Outwell
Encyclopedia
Outwell is a village
and a civil parish
in the English
county
of Norfolk
The village is 53.4 miles (85.9 km) west of Norwich
, 18.3 miles (29.5 km) south-west of King's Lynn
and 97 miles (156.1 km) north of London
. The nearest town is Wisbech
which is 5.1 miles (8.2 km) north west of the village. The Village is on the route of the A1101
Bury St. Edmunds
to Long Sutton
road. The nearest railway station is at Downham Market
for the Fen Line
which runs between King's Lynn
and Cambridge
. The nearest airport is Norwich International Airport
. The parish of Upwell in the 2001 census
, has a population of 1,880. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the district
of King's Lynn and West Norfolk
.
. Up until 1990 Outwell parish was split with half in Norfolk and half in Cambridgeshire with the boundary falling along the old course of the River Nene
. The boundary also cut straight through the middle of the village. In 1935 the part of Outwell which was in Cambridgeshire was reduced in size to enlarge the nearby village of Emneth
. Outwell parish today is part of the King's Lynn and West Norfolk local government district.
.Crossing the parish from east to west is the drain called Well Creek
. The north and eastern parts of the parish consite of arable and pasture fields, the eastern area referred to as Walsingham Fens and the north area as Well Moors. On the edges of the village there is a small amount of woodland near Birdbeck Field and to the south and at Church Field to the east of the village.
, and suggests that the village of Outwell was established during the Saxon period.
of 1085. In the great book Outwell is recorded by the name of Utwella and Wtwella. The parish was in the custody William de Warenne
. The survey also records 16 bordars with lands worth 5s. as belonging to Saint Benedict's abbey in Ramsey
.
determined the entail layout of Outwell. Since that time, the Landscape of the whole district has conesquently been much altered by the construction of several large drains which run through the parish. In the 17th century Popham's Eau
was cut to provide a conduit for the waters of the old River Nene into the River Great Ouse
at Salter's Lode. This was followed by many alterations and new drains being dug. In May 1862 one sixth of the Parish of Outwell was inundated with water when the Middle Level Drain burst through its banks. It took three years before the area had fully recovered from the flood. Also constructed across the parish was the Wisbech Canal
, now disused, which followed the course of the Well Stream as far as Outwell church and then struck across in a southeasterly direction to join Popham's Eau at Nordelph.
One consequence of all the drains and watercourse around this part of the Fens is the sport of Fen skating. During the cold winters of the 1820s and 1830s there were a number of fenmen who made a name for themselves as skaters. They included James May of Upwell
was a large 16th century manor house on the outskirts of Outwell, built by the Beaupre family, who also financed the many catholic chapels on the church at Outwell. It was later lived in by Robert Bell during the reign of Elizabeth I. In decline since the Victorian era, during World War II, the hall was commandeered by the RAF and later used for holiday housing. From this point the Hall fell into a state of further disrepair until its demolition in 1966.
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
and a civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in the English
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...
county
County
A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain modern nations. Historically in mainland Europe, the original French term, comté, and its equivalents in other languages denoted a jurisdiction under the sovereignty of a count A county is a jurisdiction of local government in certain...
of 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...
The village is 53.4 miles (85.9 km) west 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...
, 18.3 miles (29.5 km) south-west of King's Lynn
King's Lynn
King's Lynn is a sea port and market town in the ceremonial county of Norfolk in the East of England. It is situated north of London and west of Norwich. The population of the town is 42,800....
and 97 miles (156.1 km) north of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The nearest town is Wisbech
Wisbech
Wisbech is a market town, inland port and civil parish with a population of 20,200 in the Fens of Cambridgeshire. The tidal River Nene runs through the centre of the town and is spanned by two bridges...
which is 5.1 miles (8.2 km) north west of the village. The Village is on the route of the A1101
A1101 road
The A1101 is the lowest road in Great Britain; along its approx. stretch it rarely rises above sea level. The road runs from Bury St. Edmunds north west to Littleport where it disappears for approximately , it then re-appears on the other side of the A10 heading north through Wisbech and to its...
Bury St. Edmunds
Bury St. Edmunds
Bury St Edmunds is a market town in the county of Suffolk, England, and formerly the county town of West Suffolk. It is the main town in the borough of St Edmundsbury and known for the ruined abbey near the town centre...
to Long Sutton
Long Sutton
Long Sutton may refer to:*Long Sutton, Hampshire, England*Long Sutton, Lincolnshire, England*Long Sutton, Somerset, England...
road. The nearest railway station is at Downham Market
Downham Market railway station
Downham Market railway station serves the town of Downham Market in the English county of Norfolk. The station lies on Fen Line from Cambridge to King's Lynn, which is electrified at 25 kV AC overhead...
for the Fen Line
Fen Line
The Fen Line is a railway in the United Kingdom that runs between the cities of Cambridge, Cambridgeshire and King's Lynn, Norfolk; the line is so called because it runs through The Fens. The line is part of the Network Rail Strategic Route 5 and comprises SRS 05.06 and part of 05.05...
which runs between King's Lynn
King's Lynn
King's Lynn is a sea port and market town in the ceremonial county of Norfolk in the East of England. It is situated north of London and west of Norwich. The population of the town is 42,800....
and Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
. The nearest airport is Norwich International Airport
Norwich International Airport
Norwich International Airport , also known as Norwich Airport, is an airport in the City of Norwich within Norfolk, England north of the city centre and on the edge of the city's suburbs....
. The parish of Upwell in the 2001 census
United 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....
, has a population of 1,880. 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 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
King's Lynn and West Norfolk
King's Lynn and West Norfolk is a local government district and borough in Norfolk, England. Its council is based in the town of King's Lynn.-History:...
.
Description
The village and parish of Outwell is located on the western edge of the county of Norfolk which borders CambridgeshireCambridgeshire
Cambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
. Up until 1990 Outwell parish was split with half in Norfolk and half in Cambridgeshire with the boundary falling along the old course of the River Nene
River Nene
The River Nene is a river in the east of England that rises from three sources in the county of Northamptonshire. The tidal river forms the border between Cambridgeshire and Norfolk for about . It is the tenth longest river in the United Kingdom, and is navigable for from Northampton to The...
. The boundary also cut straight through the middle of the village. In 1935 the part of Outwell which was in Cambridgeshire was reduced in size to enlarge the nearby village of Emneth
Emneth
Emneth is a village and a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is west of Norwich, south-west of King's Lynn and north of London. The nearest town is Wisbech which is north-north-west of the village. The Village lies to the south-west of the route of the A47 between...
. Outwell parish today is part of the King's Lynn and West Norfolk local government district.
Drains
The village and parish is traversed with many drainage channels which characterize this part of Fenland Norfolk. The eastern corner of the parish is cut north to south by the Middle Level main DrainMiddle Level Navigations
The Middle Level Navigations are a network of waterways in England, primarily used for land drainage, between the Rivers Nene and Great Ouse, between Peterborough and Cambridge.- History :...
.Crossing the parish from east to west is the drain called Well Creek
Middle Level Navigations
The Middle Level Navigations are a network of waterways in England, primarily used for land drainage, between the Rivers Nene and Great Ouse, between Peterborough and Cambridge.- History :...
. The north and eastern parts of the parish consite of arable and pasture fields, the eastern area referred to as Walsingham Fens and the north area as Well Moors. On the edges of the village there is a small amount of woodland near Birdbeck Field and to the south and at Church Field to the east of the village.
Name
It is thought that the name Outwell is derived from old English and derives from the fact that it is a later settlement or extension of nearby village of UpwellUpwell
Upwell is a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.It covers an area of and had a population of 2,456 in 1,033 households as of the 2001 census.For the purposes of local government, it falls within the district of King's Lynn and West Norfolk...
, and suggests that the village of Outwell was established during the Saxon period.
History
Outwell has an entry in 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...
of 1085. In the great book Outwell is recorded by the name of Utwella and Wtwella. The parish was in the custody William de Warenne
William de Warenne
William de Warenne may refer to:*William de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey *William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey *William de Warenne, 3rd Earl of Surrey *William de Warenne, 5th Earl of Surrey...
. The survey also records 16 bordars with lands worth 5s. as belonging to Saint Benedict's abbey in Ramsey
Ramsey
Ramsey may refer to:In places in the United Kingdom:* Ramsey, Cambridgeshire, small market town in England* Ramsey, Essex, a village near Harwich, England* Ramsey Abbey, historic ecclesiastical centre near Ramsey, Cambridgeshire...
.
Drainage and Flooding
In the Middle Ages the River NeneRiver Nene
The River Nene is a river in the east of England that rises from three sources in the county of Northamptonshire. The tidal river forms the border between Cambridgeshire and Norfolk for about . It is the tenth longest river in the United Kingdom, and is navigable for from Northampton to The...
determined the entail layout of Outwell. Since that time, the Landscape of the whole district has conesquently been much altered by the construction of several large drains which run through the parish. In the 17th century Popham's Eau
Middle Level Navigations
The Middle Level Navigations are a network of waterways in England, primarily used for land drainage, between the Rivers Nene and Great Ouse, between Peterborough and Cambridge.- History :...
was cut to provide a conduit for the waters of the old River Nene into the River Great Ouse
River Great Ouse
The Great Ouse is a river in the east of England. At long, it is the fourth-longest river in the United Kingdom. The river has been important for navigation, and for draining the low-lying region through which it flows. Its course has been modified several times, with the first recorded being in...
at Salter's Lode. This was followed by many alterations and new drains being dug. In May 1862 one sixth of the Parish of Outwell was inundated with water when the Middle Level Drain burst through its banks. It took three years before the area had fully recovered from the flood. Also constructed across the parish was the Wisbech Canal
Wisbech Canal
The Wisbech Canal was a broad canal near Wisbech in the Fenland area of Cambridgeshire, England. It ran from the River Nene at Wisbech to the Well Creek at Outwell in Norfolk, which gave access to the River Ouse. It was abandoned in 1926 and filled in during the 1970s.-History:The canal was planned...
, now disused, which followed the course of the Well Stream as far as Outwell church and then struck across in a southeasterly direction to join Popham's Eau at Nordelph.
One consequence of all the drains and watercourse around this part of the Fens is the sport of Fen skating. During the cold winters of the 1820s and 1830s there were a number of fenmen who made a name for themselves as skaters. They included James May of Upwell
Beaupré Hall
Beaupré HallBeaupré Hall
Beaupré Hall was a large 16th century house mainly of brick, which was built by the Beaupres in Outwell, Norfolk, England and enlarged by their successors the Bells. - shown on this . like many of Britains's country houses it was demolished in the mid-twentieth century.-History of the Hall:The...
was a large 16th century manor house on the outskirts of Outwell, built by the Beaupre family, who also financed the many catholic chapels on the church at Outwell. It was later lived in by Robert Bell during the reign of Elizabeth I. In decline since the Victorian era, during World War II, the hall was commandeered by the RAF and later used for holiday housing. From this point the Hall fell into a state of further disrepair until its demolition in 1966.