History
Watlington, which apparently gets its name from Nordic origins (a site lying by water and wet soil) first appeared in records in 1166. The first recorded landowner was one Hermerus de Farrarys, whose estate was acquired by the Bardolphs of Wormegay and Stow, the head of this family taking the name Sir Robert de Watlington, a Knight at the Court of King Stephen.
The church, dedicated to St Peter and St Paul, dates from the 13th century. The oldest dwelling in the village is reputed to be Church Farmhouse, built in the 17th century.The population of the village was recorded as 572 in 1891, rising to 586 by 1901, but remarkably falling to a low point of 580 in 1931. By 1991, following housing developments the population had climbed to over 1500 and by the 2004 estimate to a total of 2035.
There are now over 1000 households in the village.The railway service came to the village in October 1846 and helped to secure the prosperity of the area, which came from a strong agriculture and horticulture sector, along with associated trades. Today, although agriculture remains a vibrant sector, most workers in the village are commuters.
Of the old mill, only the mill house remains.
Boiler Accident March 1867 eight killed learn more.
WATLINGTON PRESENT
The parish boundary extends well beyond the main part of the village. On the West it is marked by the River Ouse, the North along the Polver Drain, the East along Hobb’s Drain and to the South is half way between Watlington and Runcton Holme. The Parish covers an area of 684 hectares.
THE VILLAGE SIGN
With 2012 being the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee I thought it might be of interest to read of the connection between the village pictorial sign and the Queen’s Silver and Golden Jubilees.In the 1970s when the subject of a pictorial sign was discussed, all parish councillors were in favour but agreed that money to finance it should be by public subscription and not by taxation via the precept. It was agreed that the Parish Council would maintain the sign.
Parish Council Chairman R.G ‘Barney’ Howells and Councillor Peter Haynes approached H.R ‘Harry’ Carter of Swaffham, who had a good reputation as a sign maker and was a retired Art teacher from Hammond’s Grammar School in Swaffham, who agreed to the commission to design, carve and paint an appropriate sign, the cost was to be £100.During much searching of records it was discovered that the John Davis Charity money had been willed to provide 12 loaves to the widows and the poor of two parishes, 8 loaves to Watlington and 4 to Tottenhill (this division was altered in later years).
Kelly’s Directory of Norfolk (1896) shows that John Davis’s Charity was originally of £5 4s (£5.20 decimal) yearly when left in 1747.
Peter Haynes organised the printing of the draw tickets and fellow councillor W. ‘Wally’ Simmons organised a Tombola to be held on January 21st 1975 at the Church Room (known locally as the ‘Black Hut’!) when the draw would take place. All prizes were donated and the draw tickets were sold at 3p each by Peter (helped by his son Paul Haynes) and Wally, who between them covered all the village.
At the suggestion of the then landlord of the Angel pub W. ‘Bill’ Cameron, Barney Howells wrote to the brewery that owned the field opposite the Angel enquiring whether part of the field could be released to the village as a site for the sign. The brewery gave a piece of land on the edge of the field in perpetuity to the village. This was in exchange for a piece of land known as ‘the Pound’ which was further in the field (in past years the pound had been where stray animals were held until claimed).The sign was duly completed and prior to erection was photographed by two authors Frances Procter and Philippa R. Miller for a future edition of their popular book “Norfolk Village Signs”.
Councillor Richard Stone gave Rutland Stone to make the base which was constructed by resident T. ‘Tex’ Desborough who donated his time, a wooden post held the sign above head level.The sign was unveiled jointly by Paul Hawkins M.P. and the Watlington Jubilee Queen, Miss Jane Stone in June 1977 during the 10 days of village celebrations of the Queen’s Silver Jubilee.
In the mid 1990s the sign was taken down and refurbished under a work experience scheme by inmates of H.M.P. Wayland at Griston near Watton at no expense to the village.By the turn of the 21st century the wood was deteriorating and it was decided that a replacement sign was needed. Ron Halliday of Stow Bridge was commissioned to make a fibreglass mould of the original and Rodney Cranwell, also of Stow Bridge to make a galvanised steel post which was painted. All charges were met by the Parish Council.
The sign was painted by Councillor Geoff Beaumont who used the same colours as on the original and was happy to give his time freely. Material for a new brick base was donated by resident County Councillor Richard Rockliffe and constructed by former resident John Carr free of charge.The unveiling took place in June 2002 in celebration of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee jointly by village residents E. ‘Ted’ Featherby aged 84yrs who was born in the village and Elliot McDonald who was just a few weeks old.I hope this piece has brought happy memories to those who were there at the relevant times and also has been or interest to others. See Millennium Green page for photos.
Eileen Haynes The Current Village Sign
The 1977 Village Sign
The church, dedicated to St Peter and St Paul, dates from the 13th century. The oldest dwelling in the village is reputed to be Church Farmhouse, built in the 17th century.The population of the village was recorded as 572 in 1891, rising to 586 by 1901, but remarkably falling to a low point of 580 in 1931. By 1991, following housing developments the population had climbed to over 1500 and by the 2004 estimate to a total of 2035.
There are now over 1000 households in the village.The railway service came to the village in October 1846 and helped to secure the prosperity of the area, which came from a strong agriculture and horticulture sector, along with associated trades. Today, although agriculture remains a vibrant sector, most workers in the village are commuters.
Of the old mill, only the mill house remains.
Boiler Accident March 1867 eight killed learn more.
WATLINGTON PRESENT
The parish boundary extends well beyond the main part of the village. On the West it is marked by the River Ouse, the North along the Polver Drain, the East along Hobb’s Drain and to the South is half way between Watlington and Runcton Holme. The Parish covers an area of 684 hectares.
THE VILLAGE SIGN
With 2012 being the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee I thought it might be of interest to read of the connection between the village pictorial sign and the Queen’s Silver and Golden Jubilees.In the 1970s when the subject of a pictorial sign was discussed, all parish councillors were in favour but agreed that money to finance it should be by public subscription and not by taxation via the precept. It was agreed that the Parish Council would maintain the sign.
Parish Council Chairman R.G ‘Barney’ Howells and Councillor Peter Haynes approached H.R ‘Harry’ Carter of Swaffham, who had a good reputation as a sign maker and was a retired Art teacher from Hammond’s Grammar School in Swaffham, who agreed to the commission to design, carve and paint an appropriate sign, the cost was to be £100.During much searching of records it was discovered that the John Davis Charity money had been willed to provide 12 loaves to the widows and the poor of two parishes, 8 loaves to Watlington and 4 to Tottenhill (this division was altered in later years).
Kelly’s Directory of Norfolk (1896) shows that John Davis’s Charity was originally of £5 4s (£5.20 decimal) yearly when left in 1747.
Peter Haynes organised the printing of the draw tickets and fellow councillor W. ‘Wally’ Simmons organised a Tombola to be held on January 21st 1975 at the Church Room (known locally as the ‘Black Hut’!) when the draw would take place. All prizes were donated and the draw tickets were sold at 3p each by Peter (helped by his son Paul Haynes) and Wally, who between them covered all the village.
At the suggestion of the then landlord of the Angel pub W. ‘Bill’ Cameron, Barney Howells wrote to the brewery that owned the field opposite the Angel enquiring whether part of the field could be released to the village as a site for the sign. The brewery gave a piece of land on the edge of the field in perpetuity to the village. This was in exchange for a piece of land known as ‘the Pound’ which was further in the field (in past years the pound had been where stray animals were held until claimed).The sign was duly completed and prior to erection was photographed by two authors Frances Procter and Philippa R. Miller for a future edition of their popular book “Norfolk Village Signs”.
Councillor Richard Stone gave Rutland Stone to make the base which was constructed by resident T. ‘Tex’ Desborough who donated his time, a wooden post held the sign above head level.The sign was unveiled jointly by Paul Hawkins M.P. and the Watlington Jubilee Queen, Miss Jane Stone in June 1977 during the 10 days of village celebrations of the Queen’s Silver Jubilee.
In the mid 1990s the sign was taken down and refurbished under a work experience scheme by inmates of H.M.P. Wayland at Griston near Watton at no expense to the village.By the turn of the 21st century the wood was deteriorating and it was decided that a replacement sign was needed. Ron Halliday of Stow Bridge was commissioned to make a fibreglass mould of the original and Rodney Cranwell, also of Stow Bridge to make a galvanised steel post which was painted. All charges were met by the Parish Council.
The sign was painted by Councillor Geoff Beaumont who used the same colours as on the original and was happy to give his time freely. Material for a new brick base was donated by resident County Councillor Richard Rockliffe and constructed by former resident John Carr free of charge.The unveiling took place in June 2002 in celebration of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee jointly by village residents E. ‘Ted’ Featherby aged 84yrs who was born in the village and Elliot McDonald who was just a few weeks old.I hope this piece has brought happy memories to those who were there at the relevant times and also has been or interest to others. See Millennium Green page for photos.
Eileen Haynes The Current Village Sign
The 1977 Village Sign