North Walsham
Encyclopedia
North Walsham is a market town
and civil parish in Norfolk
, England in the North Norfolk
district.
had a population of 11,998. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the district
of North Norfolk
.
and the same distance north of Wroxham
. The county town and city of Norwich
is 24 km (14.9 mi) south. The town is served by North Walsham railway station
, on the Bittern Line
between Norwich
, Cromer
and Sheringham
. The main road through the town is the A149
.
The town is on the North Walsham & Dilham Canal
, still privately owned by the North Walsham Canal Company. The canal ran from Antingham
Mill, largely following the course of the River Ant
to a point below Honing
. A short branch canal leaves the main navigation near Honing and terminates at the village of Dilham
.
North Walsham, an Anglo-Saxon
settlement, and the neighbouring village of Worstead
became very prosperous from the 12th century through the arrival of weavers from Flanders
. The two settlements gave their names to the textiles they produced: "Walsham" became the name of a light-weight cloth for summer wear, and "Worsted
" a heavier cloth. The 14th-century "wool churches" are a testament to the prosperity of the local mill owners. North Walsham's church
of St. Nicholas was originally dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and is one of the UK's largest parish churches. It was also the site of a wayside shrine to St. Thomas of Canterbury. This church had the second-tallest steeple in Norfolk until its collapse in 1724. Plans for its rebuilding were abandoned at the outbreak of World War II
. The ruined tower dominates the town centre and is a famous landmark of the area, visible from many miles away. In the parish church of St. Nicholas can be found the ornate tomb of Sir William Paston; the remains of medieval painted screens; a telescopic Gothic
font canopy; a unique Royal Arms Board; an ancient iron bound chest; and many other ancient artifacts.
North Walsham was involved in the Peasants' Revolt
of 1381. The peasants' leaders were defeated at the Battle of North Walsham
and the site is marked by a wayside stone near the town's water towers.
The English naval hero, Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson
and his brother William were educated at Paston Grammar School in North Walsham, founded by Sir William Paston (of Paston Letters
fame) in 1606. Nelson left the school to start his naval career at the age of eleven. The school became Paston College
in 1984.
As part of the millennium celebrations, ten mosaic
s were commissioned, showing scenes from local history, including the Peasants' Revolt and the Great Fire of North Walsham and a picture of a Norfolk wherry
– an allusion to the canal
.
and market stalls. Although the church caught fire in five places it remained mostly unharmed and provided shelter for the people whilst the town was rebuilt.
graded the school "good" with "outstanding" features in 2010 and has around 810 pupils. The school is currently undergoing a £5.3m development to improve education, arts and leisure facilities for students during school hours and some of the facilities will be available for the wider community. The development will be completed by September 2011.
narrowly missed out on promotion to National League 2 in 2005/06, losing a play-off to Nuneaton
.
Market town
Market town or market right is a legal term, originating in the medieval period, for a European settlement that has the right to host markets, distinguishing it from a village and city...
and civil parish 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 in the 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:...
district.
Demographics
The civil parish has an area of 29.3 km² (11.3 sq mi) and in the 2001 censusUnited 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 11,998. For the purposes of local government, the parish 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:...
.
Transport
The town is 12 km (7.5 mi) south of CromerCromer
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...
and the same distance north of Wroxham
Wroxham
Wroxham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The civil parish of Wroxham has an area of 6.21 square kilometres and in 2001 had a population of 1532 in 666 households. The village is situated within the Norfolk Broads on the south side of a loop in the middle reaches of...
. The county town and 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...
is 24 km (14.9 mi) south. The town is served by North Walsham railway station
North 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...
, on 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...
between 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...
, 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...
and Sheringham
Sheringham
Sheringham is a seaside town in Norfolk, England, west of Cromer.The motto of the town, granted in 1953 to the Sheringham Urban District Council, is Mare Ditat Pinusque Decorat, Latin for "The sea enriches and the pine adorns"....
. The main road through the town is 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:...
.
The town is on the North Walsham & Dilham Canal
North Walsham & Dilham Canal
The North Walsham and Dilham Canal is a waterway in the English county of Norfolk. It is accepted officially that this waterway is the only canal in Norfolk although it is the canalization of the upper reaches of the River Ant. This navigation was constructed with locks a little wider than most...
, still privately owned by the North Walsham Canal Company. The canal ran from Antingham
Antingham
Antingham is a village and civil parish in the north of the English county of Norfolk. The village is located about south of Cromer and north of North Walsham...
Mill, largely following the course of the River Ant
River Ant
The River Ant is a tributary river of the River Bure in the county of Norfolk, England. It is 17 miles long , and has an overall drop of 25 metres from source to mouth...
to a point below Honing
Honing
Honing may refer to:* Honing , machining a surface by scrubbing an abrasive stone against it* Sharpening edged tools with a manual hone* Henkjan Honing , Dutch musician* Honing, Norfolk, English village* Playing Heroes of Newerth...
. A short branch canal leaves the main navigation near Honing and terminates at the village of Dilham
Dilham
Dilham is a village and civil parish covering an area of with a population of 301 in 128 homes as of the 2001 census. It is on the River Ant just of the A149 road, near Stalham in Norfolk, England within The Broads...
.
History
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
settlement, and the neighbouring village of Worstead
Worstead
Worstead is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It lies 5 km south of North Walsham, 9 km north of Wroxham, and 20 km north of Norwich. The village is served by Worstead railway station on the Bittern Line....
became very prosperous from the 12th century through the arrival of weavers from Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
. The two settlements gave their names to the textiles they produced: "Walsham" became the name of a light-weight cloth for summer wear, and "Worsted
Worsted
Worsted , is the name of a yarn, the cloth made from this yarn, and a yarn weight category. The name derives from the village of Worstead in the English county of Norfolk...
" a heavier cloth. The 14th-century "wool churches" are a testament to the prosperity of the local mill owners. North Walsham's church
St Nicholas Church, North Walsham
St Nicholas Church is a parish church in the Church of England, that can be found in the centre of North Walsham, Norfolk, England. The building is well-known for its unique tower, of which only part remains.- History :...
of St. Nicholas was originally dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and is one of the UK's largest parish churches. It was also the site of a wayside shrine to St. Thomas of Canterbury. This church had the second-tallest steeple in Norfolk until its collapse in 1724. Plans for its rebuilding were abandoned at the outbreak of 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...
. The ruined tower dominates the town centre and is a famous landmark of the area, visible from many miles away. In the parish church of St. Nicholas can be found the ornate tomb of Sir William Paston; the remains of medieval painted screens; a telescopic Gothic
Gothic art
Gothic art was a Medieval art movement that developed in France out of Romanesque art in the mid-12th century, led by the concurrent development of Gothic architecture. It spread to all of Western Europe, but took over art more completely north of the Alps, never quite effacing more classical...
font canopy; a unique Royal Arms Board; an ancient iron bound chest; and many other ancient artifacts.
North Walsham was involved in the Peasants' Revolt
Peasants' Revolt
The Peasants' Revolt, Wat Tyler's Rebellion, or the Great Rising of 1381 was one of a number of popular revolts in late medieval Europe and is a major event in the history of England. Tyler's Rebellion was not only the most extreme and widespread insurrection in English history but also the...
of 1381. The peasants' leaders were defeated at 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...
and the site is marked by a wayside stone near the town's water towers.
The English naval hero, Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson
Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronté, KB was a flag officer famous for his service in the Royal Navy, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars. He was noted for his inspirational leadership and superb grasp of strategy and unconventional tactics, which resulted in a number of...
and his brother William were educated at Paston Grammar School in North Walsham, founded by Sir William Paston (of Paston Letters
Paston Letters
The Paston Letters are a collection of letters and papers from England, consisting of the correspondence of members of the gentry Paston family, and others connected with them, between the years 1422 and 1509, and also including some state papers and other important documents.- History of the...
fame) in 1606. Nelson left the school to start his naval career at the age of eleven. The school became Paston College
Paston College
thumb|right|Sketch of the original Paston buildingPaston Sixth Form College is a sixth form college in North Walsham, Norfolk, England, United Kingdom....
in 1984.
As part of the millennium celebrations, ten mosaic
Mosaic
Mosaic is the art of creating images with an assemblage of small pieces of colored glass, stone, or other materials. It may be a technique of decorative art, an aspect of interior decoration, or of cultural and spiritual significance as in a cathedral...
s were commissioned, showing scenes from local history, including the Peasants' Revolt and the Great Fire of North Walsham and a picture of a Norfolk wherry
Norfolk wherry
The Norfolk wherry is a type of boat on The Broads in Norfolk, England. Three main types were developed over its life, all featuring the distinctive gaff rig with a single, high-peaked sail and the mast stepped well forward.-Development of the wherry:...
– an allusion to the canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
.
The cinemas
North Walsham Picturedrome opened in King Arms Street around 1912 and survived until around September 1931. In 1931 The Regal Cinema opened in New Road and was open until 1979. When the Regal closed the building was turned into a bingo hall and it is now occupied by North Walsham Plant Hire.The Great Fire
The Great Fire of North Walsham took place on the 25th June 1600. It began at six o'clock in the morning from a house occupied by an individual with the surname of Dowle. Dowle subsequently fled and was captured and placed in gaol. The fire was devastating and destroyed one hundred and eighteen homes, seventy shops, the Market CrossMarket cross
A market cross is a structure used to mark a market square in market towns, originally from the distinctive tradition in Early Medieval Insular art of free-standing stone standing or high crosses, often elaborately carved, which goes back to the 7th century. Market crosses can be found in most...
and market stalls. Although the church caught fire in five places it remained mostly unharmed and provided shelter for the people whilst the town was rebuilt.
North Walsham High School
North Walsham High School is a community school, for students aged 11 to 16, and gained specialist status for Arts in 2005. OfstedOfsted
The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills is the non-ministerial government department of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England ....
graded the school "good" with "outstanding" features in 2010 and has around 810 pupils. The school is currently undergoing a £5.3m development to improve education, arts and leisure facilities for students during school hours and some of the facilities will be available for the wider community. The development will be completed by September 2011.
Sport
North Walsham is home to a National League 3 South rugby union team. North Walsham R.F.C.North Walsham R.F.C.
North Walsham R.F.C. is a rugby union club representing the market town of North Walsham in Norfolk. Between 1990 and 2008 it competed in National Division Three South, making it Norfolk's only National League rugby team, but the team were relegated to London Division One for the 2008-09 season...
narrowly missed out on promotion to National League 2 in 2005/06, losing a play-off to Nuneaton
Nuneaton
Nuneaton is the largest town in the Borough of Nuneaton and Bedworth and in the English county of Warwickshire.Nuneaton is most famous for its associations with the 19th century author George Eliot, who was born on a farm on the Arbury Estate just outside Nuneaton in 1819 and lived in the town for...
.