Gazetteer page 15

Wiggenhall St Peter. - A parish 2 m. N.W. from Magdalen Road station.

Wighton. - A village 2 m. N. from Walsingham station. The church, a large Perpendicular building, contains a well-preserved ancient font. The nave windows have stained glass centres representing the Apostles, St Paul, and St Barnabas. About 1½ m. W. from the village, at a spot called Crabbe's Castle, are traces of ancient entrenchments.

Wilby. - A village 1 m. E. from Eccles Road station. The church has a Norman south porch.

Wimbotsham. - A village on the Ouse, 1 m. N. from Downham station. The church is Norman with Early English and later additions. Its north and south doorways are fine Norman work, and the nave ceiling has some good carved bosses.

Winch, East. - A village, with a station, 5½ m. S.E. by E. from Lynn. The church was thoroughly restored in 1875 under the direction of Sir Gilbert Scott, R.A., when an organ chamber was built on the site of the ancient mortuary chapel of the Howards, Dukes of Norfolk. A brass tablet on the east wall of the organ chamber records the interment, in 1309, of Sir William Howard, a judge, and ten other members of the Howard family.

Winch, West. - A village 3 m. W. from Lynn. The church has a curious south porch, and on the tower are the arms of the Cholmondeley family, who are lords of the manor.

Winfarthing. - A village 3 m. N.W. from Burston station. The church contains a sixteenth century oak chest. Formerly this place was renowned for possessing the "Good Sword of Winfarthing," which was kept in a chapel at the end of the south aisle, and was useful for the discovery of lost articles or animals, and the releasing of wives from husbands who were distasteful to them. The sword was said to have been left here by a thief who took sanctuary in the churchyard. On the Lodge Farm, which is a portion of a deer park enclosed in 1604 by the Earl of Arundel, is one of the largest oaks in England, measuring 70 feet round the roots and 40 feet round the middle of its main trunk.

Wingland, Central. - Most of this parish is in Lincolnshire.

Winterton. - A coast village 1 m. N. from Hemsby station. The church, which dates from the early part of the fourteenth century, has an embattled tower 127 feet high, with eight figures between the pinnacles. The south porch, which has a parvise, is very fine work. A lighthouse about 70 feet high stands on the high ground not far from the church. There is a fine beach, inland of which are wide stretches of sandhills. A good many visitors come here during the summer months, and more would be glad to do so if there were better accommodation for ehem. Comfortable lodgings can only be obtained by arrangements made some time before they are wanted.

witchingham, Great. - A village 1½ m. N. from Lenwade station. The church contains a finely carved ancient font. Lenwade is a hamlet in this parish.

Witchingham, Little. - A parish 1½ m. N. by E. from Lenwade station.

Witton (near North Walsham). - A parish 4 m. N.E. from North Walsham. The church contains some curious mural paintings, discovered in 1859. Two circular windows here are supposed to be Saxon.

Witton (near Norwich). - A village 2 m. N. from Brundall station.

Wiverton. - A parish near the coast and ½ m. W. by S. from Cley. The church contains several interesting sixteenth century brasses; the Hall some fine carved oak panelling.

Wolferton. - A coast village, with a station, 7 m. N. by E. from Lynn. The station is the alighting-place for Sandringham Hall, the seat of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales. The church, which replaced in 1486 an earlier structure of which there are some remains, is a fine building chiefly in the Decorated style, containing some good screens, those inclosing the south chapel being of exceedingly fine fourteenth century workmanship. The church was completely restored in 1886 at a cost of £6000, defrayed by the Prince of Wales, who also presented the stone pulpit. During the progress of the restoration some interesting mural decoration was discovered over the chancel arch, and has been preserved. The parish is included in the Prince's Sandringham Estate, and from the heights between it and Sandringham some fine views may be obtained, Boston Church (Lincolnshire), being visible on clear days across the Wash.

Wolterton. - A parish 3 m. N.E. from Corpusty station and 4 m. N.W. from Aylsham. The church has almost disappeared. Wolterton Hall, built in 1736 for Horace, first Baron Walpole, brother of Sir Robert Walpole, the prime minister, who lived at Houghton, formerly contained a fine collection of pictures. Horace Walpole described the house as one of the best of its size in England, adding " I am really charmed with Wolterton; it is all wood and water." It is approached by a fine avenue of cedars, and contains a bust of Sir Robert Walpole by Rysbrach; also a full-length portrait signed " Stef. Slaughter, 1742," and portraits of Sir Robert's father and mother and the Jesuit Walpole whose life-story has been written by Dr Jessopp.

Woodbastwick. - A Broadland village 2½ m. N.E. from Salhouse station. The Hall, completed in 1889, is a fine house in the Elizabethan style, containing some valuable pictures and art treasures.

Wood Dalling. - A village m. S.W. from Corpusty station. The church contains some memorial brasses and slabs to the Bulwer and Fleetwood families. The late Lord Dalling and Bulwer, diplomat and author, and ambassador to the Ottoman Porte 1858-65, took his title from this parish.

Wood Norton. - A parish 2 m. S.W. from Hindolveston station.

Woodrising. - A village 5 m. W. from Hardingham station. The church, the tower of which is in ruins, contains an ancient monument, with a recumbent figure in armour, supposed to represent Sir Robert Southwell, a former lord of the manor; also a flat monument to Sir Francis Crane, Chancellor of the Order of the Garter, who died at Paris in 1636. The latter knight established a tapestry factory at Mortlake, in Surrey, where a great deal of excellent tapestry was made.

Woodton. - A village 4 m. N.W. from Ditchingham station. The church contains a marble effigy of Anne Suckling, who died in 1653; also a renovated Norman font.

Wootton, North. - A village overlooking the Wash, with a station, 3½ m. N. from Lynn.

Wootton, South. - A village 1 m. S. from North Wootton station. The church contains an altar-tomb to Sir James Windt, dated 1601; also a Norman font. On the north side is a mausoleum of the Hamond family, described by an antiquary as "without exception, the ugliest piece of modern deformity that ever was appended to an old church."

WORMEGAY. - A village 4 m. E. from Magdalen Road station. There are remains of an ancient cross on the village green. Formerly there was a castle of the Lords Bardolf here. It was demolished in 1408 by Henry IV., but its site can still be traced.

Worstead. - A village, with a station, 3 m. S. by E. from North Walsham. The church is one of the finest in the county, having been built during the time when Worstead was an important centre of the woollen manufacture, carried on here by Flemish refugees. It dates from the fourteenth century, and is of Transitional character, having a Decorated tower and Perpendicular nave. Originally it contained nine chapels, one of which has been restored in memory of the father of one of the rectors. Two double screens divide the chapels from the aisles; and under the west tower is a gallery or rood-loft of very fine workmanship. The south porch, which has a parvise, is richly carved and groined. The font is Perpendicular, and has a good tabernacle cover.

Worthing. - A village near North Elmham station.

Wortwell. - A parish on the Waveney, 1½ m. E. from Harleston, and extending to Homersfield station.

Wramplingham. - A village 3½ m. N. from Wymondham.

Wreningham. - A scattered village 3½ m. E. from Wymondham, and adjoining Ash well thorpe station.

Wretham, East. - A parish, with a station, 1 m. from the church on the Thetford and Swaffham line. The church font has a lofty carved oak canopy; the south doorway is Norman, and the east wall of the chancel is adorned with mural paintings.

Wretham, West. - A parish 2 m. W. from Wretham station. The church is in ruins. In the park of 600 acres which surrounds the Hall are two meres known as Hill Mere and Mickle Mere. Formerly there were two larger meres in the neighbourhood - the Great Mere and West Wretham Mere. Some interesting discoveries were made in 1851 and 1856 when these meres were drained.

Wretton. - A village 1 m. W. from Stoke Ferry station.

WROXHAM, - A well-known Broadland village on the Bure, with a station, 7 m. N.E. from Norwich. A large number of yachts, pleasure-wherries, and boats may be hired here for cruising in Broadland, Messrs R. Collins & Son and J. Loynes being the owners and builders of every kind of craft suited to the inland waters. Wroxham Broad, one of the loveliest of the broads, is about two miles from Wroxham Bridge. Both the broad and the river with which it is connected are well-known to anglers, who visit them in considerable numbers. The Broad fishing, however, is preserved, and a charge of 2s. 6d. a-day made to anglers. Cheap fishing tickets to Wroxham station are issued from Norwich, Whitlingham, Cromer, and Gunton stations every day during the summer months. Inns: Black Horse, Castle, Horse Shoes, and King's Head.

WYMONDHAM (pp. 42-43). - A small market town with a station m. S.W. by W. from Norwich and 11 m. S.E. from Dereham. The church, which is attached to the ruins of a priory founded by William d' Albini, chief butler to Henry I. is remarkable for possessing two (east and west) towers, one square, the other octagonal in its upper part. It is now believed that this is a double church. It contains some exceedingly fine and interesting Norman work, the central aisle of the nave having Norman piers and arches. The east tower is of earlier date than the west. The Grammar School is an interesting building, formerly known as St Thomas &-Becket's chapel. The market cross was built in 1616 and restored in 1863. The Old Green Dragon Inn is an ancient building, formerly connected with the priory. Near the church is a well (St Thomas a-Becket's) which used to be much resorted to by pilgrims.

There are. some interesting old houses in the neighbourhood. Stanfield Hall, a moated Tudor house, about 2 m. N.E. from she town, was at one time occupied by Sir John Robsart, father of that ill-fated Amy Robsart, who became the wife of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, and died so mysteriously at Cumnor Hall. Robert Dudley is supposed to have first met his future wife here. Since 1848 the house has had a gruesome interest through having been in that year the scene of the sensational murder of Mr Jermy, the Recorder of Norwich, and his son, who were shot by Blomfield Rush. Burfield Hall, about 2 m. S. along the London Road, was built in 1709, and contains a fine entrance hall and old oak staircase. Gunvil Hall, an Elizabethan house, once surrounded by a moat, is now a farmhouse.

Robert Kett, who raised an insurrection in Norfolk in the reign of Edward VI., was a Wymondham tanner (p. 18). He was hung from the walls of Norwich Castle, his brother meeting with a like fate on Wymondham Church tower. Inns: King's Head, and Railway.

Yarmouth. - The great popular seaside resort of Norfolk and the East Anglian coast. It stands at the mouth of the river Yare, on the border of Suffolk, and is 20 m. E. by S. from Norwich, 9 m. N. from Lowestoft, and 123 m. by road from London. Among Norfolk towns it ranks next in size and population to Norwich, which is the largest and most populous. It is connected with the Great Eastern main line by a branch to Norwich; but the most direct route from London to Yarmouth is via Ipswich and the East Suffolk line. The G.E.R. has two stations here, Southtown, the terminus of the line from London via Ipswich; and Vauxhall, the terminus of the Norwich branch line. A third station, known as the " Beach," is that of the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway. There is a largely patronised steamship service between London and Yarmouth during the summer months.

Although tourists with quiet tastes will probably avoid Yarmouth, or at most, pay it a few hours' visit, for the purpose of seeing its great church of St Nicholas, the largest parish church in England, Yarmouth all through the summer is thronged with visitors, many of them excursionists, for whom almost every description of popular entertainment is provided. A considerable portion of the sea front is laid out as pleasure gardens, where military bands play frequently; there are two piers, on one of which, the Britannia, popular concerts are given morning and evening. Other concert parties give daily entertainments on the beach, from which a large number of pleasure boats are launched when weather permits, and where there is abundant accommodation for bathers. The Royal Aquarium is now a theatre, standing at the north end of the Marine Drive. The Theatre Royal adjoins Regent Road. During the season dances are held every evening at Winton's Assembly Rooms on the Drive. The local golf club has an 18-hole course among the sandhills north of the town, the entire circuit being about three miles. Tennis courts are laid out close to the beach, where there is also an excellent recreation ground. There is a Free Library at the Old Tolhouse in Middlegate Street and a Public Library and Reading Room on the South Quay.

St Nicholas, the parish church, was founded by Herbert de Lozinga, Bishop of Norwich from 1091 to 1119, who also founded Norwich Cathedral. It is doubtful if any portion of the original building now remains. The present church is a cruciform structure in the Early English, Decorated, and Perpendicular styles, consisting of nave and chancel (both aisled), transept, and central tower. The nave is chiefly Transition Norman, the nave aisles, which are wider than the nave, are Decorated additions. The church's extreme length is 236 feet, and its breadth 112 feet, giving it a floor space of 23,265 feet. It possesses few monuments, and all its brasses were, in 1551, cast into weights for the local tradesfolk. In the wall of the south aisle is the Fastolff tomb, which has been restored; in the north aisle is a canopied tomb, known as the "Prior's," and in the north chancel aisle is a canopied slab, which may be either a tomb or an Easter Sepulchre. Near by is the dilapidated canopy of the altar tomb of Thomas Crowmer, who was bailiff of Yarmouth seven times between 1470 and 1497. This tomb was despoiled of its sculptured shields in 1650, when a large vestry was erected in the north chancel. At the west end of the north nave aisle is a stained glass window erected to the memory of Sarah Martin, who did such good work among the prisoners in Yarmouth jail. A seat inside the west door is made of a portion of the skeleton of a whale, and is known as the Devil's Seat. The church possesses a Cranmer's Bible, a Roman missal dated 1547, and a MS. scroll of the Book of Esther.