Thorpe St Andrew facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Thorpe St Andrew |
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 The church of St. Andrew, at Thorpe St Andrew Church. In front of the Victorian building are the ruins of the medieval church destroyed by fire in the nineteenth century |
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 Thorpe St Andrew
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| Area | 7.05 km2 (2.72 sq mi) |
| Population | 14,556 (2011 census) |
| • Density | 2,065/km2 (5,350/sq mi) |
| OS grid reference | TG263094 |
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| District |
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| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | NORWICH |
| Postcode district | NR7 |
| Dialling code | 01603 |
| Police | Norfolk |
| Fire | Norfolk |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
| UK Parliament |
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Thorpe St Andrew is a town and civil parish in Norfolk, England. It is located in the Broadland area. The town sits right on the River Yare. It is about two miles east of the center of Norwich.
Thorpe St Andrew is just outside the city of Norwich. In 2011, about 14,556 people lived here. The town covers an area of about 7.08 square kilometers. It is also where the main offices for the Broadland district council are located.
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History of Thorpe St Andrew
Thorpe St Andrew has a long and interesting history. Its name even tells us something about its past.
Early Beginnings and Name Changes
The town is mentioned in the Domesday Book. This was a very old survey of England from 1086. In the book, its name was spelled 'Torp'. This is a Scandinavian word that means "village." This suggests that people from Scandinavia, like the Danes, were in East Anglia a long time ago. Some historians think Danes were here as early as 870 AD. In 1004, a leader named Sweyn sailed his ships up the river to Norwich.
There is also proof that the Romans lived in Thorpe. Many Roman items have been found here over the years. The town was first known by names like 'Thorpe Episcopi' or 'Thorpe-next-Norwich'. Later, it became known as 'Thorpe St Andrew'. A large hospital was built in the town in May 1814.
Important Events in Thorpe's Past
A very sad event happened in Thorpe St Andrew in 1874. This was East Anglia's worst train crash. It was a terrible accident.
You can still see parts of the old town today. These are along Yarmouth Road, which leads out of Norwich. Some old buildings include St Andrew's parish church. There is also the old parish infants school. You can also see the Rivergarden and Buck public houses.
Fun Things to Do in Thorpe St Andrew
Thorpe St Andrew has many places and groups for fun and activities.
Sports and Clubs
There are many leisure facilities here. You can find the County Arts indoor and outdoor bowling club. There are also groups like Thorpe Kite Flyers. The Starlight Express Majorettes are another popular group.
If you like being on the water, the Yare Boat Club is a great place. It is on Thorpe Island, across from the Rivergarden. Here, you can enjoy rowing on the River Yare.
Schools and Learning
The main high school in the area is Thorpe St Andrew High School. It started in its current form in 1977. Many primary schools feed into this high school. These include Dussindale, St Williams, and Hillside Primary Schools.
In recent years, Thorpe St Andrew has grown. The Dussindale housing development was built to the east. This area includes Dussindale Primary School, which opened in 2007. There is also the Broadland business park here.
River Life and Local Media
Thorpe St Andrew is home to the radio station 99.9 Radio Norwich. Its studios are near Thorpe River Green. The station began broadcasting on June 29, 2006.
The town is on the River Yare. This river is part of the Norfolk Broads. The Broads are a network of rivers where boats can travel. Thorpe Green is on the main Yarmouth Road. It gives access to the river. The land on the other side of the river is an island. This island was created when a new channel was dug. This new channel allowed boats to travel to Norwich without going under two low railway bridges.
Long ago, Thorpe had many busy boat yards. Now, Thorpe Island mainly offers places for people to moor their liveaboard boats. There are still some boat yards operating in the east of town. These include places to hire boats, private facilities, and boat building operations.
War Memorial
A special plaque stands at the River Green war memorial site. It remembers those who served in World War One. Two local schoolchildren, Harry and Aimee Fuller, unveiled it on August 4, 2014.
Roads in Thorpe St Andrew
Two main roads run through Thorpe St Andrew. They go from east to west. These are the A1042 and the A1242. The A1242, also called Yarmouth Road, was once the main road from Norwich to Great Yarmouth.
Famous People from Thorpe St Andrew
Some notable people have connections to Thorpe St Andrew:
- Sir George Henry Morse (1857–1931) was a mountaineer. He also served as the Lord Mayor of Norwich.
- Peter Trudgill is a well-known expert in how language changes in different social groups. He was born and grew up in this area.
