Freethorpe
{{Short description|Village in Norfolk, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2019}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox UK place
| country = England
| coordinates = {{coord|52.59299|1.55621|display=inline,title}}
| os_grid_reference = TG409054
| official_name = Freethorpe
| population = 1,053
| population_ref = (2021 census)
| static_image = Freethorpe-g1.jpg
| static_image_width = 240px
| static_image_caption = All Saints' Church, Freethorpe
| shire_district = Broadland
| shire_county = Norfolk
| region = East of England
| civil_parish = Freethorpe
| constituency_westminster = Broadland and Fakenham
| postcode_district = NR13
| postcode_area = NR
| post_town = NORWICH
| dial_code = 01493
| london_distance = {{convert|103|mi}}
| area_total_sq_mi = 3.67
}}
Freethorpe is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The parish includes the former parish of Wickhampton and parts of Halvergate Marshes.
Freethorpe is located {{convert|7.2|mi}} south-west of Great Yarmouth and {{convert|11|mi}} south-east of Great Yarmouth, located within the Norfolk Broads.
History
The origin of Freethorpe's name is uncertain. It either derives from the Old Norse for Fraethi's settlement or an amalgamation of the Old Norse and Old English for a settlement offering refuge or safety. {{Cite web |title=Key to English Place-names |url=http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Norfolk/Freethorpe |access-date=2024-10-11 |website=kepn.nottingham.ac.uk}}
In the Domesday Book, Freethorpe is listed as a settlement of 20 households in the hundred of Blofield. In 1086, the village was divided between the East Anglia estates of King William I, William de Beaufeu and Rabel the engineer. {{Cite web |title=Freethorpe {{!}} Domesday Book |url=https://opendomesday.org/place/TG4005/freethorpe/ |access-date=2024-10-11 |website=opendomesday.org}}
Several Nineteenth Century almshouses are located within the village, which were built in 1871 by Richard Henry and Harriet Vade Walpole to care for local widows. {{Cite web |title=mnf43513 - Norfolk Heritage Explorer |url=https://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/record-details?mnf43513 |access-date=2024-10-11 |website=www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk}}
During the First World War, the village was home to a Royal Flying Corps airfield between 1916 and 1918. During the Second World War, the airfield was passed on to the Royal Observer Corps who operated the site until the mid-Twentieth Century.{{Cite web |title=mnf13616 - Norfolk Heritage Explorer |url=https://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/record-details?mnf13616 |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk}} In addition, an eastern part of the parish was designated as a Starfish site during the Second World War to draw Luftwaffe attention away from Norwich and Great Yarmouth.{{Cite web |title=mnf31920 - Norfolk Heritage Explorer |url=https://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/record-details?mnf31920 |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk}}
Geography
According to the 2021 census, Freethorpe has a population of 1,053 people which shows an increase from the 995 people recorded in the 2011 census.{{Cite web |title=Freethorpe (Parish, United Kingdom) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/uk/eastofengland/admin/broadland/E04006219__freethorpe/ |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=www.citypopulation.de}}
Freethorpe is located within the Norfolk Broads.
All Saints' Church
Freethorpe's parish church is one of Norfolk's remaining 124 round-tower churches, with the tower dating from the Twelfth Century and the remainder of the church dating from the Thirteenth Century. All Saints' is located within the village on 'The Green' and has been Grade II listed since 1962.{{Cite web |title=CHURCH OF ALL SAINTS, Freethorpe - 1051456 {{!}} Historic England |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1051456?section=official-list-entry |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=historicengland.org.uk |language=en}} The church still holds church services twice a month.{{Cite web |title=Freethorpe: All Saints |url=https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/10018/service-and-events/events-all/ |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=www.achurchnearyou.com |language=en}}
All Saints' was restored in the Nineteenth Century by Anthony Salvin at the behest of Richard Henry Vade Walpole, Lord of the Manor of Freethorpe. The stained-glass inside the church was installed by Thomas Willement and Clayton and Bell and largely glorify the Walpole family.{{Cite web |title=Norfolk Churches |url=http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/freethorpe/freethorpe.htm |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=www.norfolkchurches.co.uk}}
Freethorpe also has a Methodist Chapel that holds regular church services and seats up to 150 people.{{Cite web |title=Freethorpe Methodist Church |url=https://eangliamethodist.org.uk/freethorpe |access-date=2025-03-16 |website=eangliamethodist.org.uk}}
Amenities
The majority of local children attend Freethorpe Community Primary School, which was rated as 'Good' by Ofsted in 2016 Ofsted. (2016). Retrieved January 7, 2023. https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/2541265 which was subsequently upheld in 2019. Ofsted. (2019). Retrieved January 7, 2023. https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50082836
Governance
Freethorpe is part of the electoral ward of Marshes for local elections and is part of the district of Broadland.
The village's national constituency is Broadland and Fakenham which has been represented by the Conservative Party's Jerome Mayhew MP since 2019.
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category-inline|Freethorpe}}
- [https://www.roundtowerchurches.net/norfolk/norfolk-c-g/freethorpe-2/ All Saints on the European Round Tower Churches Website]
{{Civil Parishes of Broadland}}
{{authority control}}