Alethorpe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alethorpe |
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 The site of Alethorpe |
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 Alethorpe
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| OS grid reference | TF948313 |
| Civil parish |
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| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | FAKENHAM |
| Postcode district | NR21 |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
Alethorpe is a place in Norfolk, England, where a village used to be. It's known as a "deserted medieval village" because people stopped living there a long time ago. Today, it's part of the Little Snoring area. You can find it near Fakenham and Norwich.
The village was left empty in the 1500s. This likely happened because the land was "enclosed." This means the owner changed how the land was used. Alethorpe is sometimes called Althorp in old books. In 1931, only one person lived in the area.
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Discovering Alethorpe's Past
The name 'Alethorpe' means 'Ali's outlying farm or settlement'. This tells us it was once a small farming community.
Alethorpe in the Domesday Book
The village of Alethorpe is mentioned in the Domesday Book. This was a huge survey of England ordered by William the Conqueror in 1085. In the book, Alethorpe is called Alatorp. It was a small place with a low tax value. The land belonged to King William himself. In 1985, a special disc brooch from the late Saxon period was found here.
Village Life in Medieval Times
Alethorpe was also listed in the Nomina Villarum surveys. These surveys helped the government keep track of villages. In 1272, Alethorpe had about thirty houses. Later, in 1329, twelve people paid taxes there. By 1377, there were still twelve taxpayers. In 1496, ten families lived in the village.
Why Alethorpe Became Deserted
The village was abandoned by the early 1600s. This probably happened because of "land enclosure." This meant that common land, used by everyone, was fenced off by a landlord. This made it hard for villagers to farm and live there. In 1604, the last villagers even asked for help from a local judge.
The village church, dedicated to All Saints, was still used in 1552. But by 1602, it was being used as a barn. It was also in very bad condition. In 1962, three skeletons were found. They were likely buried in the old churchyard.
Changes Over Time
By the mid-1800s, Alethorpe was a special area. It was not part of a regular parish. Later, in 1858, it became its own civil parish. However, it was joined with Fakenham for church matters. On April 1, 1935, Alethorpe's parish was officially ended. It then became part of Little Snoring. The area was about 240 acres of farmland. In 1869, only one farm was there with four people. By 1911, only five people lived in Alethorpe.
Alethorpe Today
Today, a modern building called Alethorpe Hall stands where the old village was. A tree marks the spot where the church used to be. You can still see some low mounds and old track ways. There is also a possible house platform. A flint barn at the hall was built in 1677. A few cottages, called Alethorpe Cottages, are located nearby. They are along the A148 road to the south-east of the old village site.
