Calthorpe, Norfolk

Calthorpe is a former civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is 3 miles (4.8 km) north of Aylsham and 16 miles (26 km) north of Norwich.

In 1931 the parish had a population of 143.^[1] This was the last time separate population statistics for Calthorpe were recorded and in 1935 the parish was combined with the parish of Erpingham.^[2]

In the Domesday Book, Calthorpe is recorded as a settlement of 38 households in the hundred of South Erpingham. It formed part of the estates of Roger Bigod, St Benet's Abbey and Tihel of Hellean.^[3] The Domesday survey recorded that there were two watermills in Calthorpe^[4] although no other documented evidence references the watermills until 1249.^[4] By that date there was only one watermill south of the village on the River Bure.^[4] The watermill was constructed from timber and needed constant maintenance, a situation which was documented by the rectory accounts. The mill's situation made access difficult and this eventually lead to the mill falling into disrepair until in 1453^[4] it is recorded as having collapsed.

Within the former parish of Calthorpe, there is evidence of several manor houses dating from the medieval period but all traces have now disappeared and their exact locations are not known. The names of three have been recorded as Calthorpe Hall, Hook Hall and Kybald Hall all of which are referred to in medieval documents and in White's gazetteer of 1845.^[5]

The church standing today was first built in the medieval period, although there are remnants of an earlier Norman church within the building. The Norman church replaced an earlier church. Most of the remaining church was built in the 13th century. The church tower was built in the 13th century and is unbuttressed and faced in knapped flint work. Internally the tower has a low arch with several courses of mouldings which finish into the impost. The chancel dates from the 13th century with the nave being re-built sometime in the 15th century. Originally there was a porch on the south elevation doorway now gone. On the north elevation is the door used today which has a recess above the door on the inside which once contained a Saint Christopher as was the practice of placing the saint opposite the main entrance to welcome the parishioners and travellers to the church. The timber roof of the nave dates from the medieval period and is constructed with rows of Arch-braced trusses.

The nave has four early English triple lancets perpendicular windows of which only one has any decoration. The widow in the chancel was installed in 1822. The octagonal font dates from the 15th century and sits on a pedestal with four lions, one to each corner with double tracery panel between each hunched lion. The octagonal bowls panels are also decorated with tracery with the underside of the bowl supported by carved demi-figures of angels. The font is topped with a red and green brightly decorated cover which towers above the font. The cover originates from the parish church of Saint Andrews at Buxton.^[6][7][8]