Bawdeswell

Infobox UK place
country = England
latitude = 52.746618
longitude = 1.029842
official_name = Bawdeswell
population = 810 (Breckland Council estimate)
shire_district = Breckland
shire_county = Norfolk
region = East of England
constituency_westminster = Mid Norfolk
post_town = DEREHAM
postcode_district = NR20
postcode_area = NR
dial_code =
os_grid_reference = TG046208

Bawdeswell is a small village and civil parish in the Breckland district of the County of Norfolk, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 766 (2008 population estimated at 800+) and an area of 487 hectares with some 316 households (2008 approx. 335 dwellings).

Geography

Bawdeswell is about 14 miles (23 km) northwest of Norwich and 10 miles (16 km) southeast of Fakenham. It is situated immediately to the north of the A1067 road.

The village is on the northeastern boundary of Breckland District approx. 7 miles northeast of the Market Town of East Dereham (more commonly known just as Dereham) and approx. 3 miles west of the small Market Town of Reepham which is in Broadland District.

It is close to the village of Foxley and to Foxley Wood which is a site of special scientific interest and the largest remaining area of ancient woodland in Norfolk, England.

History

Bawdeswell is sited on a Roman Road that ran from Durobrivae near Peterborough, across the Fen Causeway to Denver, followed Fincham Drove and crossed Peddar's Way between Castle Acre and Swaffham, thence towards North Elmham and Billingford, to Bawdeswell and Jordans Green, and on to Smallburgh. It was a major East-West route and possibly continued to Caister or an important port since eroded by the sea. The village lies just over 2 miles east of Billingford that was a Roman settlement and river (Wensum) crossing (wooden Roman Bridge) point. Some Neolithic and Saxon artifacts found in Bawdeswell are listed by Norfolk Museums & Archaeology Service but no Roman items are recorded.

The village is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 and again in the ‘Norwich Domesday Book ‘ of 1291. Evidence has been found of a church here since about 1100. The name has probably been spelt variously as Balderswella, Baldeswell, Badswell, Bawsewella, Baldeswelle.

Bawdeswell was the home of Chaucer's Reeve in the Canterbury Tales from which the village magazine 'The Reeve's Tale' gets its name. He was "Osewald the Reeve", "Of Northfolk was this reeve of which I telle, Byside a toun men callen Baldeswelle"."

Six roads meet here. From the northwest the road from Fakenham and from the southeast the road from Norwich (A1067). From the west the road from Kings Lynn via Litcham and North Elmham and from the east the road from Mundesley on the coast via Aylsham and Reepham (B1145). From the southwest the road from Dereham via Swanton Morely (B1147). Lastly, and in this case least, is the road south to Elsing that starts as Elsing Lane and after reaching Elsing meanders through various lanes to places south such as North Tuddenham and Mattishall.

In times past there were four Inns and a turnpike toll gate and it was a busy stopping off point for the changing of horses and coaches, for travellers and for Walsingham pilgrims. As with many villages, all the original pubs closed, mostly in the 1920s, but the Bell Inn stayed until 1970 when it was closed and converted into flats. Surprisingly, Bawdeswell reversed the national trend in 2001 with the opening by Matt Beckett of 'The Old Workhouse' bar in part of the old village workhouse.

The buildings of the Tollhouse and of the four original public houses are now residential dwellings within the conservation area of the village. The Tollhouse was built in about 1823 and by the 21st century was semi-derelict but in 2002 work commenced to restore and extend it as a residential dwelling now known as Tollgate Cottage. Chaucer House is reputedly the oldest building in the village dating to the 14th or 15th century and up until 1920 was The Crown Inn (previously Bear Inn) after which it was Crown Farm (farmhouse) before being given its current name. The Ram Inn closed in 1929 and is now a a private house 'The Willows'. The Bell Inn closed in 1970 as was converted into 5 flats. The Black Horse closed in 1926 and is now a private residence. There may have been other pubs in antiquity but there are no records.

Bawdeswell Hall

Bawdeswell Hall is a Dutch Gabled building dating from 1683. Originally built by Henry Eglington it is now owned by the Gurney family. Gurney's Bank was based in Norwich and connected through marriage to Barclays Bank of London with which it merged along with Backhouse's Bank of Darlington and several other Provincial banks in 1896 to form what is now Barclays Bank. Elizabeth Fry, the famous prison reformer, was born a Gurney and the portrait from which the image on the reverse of the £5 note is taken hangs on the main staircase in the hall.

All Saint's Church

There has been a church on this site since circa 1100 but there are no records before 1313 when the current list of some 58 rectors begins.

All Saint's is said to be the only Norfolk village church destroyed in the 1939-1945 war having been hit by a Mosquito bomber from 608 squadron that crashed in the village in November 1944. Sadly, both the crew perished and there is a memorial plaque in the church made from aircraft parts by John Ames (PCC Secretary 1972-1980 and Churchwarden 1980-1994).

The Church was replaced with one of Neo-Georgian design by architect J Fletcher Watson. See [http://www.edp24.co.uk/Content/HiddenNorfolk/asp/2003/05/AllSaints1.asp] and [http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/bawdeswell/bawdeswell.htm] for more about the church.

Bawdeswell is one of 6 parishes in the FLEBBS benefice which includes Foxley, Lyng, Bawdeswell, Bylaugh and Sparham parishes with one rector based in Elsing. The parish finances are ably supported by 'The Friends of Bawdeswell Church' who, with various fund raising events and appeals, contribute towards the running costs of the church building and have paid for recent rewiring. A fund was set up in 2008 to raise funds for a replacement organ that has now been installed although fundraising continues to meet the full costs. The previous organ dating from about 1901, came from the Dower House Music Room at Shotesham, and was purchased second hand when the church was rebuilt.

Schools

There is a Primary School with a roll at present of 76 but, with an apparently healthy birth rate in the village, this looks set to rise. The 'Badgers' Pre-school group is based next to the school and there is a thriving Mothers & Toddlers group that meets at the village hall on Friday mornings.

From about 1828 there was a school in The Old Workhouse building. The building was erected in the 17th century (date to be confirmed) as a Workhouse for the parishes of Bawdeswell, Billingford, Bintree, Bylaugh, Foxley, Lyng, and Sparham but was no longer required when the new Gressenhall workhouse was built to serve all the parishes in the area. Prior to this there was no school.

The current village (primary) school was built in 1875 for Bawdeswell, Bylaugh and Foxley at the sole expense of the Rev Henry Lombe of Bylaugh Hall, who was the Lord of the Manor. His name is on the front, and the motto "PROPOSITI TENAX" (Firm of Purpose. See [http://www.bawdeswell.norfolk.sch.uk/] for more information.

Most secondary school children attend Reepham High School, one of the very best schools in the country, which is presently bulding a new sixth form block due to open in 2009. See [http://www.rhschool.myzen.co.uk/] for more information.

Village Development

There has been significant development in the village in the last four decades with the population increasing from 331 at the 1971 census to an estimated 810 in 2001 (Breckland Council estimate). Since 2000 the developments at Saxon Meadows, All Saint's Court and Chaucers Heath plus other infill have added at least 24 new houses and the redevelopment of the sheltered accommodation at Folland Court will see 8 larger family houses built. There is considerable opposition within the village to any further large scale development, especially of 60 or so houses on the site near Two Fields Way proposed by the 'Gladedale Group' (reference Annual Parish Meeting May 2007) and the draft Breckland Local Development Framework (LDF) has not listed Bawdeswell for any significant development. The LDF Site Specific Document has listed 6 sites that have been proposed for development in and around the village but these are all shown as non-conforming. See [http://consult.breckland.gov.uk/portal/planningpolicy/site_specific_policies_and_proposals/sspapio] and also the meeting minutes on the Parish Council website for details.

Shopping & Facilities

As well as the pub, Bawdeswell has a village shop which used to be privately owned but is now owned by McColls, a very good butcher's shop and a reasonably sized and very popular garden centre. On the south side of the A1067 is 'The Park' which has a Cafe, gift shop and conference facility and the Bawdeswell Garage (repairs and servicing - no fuel). Other local services include hairdressing and reflexology and there is a B&B and some holday cottages.

At present the village is without a Post Office since the Postmistress retired in 2007. The village was listed in the March 2008 consultation document to retain a Post Office but the plan for the Folland Court redevelopment to include the provision of a dedicated building for it has been changed as there is no justification for a 'full time' office based on previous usage. Plans are in hand, subject to confirmation and contracts plus the permission of the church, for an 'outreach' service based at the church for 3 hours on Tuesday and Friday mornings.

Village Hall

The Village Hall was moved from the centre of the village on the site of what is now houses at Old Woods Green to the Recreation Ground north of the village in the early 1990's. This move was controversial at the time and some residents are still unhappy about it.

A modern steel and timber structure was designed but was only one third completed with available funding and the actual hall part was never built. It has a high pitched roof and the original plan was for there to be a badminton court in the main hall. Despite these adversities, the hall that is there has reasonable facilities and is well used. See [http://eoe.xarg.co.uk/bawdeswell/village-hall/ for more information] .

Transport

Bawdeswell is situated on the X29 bus route between Norwich and Fakenham with a reasonably good service Monday to Saturday and 3 buses each way on a Sunday. However, the only buses to Dereham are on a Friday when there are 2 services that allow a couple of hours in the town. See [http://www.travelineeastanglia.co.uk/] for bus information.

Norwich railway station, some 15 1/2 miles (25km) distant by road, is the nearest accessible although reaching it requires a change of buses in the city centre. There is an excellent sevice to and from London and frequent trains to Cambridge, Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft, Cromer and Sheringham plus a cross country service to Liverpool.

Norwich International Airport is 13 miles (21 km) by road from Bawdeswell and can be reached in about 25 minutes by car/taxi

Parish Council

The Parish Council consists of 7 councillors and a Parish Clerk. The council has 10 meetings each year, normally on the 1st Monday of each month at 7.45pm in the Village Hall. There are no meetings in January or August and the May meeting which includes the Anuual Parish Meeting and the Annual Parish Council Meeting is on the 2nd Monday of the month. More information is available on the website at [http://eoe.xarg.co.uk/bawdeswell/]

Project Bawdeswell

Project Bawdeswell has been created to improve facilities in the village. The main issue is the village hall which is not large enough for our community. A subgroup of the project now runs an activities group mainly catering for children during the Easter and summer school holidays as well as during half term breaks. Project Bawdeswell has a website at [http://www.projectbawdeswell.org.uk/] .

Bawdeswell Activities Group

The activities group was crated in 2006, initially to run a program of activities for children during the summer holidays and then to arrange activities for the rest of the community. Bawdeswell Activities Group (BAG) has a website at [http://www.projectbawdeswell.org.uk/BAG/BAG.htm]

The Reeve's Tale Magazine

The Reeve's Tale started off as a Parish Magazine produced by the Vicar but has now become a community magazine for the villages of Bawdeswell and Foxley and is distributed to every house. There are ten issues a year for February, March, April, May, June, July, August/September, October, November and December/January. Although the magazine covers the whole community there is still a link with the church and the benefice as the magazine is most ably edited and produced by Robin Taylor who is one of the churchwardens. The magazine also has its own website [http://bawdeswell.net/rtwebsite/] which also has more information about the village and its history. Deadline for copy and advertising is the 15th of the month preceding publication. The magazine is distributed free of charge with costsbeing covered by advertising revenue and donations from the two parish councils.