England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
West Barsham The Assumption

The Parish

The parish of West Barsham lies in northwestern Norfolk about 3 miles northwest of the market town of Fakenham. West Barsham is little more than a hamlet and sits just to the east of the B1105 road which links fakenham with Wells next the Sea. All there is to West Barsham is a few cottages associated with the church & hall and it has never been a populous place. West Barsham sits on the western edge of the valley of the River Stiffkey where land rises up to the northwestern chalky downlands of northwestern Norfolk. As such it would have provided both arable, on the hills, and pastoral, in the valley, opportunities for employment. The River Stiffkey is draining northwards to reach the sea just to the east of Stiffkey itself and opposite Blakeney Point. West Barsham is sited at around 40 metres above the sea but land rises to the west to almost 60 metres. Despite the small population of barely 80 parishioners West Barsham parish was of a size typical in Norfolk, it covered almost 1,600 acres. In Domesday times West Barsham was reported jointly with its larger neighbour of East Barsham and was shared between one William of Warenne and the King's own holdings. The pair were fairly wealthy offering 15 ploughs, meadows, woodland and an impressive 8 mills.

The Church

The Assumption church sits on the narrow lane of Grove Road where most of the parish's properties sit, it is at the eastern end where it performs a sharp left right-angled turn. The building is one of the oldest churches in Norfolk with many Norman and indeed Saxon features remaining. Whilst only windows remain from the Saxon period, there are traces of a central tower dating from that era. The rather plain doorway is the principal Norman feature, the chancel and probably the nave are later and 13th century using the Decorated style. Of course the Victorians had their way and there was an extensive restoration also in the mid 20th century. The church stands behind a low flint wall topped with brick, a short path at the southern end leads to a wooden gate granting access to the churchyard. The building is rather hemmed in from both north and east by trees which somewhat restricts the angles available for photography.