Great Bircham

Great Bircham
Signpost in Great Bircham
Great Bircham
Location within Norfolk
OS grid referenceTF768325
Civil parish
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townKing's Lynn
Postcode districtPE31
Dialling code01485
UK Parliament

Great Bircham is a village, part of the civil parish of Bircham, in the English county of Norfolk. It is 12 miles (19 km) north-east of the town of King's Lynn, and 38 miles (61 km) north-west of the city of Norwich.

History

The village's name is of Anglo-Saxon origin[1] and it is listed in the Domesday Book as a settlement of 21 households in the hundred of Docking. In 1086, Bircham Newton was part of the estates of Ralph de Beaufour and William d'Ecouis.[2]

Great Bircham Windmill was built in 1846 by George Humphrey and was restored in 1977. The mill remains open to visitors today.[3][4]

In 1931 the parish had a population of 327.[5] This was the last time separate population statistics were collected for Great Bircham and on 1 April 1935 the parish was abolished to form part of the parish of Bircham.[6]

St. Mary's church

Great Bircham's church is dedicated to Saint Mary and dates mainly from the 14th-century. The building is Grade I listed.[7][8]

Governance

Great Bircham is part of the electoral ward of Bircham with Ruddhams for local elections and is part of the district of King's Lynn and West Norfolk. It is part of the North West Norfolk parliamentary constituency.

References

  1. ^ "Key to English Place-names". kepn.nottingham.ac.uk. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
  2. ^ "[Great] Bircham | Domesday Book". opendomesday.org. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
  3. ^ "Norfolk Mills - Gt Bircham tower windmill". www.norfolkmills.co.uk. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
  4. ^ "mnf1720 - Norfolk Heritage Explorer". www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
  5. ^ "Population statistics Great Bircham AP/CP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  6. ^ "Relationships and changes Great Bircham AP/CP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
  7. ^ Historic England. "CHURCH OF ST MARY, Bircham (1077807)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
  8. ^ "Great Bircham: St Mary the Virgin". www.achurchnearyou.com. Retrieved 30 March 2025.