Watton is a
market town in the
district of
Breckland
Breckland in Norfolk and Suffolk is a 39,433 hectare Special Protection Area (SPA) under the European Union Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds. The SPA partly overlaps the 7,544 hectare Breckland Special Area of Conservation. As a la ...
in the
English county of
Norfolk, about west-southwest of
Norwich and northeast of
Thetford. The annual
Wayland Agricultural Show in its west is one of the oldest one-day such shows in England.
History
The towns name means 'Wada's farm/settlement'.
At the time of
Edward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor ; la, Eduardus Confessor , ; ( 1003 – 5 January 1066) was one of the last Anglo-Saxon English kings. Usually considered the last king of the House of Wessex, he ruled from 1042 to 1066.
Edward was the son of Æth ...
, Watton consisted of two manors, the head manor held by the freewoman Aldred, and the other held by Ralf FitzWalter, which was a gift of the King. By 1139 it was in the possession of Robert de Vaux. After passing to various descendants, Richard de Rupella (elsewhere Rokele) was granted the manor in 1249 as a reward for his service as a knight, and it came to be known as Rokele's Manor. In 1414, Watton fell under John, Lord Roos of Hamlak, and by 1462 the manors were owned by Richard Rosse and Robert Wessingham.
[
In 1608, Sir Edward Barkham bought Curson's manor (parcels of Watton Hall and Rokele manors), and in 1632 he was cited as the lord of Watton Hall, which he kept until after 1660.][
Francis Blomefield,]
Hundred of Wayland: Watton
, in An Essay Towards A Topographical History of the County of Norfolk: Volume 2 (London, 1805), pp. 312-319. British History Online, Retrieved 27 February 2020.
On 25 April 1674 a great fire broke out destroying sixty houses, the Butchers Shambles and other buildings, amounting to an estimated £7450 () in structural damage. The town was rebuilt, and was visited by Thomas Baskerville in 1681 who noted the new buildings and a new bowling green at the "George" inn.
RAF Watton opened on 4 January 1939 under Command Group Captain F. J. Vincent. Between July 1944 and August 1945 it was used by the US 25th Bomber Group, a reconnaissance team. Command № 199 Squadron was based there in the early 1950s and operations ended in 1963. In 1995, part of the camp was sold to make way for the Blenheim Grange housing estate.
Geography
Watton is northeast of Thetford and about southwest of Norwich; somewhat more by road. The A1075
A1, A-1, A01 or A.1. may refer to:
Education
* A1, the Basic Language Certificate of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
* Language A1, the former name for "Language A: literature", one of the IB Group 1 subjects
* A1, a ...
Dereham- Thetford road and the B1108 Brandon-Norwich Road meet at a crossroads at Watton.
Saham Toney lies to the northwest, Ovington to the north, Carbrooke to the northeast and Griston to the southeast.
Landmarks
Watton High Street contains a distinctive Clock Tower which was built in 1679 by wealthy local merchant Christopher Hey after the fire of 1674, with a bell designed to act like an alarm bell to surrounding villages. In 1827 a new clock was installed, and the tower cemented, and in 1935 the clock face was updated to celebrate the Silver Jubilee of King George V and Queen Mary. Following a leak and the clock failing in 2015, it underwent restoration in 2017.
St Mary's Parish Church, at the end of Church Road to the north of the main road in Watton is dated to between 1100 and 1135 in the Norman and Gothic styles. It was originally dedicated to St Giles, but in the early 15th century it was rededicated to St Mary. In the 1840s it underwent significant alterations, with the aisles widened to accommodate up to 480 people. The six bells in the round tower were financed in 1899. In 2012 it was announced that the church was due to undergo a £500,000 refurbishment.
Wayland Hall
Wayland Hall, also known as Watton Town Hall, is a community events venue in Middle Street, Watton, Norfolk, England: the structure, which also accommodates a local history museum, is a grade II listed building.
History
In the mid-19th century ...
, also known as Watton Town Hall, is the local community meeting place: it was completed in 1853.
Culture
The Wayland Agricultural Show in western Watton is one of the oldest one-day agricultural shows in England, operational since at least 1880. The event features nationally rare livestock, cattle, pigs, sheep, fur, feather, many marquees and trade stands, displays of classic cars, vintage tractors, gun dogs, falconry
Falconry is the hunting of wild animals in their natural state and habitat by means of a trained bird of prey. Small animals are hunted; squirrels and rabbits often fall prey to these birds. Two traditional terms are used to describe a person ...
and horse and carriage rides, and many equestrian events. The event attracts up to 10,000 visitors annually. It was held in August, but in 2019 the organizers moved it to May Day weekend due to families often being away on holiday during August.
Education
Wayland Academy on Merton Road was converted to academy status in August 2012, and was previously a community school under the direct control of Norfolk County Council.
Sport
Watton United F.C.
Watton United Football Club is an English football club based in Watton, Norfolk. The club are currently members of the and play at Watton Sports Centre.
History
The club was established in 1888 and for over half a century played in local leag ...
was established in 1888.[Blakeman, M (2010) ''The Official History of the Eastern Counties Football League 1935-2010, Volume II'' ] In the 2015-16 season the team won Anglian Combination Division Three
The Anglian Combination (known as the Hadley & Ottaway Anglian Combination under the terms of a sponsorship deal) is an English football league that operates in the East Anglia area. The league specifically covers Norfolk and northern Suffolk wi ...
, and a 3rd place finish the following season in Division Two
NCL Division Two
The NCL or National Conference League Division Two (known as the Kingstone Press NCL Division Two)
League winners
{, class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
, -
, colspan=4 style="text-align:center;" , NCL DIVISION TWO
, ...
in 2016–17 saw them win promotion to Anglian Combination Division One
The Anglian Combination (known as the Hadley & Ottaway Anglian Combination under the terms of a sponsorship deal) is an English football league that operates in the East Anglia area. The league specifically covers Norfolk and northern Suffolk wi ...
.
Richmond Park Golf Club is between Watton and Saham Toney. In 2019 it was announced that the club will be transformed into a luxury private resort, with the addition of a 60-bedroom hotel, gym, spa and swimming pools.
Transport
A station at Watton, on the Thetford & Watton Railway, opened in October 1869 and closed in June 1964 as part of the Beeching cuts. The line itself was closed in April 1965. In 2018, more than 900 residents signed a petition to look at a new station and train service in Watton.
The A1075 is the main road through Watton, connecting it to Thetford and Dereham.
References
External links
Watton town council
St Mary's on the European Round Tower Churches website
{{authority control
Towns in Norfolk
Civil parishes in Norfolk
Breckland District