Thurning, Norfolk - History

History

At the time of the Domesday Book (1086), Thurning was recorded as 'Tyrninga', i.e. "Tyrnings" (pl.), signifying "the place of the followers or kin-group of Tyrn", typical of the earlier, immigration phase of Angle-Saxon settlements. Charles Parkin translates its findings from the Latin:

The principal lordship of this village was, at the survey, farmed of the Conqueror, or took care of by Godric his steward, Ulf, a Saxon, lord of it in the days of King Edward, being deprived, when one carucate of land and 6 villains, 9 borderers, and one servus belonged to it; there were 2 carucates in demean, one and an half among the tenants, with 10 acres (40,000 m2) of meadow, &c., the moiety of a mill, 4 runci, 20 cows, &c., and 50 sheep; and 6 socmen had 16 acres (65,000 m2) of land, and a carucate and an half. The soc belonged to the King's manor of Folsham; it was at that time valued at 60s. at the survey at 100s. quit-rent, and 10s. as a present, or free gift, was 5 furlongs long and 6 broad, and paid 5d. to the King's gelt.

In 1659, Peter Elwin of Thurning (1623–1695) married Anne Rolfe, the elder daughter of Thomas Rolfe, who was the son of John Rolfe and his wife Pocahontas. John Rolfe was originally from Heacham in Norfolk, and his granddaughter Anne was brought up there.

Parish registers survive only from the early 18th century. Registers deposited in the Norfolk Record Office are for baptisms (1707, 1715–2006), marriages (1717–1739, 1758–2004), burials (1716–2006) and banns (1758–1822). However, some Archdeacons' and Bishops' transcripts survive, copies of register entries for years as far back as 1600.

According to William White, a good new rectory was built in 1827. Samuel Lewis calls this "a handsome house erected in 1832".

Following the Poor Law Amendment Act 1834, Thurning became part of the Aylsham Union. The first workhouses were at Oulton and Buxton, both closed when a new workhouse opened at Aylsham in 1849.

William White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk (1835 edition) says of Thurning:

THURNING, or Thirning, is a parish of dispersed houses, 6 miles (9.7 km) S. of Holt, and 4½ miles N. of Reepham, with 140 inhabitants and about 1,500 acres (6.1 km2) of land. W. E. L. Bulwer, Esq., is lord of the manor, (fine arbitrary.) A great part of the soil belongs to Hastings Elwyn, Esq., the owner of Thurning Hall, a neat mansion, with a fine lawn and small lake, and now the residence of James Gay, Esq. Mr. J. R. Barber, J. Richardson, Esq., and some others, have estates here. C B gives name to a hamlet on the north side of the parish. The C, dedicated to St. Andrew, has a nave, north aisle, and tower, with three bells, and had formerly a chancel. It was new roofed about ten years ago. The rectory, valued in K. B. at £7, is in the gift of Christ College, Cambridge, and incumbency of the Rev. Henry Wm. Blake, whose residence was rebuilt about four years ago. Directory - Thos. Frost, vict., Plough; James Gay, Esq.; Thos. Paul, shopkeeper; Hy. Pointin, blacksmith; Wm. Reynolds, miller; Samuel Rider, shoemaker; and Jas. Rech Barber, Richard Harvey, James Margarson, John Pye, John Sewell and Daniel Sidney, farmers.

In 1835, there were twelve parliamentary electors for the West Norfolk division in respect of Thurning, of whom four were outside the parish: Thomas Armes of Weybourne, Hastings Elwin, Esq., of Thorpe, Caleb Elwin, clerk, of Melton Constable, and Robert Fountain Elwin, clerk, of Norwich. The eight at Thurning itself were Henry Wm Blake, clerk, Rash James Barber, James Gay, Esq., of Thurning Hall, Richard Hervey, James Margarson, John Pye, Daniel Sidney, and John Sewell.

In 1836, Thomas Frost was the licensee of a public house called 'The Plough'.

In 1839, the Rector was awarded a yearly rent-charge of £370, in lieu of tithes.

William White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk (second edition, 1845) says of Thurning:

THURNING, or Thirning, is a parish of scattered houses, 6 miles (9.7 km) S. of Holt, and 4½ miles N. of Reepham, containing 166 souls and 1594 1 19 of land. W. E. L. Bulwer, Esq., is lord of the manor, but a great part of the soil belongs to Lord Hastings, J. Richardson, Esq., and James Gay, Esq. The latter is seated at the Hall, a neat mansion, with a fine lawn and small lake. C B gives name to a small hamlet, on the north side of the parish. The Church, St. Andrew, was new roofed about 18 years ago. The rectory, valued in K. B. at £7, has 18 acres (73,000 m2) of glebe, a good residence, rebuilt in 1832, and a yearly rent of £370, awarded in 1839, in lieu of tithes. The patronage is in Christ College, Cambridge, and the Rev. Henry Wm. Blake is the incumbent. The other residents are, Maria Eke, shopkeeper; James Gay, Esq., Hall; Henry Pointin, blacksmith; Wm. Reynolds, miller; Samuel Rider, shopkeeper; and Jas. Rash Barber, James Bidwell, Daniel Fransham, Wm. Laskey, John Pye, and Wm. Rix, farmers.

Benjamin Clarke's British Gazetteer (1852) says:

THURNING, N, a parish in Eynesford hund., union of Aylsham: 139 miles (224 km) from London (coach road 124), 5 from Briningham, 8 from Aylsham. Nor. and East Co. Rail. through Ely and Dereham to Elmham station, thence 8 miles (13 km): from Derby, through Syston, Peterborough, &c., 160 miles (260 km). Money orders issued at East Dereham: London letters delivd. 9½ a.m. Post closes 2½ p.m. The living, a dischd. rectory in the archdy. of Norfolk and diocese of Norwich, is valued at £7: pres. net income, £355: patron, Corpus Christi College, Cambridge: pres. incumbent, H. W. Blake, 1824: contains 1,650 acres (6.7 km2): 18 houses: popn. in 1841, 166: assd. propy. £1,581: poor rates in 1848, £189, 13 s. The Hall, a pleasing mansion, is the seat of James Gay, Esq., the representative of an ancient family which originally came from Normandy and were settled early in the time of Elizabeth at Matlask and Thurgarton, in which and the adjoining parishes they possessed considerable landed estates. Mr. Gay of Thurning, who is the second son of the late John Gay, Esq., settled at Thurning: and having been under-secretary of Ceylon, and commissioner for the Kandian provinces, is now a magistrate and deputy lieutenant for the county.

In 1883, the chief crops were wheat, roots, barley and hay. Lieutenant-Colonel W. E. G. L. Bulwer was the lord of the manor. The principal residents were listed as Jas. Gay Esq. J.P., Thurning hall, Rev. John Fenwick, B.D., J.P., rector, Robert Brownsell, William Brownsell, Frederick Faircloth, Henry Hall, and Alfred Clark of Wood Dalling, farmers, George Burton, gamekeeper, William Harvey, farm bailiff, and Edwd. Poynton of Cray mere, blacksmith.

At the census of 1891, the following surnames are recorded in the parish: Adams, Aldis, Allen, Barnes, Baxter, Breeze, Brownell, Clitheroe, Cottrell, Cozens, Faircloth, Frances, Frost, Gay, Girling, Hall, Hardingham, Hazelwood, Hipkin, Howell, Hubbert, Keeler, Knowles, Ladell, Lease, Meadows, Partridge, Plane, Plattan, Poynton, Ray, Scarff, Sexton, Shave, Shuton, Southgate, Strutt, Twiddy, and Wright.

In 1900, the parish priest was the Rev. Robert Rust Meadows, while the parish clerk was Robert Ladell.