Norfolk, England Genealogy

'''Norfolk is a maritime county located in the middle eastern part of 'England'. '''

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NORFOLK, a maritime county in the E of England; bounded on the N W by the Wash, which divides it from Lincolnshire; on the N and the N E by the Northsea; on the S E by Breydon-water and the river Waveney, which divide it from Suffolk; on the S by the river Waveney, a short artificial line and the river Little Ouse, which divide it from Suffolk; on the S W and the W by the rivers Old Welney and Nen, and a short artificialline, which divide it from Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire. It is so nearly surrounded by its marine and river boundaries as to be almost an island. Its greatest length, from E to W, is 60 miles; its greatest breadth, from N to S, is 40 miles; its meanbreadth is about 29 miles; its circuit is about 200 miles; and its area is 1, 354,301 acres. Only three English counties, York, Lincoln, and Devon, exceed it in size...

The county contains 743 parishes, parts of 3 others, and 7 extra-parochial places; and is divided into the hundreds of Blofield, Brothercross, Clackclose, Clavering, Depwade, Diss, Earsham, North Erpingham, South Erpingham, Eynesford, East Flegg, West Flegg, Forehoe, Freebridge-Lynn, Freebridge-Marshland, Gallow, North Greenhoe, South Greenhoe, Grimshoe, Guiltcross, Happing, Henstead, Holt, Humbleyard, Launditch, Loddon, Mitford, Shropham, Smithdon, Taverham, Tunstead, Walsham, and Wayland, and the boroughs of Kings-Lynn, Norwich, Thetford, and part of Yarmouth...

The county is governed by a lord lieutenant, a vice-admiral, a high sheriff, about 112 deputy lieutenants, and about 400 magistrates; is in the home military district and the Norfolk judiciary circuit; and, excepting Emneth parish and part of Brandon parish, is all in the diocese of Norwich. The assizes are held at Norwich; and quarter-sessions, at Norwich, Swaffham, and Walsingham. The county-jail and a city jail are at Norwich; county houses of correction are at Swaffham and Wymondham; and borough-jails are at Lynn and Yarmouth... Marriages in 1863, 3,052, of which 559 were not according to the rites of the Established church; births, 13,851, of which 1,559 were illegitimate; deaths, 9,318, of which 3, 331 were at ages under 5 years, and 433 at ages above 85. Marriages in the ten years 1851-60, 32, 709; births, 137,594; deaths, 91,632. The places of worship, in 1851, were 719 of the Church of England, 49 of Independents, 67 of Particular Baptists, 3 of General Baptists, 6 of New Connexion General Baptists, 15 of Baptists undefined, 15 of Quakers, 7 of Unitarians, with 1, 213 of Wesleyan Methodists, 1 of New Connexion Methodists, 254 of Primitive Methodists, 2 of Bible Christians, 2 of the Wesleyan Association, 44 of Wesleyan Reformers, 2 of Lady Huntingdon's Connexion, 1 of Sandemanians, 1 of the New Church, 19 of isolated congregations, 13 of Latter Day Saints, 6 of Roman Catholics, and 2 of Jews... Population in 1801, 273,479; in 1821, 344,368; in 1841, 412,664; in 1861, 434,798. Population of the registration county in 1861, 427,466.

The above extract comes from: John Marius Wilson, Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales (1870-72). For the full account go to Vision of Britain.

Parishes
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