Burnham Norton

Burnham Norton
St. Margaret's Church
Burnham Norton Location within Norfolk
Area	14.81 km2 (5.72 sq mi)
Population	173 (2011)
•  Density	12/km2 (31/sq mi)
OS grid reference	TF829438
Civil parish	Burnham Norton
District	King's Lynn and West Norfolk
Shire county	Norfolk
Region	East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	KING'S LYNN
Postcode district	PE31
Dialling code	01328
Police	Norfolk
Fire	Norfolk
Ambulance	East of England
UK Parliament	North West Norfolk
List of places UK England Norfolk 52°57′37″N0°43′18″E / 52.96037°N 0.72162°E / 52.96037; 0.72162

Burnham Norton is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.

Burnham Norton is located 19 miles (31 km) north-east of King's Lynn and 34 miles (55 km) north-west of Norwich. The village is one of the seven original Norfolk Burnhams.

History

Burnham Norton's name is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from the Old English for the northerly settlement along the River Burn. ^[1]

In the Domesday Book, Burnham Norton is listed in the same entry as Burnham Sutton, Burnham Ulph and Burnham Westgate. According to the Domesday Book, the villages together are listed as a settlement of 69 households in the hundred of Brothercross. In 1086, the villages were divided between the estates of Roger Bigod, St. Benedict's Abbey and Hugh de Montfort. ^[2]

Burnham Norton Friary was built in the parish in 1241 and was the first Carmelite monastery in England. The Friary was abandoned in the Dissolution of the Monasteries and is today a ruin.

Listed buildings in Burnham Norton include Prince of Wales House (Seventeenth Century) ^[3] and Norton Hall Farmhouse (Seventeenth Century). ^[4]

During the Second World War, anti-tank obstacles were built in Burnham Norton Parish to defend against a possible German invasion. ^[5] Additionally, in the same period a small boat name the Vena was towed ashore and used for target practice- the wreck still remains. ^[6]

Geography

In the 2001 census it had a population of 76 in 37 households. ^[7] The 2011 census population of 173 was estimated at 156 in 2019. ^[8]

The junction between the A149, between King's Lynn and Great Yarmouth, and the B1355, from Burnham Norton to Fakenham.

The village is located close to the coast, and overlooks the tidal Norton Marshes and Scolt Head Island NNR. The River Burn also runs through the parish.

St. Margaret's Church

Main article: St Margaret's Church, Burnham Norton

Burnham Norton's parish church is dedicated to Saint Margaret and is one of Norfolk's 124 remaining round-tower churches. The church is located beside the B1355 and has been Grade I listed since 1953. ^[9] The church was lightly restored in the Nineteenth Century and boasts an elaborate painted pulpit depicting various saints. Also within the church are stained-glass windows depicting Saint Margaret of Antioch and Saint Margaret of Scotland designed by Trena Cox and a set of royal arms from the reign of King William III. ^[10]

Notable burials within St. Margaret's Churchyard include Major David Jamieson VC CVO, Lady Margaret Douglas-Home and Richard Woodget.

Governance

Burnham Norton is part of the electoral ward of Burnham Market & Docking for local elections and is part of the district of King's Lynn and West Norfolk.

The village's national constituency is North West Norfolk which has been represented by the Conservative's James Wild MP since 2010.

War Memorial

Burnham Norton's war memorial is a stone celtic cross located on Burnham Market which has been Grade II listed since 2018. The memorial lists war dead from Burnham Norton as well as Burnham Westgate, Burnham Sutton and Burnham Market. The following soldiers from Burnham Norton died during the First World War: ^[11]

Rank	Name	Unit	Date of Death	Burial
LCpl.	Thomas W. Francis MiD	1st Bn., Grenadier Guards	26 Oct. 1914	Menin Gate
Pte.	William A. Rix	8th Bn., East Surrey Regiment	3 May 1917	Arras Memorial
Pte.	Richard Barnes	23rd Bn., Middlesex Regiment	7 Jun. 1917	Menin Gate
Pte.	Stanley Sofley	1st Bn., Norfolk Regiment	22 Oct. 1914	Le Touret Memorial
Pte.	John H. Raven	1/4th Bn., Suffolk Regiment	24 Jun. 1918	Pernois British Cemetery

And, Mr. Edward C. Francis (civilian). And, the following for the Second World War:

Rank	Name	Unit	Date of Death	Burial
Lt.	Robert D. Hancock	4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards, Royal Armoured Corps	8 Jun. 1944	Brouay War Cemetery
Sgt.	James A. E. Sharp	Royal Air Force	28 Mar. 1942	St. Margaret's Churchyard
Cpl.	Albert Battersby	12th (Norfolk) Bn., Home Guard	11 Dec. 1942	St. Margaret's Churchyard
LSt.	Victor R. Francis	HMS Hood	24 May 1941	Portsmouth Naval Memorial

References

1. "Key to English Place-names". kepn.nottingham.ac.uk. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
2. "Burnham [Norton, Sutton, Ulph and Westgate] | Domesday Book". opendomesday.org. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
3. "PRINCE OF WALES HOUSE, Burnham Norton - 1239089 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
4. "NORTON HALL FARMHOUSE, Burnham Norton - 1238879 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
5. "mnf15531 - Norfolk Heritage Explorer". www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
6. "mnf15531 - Norfolk Heritage Explorer". www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
7. "Parish population 2015" . Retrieved 26 August 2015.
8. City Population. Retrieved February 2021.
9. "CHURCH OF ST MARGARET, Burnham Norton - 1238877 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
10. "Norfolk Churches". www.norfolkchurches.co.uk. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
11. "Roll of Honour - Norfolk - Burnham Market, Burnham Westgate, Burnham Sutton, Burnham Norton". www.roll-of-honour.com. Retrieved 24 November 2024.

External links

• St Margaret's on the European Round Tower Churches Website

• Map sources for Burnham Norton.
• Information from Genuki Norfolk on Burnham Norton.
• Norfolkcoast.co.uk on Burnham Norton.