Felmingham
Encyclopedia
Felmingham is a village
and civil parish
in the English county of Norfolk
.
It covers an area of 7.68 km² (3 sq mi) and had a population of 564 in 218 households as of the 2001 census
.
For the purposes of local government, it falls within the district
of North Norfolk
.
The village is 2.3 miles (3.7 km) west of North Walsham
, 4.3 miles (6.9 km) east of Aylsham
and 16.4 miles (26.4 km) north of the city of Norwich
. The River Bure
passes very close to the eastern side of the village. Felmingham Parish
Councils have few major rights and obligations and are responsible to the higher authorities above them. They do however manage local amenities and have a watching brief on local issues and their opinion is noted by those higher authorities in matters concerning them such as local planning
issues. The Parish of Felmingham and its council is responsible to the council of the District of North Norfolk
and that of the County of Norfolk
in which it is located.
where the Bittern Line
from Cromer
to Norwich
can be accessed and the national rail network beyond. The village lies between the A149
King’s Lynn to Great Yarmouth
road (East of the Village) and the A140
Cromer to Norwich road (To the west). The nearest airport is at Norwich.
. The massive tower dates from the 15th century, whereas the much smaller nave was rebuilt in 1740. There is a peal
of nine bells in the belfry
.
A new hand carved screen was commissioned for the Millennium and contains oak carvings
representing scenes from the New Testament
, the seasons and farming life
by occupation, found his livelihood threatened and he led a large group of rebels and attempted to seize Norwich. The Bishop of Norwich and his force met the rebels on a heath just to the south of North Walsham. The Battle of North Walsham
resulted in the defeat and capture of the rebels. Litster as a result of his actions was hanged, drawn and quartered, with each quarter being displayed at Norwich, Great Yarmouth, King’s Lynn and at his house at Felmingham, as a deterrent to further rebel uprisings.
. It is unusual in that it encompasses within
a relatively small area a mix of dry heath
, wet heath, and fen
communities. The different soil types have led to a wide range of plants, including several that are now uncommon in East Anglia. A number of uncommon mosses and lichen
s have been recorded from the wetter parts of the site.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
and civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in the English county of 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...
.
It covers an area of 7.68 km² (3 sq mi) and had a population of 564 in 218 households as of 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....
.
For the purposes of local government, it falls within the district
Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...
of North Norfolk
North Norfolk
North Norfolk is a local government district in Norfolk, United Kingdom. Its council is based in Cromer. The council headquarters can be found approximately out of the town of Cromer on the Holt Road.-History:...
.
The village is 2.3 miles (3.7 km) west of North Walsham
North Walsham
North Walsham is a market town and civil parish in Norfolk, England in the North Norfolk district.-Demographics:The civil parish has an area of and in the 2001 census had a population of 11,998. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the district of North...
, 4.3 miles (6.9 km) east of Aylsham
Aylsham
Aylsham is a historic market town and civil parish on the River Bure in north Norfolk, England, about north of Norwich. The river rises near Melton Constable, upstream from Aylsham and continues to Great Yarmouth and the North Sea, although it was only made navigable after 1779, allowing grain,...
and 16.4 miles (26.4 km) north of the city of Norwich
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...
. The River Bure
River Bure
The River Bure is a river in the county of Norfolk, England, most of it in The Broads. The Bure rises near Melton Constable, upstream of Aylsham, which was the original head of navigation. Nowadays, the head of navigation is downstream at Coltishall Bridge...
passes very close to the eastern side of the village. Felmingham Parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
Councils have few major rights and obligations and are responsible to the higher authorities above them. They do however manage local amenities and have a watching brief on local issues and their opinion is noted by those higher authorities in matters concerning them such as local planning
Planning
Planning in organizations and public policy is both the organizational process of creating and maintaining a plan; and the psychological process of thinking about the activities required to create a desired goal on some scale. As such, it is a fundamental property of intelligent behavior...
issues. The Parish of Felmingham and its council is responsible to the council of the District of North Norfolk
North Norfolk
North Norfolk is a local government district in Norfolk, United Kingdom. Its council is based in Cromer. The council headquarters can be found approximately out of the town of Cromer on the Holt Road.-History:...
and that of the County of 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...
in which it is located.
Transport links
The village’s closest rail link is at nearby North Walsham Railway stationNorth Walsham railway station
North Walsham is a railway station in the town of North Walsham in the English county of Norfolk. The station is served by local services operated by National Express East Anglia on the Bittern Line from Norwich to Cromer and Sheringham...
where the Bittern Line
Bittern Line
The Bittern Line is a railway line from Norwich to Cromer then Sheringham in Norfolk, England. It is one of the most scenic in the East of England traversing the Norfolk Broads on its route to the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the North Norfolk Coast. The line is part of the Network Rail...
from Cromer
Cromer
Cromer is a coastal town and civil parish in north Norfolk, England. The local government authority is North Norfolk District Council, whose headquarters is in Holt Road in the town. The town is situated 23 miles north of the county town, Norwich, and is 4 miles east of Sheringham...
to Norwich
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...
can be accessed and the national rail network beyond. The village lies between the A149
A149 road
The A149 is a major route in Norfolk, linking Kings Lynn to Great Yarmouth. It runs via the coast rather than on a more direct route such as the A47. The eastern section runs through The Broads.-Kings Lynn to Wells next the Sea:...
King’s Lynn to Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
road (East of the Village) and the A140
A140 road
The A140 is an 'A-class' road in Norfolk and Suffolk, East Anglia, England partly following the route of the Roman Pye Road. It runs from the A14 near Needham Market to the A149 south of Cromer. It is of primary status for the entirety of its route. It is approximately 56 miles in length...
Cromer to Norwich road (To the west). The nearest airport is at Norwich.
The Parish Church
The parish church of Felmingham is dedicated to Saint AndrewSaint Andrew
Saint Andrew , called in the Orthodox tradition Prōtoklētos, or the First-called, is a Christian Apostle and the brother of Saint Peter. The name "Andrew" , like other Greek names, appears to have been common among the Jews from the 3rd or 2nd century BC. No Hebrew or Aramaic name is recorded for him...
. The massive tower dates from the 15th century, whereas the much smaller nave was rebuilt in 1740. There is a peal
Ring of bells
"Ring of bells" is a term most often applied to a set of bells hung in the English style, typically for change ringing...
of nine bells in the belfry
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
.
A new hand carved screen was commissioned for the Millennium and contains oak carvings
Wood carving
Wood carving is a form of working wood by means of a cutting tool in one hand or a chisel by two hands or with one hand on a chisel and one hand on a mallet, resulting in a wooden figure or figurine, or in the sculptural ornamentation of a wooden object...
representing scenes from the New Testament
New Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
, the seasons and farming life
Local Revolutionary
At the time of the Peasant’s Revolt of 1381 a resident of Felmingham by the name of Geoffrey Litster, who was a dyerDyer
Dyer may refer to:*A person who works with dyes as an occupationPlacesIn the United States:* Dyer, Arkansas, a village* Dyer, Indiana, a village* Dyer, Nevada, a village* Dyer, Tennessee, a villagePeople* Dyer -See also:...
by occupation, found his livelihood threatened and he led a large group of rebels and attempted to seize Norwich. The Bishop of Norwich and his force met the rebels on a heath just to the south of North Walsham. The Battle of North Walsham
Battle of North Walsham
The Battle of North Walsham was a mediaeval battle fought on 25 or 26 June 1381, near the town of North Walsham in the English county of Norfolk, in which a large group of rebellious local peasants was confronted by the heavily armed forces of Henry le Despenser, Bishop of Norwich...
resulted in the defeat and capture of the rebels. Litster as a result of his actions was hanged, drawn and quartered, with each quarter being displayed at Norwich, Great Yarmouth, King’s Lynn and at his house at Felmingham, as a deterrent to further rebel uprisings.
Bryant's Heath
A footpath beside the church leads to Bryant’s Heath, a popular local beauty spot and a designated Site of Special Scientific InterestSite of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
. It is unusual in that it encompasses within
a relatively small area a mix of dry heath
Heath (habitat)
A heath or heathland is a dwarf-shrub habitat found on mainly low quality acidic soils, characterised by open, low growing woody vegetation, often dominated by plants of the Ericaceae. There are some clear differences between heath and moorland...
, wet heath, and fen
Fen
A fen is a type of wetland fed by mineral-rich surface water or groundwater. Fens are characterised by their water chemistry, which is neutral or alkaline, with relatively high dissolved mineral levels but few other plant nutrients...
communities. The different soil types have led to a wide range of plants, including several that are now uncommon in East Anglia. A number of uncommon mosses and lichen
Lichen
Lichens are composite organisms consisting of a symbiotic organism composed of a fungus with a photosynthetic partner , usually either a green alga or cyanobacterium...
s have been recorded from the wetter parts of the site.