Mileham, Norfolk Genealogy

England   Norfolk   Norfolk Parishes

Parish History
MILEHAM (St. John the Baptist), a parish, in the union of Mitford and Launditch, hundred of Launditch, W. division of Norfolk, 11 miles (N. N. E.) from Swaffha. There is a place of worship for Primitive Methodists.

Mileham St John The Baptist is an Ancient parish in the deanery of Brisley and the diocese of Norwich.

The village name suggests a Mill

The Church has mediaeval stained glass.The north tower, which functions as a portal was given by the church’s patron Lord Fitzalan. The churchyard is typical of the country parish church, showing gravestone surrounding the building. A medieval tomb in the churchyard retains the remnants of a cross. The west window showing Catherine (wheel), John the Baptist (lamb) and Margaret (spearing dragon) is a rare extant example of stained glass of the decorated style. The window was also added by Lord Fitzalon. Colors of green, gold, olive, amber, as well as red and blue distinguish the complex canopies and figures. In the lower half of the window fragments of 15th-century glass include images of an unidentified female saint and St. Margaret.

The site of the original Saxon Village is in the field to the east of the church where you can see the remains of the Saxon ponds.

Civil Registration
Birth, marriages and deaths were kept by the government, from July 1837 to the present day. The civil registration article tells more about these records. There are several Internet sites with name lists or indexes. A popular site is FreeBMD.


 * Mitford 1837-1938
 * East Dereham 1939-1974

Church records
parish registers of christenings, marriages and burials are available online for the following years:

Norfolk Record Office reference PD 378

Poor Law Unions
Mitford &amp;Launditch     http://www.institutions.org.uk/workhouses/england/norf/mitford_and_launditch_workhouse.htm

Records of the Mitford and Launditch Poor Law Union1776-1948 Norfolk Record Office C/GP 14 Extent 137 pieces The following parishes comprised the 1836 union: Bawdeswell, Beeston, Beetley, Billingford, East Bilney, Bintry, Brisley, Bylaugh, Colkirk, Cranworth, East Dereham, Great Dunham, Little Dunham, North Elmham, Elsing, Foxley, Great Fransham, Little Fransham, Garvestone, Gately, Gressenhall, Guist, Hardingham, Hockering, Hoe, Horningtoft, Kempstone, Letton, East Lexham, West Lexham, Litcham, Longham, Lyng, Mattishall, Mattishall Burgh, Mileham, Oxwick with Pattesley, Reymerstone, Rougham, Scarning, Shipdham, Southburgh, Sparham, Stanfield, Swanton Morley, Thuxton, Tittleshall, East Tuddenham, North Tuddenham, Twyford, Weasenham All Saints, Weasenham St Peter, Wellingham, Wendling, Westfield, Whinburgh, Whissonsett, Wood Rising, Worthing, Yaxham. All fifty parishes of Mitford and Launditch Hundreds were incorporated in 1775 under the terms of An act for the better relief and employment of the poor within the hundreds of Mitford and Launditch, 15 Geo. III, cap. 59. In 1801 the parish of East Dereham separated from the Incorporation, but in 1836 all fifty original parishes plus ten from Eynesford Hundred joined together in a new union. The House of Industry belonging to the old incorporation, built at Gressenhall in 1776-1777, was repaired and altered in 1836 to become the new Union Workhouse. Mitford and Launditch Union Board of Guardians was replaced by Guardians Committee No. 10 in 1930.

Probate records
Records of wills, administrations, inventories, indexes, etc. were filed by the court with jurisdiction over this parish. Go to Norfolk Probate Records to find the name of the court having primary jurisdiction. Scroll down in the article to the section Court Jurisdictions by Parish.

Maps and Gazetteers
Maps are a visual look at the locations in England. Gazetteers contain brief summaries about a place.


 * England Jurisdictions 1851
 * Vision of Britain

Web sites
http://www.achurchnearyou.com/mileham-st-john-the-baptist/ for information about the parish

http://www.norfolkstainedglass.co.uk/Mileham/home.shtm for photos of the church and stained glass

http://www.stratis.demon.co.uk/gargoyles/gg-th11norfolk3.htm for details of the church gargoyles

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~tinstaafl for link to Norfolk Baptisms Project

http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/mileham/mileham.htm Norfolk Churches website