Griston

{{Infobox UK place

| country = England

| coordinates = {{coord|52.558|0.8665|display=inline,title}}

| os_grid_reference = TL944994

| official_name = Griston

| population = 1,816

| population_ref = (2021 census)

| shire_district = Breckland

| shire_county = Norfolk

| region = East of England

| civil_parish = Griston

| constituency_westminster = Mid Norfolk

| postcode_district = IP25

| postcode_area = IP

| post_town = THETFORD

| dial_code = 01953

| london_distance =

| static_image = Griston - village sign - geograph.org.uk - 701999.jpg

| static_image_width = 240px

| static_image_caption = Griston village sign

| area_total_sq_mi = 2.17

}}

Griston is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.

Griston is located {{Convert|1.9|mi|km}} south-east of Watton and {{Convert|19|mi|km}} west of Norwich.

History

Griston's name is of Viking origin and derives from the Old Norse for either Griss' farm or settlement or young pig farm or settlement.{{Cite web |title=Key to English Place-names |url=http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Norfolk/Griston |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=kepn.nottingham.ac.uk}}

In the Domesday Book, Griston is listed as a settlement of 29 households in the hundred of Wayland. In 1086, the village was part of the East Anglian estates of King William I, William de Warenne, Roger Bigod, Ralph Baynard and John, nephew of Waleran.{{Cite web |title=Griston {{!}} Domesday Book |url=https://opendomesday.org/place/TL9499/griston/ |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=opendomesday.org}}

Griston Hall was built in the Sixteenth Century and by the Nineteenth Century had been converted into several separate dwellings.{{Cite web |title=mnf8954 - Norfolk Heritage Explorer |url=https://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/record-details?mnf8954 |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk}} Griston Hall and nearby Wayland Woods are the setting for the story of the 'Babes in the Woods' stories where a malicious uncle sent two children into the woods to die so he could steal their inheritance. It is rumoured that the cries of the children can still be heard in the woods today.{{Cite web |title=The Paranormal Database - Norfolk |url=https://www.paranormaldatabase.com/norfolk/norpages/norfdata.php?pageNum_paradata=6&totalRows_paradata=414 |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=www.paranormaldatabase.com |language=en-gb}}

During the Second World War, parts of the parish made up RAF Watton which was used by both the United States Army Air Force and Royal Air Force.{{Cite web |title=Parish-Summary-Griston-(Parish-Summary) - Norfolk Heritage Explorer |url=https://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/record-details?TNF126-Parish-Summary-Griston-(Parish-Summary) |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk}}

Geography

According to the 2021 census, Griston has a population of 1,816 people which shows an increase from the 1,540 people recorded in the 2011 census.{{Cite web |title=Griston (Parish, United Kingdom) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/uk/eastofengland/admin/breckland/E04006122__griston/ |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=www.citypopulation.de}}

Church of St Peter and St Paul

Griston's parish church is dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul and dates from the Fifteenth Century. The church is located within the village on Church Road and has been Grade I listed since 1983.{{NHLE |desc=CHURCH OF SS PETER AND PAUL, Griston |num=1172332 |access-date=2025-04-08 }} St. Peter & St. Paul's is no longer for Sunday services.{{Cite web |title=Griston: St Peter & St Paul |url=https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/8021/service-and-events/events-all/ |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=www.achurchnearyou.com }}

The church was restored in the Victorian era by John Bond Pearce but still features medieval stone angels and stained-glass windows. The church also features an American flag which was gifted by the servicemen serving at RAF Watton who used the churchtower as a landmark when returning home.{{Cite web |title=Norfolk Churches |url=http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/griston/griston.htm |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=www.norfolkchurches.co.uk}}

Amenities

Within the village there is a home for the elderly called Thorp House and the Category C HM Prison Wayland.

The Waggon & Horses pub has stood in the village since 1836.{{Cite web |title=WAGGON & HORSES - GRISTON |url=https://www.norfolkpubs.co.uk/norfolkg/griston/gristwh.htm |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=www.norfolkpubs.co.uk}} The pub remains open.{{Cite web |title=The Waggon and Horses Title |url=https://www.waggonandhorsesgriston.co.uk/ |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=localhost}}

Watton and Griston Link

As part of the Sustrans Connect2 project proposals are in place to create a cycling and walking route between Griston and the market town of Watton. The new route would follow the boundary of the Watton airfield and provide a shorter, traffic free alternative to the A1075.

{{cite web

|url=http://www.sustransconnect2.org.uk/schemes/project_detail.php?id=74

|title=Watton and Griston Link

|publisher=Sustrans

|access-date=2009-07-07}} Norfolk County Council have allocated a £40,000 contribution towards funding of the scheme.

{{cite web

|url=http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/article/ncc056726.pdf

|title=Planning Obligations Monitoring Statement

|publisher=Norfolk County Council

|date=February 2009

|access-date=2009-07-07}} A schematic map of the scheme has been published online.{{cite web

|url=http://carbon.sustransconnect2.org.uk/files/projects/74_pdf.pdf

|title=Watton and Griston Link Schematic Map

|publisher=Sustrans

|access-date=2009-07-07

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071021192005/http://carbon.sustransconnect2.org.uk/files/projects/74_pdf.pdf

|archive-date=21 October 2007

|url-status=dead

}}

Governance

Griston is part of the electoral ward of All Saints & Wayland for local elections and is part of the district of Breckland.

The village's national constituency is Mid Norfolk which has been represented by the Conservative's George Freeman MP since 2010.

War Memorial

Griston's war memorial is a marble plaque inside the Church of St. Peter & St. Paul which lists the following names in the First World War:{{Cite web |title=Geograph:: Garboldisham to Gunton :: War Memorials in Norfolk |url=https://www.geograph.org.uk/article/War-Memorials-in-Norfolk/9#garboldisham-to-gunton |access-date=2025-04-08 |website=www.geograph.org.uk}}

class="wikitable"

!Rank

!Name

!Unit

!Date of Death

!Burial/Commemoration

Cpl.

|John Knights

|4th Bn., East Lancashire Regiment

|10 Aug. 1915

|Helles Memorial

Pte.