North Tuddenham

North Tuddenham
St Mary the Virgin church, North Tuddenham
North Tuddenham
Location within Norfolk
Area9.41 km2 (3.63 sq mi)
Population335 (2011)[1]
• Density36/km2 (93/sq mi)
OS grid referenceTG038141
Civil parish
  • North Tuddenham
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townDEREHAM
Postcode districtNR20
Dialling code01362
PoliceNorfolk
FireNorfolk
AmbulanceEast of England

North Tuddenham is a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk, North Tuddenham is 3 miles (4.8 km) east of East Dereham, and is close to the A47 road.

St. Mary's Church

The parish church is dedicated to St Mary.[2]

Etymology

The villages name means 'Tuda's homestead/village'.

Geography

It covers an area of 9.41 km2 (3.63 sq mi) and had a population of 305 in 121 households at the 2001 census,[3] increasing to a population of 335 in 138 households at the 2011 Census. For the purposes of local government, it falls within the Upper Wensum Ward of Breckland District Council and the Elmham and Mattishall Division of Norfolk County Council.

RAF Tuddenham is nearby. In 1944, a USAAF B24 bomber, assembling for what would become an aborted mission due to weather conditions, lost a wing and crashed at North Tuddenham, killing eight of the ten crew members. A memorial plaque is located in St Mary's church.[4] The incident is also commemorated in a village flag, designed by a local school student, Esme Okan, in 2021.[5]

North Tuddenham Common is about 23 acres in size, and has been maintained for many years as a wild habitat by the Conservation Volunteers, North Tuddenham Parish Council and Norfolk County Council. These bodies are represented on the recently formed ‘Common Management Committee’. Butterflies are an important feature of the Common, 24 species have been recorded, including less common varieties. There is also a large and varied moth population The pond, which is solely fed by rainwater, hosts a diverse ecosystem, including 17 species of dragonfly and the gold crested newt.[6]

A plaque on the Common marks the site of the North Tuddenham Cycle Speedway track, which operated from 1947 to 1953. Shortly after WW2, local teenagers took it upon themselves to dig up the turf from the common to create a track, complete with banks. They also made their own bikes. The inspiration to start the team came from watching the Norwich Stars speedway team. Tuddenham Rangers Cycle Speedway team  triumphed in the Beetley and District League, which they won four years running. They were East Anglian Champions in 1951 and 1952 and runners up in the British Championship final in 1952. [7]

References

  1. ^ "Civil Parish population 2011". Neighbourhood Statistics. Office for National Statistics. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  2. ^ GENUKI
  3. ^ Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes Archived 2017-02-11 at the Wayback Machine. Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). Retrieved 20 June 2009.
  4. ^ "St Mary, North Tuddenham". American Air Museum. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  5. ^ "Flag designed by eight-year-old to fly over village". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
  6. ^ "North Tuddenham Parish Council". North Tuddenham Parish Council. Archived from the original on 17 January 2024. Retrieved 9 March 2026.
  7. ^ "When Norfolk's cycle aces the Tuddenham Rangers met again 60 years on". Eastern Daily Press. 18 January 2016. Retrieved 9 March 2026.

http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Norfolk/North%20Tuddenham