DERSINGHAM is a large well-built village on the Hunstanton road, having a station on the Lynn and Hunstanton Railway, and lies 8½ miles N.N.E. of Lynn, sheltered on the north and east by rising and well-cultivated fields, and bounded on the south by a sandy heath and rabbit warren, of 1,900 acres of land, of which 1,500 acres are in Wolferton, and the rest in Sandringham, West Newton, and Dersingham. It is in Docking union, Freebridge Lynn petty sessional division and hundred, Lynn county court district and bankruptcy district, Lynn (Norfolk) rural deanery, and Norfolk archdeaconry. The parish is increasing every year, partly from its contiguity to Sandringham, and partly from its healthy position, the valley having on its north and east sides ranges of chalk hills, which afford excellent building sites and lovely views over the sea and Lincolnshire coast. The parish contained, in 1881, 1,014 inhabitants (and is still increasing), and comprises 3,472 acres of land, extending two miles westward to Lynn Deeps, and three miles eastward to Ling House. The rateable value being £5,262. At the enclosure in 1779, 160 acres
were allotted in lieu of the vicarial tithes, and 457 acres were enclosed within a ring fence for the use of the parish, viz., 329 acres of marsh as a stinted common, and 128 acres of heath, and are let, the rentals of which are divided in coals, &c., to the poor. There are five manors, of which H.R.H. the Prince of Wales and the Rev. J. Bellamy are lords; these, with J. B. Goggs, Esq., are the principal landowners. The CHURCH is a grand structure, principally of the commencement of the fourteenth century, but it is evident that a much more ancient church stood on the same site, as the re-working in of Norman mouldings and enrichments prove. It consists of a nave of six bays, aisles with clerestory, large chancel, and a fine massive and lofty western tower containing six bells. The total length inside is 155 feet, width 52 feet; of this the chancel takes 50 feet by 23 feet. In the east wall is an aumbry, over the altar table, divided in the centre by a shelf. There is a curious leper window on the south side. At the eastern end of the south aisle, formerly a chantry, is a fine piscina and a curious hagioscope, or squint, giving persons in that aisle a view of the high altar. On the south side of the chancel is an exquisitely designed recess combining under one hood-moulded tripple sedilia and piscina. The font is a simple and massive one of the fourteenth century. The rood-screen, fifteenth century, was a very elaborate one, the whole was richly painted and gilt, and on the north side the panels contain well-executed but much defaced paintings of saints. At the east end of the south aisle is a fine tomb, having a black marble slab on the top, with incised figures of John Pell, mayor of Lynn, and his wife, and on the sides are representations of their six sons and three daughters. There are many slabs to the Pell family, and mural tablets of the Postlethwaite, Hodson, and Kerrich families. The whole of the building and fittings were thoroughly restored in 1876-7 at a cost of £5,300, borne principally (the President of St. John's College, Oxford) the Rev. James Bellamy, D.D., who is patron of the living. The living is a Vicarage held by the Rev. Edward W. Penny, M.A., of the annual value of £380. The Wesleyans and the Primitive Methodists have chapels in the village. The Parish Schools have been enlarged at the cost of the Rev. J. Bellamy, and are now conducted on the voluntary principle affording accommodation for 200 children. The poor parishioners have the following yearly doles:- £5 from 2A. 8P. of land at Snettisham, left by Jeffery Bummer in 1689; 10s.left by Nicholas Ground, out of land occupied by Mr. Jackson; and £33 as the rent of 10A. 2R. 36P., allotted at the enclosure, in lieu of land purchased with £100 left by Elizabeth Pell, in 1730.
POST, MONEY ORDER, and TELEGRAPH OFFICE and SAVINGS BANK at Mr. Enoch Beckett's. Letters arrive at 6.30 a.m. and are despatched at 6.15 p.m., via Lynn.
Asker James, farm bailiff
Asker J. furniture broker & hawker
Balding Robert, grocer and draper
Balding Robert, farmer & cattle dealer
Balding Thomas,farmer & cattle dealer
Beckett Enoch, postmaster
Bird Frederick James, butcher
Blyth Capt., William D'Urban, Hill house
Boothby Alfred, coal dealer and assistant.overseer
Boothby Mrs Hannah, dressmaker
Bullock Matthew, stationmaster
Bunn James, coal agent and farmer
Bussey Miss Maria, farmer
Chambers George bricklayer and builder
Chambers William bricklayer and builder
Chambers Mr William
Clements Mrs Sophia
Coe Mrs Katherine H. Rose cottage
Coller R. & Son, coal merchants; and Norwich; James Bunn, agent
Cook James, butcher
Cross A. H. organist & teacher of music
Culyer Mr Robert
Daniel James, fisherman
Daniel William, fisherman
Daw Robert, sexton
Dixon George, grocer and draper
Dodd, Mrs Jessie 8. Wellswill house
Dodman W.V. Blacksmith & machinist
Earl Robert horse dealer
Firth Alfred, schoolmaster
Firth Miss Emma, schoolmistress
Fitt H, saddler & harness maker; and King's Lynn
Fitt M. corn miller, baker & farmer
Flegg W. market gardener & carrier
Frost Mrs Jemima
Hall John, station master
Hardy Alfred victualler Coach and Horses
Hudson W. builder (Kiddle and H.)
Jackson James, farmer
Jannoch Theodor, nurseryman and lily of the valley grower to H.R.H. the Prince of Wales
Jarvis James W. baker and farmer
Kiddle George (K. and Hudson)
Kiddle & Hudson, carpenters & builders
Linnell John, farmer & cattle dealer
Mann Henry, farmer
Mann William, cart owner
March William, parish clerk
Marshall W. & E. farmers; h N. Lynn
Mitchell George, carrier
Parker John William (J. W. & Son)
Parker J. W. & Son, grocers, drapers, and boot dealers
Parker William Theodorick, (J. W. and Son)
Penny Rev Edward William M.A., vicar, The Vicarage
Potter William, blacksmith
Reynolds Daniel, market gardener and coal dealer
Reynolds Miss Elizabeth, dressmaker
Riches George, bricklayer
Riches James, carpenter & wheelwright
Rix Mrs Ann, Wellswill house
Rix-Wells Mr.George, Wellswill house
Rolfe Frederick, cattle dealer
Senter Martin, shopkeeper
Simmonds Charles C. victualler Alexandra hotel
Smith John, victualler. Dun Cow
Smith William Henry, victualler White Horse, and farmer
*Stanton Richard William, farmer, Ling house
Steele George, horse & trap letter
Tansley William, butcher
Taylor Enoch, victualler Feathers hotel and posting house; good stabling for hunters, and first-class accommodation for visitors
Taylor Lieut-General William Wilkinson, Hill house
Terrington Frederick, butcher
Terrington Henry, bootmaker
Terrington John, bootmaker
Terrington Walter, bootmaker
Tingey Edward farmer. Manor house
Twaits Mr Samuel
Walden William, carpenter & builder
Wells Miss Maria Elizabeth, Rose cottage
Wright Thomas, beerhouse
Wyer John, baker
CARRIERS to Lynn, William Flegg and George Mitchell, Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday
RAILWAY - Lynn & Hunstanton; John Hall, stationmaster
