Besthorpe, Norfolk
Encyclopedia
Besthorpe is a village and civil parish
in the Breckland
district of Norfolk
, England
, about a mile east of Attleborough, on the A11 road. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 561.
The village school has long been closed and is now a private dwelling. The church is located in a remote part of the parish, giving rise to the belief that plague aka The 'Black Death
' once decimated the original community, resulting in the destruction of many local dwellings. Although no factual evidence exists to support this theory, the plague hit Norfolk very badly.
The village possesses two Halls; the 'Old Hall' and 'New Hall'. The Old Hall is located close to Burgh Common and was also known as Plassing Hall. For many years it was a farm but has recently been converted into a private dwelling. It still possesses a section of moat and some original stained glass.
New Hall was built between 1560 and 1593 by the Drury family, who gave their name to Drury Lane in London. One of the daughters from this family was rumoured to have been drowned in the lake at Lord Byron's family home, Newstead Abbey
. Many reference books on factual ghost stories claim that she was murdered along with a coachman with whom she formed a relationship; the 'phantom coach' is said to haunt the Abbey. The Hall possesses one of the few surviving 'tilting grounds' in England; tilting grounds were used for jousting by medieval knights.
Somewhat notoriously, the village possesses a road known as Sluts Hole Lane, although this is most likely a spelling mistake made by late Victorian census takers which has passed into relatively modern usage. Attempts to restore the original name - Slutch Hole Lane - have been opposed by local historians. 'Slutch' is an old English word meaning slushy or muddy, and as part of the road remains in its original state, it would seem to be the correct term. Furthermore, maps and census documents held at Norwich's Library 'The Forum' prove that it was originally known as Slutch Hole Lane. However, this has not stopped local historians and media from making capital out of the misnomer.
The village is home to the Wolf Brewery, a maker of real ale.
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
in the Breckland
Breckland (district)
Breckland District is a local government district in Norfolk, England. Its council is based in East Dereham.Breckland District derives its name from the Breckland landscape region, a gorse covered sandy heath of south Norfolk and north Suffolk...
district of Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, about a mile east of Attleborough, on the A11 road. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 561.
The village school has long been closed and is now a private dwelling. The church is located in a remote part of the parish, giving rise to the belief that plague aka The 'Black Death
Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
' once decimated the original community, resulting in the destruction of many local dwellings. Although no factual evidence exists to support this theory, the plague hit Norfolk very badly.
The village possesses two Halls; the 'Old Hall' and 'New Hall'. The Old Hall is located close to Burgh Common and was also known as Plassing Hall. For many years it was a farm but has recently been converted into a private dwelling. It still possesses a section of moat and some original stained glass.
New Hall was built between 1560 and 1593 by the Drury family, who gave their name to Drury Lane in London. One of the daughters from this family was rumoured to have been drowned in the lake at Lord Byron's family home, Newstead Abbey
Newstead Abbey
Newstead Abbey, in Nottinghamshire, England, originally an Augustinian priory, is now best known as the ancestral home of Lord Byron.-Monastic foundation:The priory of St...
. Many reference books on factual ghost stories claim that she was murdered along with a coachman with whom she formed a relationship; the 'phantom coach' is said to haunt the Abbey. The Hall possesses one of the few surviving 'tilting grounds' in England; tilting grounds were used for jousting by medieval knights.
Somewhat notoriously, the village possesses a road known as Sluts Hole Lane, although this is most likely a spelling mistake made by late Victorian census takers which has passed into relatively modern usage. Attempts to restore the original name - Slutch Hole Lane - have been opposed by local historians. 'Slutch' is an old English word meaning slushy or muddy, and as part of the road remains in its original state, it would seem to be the correct term. Furthermore, maps and census documents held at Norwich's Library 'The Forum' prove that it was originally known as Slutch Hole Lane. However, this has not stopped local historians and media from making capital out of the misnomer.
The village is home to the Wolf Brewery, a maker of real ale.
External links
- http://besthorpe.com/default.asp?id=12&mnu=12 Besthorpe New Hall history