Easton is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is located 6.2 miles (10.0 km) north-west of Norwich and 9 miles (14 km) east of Dereham, along the A47 between Birmingham and Lowestoft.

Easton
St Peter's Church, Easton
Easton is located in Norfolk
Easton
Easton
Location within Norfolk
Area6.25 km2 (2.41 sq mi)
Population1,514 2011
• Density242/km2 (630/sq mi)
OS grid referenceTG135108
• London95 miles (153 km)
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townNORWICH
Postcode districtNR9
Dialling code01603
PoliceNorfolk
FireNorfolk
AmbulanceEast of England
UK Parliament
List of places
UK
England
Norfolk
52°39′11″N 1°09′22″E / 52.653°N 1.156°E / 52.653; 1.156

History

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Easton's name is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from the Old English for the eastern farmstead or settlement.[1]

In the Nineteenth Century, archaeologists discovered a fourth century Roman hoard consisting of 4,000 coins, yet there is little evidence of any Roman settlement in the vicinity of Easton.[2]

In the Domesday Book, Easton is listed as a settlement of 17 households in the hundred of Forehoe. In 1086, the village formed part of the East Anglian estates of Alan of Brittany.[3]

Geography

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According to 2011 Census, Easton has a population of 1,514 residents living in 609 households. The parish covers a total area of 6.25 square kilometres (2.41 sq mi).

Easton falls within the constituency of South Norfolk and is represented at Parliament by Ben Goldsborough MP of the Labour Party. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the district of South Norfolk.

St. Peter's Church

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Easton's parish church is dedicated to Saint Peter and was left towerless after a collapse in the Eighteenth Century, which was subsequently replaced by a bellcote which also does not survive. St. Peter's was heavily restored in the Nineteenth Century by Richard Phipson with the large crucifix that hangs above the chancel arch originally hanging in St Gregory's Church, Norwich. The church font is a relic of the Thirteenth Century and is made out of Purbeck Marble.[4]

Royal Norfolk Showground

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The Royal Norfolk Showground is located within the parish and has acted as the venue for the Royal Norfolk Show since the 1950s, when the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association purchased the ground. Today, the showground features a 0.6 square kilometres (0.23 sq mi) open site with a 3,000 square metres (32,000 sq ft) indoor Showground Arena. The showground continues to host events throughout the year.[5]

Easton College

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The parish is the site of Easton College, a large agricultural college offering courses in agriculture, horticulture and arboriculture. The college is centred around Easton Hall, an Eighteenth Century manor house with Grade II listed status.[6]

Amenities

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The majority of local children attend St. Peter's Church of England Primary School which is part of the Diocese of Norwich Academies Trust. In 2016, the school was awarded an 'Outstanding' rating by Ofsted.[7]

Easton F.C. play home games at Easton College and play in the Anglian Combination League.[8]

Notable residents

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War memorial

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Easton's war memorial takes the form of two plaques (one brass and one wooden) inside St. Peter's Church. The memorial lists the following names for the First World War:

  • Pvt. Edgar Bennington (1876–1915), 1st Battalion, Essex Regiment
  • Pvt. Alfred Pease (1892–1917), 1/5th Battalion, Loyal Regiment
  • Pvt. Arthur Scarfe (1898–1917), 117th Company, Machine Gun Corps
  • Pvt. Charles Burridge (1890–1914), 1st Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
  • Pvt. Frederick Burridge (1895–1915), 3rd Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
  • Pvt. Edgar O. Springall (died 1917), 12th (Yeomanry) Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
  • H. Bennington
  • B. Hook
  • E. Mortimer
  • H. Mortimer[9]

References

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  1. ^ "Key to English Place-names". kepn.nottingham.ac.uk. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  2. ^ "Parish-Summary-Easton-(Parish-Summary) - Norfolk Heritage Explorer". www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  3. ^ "Easton | Domesday Book". opendomesday.org. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  4. ^ "Norfolk Churches". www.norfolkchurches.co.uk. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  5. ^ "Prime Location Norfolk About Us". Norfolk Showground & Events Centre. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  6. ^ "EASTON HALL (NORFOLK COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE), Easton - 1050770 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  7. ^ Ofsted. (2012). Retrieved December 28, 2022. https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/2098787
  8. ^ "Contact Easton FC". www.pitchero.com. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  9. ^ "War Memorial St Peter Church - Easton - TracesOfWar.com". www.tracesofwar.com. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
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