England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Wramplingham St Peter & St Paul

The Parish

The parish of Wramplingham lies in the southeastern portion of central Norfolk roughly 3 miles north of the market town of Wymondham. Wramplingham sits just under a mile south of the B1108 road which links the city of Norwich with Hingham and Watton. Wramplingham is a linear village with hugs the southern banks of the River Tiffey, the run is under a half mile and overlooked by the church with stands on higher ground to the south. Like most Norfolk parishes Wramplingham is an arable farming parish, early gazetteers estimate roughly 2:1 in favour of arable and probably more today. In addition to farming there was a large flour mill which employed some in the parish. The Tiffey runs northwards for just over a mile to meet the Yare which heads water eastwards skirting Norwich and crossing Broadland to reach the North Sea through the port of Great Yarmouth. Wramplingham is sited at just 20 metres above the sea with the church some 10 metres higher, in gentle terrain a few spots to the south almost meet the 50 metre contour. Wramplingham was a small parish even in a county with many such small rural parishes, covering just 951 acres it would have supported a population of around 200 parishioners. Domesday Wramplingham was even smaller than today, just 12 households, whilst it did possess a mill shared between the 2 landholders its other assets were a single plough and a 4 acre meadow, tiny indeed.

The Church

St Peter & St Paul's church stands on the eastern side of the lane which heads southwards toward Wymondham, 10 metres higher than the village as already mentioned. The presence of a round tower is normally indicative of an early church in Norfolk and Suffolk and whilst the basal stages of the church meet that criteria, being 12th century Norman Romanesque, the octagonal top is a 15th century modification. There is certainly additional 12th century fabric in the nave, too, a semicircular headed door in the northern aisle is of that style but has been reset during later restorations. The chancel which is lightly lower is later but still early medieval, Pevsner dates it as c1280 and the Early English Gothic signature styled lancet windows are present in abundance, 6 on the northern face and 5 to the southern. The octagonal top to the tower is closely dated to 1439 thanks to bequests for its construction, the 15th century also saw a new roof for the nave. The usual Victorian restoration came in 1872 and besides resetting the early door and some early 14th century windows it also added the northern aisle. Whilst the lane passing the church is narrow a few spots either side have been worn wide enough for a car to safely get partially off road. The churchyard is screened by tall hedging with wooden gates for entry, once within there are no obstacles for the photographer.