Fransham
{{Short description|Civil parish in Norfolk, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox UK place
| country = England
| coordinates = {{coord|52.6800|0.8171|display=inline,title}}
| official_name = Fransham
| population = 443
| population_ref = (2021 census)
| shire_district = Breckland
| shire_county = Norfolk
| metropolitan_borough =
| metropolitan_county =
| region = East of England
| constituency_westminster = South West Norfolk
| post_town = DEREHAM
| postcode_district = NR19
| postcode_area = NR
| dial_code = 01362
| os_grid_reference = TF9053312872
| area_total_sq_mi = 4.69
}}
Fransham is a civil parish in the Breckland District of the English county of Norfolk. Fransham includes the villages of Great Fransham and Little Fransham, as well as the hamlet of Crane's End.
Fransham is located {{convert|6|mi}} east from Swaffham and {{convert|6+1/2|mi}} west from Dereham, along the A47.
History
Fransham's name is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from the Old English for Fram's homestead or village.{{Cite web |title=Key to English Place-names |url=http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Norfolk/Great%20Fransham |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=kepn.nottingham.ac.uk}}
Old Hall in Little Fransham was built in the Sixteenth Century and possibly once played host to Queen Elizabeth I.{{Cite web |title=mnf7293 - Norfolk Heritage Explorer |url=https://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/record-details?mnf7293 |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk}} Hyde Hall in Great Fransham was built in the Eighteenth Century and has staircases that have been designated of national importance.{{Cite web |title=mnf22252 - Norfolk Heritage Explorer |url=https://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/record-details?mnf22252 |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk}}
Geography
According to the 2021 census, Fransham has a population of 443 people which shows an increase from the 433 people recorded in the 2011 census.{{Cite web |title=Fransham (Parish, United Kingdom) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/uk/eastofengland/admin/breckland/E04006113__fransham/ |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=www.citypopulation.de}}
The A47, between Birmingham and Lowestoft, runs through the parish.
All Saints' Church
Great Fransham's church dates from the Thirteenth Century, is located on Station Road and has been Grade II listed since 1960.{{Cite web |title=CHURCH OF ALL SAINTS, Fransham - 1077471 {{!}} Historic England |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1077471?section=official-list-entry |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=historicengland.org.uk |language=en}} All Saints' remains open for Sunday services once a month.{{Cite web |title=Great Fransham: All Saints |url=https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/10259/ |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=www.achurchnearyou.com |language=en}}
The interior of All Saints' is mostly simple in design except for a Fifteenth Century font and some well preserved brass memorials of Sir Geoffrey de Fransham (1415) and Cecily Legge (1500).{{Cite web |title=Norfolk Churches |url=http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/greatfransham/greatfransham.htm |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=www.norfolkchurches.co.uk}}
St. Mary's Church
Little Fransham's church is dedicated to Saint Mary and dates from the Fourteenth Century. St. Mary's is located on Station Road and has been Grade I listed since 1951.{{Cite web |title=CHURCH OF ST MARY, Fransham - 1152560 {{!}} Historic England |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1152560?section=official-list-entry |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=historicengland.org.uk |language=en}} St. Mary's remains open for Sunday services once a month.{{Cite web |title=Great Fransham: All Saints |url=https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/10259/ |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=www.achurchnearyou.com |language=en}}
The church suffered from a tower collapse in 1700 and still holds a set of royal arms from the reign of King George III.{{Cite web |title=Norfolk Churches |url=http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/littlefransham/littlefransham.htm |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=www.norfolkchurches.co.uk}}
Amenities
File:Canary and Linnet Little Fransham 23 06 2010.JPG
The local pub in Little Fransham, the Canary and Linnet is just off the A47. Its name derives from the fact that the village is halfway between Norwich and King's Lynn ('Canaries' and 'Linnets' being the respective nicknames of Norwich City and King's Lynn Town football clubs).{{Cite web |title=CANARY & LINNET - LITTLE FRANSHAM |url=https://www.norfolkpubs.co.uk/norfolkl/littlefransham/lilfracal.htm |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=www.norfolkpubs.co.uk}} Great Fransham had a public house called Chequers which is now a private dwelling.{{Cite web |title=CHEQUERS - GREAT FRANSHAM |url=https://www.norfolkpubs.co.uk/norfolkg/gtfransham/gtfrach.htm |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=www.norfolkpubs.co.uk}}
There is a commercially working forge with public demonstrations available.{{fact|date=August 2020}}
Governance
Fransham is part of the electoral ward of Launditch for local elections and is part of the district of Breckland.
The village's national constituency is South West Norfolk which has been represented by Labour's Terry Jermy MP since 2024.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category-inline|Fransham}}
{{Civil Parishes of Breckland}}
{{authority control}}