Earsham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. Earsham is located 1.1 miles (1.8 km) west of Bungay and 13 miles (21 km) south-east of Norwich. The village is located close to the border between Norfolk and Suffolk, and the River Waveney.
History
Earsham's name is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from the Old English for the homestead or settlement of an earl or built around a hill.[1]
Earsham Mill has stood in some form in the village since the time of the Anglo-Saxons, using the River Waveney to grind wheat into flour. The mill building still exists today.[2]
Earsham Hall was built in the Eighteenth Century by John Buxton and was first inhabited by Lt-Col. William Windham. The hall was remodelled in the Georgian style by Sir John Soane and exists today as a venue for wedding receptions and antiques dealing.
Geography
According to the 2011 Census, Earsham has a population of 882 residents living in 379 households.[4]
Earsham's parish church dates from the fourteenth century and is rare for an East Anglian church due to the fact it features a spire. The stone font depicts the seven sacraments and crucifixion of Jesus Christ whilst the Continental stained glass shows Saint Joseph amongst others.[5]
Amenities
Earsham's Queen's Head has operated as a coaching inn since the mid-19th century,[6] the pub remains open to this day.
William Windham (1706–1789)- British landowner and politician
War memorial
Earsham's war memorial takes the form of a stone column topped with a Celtic cross located on the village green, the memorial is supplemented by a wooden Roll of Honour inside All Saints' Church. The memorial lists the following names for the First World War:
Lieutenant Robert P. Meade (1896–1916), 13th Battalion, Rifle Brigade
