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, Depwade union, rural deanery of Redenhall, arch deaconry 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, net income £222, including 60 acres of glebe and residence, in the gift of Mrs. C. E. Woode, and held since 1912 by the Rev. Charles Edward Woode B.A. of Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. Here is a Primitive Methodist chapel, erected in 1891. Francis Blomefield, the distinguished antiquary, and author of the well-known “History of Norfolk,” was born here 23 July, 1705: his great work was originally printed in the dining-room of the present rectory, and stored in the tithe barn on the site of the present coachhouse: it was published in 1739-95 and afterwards reprinted in 1805-10, by Mr. William Miller, of London, in eleven large volumes. Blomefield was instituted to the living 13th September, 1729, and held it till his death in 1751. 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 £25 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 1,396 acres; rateable value, £1,272; the population in 1911 was 261.
Sexton, Ambrose Crick.
Post Office. - Herbert Arthur Hall, sub-postmaster. Letters through Diss, arrive at 8.20 a.m. & 3 p.m. (to callers only); dispatched at 11.50 a.m. & 5·45 p.m. week days only. Kenninghall, 3 miles distant, is the nearest money order & telegraph office
Pillar Box, cleared at 5.30 p.m. week days only
Public Elementary School, for 60 children ; average attendance, 40; Mrs. C. E. Boggis, mistress

PRIVATE RESIDENTS.
Woodcock Mrs. Algar house
Woode Rev. Charles Edward B.A. (rector), The Rectory
COMMERCIAL.
Boggis Arthur William, assistant overseer & blacksmith
Brasnett Arthur Leslie, farmer
Brasnett Walt. Thos. farmer, Hall frm
Cobbold John, beer retailer
Garland Willie George, farmer
Goodwin George, farmer
Gray Aurelius, farmer
Hoskins Harry, shopkeeper
Lond Horace, poultry dealer
Newstead Frederick, farmer
Oakley William, farmer
Ramsey Alfred, farmer
Rivett Rosa (Mrs.), farmer
Robinson Caleb, farmer & beer retailer
Soar William, farmer
Spurling Charles, farmer Warby Samuel, farmer
Websdale Clement, farmer