Great Bircham
| Great Bircham | |
|---|---|
 Signpost in Great Bircham | |
  Great Bircham Location within Norfolk | |
| OS grid reference | TF768325 |
| Civil parish | |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | King's Lynn |
| Postcode district | PE31 |
| Dialling code | 01485 |
| UK Parliament | |
Great Bircham is a village, part of the civil parish of Bircham, in the King's Lynn and West Norfolk district, 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
[edit]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]
In 1740, the common land in Great Bircham was subject to enclosure.[3]
Great Bircham Windmill was built in 1846 by George Humphrey and was restored in 1977. The mill remains open to visitors today.[4][5]
In 1931 the parish had a population of 327.[6] 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.[7]
St. Mary's church
[edit]Great Bircham's church is dedicated to Saint Mary and dates mainly from the 14th-century. The building is Grade I listed.[8][9]
Governance
[edit]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
[edit]- ↑ "Key to English Place-names". kepn.nottingham.ac.uk. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
- ↑ "[Great] Bircham | Domesday Book". opendomesday.org. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
- ↑ "House of Lords Journal Volume 25: March 1740, 1-10". British History Online. HMSO 1767-1830. Retrieved 17 May 2026.
- ↑ "Norfolk Mills - Gt Bircham tower windmill". www.norfolkmills.co.uk. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
- ↑ "mnf1720 - Norfolk Heritage Explorer". www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
- ↑ "Population statistics Great Bircham AP/CP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
- ↑ "Relationships and changes Great Bircham AP/CP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 2 October 2022.
- ↑ Historic England. "CHURCH OF ST MARY, Bircham (1077807)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
- ↑ "Great Bircham: St Mary the Virgin". www.achurchnearyou.com. Retrieved 30 March 2025.
