Lessingham
| Lessingham | |
|---|---|
 Lessingham Village Sign | |
  Lessingham Location within Norfolk | |
| Area | 2.88 sq mi (7.5 km2) |
| Population | 505 (2021 census) |
| • Density | 175/sq mi (68/km2) |
| OS grid reference | TG3928 |
| • London | 136 miles (219 km) |
| Civil parish |
|
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | NORWICH |
| Postcode district | NR12 |
| Dialling code | 01692 |
| UK Parliament | |
Lessingham is a village and a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The civil parish also includes the village of Eccles on Sea and the hamlet of Hempstead.
Lessingham is located 16.3 miles (26.2 km) south-east of Cromer and 17.6 miles (28.3 km) north-east of Norwich.
History
[edit]Lessingham's name is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from the Old English for the homestead of Leofsige's people.[1]
In the Domesday Book, Lessingham is listed as a settlement of 45 households in the hundred of Happing. In 1086, the village was part of the East Anglian estates of King William I.[2]
During the Second World War, several structures were built in Lessingham to defend against a possible German invasion, including pillboxes, mortar emplacements and anti-tank obstacles.[3]
Geography
[edit]According to the 2021 census, Lessingham has a population of 505 people which shows a decrease from the 566 people recorded in the 2011 census.[4]
All Saints' Church
[edit]Lessingham's parish church dates from the Thirteenth Century. All Saints' is located on Star Hill and has been Grade II listed since 1955.[5] The church is no longer open for Sunday service.[6]
All Saints' was re-built and restored by Herbert John Green in the 1890s and a set of stained-glass windows designed by James Powell and Sons depicting Saint Andrew, Saint George and King Richard I.[7]
Governance
[edit]Lessingham is part of the electoral ward of Happisburgh for local elections and is part of the district of North Norfolk.
The village's national constituency is North Norfolk, which has been represented by the Liberal Democrat Steff Aquarone MP since 2024.
War Memorial
[edit]Lessingham's war memorial is a framed paper roll of honour in All Saints' Church which lists the following names for the First World War:[8]
| Rank | Name | Unit | Date of Death | Burial/Commemoration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lt. | Locke F. W. Kendall | 9th Bn., Norfolk Regiment | 22 Nov. 1917 | Ramleh War Cemetery |
| P1C | John E. Dyball | 82nd Division, AEF | 20 Oct. 1918 | Unknown |
| Pte. | James Platford | 9th Bn., Durham Light Infantry | 13 Apr. 1917 | Agny Military Cemetery |
| Pte. | John R. Wilkins | 25th Bn., Middlesex Regiment | 30 Jul. 1919 | St. Andrew's Churchyard |
| Pte. | Walter J. Cutting | 5th Bn., Norfolk Regiment | 19 Apr. 1917 | Gaza War Cemetery |
| Pte. | Alec C. Clements | 8th Bn., Norfolk Regt. | 31 Jul. 1917 | The Huts Cemetery |
| Dhd. | Ernest Wilkins | H.M. Trawler Dane | 28 Aug. 1915 | Chatham Naval Memorial |
References
[edit]- ^ "Key to English Place-names". kepn.nottingham.ac.uk. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
- ^ "Lessingham | Domesday Book". opendomesday.org. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
- ^ "Parish-Summary-Lessingham-(Parish-Summary) - Norfolk Heritage Explorer". www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
- ^ "Lessingham (Parish, United Kingdom) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
- ^ "CHURCH OF ALL SAINTS, Lessingham - 1172410 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
- ^ "All Saints, Lessingham". www.achurchnearyou.com. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
- ^ "Norfolk Churches". www.norfolkchurches.co.uk. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
- ^ "Geograph:: Lakenham to Lyng :: War Memorials in Norfolk". www.geograph.org.uk. Retrieved 15 June 2025.
External links
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