Beetley

Beetley was part of the Manor of Elmham, held by William Beaufoe, Bishop of Thetford, with the name deriving from the two Anglo Saxon words {{lang|ang|betel}} and {{lang|ang|bietel}}, both words applying to a clearing where wooden mallets are made. Beetley was then part of the parish of Bittering Magna, however the Parish divided into Beetley and Gressenhall.{{Cite web|url=http://beetleypc.norfolkparishes.gov.uk/a-short-history-of-old-beetley-beetley-and-east-bilney/|title=History webpage of the Beetley Parish Council website. Retrieved 26 March 2016|website=Beetley PC|publisher=Beetley Parish Council}} Beetley was then combined with the neighbouring parish of East Bilney in 1935.{{Cite web|url=http://beetleypc.norfolkparishes.gov.uk/welcome/about-beetley-page/|title=The "About Beetley" webpage of the Beetley Parish Council website. Retrieved 23 March 2016|website=Beetley PC|publisher=Beetley Parish Council}} Between 1870 and 1872, an excerpt was written about the town

BEETLEY, a parish in Mitford district, Norfolk; 2 miles WSW of Elmham r. station, and 4 N by W of East Dereham. Post Town, Elmham, under Thetford. Acres, 1,770. Real property, £2,870. Pop., 363. Houses, 82. The property is divided among a few. The living is a rectory, annexed to the rectory of East Bilney, in the diocese of Norwich. The church is good.{{Cite web|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/place/4744|title=Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales|last=Wilson|first=John Marius|date=1870{{ndash}}72|website=A Vision of Britain|publisher=A. Fullerton & Co.|access-date=4 February 2016}}

The Parish Council of Beetley consists of 7 Councillors, who meet on the first Thursday of every month, except January and August in the village hall. The public are allowed to attend these meetings, and can provide their input certain moments during the meeting, with the local County and District Councillor attending the meetings.{{Cite web|url=http://beetleypc.norfolkparishes.gov.uk/parish-council-page/|title=Parish Council Page of the Beetley Parish Council website. Retrieved 23 March 2016|website=Beetley PC|publisher=Beetley Parish Council}}

The village is in Lincoln ward of the Breckland district of Norfolk, where the two District Councillors are Richard Duffield (Conservative){{Cite web|url=http://democracy.breckland.gov.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=972|title=Richard Duffield information page on Breckland District Council website. Retrieved 23 March 2016|website=Breckland Government|publisher=Breckland District Council}} and Robert Richmond{{Cite web|url=http://democracy.breckland.gov.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=126|title=Robert Richmond information page on Breckland District Council website. Retrieved 23 March 2016|website=Breckland Government|date=25 August 2022 |publisher=Breckland District Council}} (Conservative). The former has held the position since 2011 and the latter, since 1999. Beetley is part of the Necton and Launditch Ward at County level, with the Ward Councillor being Mark Kiddle Morris (Conservative) who has held the role since 2009.{{Cite web|url=http://norfolkcc.cmis.uk.com/norfolkcc/Councillors/tabid/63/ctl/ViewCMIS_Person/mid/383/id/84/ScreenMode/Alphabetical/Default.aspx|title=Mark Kiddle-Morris information page on Norfolk County Council website. Retrieved 23 March 2016|website=Norfolk CC|publisher=Norfolk County Council}}

Necton and Launditch is a part of the Mid Norfolk parliamentary constituency. The MP who represents Mid Norfolk is George Freeman (Conservative), who has held the position since 2010.{{Cite web|url=http://www.georgefreeman.co.uk/about|title=George Freeman's website. Retrieved on 25 April 2016|website=George Freeman|publisher=Conservative Party}} The constituency has been a strong Conservative area since it was re-established in 1983, with the lowest percentage of votes for the Conservative Party being at 39.6% in 1997, to the highest being 56.69% in 1987.

Beetley is:

• 27.35 km (17 miles) north west of Norwich{{Cite web|url=http://www.distances-calculator.com/miles-from-norwich-norfolk-great_britain-to-beetley-i9-great_britain_(uk).htm|title=UK Distance Calculator. Retrieved on 25 April 2016|website=Distance Calculators|publisher=Distance Calculators}}
• 80 km (50 miles) north east of Peterborough{{Cite web|url=http://www.distancecalculator.net/|title=Distance Calculator. Retrieved on 25 April 2016|website=Distance Calculators|publisher=Distance Calculators}}File:19th Century Map of Beetley.png
• 153 km (95 miles) north east of London

According to the BGS, Beetley has a superficial deposit of glacial sand and gravel, whilst the bedrock of Beetley and the surrounding area consists of sandstone and mudstone, with veins of white chalk running across Beetley.{{Cite web|url=http://mapapps.bgs.ac.uk/geologyofbritain/home.html|title=British Geology Survey: Geology of Britain viewer. Retrieved on 25 April 2016|website=BGS Maps|publisher=British Geology Survey|access-date=25 April 2016|archive-date=2 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161202013758/http://mapapps.bgs.ac.uk/geologyofbritain/home.html|url-status=dead}}

Beetley experiences an Oceanic climate.

{{Cite web|url=https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/records/Beetley,England,United-Kingdom/we-city-52.718,.919?iso=GB|title=Beetley's average temperature and rainfall. Retrieved 24 March 2016|website=MSN Weather|publisher=MSN}}

Since 1801, the population of Beetley has indicated a positive correlation up to the 2011 census, as the population in 1801 was 242{{Cite web|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10161848/cube/TOT_POP|title=Vision of Britain: Historical Total Population. Retrieved on 23 March 2016|website=A Vision of Britain through time|publisher=GB Historical GIS/University of Portsmouth}} whilst the recent 2011 census shows that the population is 1,396. The breakdown of the population includes 672 males and 724 females in Beetley, with 17.6% being under 18, 46.5% being between the ages of 18 and 60 and 35.9% of the population above the age of 60.{{Cite web|url=http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=11120563&c=Beetley&d=16&e=62&g=6448134&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1461544629204&enc=1&dsFamilyId=2474|title=Neighbourhood Statistics: Breakdown of age groups. Retrieved on 24 March 2016.|website=Neighbourhood Statistics|publisher=Office for National Statistics}}

Out of the population aged 16 or over, 93.9% of the population were born in England, 0.9% were born in Northern Ireland, 1.6% were born in Scotland, 0.9% were born in Wales, 1.3% were born in EU member nations or accession countries and 1.4% were born in nations outside of the EU.{{Cite web|url=http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=11120563&c=Beetley&d=16&e=62&g=6448134&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1461361869375&enc=1&dsFamilyId=2478|title=Neighbourhood Statistics: 2011 Census. Retrieved on 24 April 2016|website=Neighbourhood Statistics|publisher=Office for National Statistics}}

In terms of religious beliefs, 64.5% are Christians, 0.3% are Buddhist, 0.2% are Jewish, 0.4% follow an alternative religion, 8.4% did not state their religious affiliation and 26.3% do not follow a religion{{Cite web|url=http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=11120563&c=Beetley&d=16&e=61&g=6448134&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1461543149914&enc=1&dsFamilyId=2579|title=Neighbourhood Statistics: 2011 Religious Breakdown. Retrieved on 24 March 2016.|website=Neighbourhood Statistics|publisher=Office for National Statistics}}

Out of the population over 16, 22.5% have no qualifications, whilst 77.5% have a qualification or in an apprenticeship, matching the national statistics{{Cite web|url=http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=11120563&c=Beetley&d=16&e=61&g=6448134&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1461543149914&enc=1&dsFamilyId=2577|title=Neighbourhood Statistics: Qualification Breakdown. Retrieved on 25 March 2016.|website=Neighbourhood Statistics|publisher=Office for National Statistics}}

[[File:Population-Time Scatter Graph of Beetley.png|left|thumb|450x450px|A population-time scatter graph of Beetley Civil Parish, Norfolk, as reported by the Census of Population from 1801 to 1961.

{{Cite web|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10161848/cube/TOT_POP|title=GB Historical GIS, University of Portsmouth, Beetley AP/CP through time, Population Statistics, Total Population, A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 24 March 2016.}}

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In 1831, the main form of employment in Beetley was through agriculture (78.5%) and handicrafts and retail (19.4%),{{Cite web|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/unit/10161848/cube/OCC_PAR1831|title=Vision of Britain: 1831 Occupational Categories|website=A Vision of Britain through time|publisher=GB Historical GIS/University of Portsmouth}}

According to the 2011 census, 65.8% of the population are economically active, whilst 34.2% are not. In contrast, nationally, 69.9% are economically active and 30.1%.{{Cite web|url=http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=11120563&c=Beetley&d=16&e=62&g=6448134&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1461544629204&enc=1&dsFamilyId=2484|title=Neighbourhood Statistics: Breakdown of employment stats. Retrieved on 25 April 2016|website=Neighbourhood Statistics|publisher=Office for National Statistics}}

The largest notable groups of the active population are the 13.3% that are in part-time employment, 34% that are in full-time employment, 14.8% that are self-employed, 1.9% that are full-time students whilst 24.6% are retired, 4.3% are full-time home-makers and 1.4% are full-time carers. The statistics are similar compared to the national statistics aside from percentage of those retired which nationally sits at 13.7%.

Out of the 640 economically active people in Beetley, the main sectors that people are employed are as Managers, Directors and Senior Officials (13.1%), in Professional Occupations (15.3%), are Associate Professionals and Technical Occupations (11.7%), Administrative and Secretarial Occupations (10.5%), Skilled Trades Occupations (18%) and Caring, Leisure and Other Service Occupations (11.1%). These key statistics are similar to the national statistics, aside from Skilled Trades Occupation which nationally equates for 11.4%{{Cite web|url=http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=11120563&c=Beetley&d=16&e=62&g=6448134&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1461544629204&enc=1&dsFamilyId=2541|title=Neighbourhood Statistics: Breakdown of employment sectors. Retrieved on 25 April 2016|website=Neighbourhood Statistics|publisher=Office for National Statistics}}

Beetley Village Hall was built in the 1960s and is in the centre of the Parish, surrounded by a 9-acre playing field, which hosts football and cricket matches for the local teams, alongside carpet bowls and table tennis events.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fieldsintrust.org/Beetley--East-Bilney-Village-Hall--Playing-Field|title=Fields in trusts: Beetley Village Hall Playing Field. Retrieved on 25 April 2016|website=Fields in trust|publisher=Fields in trust}} The site is protected by Fields in Trust through a legal "Deed of Dedication" safeguarding the future of the space as public recreation land for future generations to enjoy.{{cite web|url=https://www.fieldsintrust.org/FieldSite/Beetley-East-Bilney-Village-Hall-Playing-Field|title=Beetley & East Bilney Village Hall & Playing Field|publisher=Fields in Trust| access-date= 17 October 2021}} The hall itself contains a large function room, smaller meeting room and kitchen facilities and is regularly used by groups, clubs, events and meetings between councillors.{{Cite web|url=http://beetleypc.norfolkparishes.gov.uk/village-hall-page/|title=Beetley Parish Council Website: Village Hall. Retrieved on 25 April 2016|website=Beetley PC|publisher=Beetley Parish Council}}

The Church is believed to be built on the site mentioned in Domesday Book and is dated to 1320.{{Cite web|url=http://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/record-details?MNF2831-St-Mary-Magdalen%27s-Church-Beetley&Index=2622&RecordCount=56881&SessionID=b2171e3c-2189-4105-944c-8747c6b0f2f9|title=Norfolk Heritage: St Mary Magdalem's Church. Retrieved on 25 April 2016|website=Norfolk Heritage|publisher=Norfolk County Council}} The tower of the church was heightened in the 16th Century, with the north isle being demolished in the 18th century and with windows being installed in the wall.{{Cite web|url=http://beetleypc.norfolkparishes.gov.uk/worship-page/|title=Beetley Parish Church: Worship. Retrieved on 25 April 2016.|website=Beetley PC|publisher=Beetley Parish Council}}

• St Mary's Community Primary School{{Cite web|url=http://www.beetleyschool.co.uk/|title=St Mary's Community Primary School website. Retrieved 23 March 2016|website=Beetley School|publisher=St Mary's Community Primary School}}

Beetley Parish Council publish a newsletter, called "The Beetley Buzz".{{Cite web|url=http://beetleypc.norfolkparishes.gov.uk/news/476-2/|title=The Beetley Buzz webpage on the Beetley Parish Council Website. Retrieved 23 March 2016|website=Beetley PC|publisher=Beetley Parish Council}} The newsletter is delivered free to all households and provides information about local events.

• Beetley Football Club play in the Crown Fire Central & South Norfolk League at the Village Hall Playing Field. No longer active {{Cite web|url=http://beetleypc.norfolkparishes.gov.uk/sports-clubs-page/|title=Sports webpage of Beetley Parish Council Website. Retrieved 24 March 2016|website=Beetley PC|publisher=Beetley Parish Council}}
• Beetley Cricket Club play in the third division of the West Norfolk Cricket League. No longer active

Beetley's war memorial takes the form of two marble plaques inside St. Mary Magdalene's Church. It list the following names for the First World War:

• Lance-Corporal Ernest G. Buck (1891–1916), 2nd Battalion, Essex Regiment
• Lance-Corporal C. Arthur Buck (1894–1916), 8th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
• Gunner Leonard Massingham (d.1918), 440th Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery
• Gunner Walter Rawson (d.1917), 88th Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
• Private Alfred E. Hubbard (d.1916), 7th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
• Private Cyril A. Holmes (1896–1918), 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards
• Private Walter J. Buck (1896–1917), 5th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
• Private Harry J. Hood (1899–1916), 8th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
• Sapper Frederick J. Burton (1875–1918), 35th Army Troops Company, Royal Engineers

And, the following for the Second World War:

• Corporal John F. Hill (1917–1944), 5th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
• Private Ronald W. Patterson (1921–1943), 5th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment

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{{Commons category-inline|Beetley}}

{{Civil Parishes of Breckland}}

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Category:Villages in Norfolk

Category:Civil parishes in Norfolk

Category:Breckland District