Great Snoring
Encyclopedia
Great Snoring is a rural village in North Norfolk
by the River Stiffkey
, in the east of England
. Its population in the 2001 census
was 168, a dramatic decrease since 1841 when it was 556 (this included 81 people in the Walsingham
Union Workhouse
).
At the centre of the village is the 13th century St. Mary's Church and the Old Rectory
. There is a rather narrow main street with houses built of brick and flint. Behind the church stands the Manor House
which was built in about 1490, and is now a hotel, accommodating up to 16 guests.
The nearest inn and shop are in the larger village of Little Snoring
, which is about two miles (3 km) away.
calls the village by the Saxon name Snaringa/Snarringes, named after an inhabitant called Snear. The book includes mention of a water mill, which now features on the village sign.
1611 - Sir Ralph Shelton, lord of the manor, sold Great Snoring to Lord Chief Justice Richardson. Sir Ralph is reported to have said "I can sleep without Snoring".
1854 - Francis White's History, Gazetteer and Directory of Norfolk describes the village as having:
1914-1918 - the Great Snoring war memorial
lists 22 men who died in the First World War.
The 2001 Census shows 168 people in 81 households (35 owner-occupied, 46 rented). 24 of these households were classified as "second residence / holiday accommodation".
was formed, and a new Walsingham Union workhouse
was built at Great Snoring in the same year to accommodate up to 250 inmates. The architect
was William Thorold
, and he based it on Sampson Kempthorne
's model cruciform plan published by the Poor Law Commissioners in 1835. Four accommodation wings were joined to a central supervisory area, allowing segregation of different categories of inmate. Areas between the wings were used as exercise space. Workshops and service buildings around the edge gave the overall site an octagonal shape. To the east of the site a chapel was built.
After the closure of the workhouse, the buildings had various uses: as a smallpox
hospital in the 1930s; by the Civil Defence in the 1950s; and most recently, plans to convert the building into 35 flats were approved in 1961. But no conversion was carried out and the buildings have now been demolished.
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:...
by the River Stiffkey
River Stiffkey
The River Stiffkey is a chalk stream running through an area of north Norfolk, England from its source near Swanton Novers to flow out into the North Sea on the north Norfolk coast near the town of Stiffkey...
, in the east of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Its population in the 2001 census
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
was 168, a dramatic decrease since 1841 when it was 556 (this included 81 people in the Walsingham
Walsingham
Walsingham is a village in the English county of Norfolk. The village is famed for its religious shrines in honour of the Virgin Mary and as a major pilgrimage centre...
Union Workhouse
Workhouse
In England and Wales a workhouse, colloquially known as a spike, was a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment...
).
At the centre of the village is the 13th century St. Mary's Church and the Old Rectory
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
. There is a rather narrow main street with houses built of brick and flint. Behind the church stands the Manor House
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
which was built in about 1490, and is now a hotel, accommodating up to 16 guests.
The nearest inn and shop are in the larger village of Little Snoring
Little Snoring
Little Snoring is a village and a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is east-north-east of the town of Fakenham, west-south-west of Cromer and north-north-east of London. The nearest railway station is at Sheringham for the Bittern Line which runs between Sheringham,...
, which is about two miles (3 km) away.
History
1086 - The Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
calls the village by the Saxon name Snaringa/Snarringes, named after an inhabitant called Snear. The book includes mention of a water mill, which now features on the village sign.
1611 - Sir Ralph Shelton, lord of the manor, sold Great Snoring to Lord Chief Justice Richardson. Sir Ralph is reported to have said "I can sleep without Snoring".
1854 - Francis White's History, Gazetteer and Directory of Norfolk describes the village as having:
- 99 houses, with a total population of 656
- John Dugmore, Esq as lord of the manor
- the church dedicated to the Virgin Mary with a "fine tower" (formerly a spire), containing curious old brasses of the Skelton family
- the rectory house, built by the Skelton family, described as a "fine specimen of ornamental brick work", valued at £24 and occupied by Rev. D.H. Lee Warner
- Walsingham Union House, a workhouse with 164 staff and occupants.
1914-1918 - the Great Snoring war memorial
War memorial
A war memorial is a building, monument, statue or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or to commemorate those who died or were injured in war.-Historic usage:...
lists 22 men who died in the First World War.
Population
| Year | 1841 | 1854 | 1861 | 1871 | 1891 | 1911 | 1921 | 2001 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 556 | 656 | 594 | 598 | 543 | 484 | 413 | 168 |
The 2001 Census shows 168 people in 81 households (35 owner-occupied, 46 rented). 24 of these households were classified as "second residence / holiday accommodation".
The Walsingham Union workhouse
On 12 April 1836 Walsingham Poor Law UnionPoor Law Union
A Poor Law Union was a unit used for local government in the United Kingdom from the 19th century. The administration of the Poor Law was the responsibility of parishes, which varied wildly in their size, populations, financial resources, rateable values and requirements...
was formed, and a new Walsingham Union workhouse
Workhouse
In England and Wales a workhouse, colloquially known as a spike, was a place where those unable to support themselves were offered accommodation and employment...
was built at Great Snoring in the same year to accommodate up to 250 inmates. The architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
was William Thorold
William Thorold
William Thorold was an eminent 19th-century millwright, architect and civil engineer in Norwich, Norfolk.He was born in 1798 in Methwold, Norfolk, the son of a farmer...
, and he based it on Sampson Kempthorne
Sampson Kempthorne
Sampson Kempthorne was a workhouse architect. He began practising in Carlton Chambers on Regent Street in London. His father was a friend of the Poor Law Commissioner Thomas Frankland Lewis, which may have helped him to get the commission to build workhouses.Kempthorne came up with two designs –...
's model cruciform plan published by the Poor Law Commissioners in 1835. Four accommodation wings were joined to a central supervisory area, allowing segregation of different categories of inmate. Areas between the wings were used as exercise space. Workshops and service buildings around the edge gave the overall site an octagonal shape. To the east of the site a chapel was built.
After the closure of the workhouse, the buildings had various uses: as a smallpox
Smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
hospital in the 1930s; by the Civil Defence in the 1950s; and most recently, plans to convert the building into 35 flats were approved in 1961. But no conversion was carried out and the buildings have now been demolished.
Notable residents
- John PearsonJohn Pearson (scholar)John Pearson was an English theologian and scholar.-Life:He was born at Great Snoring, Norfolk....
(1612–86) (English divine and scholar) was born in Great Snoring on 28 February 1612.