Diss Family History Group

FERSFIELD is a village and parish 5 miles north-west from Diss station on the Ipswich. and Norwich section of the Great Eastern railway, in the Southern division of the county, Diss hundred, petty sessional division and county court district, Guiltcross union, rural deanery of Redenhall, archdeaconry of Norfolk and diocese of Norwich. The church of St. Andrew, rebuilt by Sir Robert and William Du Blois, is an ancient building of flint in the Perpendicular style, consisting of chancel, nave, south aisle, south porch and a western tower containing one bell: there are marble monuments to the founders and a marble slab to the Rev. Francis Blomefield B. A. rector here for 23 years, who died 15 Jan. 1751 : the communion plate includes a chalice and paten believed to date from the time of Queen Elizabeth: there are 170 sittings. The register dates from the year 1565. The living is a rectory, average tithe rent-charge £273, gross yearly value £300, including 60 acres of glebe and residence, in the gift of and held since I878 by the Rev. Arthur Braithwaite, of St. Bees. Francis Blomefield, the distinguished antiquary and author of the well-known “History of Norfolk,” first printed and published in 1739-95 and afterwards reprinted by Mr. William Millert of London, in eleven large volumes, in 1805-10, was born here 23rd July, 1705; he was instituted to this living 13th September, 1729, and held it till his death in 175I. Algar House, the seat of the late Miss Mortimer, is pleasantly situated, but at present unoccupied. The Duke of Norfolk K.G. is lord of the manor and chief landowner. A charity was left by Jeffery Ellingham in 1493 of 4 marks a year and 23 acres of land and a house, producing £30 yearly, which sum is applied towards the repairs of the church. The soil is heavy; subsoil, clay. The chief crops are wheat and barley. The area is 1,386 acres; rateable value, £1,648; the population in 1891 was 256.
Parish Clerk, Walter Crick.
POST 0FFICE-Herbert Arthur Hall, sub-postmaster. Letters through Diss, arrive at 8.45 a. m. ; dispatched at 5· 15 p.m. The nearest money order & telegraph office is at Kenninghall
A School Board of 5 members was formed December 20, 1872; Isaac Vertigen, New Buckenham, clerk to the board & attendance officer
Board School, for 50 children; average attendance, 33; (vacant), mistress

Braithwaite Rev. Arthur, Rectory
COMMERCIAL.
Bean John, farmer
Brasnett Walter Thomas, farmer Fersfield hall
Bullock Charles, shopkeeper
Eaton George Francis, farmer
Fairweather Charles, blacksmith
Finbow John C. farmer, Wood farm
Garrood Fuller, farmer
Garrood Warren, farmer
Hardy Robert, farmer
Hoskins Charles, farmer
Hoskins Charles, jun, farmer
Levis William, farmer
Reynolds George, farm bailiff to the Duke of Norfolk K.G
Robinson Caleb, farmer & beer retailer
Spurling Robert, farmer
Witham Richard, farmer