Easton, Norfolk
Easton is located 6.2 miles (10.0 km) north-west of Norwich and 9 miles (14 km) east of Dereham, along the A47.
History
Easton's name is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from the Old English for the eastern farmstead or settlement.
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.
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.
Geography
According to the 2021 census, Easton has a total population of 1,436 people which demonstrates a decrease from the 1,514 people listed in the 2011 census.
The A47, between Birmingham and Lowestoft, runs through the parish.
St. Peter's Church
Easton's parish church is dedicated to Saint Peter and dates from the Fourteenth Century. St. Peter's is located within the village on Dereham Road and has been Grade I listed since 1959. St. Peter's 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.
Royal Norfolk Showground
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.
Easton College
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.
Amenities
The majority of local children attend Easton Primary School on Marlingford Road which is part of the East Anglian Schools Trust. In 2024, the school was awarded a Good rating by Ofsted.
Easton F.C. play home games at Easton College and play in the Anglian Combination League.
Notable residents
- Cardinal Adam Easton- (1328–1397) Benedictine clergyman, born in Easton.
Governance
Easton is an electoral ward for local elections and is part of the district of South Norfolk.
The village's national constituency is South Norfolk which has been represented by the Labour's Ben Goldsborough MP since 2024.
War memorial
Easton's war memorial are two plaques inside St. Peter's Church which list the following names for the First World War:
| Rank | Name | Unit | Date of Death | Burial/Commemoration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LCpl. | Herbert S. Benington | 2nd Bn., Wellington Regt., NZEF | 31 Jul. 1917 | Messines Ridge Memorial |
| Dvr. | Bertie E. Hook | 12th Bn., Machine Gun Corps | 11 Jul. 1918 | Bagneux British Cemetery |
| Pte. | Edmund Mortimer | 7th Bn., Bedfordshire Regiment | 3 May 1917 | Arras Memorial |
| Pte. | Edgar Bennington | 1st Bn., Essex Regiment | 13 Aug. 1915 | Helles Memorial |
| Pte. | Arthur Scarfe | 117th Coy., Machine Gun Corps | 20 Sep. 1917 | Tyne Cot |
| Pte. | Charles Burridge | 1st Bn., Norfolk Regiment | 26 Sep. 1914 | Südfriedhof Cemetery |
| Pte. | Harry Mortimer | 1st Bn., Norfolk Regt. | 21 Nov. 1914 | Menin Gate |
| Pte. | Frederick Burridge | 4th Bn., Norfolk Regt. | 9 Apr. 1915 | St. Peter's Churchyard |
| Pte. | Edgar O. Springall | 12th Bn., Norfolk Regt. | 9 Dec. 1917 | Jerusalem War Cemetery |
| Pte. | Albert Pease | 17th Bn., Queen's Royal Regiment | 5 Dec. 1916 | Earlham Road Cemetery |
And, the following for the Second World War:
| Rank | Name | Unit | Date of Death | Burial/Commemoration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CF4 | John O. Dean | Royal Army Chaplains' Department | 16 Apr. 1942 | Kranji War Cemetery |
| Cpl. | Basil E. Hurrell | 1st Bn., Duke of Wellington's Regiment | 12 Feb. 1944 | Cassino War Cemetery |
| Dvr. | Stanley W. Minns | Royal Army Service Corps | 23 Jul. 1945 | Yokohama War Cemetery |
| Pte. | Victor A. Hawkes | Royal Norfolk Regiment | 27 Sep. 1939 | St. Peter's Churchyard |
References
- ^ "Key to English Place-names". kepn.nottingham.ac.uk. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
- ^ "mnf7814 - Norfolk Heritage Explorer". www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
- ^ "Easton | Domesday Book". opendomesday.org. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
- ^ "Easton (Parish, United Kingdom) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
- ^ "CHURCH OF ST. PETER, Easton - 1305921 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
- ^ "Norfolk Churches". www.norfolkchurches.co.uk. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
- ^ "Prime Location Norfolk About Us". Norfolk Showground & Events Centre. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
- ^ "EASTON HALL (NORFOLK COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE), Easton - 1050770 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
- ^ "Welcome to our school | Easton Primary School". www.eastonprimary.org.uk. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
- ^ enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk, Ofsted Communications Team (25 July 2022). "Find an inspection report and registered childcare". reports.ofsted.gov.uk. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
- ^ "Contact Easton FC". www.pitchero.com. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
- ^ "Geograph:: Earlham to Erpingham :: War Memorials in Norfolk". www.geograph.org.uk. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
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