website
- Costessey Junior School
- Ormiston Victory Academy, Costessey
- St Augustine's RC Primary School
- 27th Norwich Scout Group (New Costessey)
- 16th Norwich Sea Scouts (Old Costessey)