North Elmham
Encyclopedia
North Elmham is a village and civil parish
in the English county of Norfolk
.
It covers an area of 19.2 km² (7.4 sq mi) and had a population of 1,428 in 624 households as of the 2001 census
. For the purposes of local government, it falls within the district
of Breckland
.
The village is about 8 km (5 mi) north of East Dereham on the west bank of the River Wensum
. North Elmham was the site of a pre-Norman cathedral, seat of the Bishop of Elmham until 1075.
of the bishops of Elmham from around 672 until the episcopal see
was moved to Thetford in 1075. A mid ninth-century copper-alloy hanging censer
was discovered at North Elmham in 1786. The earthworks and ruins at North Elmham stewarded by English Heritage
are thought to be the remains of Bishop Herbert de Losinga
's late eleventh-century episcopal church and the late fourteenth century double-moated castle built on this by Henry le Despenser, Bishop of Norwich
. To the north of the village was the Norfolk County School which on closing in the 1890s was taken over for the Watts Naval School
. The village is also the birthplace of the actor John Mills
. The fine buildings have now been demolished. The County School Station
on branch line served the school, and today is preserved as a small visitor centre. The village once had its own station, North Elmham railway station
, on the Mid-Norfolk Railway
line from Wymondham
to Fakenham
. The building still exists and it is planned to build a new one or reopen the building as a station again. This would be needed to connect the County School station
described above to the rest of the Mid-Norfolk railway.
North Elmham Mill, known locally Grint Mill, had two breastshot waterwheels until the early twentieth century when they were replaced by two turbines. By the 1970s the milling machinery was driven by mains electricity while the turbines were used to drive a sack hoist and two mixing machines. The mill continued to produce animal feed into the late twentieth century.
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 19.2 km² (7.4 sq mi) and had a population of 1,428 in 624 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 Breckland
Breckland (district)
Breckland District is a local government district in Norfolk, England. Its council is based in East Dereham.Breckland District derives its name from the Breckland landscape region, a gorse covered sandy heath of south Norfolk and north Suffolk...
.
The village is about 8 km (5 mi) north of East Dereham on the west bank 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 ....
. North Elmham was the site of a pre-Norman cathedral, seat of the Bishop of Elmham until 1075.
History
North Elmham comes from the Anglo-Saxon "Village where elms grew" and is first mentioned in 1035. Only ruins now survive of the Saxon cathedral. It housed the episcopal throneCathedra
A cathedra or bishop's throne is the chair or throne of a bishop. It is a symbol of the bishop's teaching authority in the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church, and has in some sense remained such in the Anglican Communion and in Lutheran churches...
of the bishops of Elmham from around 672 until the episcopal see
Episcopal See
An episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
was moved to Thetford in 1075. A mid ninth-century copper-alloy hanging censer
Censer
Censers are any type of vessels made for burning incense. These vessels vary greatly in size, form, and material of construction. They may consist of simple earthenware bowls or fire pots to intricately carved silver or gold vessels, small table top objects a few centimetres tall to as many as...
was discovered at North Elmham in 1786. The earthworks and ruins at North Elmham stewarded by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
are thought to be the remains of Bishop Herbert de Losinga
Herbert de Losinga
Herbert de Losinga was the first Bishop of Norwich. He founded Norwich Cathedral in 1096 when he was Bishop of Thetford.-Life:...
's late eleventh-century episcopal church and the late fourteenth century double-moated castle built on this by Henry le Despenser, Bishop of Norwich
Bishop of Norwich
The Bishop of Norwich is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Norwich in the Province of Canterbury.The diocese covers most of the County of Norfolk and part of Suffolk. The see is in the City of Norwich where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of the Holy and Undivided...
. To the north of the village was the Norfolk County School which on closing in the 1890s was taken over for the Watts Naval School
Watts Naval School
Watts Naval School was originally the Norfolk County School, a public school set up to serve the educational needs of the 'sons of farmers and artisans'...
. The village is also the birthplace of the actor John Mills
John Mills
Sir John Mills CBE , born Lewis Ernest Watts Mills, was an English actor who made more than 120 films in a career spanning seven decades.-Life and career:...
. The fine buildings have now been demolished. The County School Station
County School railway station
County School is a railway station approximately one mile north of the village of North Elmham in the English county of Norfolk. The station is part of a line being gradually restored by the Mid-Norfolk Railway from East Dereham to Fakenham.-History:...
on branch line served the school, and today is preserved as a small visitor centre. The village once had its own station, North Elmham railway station
North Elmham railway station
North Elmham railway station is a railway station in the village of North Elmham in the English county of Norfolk. The station is part of a line being restored by the Mid-Norfolk Railway from Dereham to County School railway station....
, on the Mid-Norfolk Railway
Mid-Norfolk Railway
The Mid-Norfolk Railway or MNR is a heritage railway in the English county of Norfolk. Opening as a tourist line in 1997, it is often referred to as a "New Generation" heritage railway....
line from 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 :...
to Fakenham
Fakenham
Fakenham is a town and civil parish in Norfolk, England. It is situated on the River Wensum, some north east of King's Lynn, south west of Cromer, and north west of Norwich....
. The building still exists and it is planned to build a new one or reopen the building as a station again. This would be needed to connect the County School station
County School railway station
County School is a railway station approximately one mile north of the village of North Elmham in the English county of Norfolk. The station is part of a line being gradually restored by the Mid-Norfolk Railway from East Dereham to Fakenham.-History:...
described above to the rest of the Mid-Norfolk railway.
North Elmham Mill, known locally Grint Mill, had two breastshot waterwheels until the early twentieth century when they were replaced by two turbines. By the 1970s the milling machinery was driven by mains electricity while the turbines were used to drive a sack hoist and two mixing machines. The mill continued to produce animal feed into the late twentieth century.