Alethorpe

Alethorpe is a deserted medieval village site and former civil parish, now in the parish of Little Snoring, in the North Norfolk district, in the county of Norfolk, England. It lies south-east of Little Snoring, around north-east of the town Fakenham and north-west of Norwich to the north of the A148 road.''OS Explorer Map 24 - Norfolk Coast Central''. . The village, which is one of around 200 lost settlements in Norfolk, was abandoned in the 16th century, probably as the consequence of the land being enclosed by the landlord of that time. It is occasionally referred to as Althorp in historical literature. In 1931 the parish had a population of 1.

History

The name 'Alethorpe' means 'Ali's outlying farm/settlement'.

The village of Alethorpe is mentioned in the Domesday Book.The Domesday Book, England's Heritage, Then and Now, (Editor: Thomas Hinde), Norfolk, page 186, Alethorpe, In the survey Alethorpe is recorded by the name of ''Alatorp'' and was a small settlement with a taxable value of 0.6 geld.Alethorpe
Open Domesday. Retrieved 2016-11-06. The land was held by King William. A late Saxon disc brooch was discovered on the site in 1985.

Alethorpe was also recorded in the Nomina Villarum surveys.Alethorpe deserted medieval village
Norfolk Heritage Explorer. Retrieved 2016-11-06.Blake W, 'Norfolk Manorial Lords in 1316', Norfolk Archaeology, volume 30, 1952: 277 & 8. In the surveys Alethorpe is recorded as being a village of thirty houses in 1272, twelve taxpayers 1329, eleven in 1332, and twelve in 1377. It was recorded that there were ten heads of families in 1496.

The village was abandoned in the 16th century, probably due to land enclosure. The parish church, which was dedicated to All Saints, which was in use in 1552, was being used as a barn by 1602 and was in poor repair by that date.Batcock N (1991) The Ruined and Disused Churches of Norfolk, ''East Anglian Archaeology'' vol. 51, p.182.
Available online
.Parish summary: Little Snoring
Norfolk Heritage Explorer. Retrieved 2016-11-06.Site of All Saints' Church, Alethorpe
Norfolk Heritage Explorer. Retrieved 2016-11-06. Three skeletons were unearthed in 1962 in what is assumed to be the churchyard.

By the middle of the 19th century Alethorpe was classified as an extra-parochial area in the Gallow Hundred,''History, Gazetteer & Directory of Norfolk, 1854'', Francis White, p.690.
Available online
Retrieved 2016-11-08. from 1858 Alethorpe was a civil parish in its own right, although united with Fakenham for religious purposes.Kelly E R (ed) (1869) ''The Post Office Directory of Cambridge, Norfolk and Suffolk (Part Two)'', p.204.
Available online
Retrieved 2016-11-08). until it was abolished on 1 April 1935 and merged with Little Snoring.''Kelly's Directory of Norfolk, 1896'', p.25
Available online
Retrieved 2016-11-08). The parish covered around and was farmland. In 1869 the parish consisted of just one farm with a population of four. By 1891 it had a population of nine and in 1911 this had fallen again to five.''Kelly's Directory of Norfolk, 1912'', p.28.
Available online
Retrieved 2016-11-08).

Modern Alethorpe

Alethorpe Hall, which is a modern building, stands on the site of the deserted village. A tree stands on the site of the church. A few low and generally indistinct earthworks remain along with possible track ways and a house platform, whilst a flint built barn at the hall dates from 1677. A small row of cottages, named Alethorpe Cottages, lie along the A148 road to the south-east of the deserted village site.

References

External links

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* {{OpenDomesday, TF9431, alethorpe, Alethorpe

Deserted medieval villages in Norfolk
Archaeological sites in Norfolk
Former civil parishes in Norfolk
North Norfolk