Hapton, Norfolk

Hapton
St Margaret, Hapton
Hapton Location within Norfolk
OS grid reference	TM178964
Civil parish	Tharston and Hapton
District	South Norfolk
Shire county	Norfolk
Region	East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	Norwich
Postcode district	NR15
Dialling code	01508
Police	Norfolk
Fire	Norfolk
Ambulance	East of England
UK Parliament	South Norfolk
List of places UK England Norfolk 52°31′19″N1°12′32″E / 52.52192°N 1.20896°E / 52.52192; 1.20896

Hapton is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Tharston and Hapton, in the English county of Norfolk.

Hapton is located 4.9 miles (7.9 km) south-east of Wymondham and 7.8 miles (12.6 km) south-west of Norwich.

History

Hapton's name is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from the Old English for Heabba's settlement. ^[1]

In the Domesday Book, Hapton is listed as a settlement of 33 households in the hundred of Depwade. In 1086, the village was divided between the estates of Roger Bigod and Hugh d'Avranches, Earl of Chester. ^[2]

Hapton Hall was built in the Nineteenth Century. ^[3] During the Second World War, a pillbox was built near the hall to defend against a possible German invasion. ^[4] The headquarters of Redwings Horse Sanctuary is now at the site. ^[5]

On 1 April 1935, the parish was abolished and merged with Tharston. ^[6]

Geography

In 1931, the parish had a population of 159 ^[7] this was the last time population statistics were collected for Hapton as in 1935 the parish was merged.

St. Margaret's Church

Hapton's church is dedicated to Saint Margaret the Virgin and dates from the Fourteenth Century. St. Margaret's is located within the village on Holly Lane and has been Grade I listed since 1959. ^[8] The church no longer holds Sunday services and is part of the Upper Tas Valley Benefice. ^[9]

The church was restored in the Victorian era. ^[10]

Amenities

Hapton Church of England Primary School is part of The Saints Federation. The headmistress is Mrs. E. Sexton.

Governance

Hapton is part of the electoral ward of Forncett for local elections and is part of the district of South Norfolk.

The village's national constituency is South Norfolk which has been represented by the Labour's Ben Goldsborough MP since 2024.

War Memorial

Hapton's war memorial is located inside St. Margaret's Church and lists the following names for the First World War: ^[11]

Rank	Name	Unit	Date of Death	Burial/Commemoration
Sgt.	Frederick J. L. Green	7th Bn., Royal Warwickshire Regiment	28 Aug. 1917	Tyne Cot
Pte.	James W. Scrancher	4th (Central Ontario) Bn., CEF	19 Aug. 1917	Vimy Memorial
Pte.	George H. Groom	32nd Bn., Machine Gun Corps	7 Jun. 1918	Cabaret Rouge Cem.
Pte.	William Pye	2nd Bn., Norfolk Regiment	3 Oct. 1916	Struma Cemetery

The following names were added after the Second World War:

Rank	Name	Unit	Date of Death	Burial/Commemoration
St1C	Vernon J. Rees	HMS Hood	24 May 1941	Portsmouth Memorial
Pte.	Derek Cook	4th Bn., Royal Norfolk Regiment	21 Sep. 1944	Kranji War Memorial
Pte.	Richard E. Hurry	2nd Bn., Sherwood Foresters	25 Feb. 1944	Naples War Cemetery
Pte.	Dennis A. Woods	3rd (Melton Constable) Bn., Home Guard	22 Jun. 1941	St. Margaret's Churchyard

References

1. "Key to English Place-names". kepn.nottingham.ac.uk. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
2. "Hapton | Domesday Book". opendomesday.org. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
3. "MNF12477 - Norfolk Heritage Explorer". www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
4. "MNF32720 - Norfolk Heritage Explorer". www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
5. "Our story". Redwings Horse Sanctuary. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
6. "Relationships and changes Hapton AP/CP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 3 October 2022.
7. "Population statistics Hapton AP/CP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time . Retrieved 3 October 2022.
8. "CHURCH OF ST MARGARET, Tharston and Hapton - 1179227 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
9. "Hapton: St Margaret". www.achurchnearyou.com. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
10. "Norfolk Churches". www.norfolkchurches.co.uk. Retrieved 12 April 2025.
11. "Geograph:: Hackford to Hunworth :: War Memorials in Norfolk". www.geograph.org.uk. Retrieved 12 April 2025.

External links

• GENUKI entry for Hapton, Norfolk