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From: Simon <>
Subject: The Burnhams - a rough guide
Date: Thu, 05 May 2005 08:05:09 +0100
References: <427A3402.21271.168E884@localhost>
In-Reply-To: <427A3402.21271.168E884@localhost>


Hi Tony, hi all

Firstly, Burnham Sutton has nothing to do with Sutton - they are on
opposite sides of Norfolk!

Historically, there are seven Burnhams:

BURNHAM WESTGATE
BURNHAM ULPH
BURNHAM SUTTON
BURNHAM NORTON
BURNHAM DEEPDALE
BURNHAM OVERY
BURNHAM THORPE

To begin to get an idea of them, you need to go to a map and find the
large village of Burnham Market, just to the south-west of Wells in
north-west Norfolk.

Burnham Market was effectively an invention of the railway companies in
the 19th century, who placed their station here where three villages had
begun to merge together. It is not a historic parish, but an
amalgamation of several.

If you look at a map of Burnham Market, you will see that the village is
organised around a green. The west side of the village is BURNHAM
WESTGATE, and the church at the west end of the green is Burnham
Westgate church.

The east side of the village is BURNHAM ULPH, and the church at the east
end of the green is Burnham Ulph church.

On the south side of Burnham Market is a ruined church. This is the
church of BURNHAM SUTTON. Burnham Ulph and Burnham Sutton were
amalgamated as early as the 15th century to form the Parish of BURNHAM
ULPH AND SUTTON.

Just to the north of Burnham Market is another church on a hill. This is
the church of BURNHAM NORTON. The village of Burnham Norton is to the
north of here, and if you keep following the road to the north-west for
a mile or so you come to BURNHAM DEEPDALE, which has effectively merged
into the village of Brancaster. Burnham Deepdale church has a wonderful
font.

Come back through Burnham Norton to Burnham Market, and this time head
out to the east. Here is the village of BURNHAM OVERY, with its church.
Just to the north of it, on the coast, is the village of BURNHAM OVERY
STAITHE, actually a part of Burnham Overy and not a separate parish.

Head back into Burnham Market, and this time leave it south-eastwards.
You come to BURNHAM THORPE and its church. Burnham Thorpe is the most
famous of the Burnhams, because it was the birthplace of Lord Nelson.

The Burnhams were a wealthy part of Norfolk in the 13th century,
providing an interface between farming and shipping; but the silting up
of the coast, and the rise to prominence of the nearby ports of Lynn and
Blakeney, meant that they sank back into a well-deserved sleepiness - at
least, until the railways came.

By coincidence, I will be spending the weekend in the Burnhams, and they
will all be appearing soon on the Norfolk Churches site!

Simon
www.norfolkchurches.co.uk



Tony Rolfe wrote:

>Greetings
>
>I am a new subscriber to this list and my knowledge of Norfolk is
>almost non-existant. I am hoping some knowledgeable folk can help
>me with a query.
>
>My family have suddenly appeared in the 1861 census at an area
>"Burnham Ulph and Sutton" in a town "Burnham Market", Norfolk.
>
>They were born at "Burnham Market", "Burnham Westgate" and "Burnham
>Sutton".
>
>I have searched Multimap and have found Sutton, Norfolk.
>
>I have searched FreeBMD Registration districts and have found Sutton
>in Smallborough, in Ely and in Tunstead, but the only Burnham I can
>find is in Docking.
>
>So, could someone please clarify whteher these Burnham derivatives
>actually exist, and which "Sutton" corresponds with them.
>
>Confusedly
>
>Tony
>
>
>
>
>
>
>


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