Bradfield is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Swafield, in the North Norfolk district, in the county of Norfolk, England.[1]
| Bradfield | |
|---|---|
 Saint Giles Parish Church, Bradfield | |
  Bradfield Location within Norfolk | |
| OS grid reference | TG2733 |
| • London | 135 miles (217 km) |
| Civil parish | |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | NORTH WALSHAM |
| Postcode district | NR28 |
| Dialling code | 01263 |
| Police | Norfolk |
| Fire | Norfolk |
| Ambulance | East of England |
The village is 7.6 miles (12.2 km) south south east of Cromer, 18.1 miles (29.1 km) north north east of Norwich and 135 miles (217 km) north east of London. The village lies 3.1 miles (5.0 km) north north west of the town of North Walsham.
History
editBradfield's name is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from the Old English for a broad or spacious field.[2]
Bradfield is not mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086.[3]
On 1 April 1935 the parish was abolished and merged with Swafield.[4]
Geography
editIn 1931 the parish had a population of 136.[5] As the parish was merged into Swafield this was the last time population data was taken for Bradfield alone.
The nearest railway station is at Gunton for the Bittern Line which runs between Sheringham, Cromer and Norwich. The nearest airport is Norwich International Airport.
Sport
editBradfield Cricket Club has roots dating back to the late 1800s when a group of farm workers were allowed to play cricket on one of Bradfield Hall Farm fields. Over the years the ground has developed and now boasts one of the best playing surfaces and outfields in the whole of the Norfolk Cricket Alliance.
Governance
editBradfield is part of the electoral ward of Trunch for local elections and is part of the district of North Norfolk.
The village's national constituency is North Norfolk which has been represented by the Liberal Democrat Steff Aquarone MP since 2024.
St. Giles' Church
editBradfield's parish church is dedicated to Saint Giles and is very large church for what is now a small community. The church, however was once bigger still.[6] There is evidence of this both inside and out, because the north and south arcades were filled in when the aisles were demolished. The pillars and arches can still be seen, set in the walls, the early 14th century capitals revealing the age of the church.
The porch is dated 1786, along with the churchwardens' names, which is probably shortly after the aisles were demolished.[7] At the east end of the church there is a decorated window and pentagonal buttresses with stone pinnacles added in 1864 when some restoration work was carried out on the church. Above the chancel arch there is a wall painting of Christ in Judgment. He sits on a rainbow showing his wounds. The wall painting dates from the 15th century.[8]
Church gallery
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The church tower -
The chancel viewed from the altar -
The altar and east window -
The font
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War memorial
editBradfield's war memorial takes the form of a brass plaque, topped with a cross of Saint George, located inside St. Giles' Church.[9] It holds the following names for the First World War:[10]
| Rank | Name | Unit | Date of Death | Other Commemoration / Burial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| L/Cpl. | John S. Futter | 8th Battalion, Rifle Brigade | 16 October 1917 | Tyne Cot |
| Pvt. | Herbert J. Hewitt | 1st Battalion, Norfolk Regiment | 29 May 1915 | Menin Gate |
| Pvt. | Percy Hammond | 2nd Battalion, Norfolk Rgt. | 31 October 1916 | Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery |
| Pvt. | Ernest Towler | 2nd Battalion, Northumberland Fusilers | 8 May 1915 | Menin Gate |
| SIG | Robert F. S. Futter | 10th Battalion, Essex Regiment | 26 October 1915 | Communal Cemetery, Corbie |
References
edit- ^ Ordnance Survey, Explorer Sheet 252, Norfolk Coast East, ISBN 978-0-319-46726-8
- ^ "Key to English Place-names". University of Nottingham. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
- ^ Domesday Book. (1086). Retrieved 6 November 2022. https://opendomesday.org/map/
- ^ University of Portsmouth and JISC. (2017). Retrieved 6 November 2022. https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10160777
- ^ "Population statistics Bradfield CP/AP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 17 September 2022.
- ^ Pesvner, N and Wilson, B. (1999). The Buildings of England: Norwich and North-east Norfolk. London: Penguin.
- ^ Mee, A. (1972). The King;s England, Norfolk. London: Hooder & Stoughton.
- ^ Ibid
- ^ "Bradfield – WW1". Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
- ^ "Roll of Honour – Norfolk Bradfield". roll-of-honour.com. Retrieved 14 November 2024.
External links
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Media related to Bradfield, Norfolk at Wikimedia Commons