Thornage

Infobox UK place
official_name= Thornage
country= England
region= East of England
shire_district= North Norfolk
shire_county= Norfolk
civil_parish= Thornage
static_

static_image_caption =Thornage Village sign
population= 218 (parish, 2001 census)
population_density=
os_grid_reference= TG051362
latitude= 52.88524
longitude= 1.04576
post_town= HOLT
postcode_area= NR
postcode_district= NR25
constituency_westminster= North Norfolk
london_distance= 125 miles

Thornage is a village and a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk [ "OS Explorer Map 24” – Norfolk Coast Central. ISBN 0 319 21726 4 ] . The village is 2.7 miles south-west of Holt, 23.2 miles north-west of Norwich and 11.3 miles east of Fakenham. The village straddles the B1110 road between Holt and Guist. The nearest railway station is at Sheringham for the Bittern Line which runs between Sheringham, Cromer and Norwich. The nearest airport is at Norwich International Airport.

History

Thornage has an entry in the Domesday Book of 1085 [The Domesday Book, Englands Heritage, Then and Now, Editor: Thomas Hinde,Norfolk page 194 ISBN 1858334403] . In the great book Thornage is recorded by the name ‘’Tornedis’’. The main land holder being Bishop William. The survey also lists 3 mills

The Iron Foundry

In the 1800’s there was a brass and iron foundry in the village the foundry was run first by John Mann, and then later by his nephew, Alfred Abram [The King’s England series, NORFOLK, by Arthur Mee,Pub:Hodder and Stoughton,1972, page 306 Thornage, ISBN 0 340 15061 0] . The foundry is depicted on the village sign.

Thornage Hall

Thornage Hall is a former grange of the Bishops of Norwich .There has been a manor house on this site since the time of the Normans. The hall was built circa 1482 by Bishop Goldwall of Norwich. After the dissolution of the monasteries the hall was given to Sir William Butts by Henry VIII. In the 17th century both end of the Hall were demolished and remodelled, but the hall windows and doorways in the centre block were retains. In 1988 a 17th century sewer tunnel was rediscovered. Nearby there is a large brick dovecote, dating to 1728, and barns of flint and brick dating to 1718 and 1727.

Thornage Watermill

The watermill is located to the north east of the village and stands on the river Glaven whose course was altered to construct the mill in an area able to hold the mill dam without flooding the surrounding area. The watermill stopped working in 1938. The mill is now a private residence but a watermill has been recorded on this site as far back as the Domesday Book. In the 1200’s the watermill was known as "Feldmille". The building seen today is built from Norfolk red brick and has a Pantile roof. In its working order the watermill had a breastshot 13' x 6' wheel was made entirely out of wood and powered 4 pairs of stones that were driven from above and controlled by two sets of flyball governors. Three pairs of French burr stones still remained in 2003 along with some of the machinery which have been incorporated into the living area of the converted mill.

The Parish Church of all saint’s

The Parish Church of All Saint’s chancel was constructed in the earlt part of the 14th century [Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East, By Nikolaus Pevsner and Bill Wilson, Thornage entry. ISBN 0-300-09607-0 ] . There are also three Norman windows which can be seen in the nave and the chancel. At some time the church had a south aisle as the blocked up arcade shows [The King’s England series, NORFOLK, by Arthur Mee,Pub:Hodder and Stoughton,1972, page 307 Thornage, ISBN 0 340 15061 0] . The church was heavily renovated in 1898 and in 1904. Inside the church can also be seen the tomb chest of Sir William Butts, who died in 1853.He was the son of another Sir William Butts who was the chief physician in the household of Henry VIII. The churches communion plate is very ancient as is the chalice. Inscribed on the chalice are the words "was the gyfte of John Butts (or Butes), and Margaret, his wife - 1456."

Notable People

*Sir William Butts was a Fellow of the College of Physicians [ [http://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/heritage/munksroll/munk_details.asp?ID=692] Royal College of Physicians Archive] who became physician to Henry VIII, whose confidence he enjoyed to a remarkable degree. He was a keen supporter of the Reformation. William was educated at Gonville Hall, Cambridge, of which he became a Fellow. He proceeded B.A. 1506, M.A. 1509, and M.D. 1518. He was made a Fellow of the College of Physicians 9th November 1529. He was the friend of Thomas Cardinal Wolsey, Thomas Cranmer, and Hugh Latimer [ [http://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/heritage/munksroll/munk_details.asp?ID=692] Royal College of Physicians Archive] . William was knighted by Henry VIII, under the title of Sir William Butts, of Norfolk. He has been immortalised by Shakespeare, in his play of Henry VIII, and his portrait is in Holbein’s picture of the delivery of the Charter to the Barber Surgeons. Sir Williams family had been in possession of the manor of Thornage for some considerable time but Sir William was given the Hall which had once been the grange of the Bishop of Norwich, by Henry VIII in 1536 [The King’s England series, NORFOLK, by Arthur Mee,Pub:Hodder and Stoughton,1972, page 306 Thornage, ISBN 0 340 15061 0] .

References