England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Newton by Castle Acre All Saints

The Parish

The parish of Newton (given the suffix "by Castle Acre" to distinguish it from the 2 other Newtons in Norfolk). lies in west central Norfolk about 4 miles north of the market town of Swaffham. Newton sits on the A1065 road which connects Swaffham with Fakenham. There is very little to Newton, an inn and a collection of farms marks its presence on the A1065, and it has seemingly always been a small settlement. Situated on the southern banks of the River Nar Newton's economy would have been dominated by arable farming like so many parts of the county but pastures in the valley bottom would have added some variety. The Nar drains the parish westwards heading out into Norfolk's Fenland to reach the Great Ouse and eventually the North Sea through The Wash and the port of King's Lynn. Newton is sited at around 40 metres above the sea in gently rounded land underpinned by chalk with local heights rising to above 80 metres within a couple of miles. Newton parish was typically small, as are many Norfolk parishes, it covered just over 900 acres and would have held a tiny population of fewer than 100 parishioners. Newton gets a mention in Domesday Book where it shared between the King & Ivo Tallboys, collectively their holdings could offer 7 ploughs albeit there were 2 mills and a half share in a salthouse.

The Church

All Saints' church sits adjacent to the A1065 on its northern side, squeezed between road and river. The church is one of the oldest in Norfolk and Pevsner confidently dates the majority of the structure as Saxon. The church follows an unusual layout with its central tower, which is also unusual as such ancient towers are traditionally round. The nave has a few Decorated windows which are probably modifications to the originals and the chancel shows signs of remodeling in the typical church-building era of the 14th century but largely the church seems almost intact and of the pre-Norman period. The site is fringed by a wide grassy verge with a worn pull-in to park. A low flint wall, topped by brick surrounds the churchyard with gates at the western end. A few trees, clustered around the western end, limit the angles, but not irrevocably, for photography.