Dersingham roads and their name origins

Road Name	Origin
Admiral's Drive	Lord Louis Mountbatten was Admiral of the Fleet
Alexandra Close	Dersingham Railway Station opened in 1862 and The Alexandra Railway Hotel stood directly opposite the station. The railway was closed in May 1969 and The Alexandra closed shortly afterwards; it is now a private residence.
Balmoral Close	Balmoral in Scotland is one of the Queen’s residences
Bank Road	The bungalow on the corner of the road has served at differing times as a bank and at one time was the residence of Doctor Jolley. The Dersingham Surgery was in the tiny building that is first on the left; it remained so until the new surgery was built next to the school in Saxon Way.
Beech Drift
Brenda Collinson Close	This road was built on land once owned by Decoy Farms Ltd.
Broadlands Close	Broadlands was the home of Lord Montbatten.
Brook Road
Burma Close	Lord Mountbatten was appointed supreme commander S.E. Asia in 1943and worked closely with General William Slim to reconquer Burma; his full title then becoming Lord Mountbatten of Burma.
Bush Close	Kenneth Bush was a solicitor who lived in Shernborne Road.
Centre Vale	The Vale was an area of open pasture land enclosed by the present day Chapel Road, Manor Road, Post Office Road and Lynn Road. The moat and other earthworks associated with the old Manor House of Brookhall are still visible at its centre. The remains of the sheep washpit can still be seen close to Manor Road. It is possible that the part of this road that is still unsurfaced was once known as Jackson's Lane. James Jackson occupied the farmhouse that is No. 5 and farmed the area.
Centre Crescent
Chapel Road	The name of this road was settled by the Parish Council in 1911 and refers to the Primitive Methodist Chapel which was built in 1878 when the road was often known as Sandringham Road.
Chestnut Close
Church Lane
Clayton Close	This area was once open pasture with several ponds. Mr. Jarvis whose bakery was next to the garage at the corner of Post Office Road tethered his horses here.
Cow Lane	A previous name for Lynn Road; naming was probably related to the Dun Cow inn.
Crest Road
Crisp Close	From Joshua Shuardson-Hipkin: "This was named after my great grandfather, Horace Crisp (my grandmother's father) who was a carpenter for the Queen. I am told he made King George's coffin! When my grandfather built the Mountbatten estate he named the road accordingly.' Also noted that an E. J. Crisp was President of the Tennis Club in 1933.
Doddshill Road	One of the few places in the village to have retained its name for more than 500 years. Early documents from the 15th century record it as Dodyshill, A family called Dodys held land and property here. On the Tithe map of 1839 a pasture opposite the Green was called Dotshill Close. In the census of 1861 it is referred to as Dodds Hill and in 1871 as Dods Hill.
Duck Decoy Close	Bryant's map of 1826 clearly shows a decoy on Dersingham Marshes. The Tithe map of 1839 records *George Skelton occupying a cottage and garden and Decoy on the marshes. The usual method of decoying was to feed wild ducks using tame ducks called decoys. A signal would be given and the tame ducks would swim up the dyke which was roofed with netting. The wild ducks would follow the tame ones and once beneath the nets their fate was sealed. Present day Ordnance Survey still record the Decoy. Decoy Farms Ltd. used to be in Station Road before the land was sold for housing. See Brenda Collison Close
Earl Close	Lord Mountbatten was the 1^st Earl of that name
Edinburgh Way	Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh
Fern Hill	Older residents refer to this road as Farran Hill.
Gelham Court	See Gelham Manor
Gelham Manor	Gelham Manor was one of the seven Manors that made up the area of Dersingham. The moated Manor House stood in the open area between the Mountbatten Estate and the bypass recently named The Warren. The house and land was owned by the de Gelham family until about 1377. It then passed through many hands until eventually becoming part of the Sandringham Estate. The house would have been subject to many floods from the sea that occurred over the centuries and was probably abandoned sometime in the 17th century.
Glebe Close	See Glebe Road
Glebe Road	Glebe was land assigned to the incumbent of a parish as part of his benefice and the endowment of the church. The Tithe Map, 1839, shows the area as Glebe Allotments. In 1895 the Parish Council interviewed the vicar and his tenant in reference to letting the whole of the Glebe land for allotment purposes. On the 1905 map the area is designated Glebe Garden Allotments.
Greenwich Close
Hawthorn Drive
Heath Road	Walking up Heath Road from the Lynn Road the Open Common is on the left while on the right is the Shut-up Common At the time of writing both are administered by the Dersingham United Charities.
High Street	A colloquial name that was used for Lynn Road.
Hipkin Road	Roy Hipkin was a local builder who built much of The Mountbatten Estate and other properties in the village.
Holyrood Drive	Palace of Holyrood house is the official residence in Scotland of the reigning monarch
Hunstanton Road
Iveagh Close	Edward Guiness 1^st Earl of Iveagh founded The Guiness Trust, which operates the Hanover Court complex in 1890.
James Jackson Road	James Jackson was a local farmer. His large farmhouse still stands in Centre Vale. Villagers remember Mr. Jackson Senior pedalling his old black three wheeler, tapping a stick on the handlebars as he drove his cows from the milking parlour to the pastures.
Jubilee Drive	The estate was built during the time of the Silver Jubilee 1977
Kerrich Close	Samuel Kerrich vicar of Dersingham 1729 -1768 buried in the Chancel. Thomas Kerrich his son and a talented artist, vicar of Dersingham 1784-1828
Kings Croft
Ling (or Lyng) House Road	Ling House farm and cottages is situated 3 miles to the east on the edge of the parish boundary. The Stanton family are recorded as farmers here in White’s and Kelly’s Directories of 1836 through to 1937. They record that all letters should be addressed to Anmer,Lynn
Lynn Road	The part of Lynn Road that runs from the present supermarket towards King's Lynn was during part of 20th century known as Cow Lane. Had also been known as High Street. The site of the supermarket was once that of The Dun Cow Inn and farm. The Turnpike Road of 1811 terminated at The Dun Cow Inn.
Manor Road	Westhall Manor House , built 1671, still stands at the beginning of this road. In the late 17th and early 18th century it was the village workhouse.The southern part (from the current Sandringham Road to Lynn Road) was formally called Sandringham Road.
Manorside	A 20th century development off Manor Road.
Mill Road	There were at one time three windmills in the village. The one that stood on the site of Hill House, half way up Sugar Lane, was destroyed in a gale in 1808. The second one at the top of Mill Road was taken down in 1907. The third mill stood about where Dersingham Station is; it is recorded on Faden's map of 1797 but does not feature after that. The land where it stood is recorded on the Tithe Map as Mill Hill.
Mountbatten Road	Named for Lord Louis Mountbatten of Burma
Old Hall Drive	This refers to Dersingham Hall now Jannoch's Court built by the wealthy Pell Family about 1671. It could also reference the Moated Manor House that once stood in the Pastures at the back of the estate and was known as Brookhall or Oldhall , the home of the Brookdish family from the 12/13th centuries. The moat is still visible.
Onedin Close	Perhaps this was named for the popular television drama The Onedin Line popular at the time
Orchard Close	The land on which these bungalows stand was once Reynold's Nursery. The large house and shop stood on the corner of Post Officer Road and Chapel Road with several greenhouses facing onto Post Office Road. There was indeed an orchard here.
Pakenham Drive	Pakenham Manor was one of the seven Manors that made up Dersingham. The Manor House stood in what is now the playground of the old school at the bottom of Dodds Hill Road. It was demolished in 1935 to enlarge the school playground and much of the stonework was used in the wall that was built to surround the extended churchyard.
Pansey Drive
Paige's Close	Frederick Albert Paige was Station Master from late 1893 to late 1900
Park Hill	This area in the 17th century was recorded as Mr. Roger's Park. Thomas Rogers and his son, also Thomas, lived here. They were obviously wealthy and Thomas Rogers Senior became High Sheriff of Norfolk. Older villagers remember it as an open space where they played and gathered blackberries.
Pell Road	The Pell family were wealthy wool merchants who are recorded in the village from the late 15th century until the 18th. There are many monuments in the church to this family.
Philip Nurse Road	Philip Herbert (Duke) Nurse was 28 years old when he died in a tragic building site accident in January 1983. “Duke” as all his family and friends called him was born the youngest son of Herbert and Eileen Nurse, of 10 Chapel Road and attended Dersingham Primary School and St. George's Secondary Modern School. As a young lad he would often be seen wearing a very oversized white apron making deliveries with Norman Towers (the butcher who had the shop in Chapel Road just before the traffic lights which became Scoles Butchers and is now private housing.) later as a teenager he would help out at Vawser's farm in Ingoldisthorpe. After leaving school Duke started by working on the land, later transferring to the Furniture factory in Snettisham, and then as an employee of Bob Riches at Stafford House Builders. He then worked for Ingoldisthorpe construction firm H.C.L. for three years leading up to his death. Duke played darts for the Coach and Horses, being involved in a competition between that pub and The Dun Cow (on the site of the Co-op Supermarket), played football in both Saturday and Sunday leagues. The accident occurred whilst he was employed by a sub-contractor on a building site in Grimston Road Wootton, when an 11-foot trench collapsed around him, leaving him trapped up to his neck. Rescue workers, including 6 firemen and a doctor from Gayton Road health centre arrived at the scene at about 3.30p.m. and are reported to have worked for over an hour to free him, but he later died in hospital, having suffered a fractured skull and brain haemorrhage. At the inquest following his death, Station officer Paddy Barrett said “It was a very difficult operation, we had to use compressed air and spades to move some of the soil which had trapped him.” Mr. Barrett paid special tribute to the digger driver on site, Mr. Derek Lovett, who throughout the rescue bid held back the walls of the trench with his digger bucket. Two wreaths at his funeral were reminiscent of his life in that one was of white chrysanthemums in the shape of a football, and another in white, gold and yellow flowers, styled as a glass of lager on a beer mat. The service conducted by the vicar of Dersingham Rev. Hugh Pollock was in a packed chapel at Mintlyn Crematorium where 245 mourners some standing three deep around the walls paid tribute to a well respected and loved local man. (Village Voice 30 September/October 2004)
Post Office Road	When known as Middle Road the Post Office opened here in about 1890 with Enoch Beckett as postmaster. He had previously run the business with his shop in the long cottage that is now a private house on the corner of King's Croft.
Prince Charles Close	For The Prince of Wales
Prince Andrew Drive	For Queen Elizabeth II's second son
Queen Elizabeth Drive	For Queen Elizabeth II
Reg Houchen Road	Reg, with his brother Thomas, ran a motor car and coach hire business from the late 20s and 30s; their garage was in Bank Road. During the war years Reg's wife, Dora, organised concert parties and called the group The Dersingham Premiers. Reg used to transport the cast with all their props in one of his coaches to the surrounding villages for the performances to raise money for the war effort. Both were active in the village for many years after the war.
Reynolds Way	John Charles Reynolds was a nurseryman and florist. His nursery was in Post Office Road where Orchard Close has been built. The house stood on the corner of Post Office Road and Chapel Road.
Robert Balding Drive	Balding is a well established village name. Baldings can be found in all the census returns from 1841. They have been glovers, cattle dealers, a grocer and draper, and farmers.
Sandringham Road	Queen Elizabeth II's Norfolk estate appears in Domesday as Sant Dersingham and has passed through many hands before being bought by Queen Victoria in 1862. Formally called Sandringham Hill
Saxon Way	A historical period. In these times land was held here by men called Ricwold and Skeet before William the Conqueror dispossessed them and gave the lands to his nephew Peter de Valognes.
Senters Road (see the Senter story)	Hannah Senter, a shopkeeper and milliner ran her business from the house on the corner of Manor Road and Lynn Road in the 1890s and early 20th century. Walter Read Senter was a cycle agent . Others of that name in later years include, Leah Senter, confectioner, and Martin Senter, boot repairer,
Shernborne Road	The road that leads to the village of Shernborne which lies 3 miles beyond..
Shouldham Close	Shouldham Priory Manor was another of the 7 Manors here. Shouldham Monastery was founded in 1135 by St. Gilbert. He formed labourers into a monastic order and founded a nunnery for destitute girls. This manor probably covered the area where the present Manor House stands. Christiana de Mandeville Countess of Essex gave lands and property from Dersingham to the monastery. At the dissolution of the monasteries the Manor was granted to John Dethick who in 1547 transferred the ownership to John Pell and his heirs. Over time the area became part of the Sandringhan Estate.
Silver Drive	Built during the Queen's Silver Jubilee.
St Nicholas Close	Some distance from the church but associated with our church which is dedicated to St. Nicholas, Patron Saint of youth, merchants, sailors, travellers and thieves.
Stanton Road	The Stanton family have farmed in the village for several generations at Manor House Farm and Ling House Farm
Station Road	Dersingham Station opened for the first train services in 1862 and closed on May 1969
Stratford Close	After the Second World War when Dersingham Hall had been released from military requisition Mr. G.W.Stratford bought and converted it into Dersingham Hall Social and Camping Club. The grounds were well used and one week were occupied by a large contingent from South Emsall Colliery.
Sugar Lane	Efforts have been made to trace the origin but so far it is unknown; it is probably a corrupted form of its original spelling.
Thomas Drew Close	Thomas drew was born in Dersingham in 1865. His mother and Stepfather were licensees of the once Albert Victor Inn located in Manor Road. As a young man Mr. Drew served in the First World War in the Coldstream Guards and he suffered from enemy gas attacks, the effects of which affected his later life. He eventually started in the building trade and in the 1930s and 1940s he built for the private sector and the Council. Some of the plots which he built in Dun Cow Lane (now Lynn Road) cost £30 per plot. Tom Drew took an active interest in village life having served many years in the 1930s and 1940s on the Parish Council. After the war, with tight restrictions and controls in the supply of scarce building materials he had a brush with the red tape rules. He had supposedly built his family bungalow without a permit but this was disproved when he proved that he had built the house from surplus materials from his other building sites. Mr. Drew died in 1954 and has two daughters who still lived in Dersingham. (Village Voice 27 March/April 2004)
Tudor Way	An historical period
Valley Rise
Viceroy Close	Lord Mountbatten was the last Viceroy of India in 1947
Wallace Twite Way	Wallace Jack Twite was born in King's Lynn in April 1903, moved to Dersingham in 1911, married his wife Gladys at St. Nicholas Church and then raised a family in the village until his death in 1981. Wallace worked on the Sandringham Estate from 1917 for 51 years in the Woods department, being mainly responsible for the boundary fences and acting as beater on the Royal shoots (45 years) being in the position of Deputy Forester at the time of his retirement. He had served four monarchs and held the Royal Victorian Medal (silver), the Coronation Medal, and the Long Service medal with three bars. He acted as Special Police Constable from 1939 to 1945. He had a major interest in sport, playing football as goalkeeper in the 20s and 30s, then acting as referee after the end of the war. He was also involved with the cricket club as a scorer before the war becoming an umpire afterwards. In addition to this he was a keen bowls player with the Dersingham Institute Club. One anecdote, which identifies with him is that, at the time he played football the team used to travel to away matches on a farm wagon pulled by a horse. Having completed one match at Burnham the horse, having been coupled up to the wagon, refused to move. Whereas when unharnessed the animal would walk along as requested. The ultimate result of this was that the team ended up taking it in turns to travel the whole of the way home hauling the wagon, whilst the horse walked alongside! Wallace was Clerk to the parish Council, a member and Clerk to the Board of Trustees, Branch Secretary for the national Union of Agricultural Workers (21 years) and was Governor of the Middle School. In addition to all this he was on the committee of the Sports Club (13years) and of the Football Club for many years, also undertaking the responsibility, jointly with his wife, to act as Village Correspondent for the Lynn News (30years) under the pseudonym of “Drifter”. A keen churchgoer he sang with the choir at St. Nicholas for 60 years (the organist at the time was Teddy Rye of West Newton and one of his friends in the choir was Roland Linford who owned the grocery store which was located at what is now the Fish and Chip shop.) He was still in the position of verger when he died at the age of 78. He was a member of a group of enthusiasts who would spend hours on the upkeep of the churchyard. Wallace's son Bernard continues to live in the area. (Village Voice 29 July/August 2004)
West Road	See West Hall Road
West Hall Road	Westhall Manor House built 1671 still stands in Manor Road and its lands would have covered this area.
White Horse Drive	The White Horse was a public house with farm attached standing in Jubilee Court where the Estate Agents is situated. There are records dating back well into the 19th century and beyond.
Wiclewood Close	Richard de Wiclewood vicar of Dersingham from 1344 to 1349. His initial R can be found carved into the ancient wooden chest at the front of the church
Willow Drive	A very new addition to the village built in the grounds of the adjacent house.
Windsor Drive	The Royal Family adopted the name Windsor in 1917 as George V thought the Germanic surname Saxe-Coburg- Gotha was inappropriate in view of the circumstances of the time.
Woodside Avenue	See Woodside Close.
Woodside Close	The Plantation now known as Life Wood but once recorded as Mr. Hoste's Plantation borders this area.