Burston, Norfolk

Burston
St. Mary's Church
Burston Location within Norfolk
Area	9.17 km2 (3.54 sq mi)
Population	568 (2011) [1]
•  Density	62/km2 (160/sq mi)
Civil parish	Burston and Shimpling
District	South Norfolk
Shire county	Norfolk
Region	East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	DISS
Postcode district	IP22
Dialling code	01379
UK Parliament	Waveney Valley
List of places UK England Norfolk 52°24′N1°09′E / 52.40°N 1.15°E / 52.40; 1.15

Burston is a village and former civil parish in Norfolk, England. It is 2+1⁄2 miles (4.0 km) north-east of Diss and 16 miles (26 km) south-west of Norwich. On 1 April 1935, the parish of Shimpling and Burston were merged to form Burston and Shimpling. ^[2] In 1931 the parish of Burston had a population of 279. ^[3] This was the last time separate population statistics for Burston were collected in the census.

History

Burston's name is of Anglo-Saxon origin, ^[4] and in the Domesday Book it is recorded as a settlement of 41 households in the hundred of Diss that waspart of the estates of William the Conqueror and Robert Malet. ^[5]

The local pub, The Crown, dates to the 17th century ^[6] and still operates. ^[7]

Burston railway station on the Great Eastern Main Line between Norwich and London Liverpool Street closed in 1966.

School

Main article: Burston Strike School

From 1914 to 1939, Burston was the scene of the longest strike in history when schoolteachers Tom and Annie Higdon went on strike in protest over unhygienic and inadequate schooling conditions for the local children. The children were instead invited to attend Burston Strike School, which was originally located on the village green before moving to the new school building in 1917. The building was funded by public subscription, with the patrons' names (including Leo Tolstoy) carved into bricks used to build the school. ^[8]

In 1949, the school building was registered as an educational charity and is currently operated by a board of trustees as a museum, visitor centre, village amenity and educational archive. A rally to commemorate the strike has been organised on the first Sunday of September every year since 1984 by the Transport and General Workers' Union and its successor organisation, Unite the Union.

St. Mary's Church

Burston's parish church is dedicated to Saint Mary and dates from the 15th century. The tower collapsed in 1753 and was never rebuilt. The building is Grade II listed. ^[9] The church was restored in the 19th century and again in 2013, and has a set of royal arms from the reign of James I. Tom and Annie Higdon, leaders of the Burston Strike School, are buried side-by-side in the churchyard. ^[10]

Notable people

• Annie Higdon (1864–1946) teacher, lived and worked in Burston

References

1. "Civil Parish population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 31 July 2016.
2. "Relationships and Changes Burston CP/AP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time . Retrieved 2 October 2022.
3. "Population statistics Burston CP/AP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 5 February 2023.
4. "Key to English Place-names". kepn.nottingham.ac.uk. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
5. "Burston | Domesday Book". opendomesday.org. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
6. "THE CROWN PUBLIC HOUSE, Burston and Shimpling - 1373592 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
7. "Welcome to The Burston Crown | Pub in Burston, Diss, Norfolk". The Burston Crown. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
8. "THE STRIKE SCHOOL, Burston and Shimpling - 1171245 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
9. "CHURCH OF ST MARY, Burston and Shimpling - 1305672 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 24 November 2024.
10. "Norfolk Churches". www.norfolkchurches.co.uk. Retrieved 24 November 2024.