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Written Records

Like many villages Feltwell has a plethora of written material available for examination by amateur and professional historians alike. However, we are lucky in that much of this material has already been sifted and thus a large part of the research work necessary for the building of this site has already been done by, in particular Mr A. J. Orange and the Rev. A. R. V. Daubeney.

Mr. Orange founded the Feltwell Archaeological and Historical Society and also wrote two pamphlets the contents of which you will find scattered around this section and marked AJO.   Other pages contain content taken from the many pamphlets authored by the Rev. Daubeney many years earlier and marked ARVD.          
To go to the latest article click  New

In an effort to make the quantity of articles manageable they have been grouped by theme as follows.  The BIG LIST begins below.

RAF Feltwell Religion Education People/Families
Places/Buildings Village history Miscellaneous Postcards from Feltwell
  Feltwell newsletters  

These pages are NOT graphic rich but do contain links to photographs were relevant. Several of them contain a lot of text, you may want to save these for reading off-line.

THE BIG LIST!

Title

Brief description of content

Date published

Title

Brief description of content

Date published

Feltwell Women's Institute A potted history. Dec.1996 The Moundefordes. Brief family history, Formation of Trust. Feb. 1993
Feltwell Aerodrome 2 Wellingtons of 75(NZ) squadron over RAF Feltwell. unpublished History of RAF Feltwell A potted history by Flying Officer P. Drewitt, B.A. 1953 May 1998
Railways in the area. Railways and farming. August 1997 Feltwell Aerodrome 3 A definitive history? unpublished
Feltwell Aerodrome 4 A tabulated history from the RAF Museum sourced in 1980 How St. Nicholas Became Redundant The story of saving the church by AJO June 1977
Cross of Sacrifice Dedication Service Service program for the dedication of the war graves cemetery. 7 Oct. 1949 War Memorial Dedication Service Service program for the dedication of the war memorial. February 2000
War Graves Listing All the details from the gravestones. March 2000 Harry Lawson of 57 Squadron Detailed research by his grand-daughter Sept. 2000
Part of the Walden Family History   A fascinating history of three Feltwell brothers from the 1800s The Feltwell Murder Told by Robin Woodruff, Gt. Grandson of the victim's husband

July 2000

A Brief History of the Churches of SS.  Mary & Nicholas Feltwell. Early 1960s An Agricultural Strike Personal letters from Lucy O'Rorke, wife of Rev O'Rorke 1879-1912

August 2001

The Feltwell Murder - a poem Lines by Abraham Ward, the West Norfolk Poet.

October 2000

Owners and Landlords of The Chequers Inn A chronological list.

October 2001

WW2 recollections  by Mr Charles Dear.  In two parts. October 2001 Owners and Landlords of The Oak Hotel A chronological list

October 2001

On the Death of Rev. O'Rorke by his wife, Lucy.               Kindly provided by Tim O'Rorke November 2001 RAF Feltwell Welcome Booklet  From late 1950s, early 1960s. Serialised 2001
The Stained Glass Windows of St Mary's   Translated from letters dated 1858-1864 Serialised 2001 The End of South Hall    Newspaper article from 1978 April 2002
Hare Coursing Programme December 6th, 1916 1916, 2002 Sergeant Spalding by Dan Engle (illustrated) August 2002
The Night the Petrol Ran Out - a 75(NZ) story. NEW by Dan Engle September 2002 Tithe Map of 1837 prepared by R.A. Barritt July 1975
The Night Flying Ginny & Madam Shoo Shoo Came For Tea by Dan Engle April 2003 Feltwell oak removal Newspaper article from April, 1964  NEW January 2022
Methodist Stone Laying Ceremony Newspaper report from 7 June 1935 January 2022      

From 'A Feltwell Family',

date unknown by ARVD
Knobstick Weddings Ancient wedding ceremonies, effigy burning, Mumping. Beating the Bounds Traditional methods of marking Parish boundaries.
Apparitions Various tales about ghosts. Cross Hill 1 The location of Feltwell settlement stone. .Back to the top
Sermons Treatise on Sermons. The Church Registers Details from the registers.
The Borough A triangular piece of land in Feltwell. The School of Feltwell 1 Schoolmasters from 1662-1775.
The Spencer Family Clark Spencer who worked for the Clough family. Odd Bits of Land in Feltwell Mud Island, Common Bank, Plowman's Drove.
Trades and Occupations Details of bygone jobs once found in Feltwell.

From 'The Coronation Souvenir'

by AJO 1953
The Church in Feltwell by Rev. Cope Short article on St Mary's and St. Nicholas . The Methodist Church by Mr W. Addison JP Brief history of Methodism in Feltwell. Back to the top
The Feltwell School by Mr G. Charlesworth A brief history, mainly post 1880. Feltwell Parish by ARVD M.A. A long article describing the village often quoting from his earlier work.

From 'Feltwell, Some Oddments' by

ARVD 1956
The Moundefords of Feltwell Additional detail to the article above, village names. The Needle's Eye & Slip of the Tongue Two amusing Rector stories.
The Feltwell Oak Detail on the Oak Tree and Moots. Plesiosaurus Short note on finding a bone.
Edward Clough Newcome Detail on 'Old Clough', a country sportsman. St Nicholas Short article about the saint rather than the church. Back to the top
Scribbling Thoughts on various scribbled notes. Poppy-Head Bench Ends Short article on the late 15th century seats in St Mary's.
A Feltwell Name The name being 'Nergal Sharezer Pidd'. Church Discipline The sidesman's art of 'Bobbing'.
Feltwell Roads A poem. Octogenarians and a Nonagenarian Advice on living a long time.
Sundry notes Just that. Marriage Discussion on the 1754 Marriage Act.
Burial St Mary's burial register from 1562 & burial customs. Back to the top

From 'Feltwell, Some Further Notes

and Tales' by ARVD' by ARVD 1954
The Town of Feltwell An introduction. The Royal Oak Robert Rice, licensee of the The Royal Oak Inn.
Bell Street How it got its name from the casting of church bells. Our Ancient Parish Churches & I.H.S The History of St. Nicholas Church. I.H.S. explained.
An Indulgence To rebuild St. Nicholas Church in 1494. Gleaner's Bell What it was and when it was rung.
Some Mysteries More apparitions. Church Registers Yet more quotes from. Back to the top
Trial by Ordeal The historical origin of this term. Schools 2 Notes on the various schools that existed in Feltwell.
Owlsholm Lane Mudgin pits. Witchcraft Feltwell witches.
Crimean and Mutiny Veterans Names the Feltwell men involved in these campaigns. Titles Discussion on the use of Titles e.g. Mr., Gentleman, etc.
Flowers & Calamity Two short, funny stories. St. Nicholas' Fire Taken from 'Miscellanies' by John Aubrey, F.R.S., 1696
The Norfolk Dialect Some examples of the Norfolk language. Cross Hill 2 Brief discussion on the three types of Cross Back to the top
John Orman, Curate Curate from 1824-1837. Relics Church Relics.
A Feltwell Will The Will of John Wace, gent. and teacher. Our Neighbours A few tales about neighbouring villages.

From 'Odds and Ends' by ARVD

The Heath and Denton Capt. Denton, Gibbet, Whipping-Post, Feltwell Lodge. The Mission Hall Henry Waldren, the Tabernacle, the Wesleyan Chapel.
Capped Petrel A Clough Newcome story. Headstones Epitaphs.
Church Pews History of Church Pews. Sir Edmund Moundeford, Knight Further anecdotes and the establishment of the Trust. Back to the top
St. Nicholas Church Tower Architect's report before the tower fell. Intramural Burial The custom of burying inside churches.
Grimshoe Hundred The origin of Grimshoe and of Hundreds. Church Registers, again Yet more details from the registers, some repeated.
Canon Sparke Details of the man and his works. Banns of Marriage Another discourse on marriage
Burial in Wollen The origin of and quotes from the church registers. Miscellaneous Notes Lots of short, interesting notes.

From 'Some Notes and Remarks' by

ARVD, probably.

Domesday Notes about Feltwell from the Domesday Book. Feltwell Fens Natural History of the Fens. Back to the top
Feltwell Manors Manors explained and details of the seven in Feltwell. The Excavation of Western Close Notes on the excavation of this site prior to houses being built.
The Devil's Dyke Thoughts on the role of the Devil in this area. Falconry Details of Clough Newcome's falcons.
The Mundefords of Feltwell Another short history of the family. The Great Drown The floods in 1852, 1912 and 1915.
Feltwell Strike Details of a strike in 1790 by agricultural workers. Rioting The 1816 riot in Downham involving Feltwell men.
Old Field Names Field name details from the time of Edward I. The Clough Family Another brief history of this Feltwell family.
The Cock Inn Cock-fighting. The Rectors of Feltwell St. Nicholas A chronological sequence plus extra detail. Back to the top
St Nicholas Church Another article detailing this building. The Rectors of Feltwell St. Mary A chronological sequence plus extra detail.
St. Mary's Church Another article detailing this building. The Church Bells A detailed history of the church bells.
The Deanery of Feltwell A short article. Miscellaneous Notes Yet more notes, some repeated.

Based mainly upon the unpublished

notes of AJO
Feltwell Doctors Details of all Feltwell Doctor's since 1814. June 1999 Chairmen of the Parish Council A list of all Councillors since 1894. June 1999
A Map of the Public Houses With names. 1974 Bells AJO updating ARVD
History of the Almshouses With up-to-date information. Common Rights As practiced in Feltwell in the 1800s.
The Monumental Brasses of St. Mary's Treatise on the brasses in the Church. Flints Notes on Flint Tools as found in the Feltwell area.
St. Mary's Church Guide Today's church guide Manchester House A brief history. Back to the top
Mills and Millers A history of Feltwell Mills and Millers. Pounds A short piece on the 3 Feltwell (com)pounds.
Agricultural Prices Prices in the Feltwell area in 1856/1904 Society Start How the A & H started.
Pension Claims Apparently genuine howlers. (Dates unknown)

November 1999

Short  Moundeford family history From an article about Mr 'Pip' Orange

January 1976

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