Harpley, Norfolk

{{Infobox UK place

| country = England

| coordinates = {{coord|52.80654|0.65468|display=inline,title}}

| os_grid_reference = TF790265

| official_name = Harpley

| population = 333

| population_ref = (2021 census)

| static_image = UK Harpley.jpg

| static_image_width = 240px

| static_image_caption = Harpley Village Sign

| shire_district = King's Lynn and West Norfolk

| shire_county = Norfolk

| region = East of England

| civil_parish = Harpley

| constituency_westminster = North West Norfolk

| postcode_district = PE31

| postcode_area = PE

| post_town = KING'S LYNN

| dial_code = 01485

| london_distance =

| hide_services = Yes

| area_total_sq_mi = 3.59

}}

Harpley is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk, located along the A148.

Harpley is {{convert|12|mi}} north-east of King's Lynn and {{Convert|30|mi|km}} north-west of Norwich.

History

Harpley's name is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from the Old English for harp clearing with 'harp' referring to a sieve used in salt working.{{Cite web |title=Key to English Place-names |url=http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Norfolk/Harpley |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=kepn.nottingham.ac.uk}}

There was once a neolithic barrow in Harpley which has mostly been lost to the plough.{{Cite web |title=mnf3637 - Norfolk Heritage Explorer |url=https://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/record-details?mnf3637 |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk}} The Roman Peddars Way once passed through Harpley alongside the barrow.{{Cite web |title=mnf1289 - Norfolk Heritage Explorer |url=https://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/record-details?mnf1289 |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk}}

In the Domesday Book, Harpley is recorded as a settlement of 43 households in the hundred of Freebridge. In 1086, the village was divided between the estates of Odo of Bayeux and William de Warenne.{{Cite web |title=Harpley {{!}} Domesday Book |url=https://opendomesday.org/place/TF7826/harpley/ |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=opendomesday.org}}

Geography

According to the 2021 census, Harpley has a population of 333 people which shows a decrease from the 338 people listed in the 2011 census.{{Cite web |title=Harpley (Parish, United Kingdom) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/uk/eastofengland/admin/kings_lynn_and_west_norf/E04006318__harpley/ |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=www.citypopulation.de}}

The village is located along the A148, between King's Lynn and Cromer.

St. Lawrence's Church

Harpley's parish church is dedicated to Saint Lawrence and dates from the Thirteenth Century. St. Lawrence's is located within the village on Church Lane and has been Grade I listed since 1960.{{Cite web |title=CHURCH OF ST LAWRENCE, Harpley - 1077655 {{!}} Historic England |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1077655?section=official-list-entry |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=historicengland.org.uk |language=en}} The church no longer holds regular church services and is part of the GGM Benefice.{{Cite web |title=Harpley: St Lawrence |url=https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/10261/ |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=www.achurchnearyou.com |language=en}}

St. Lawrence's holds medieval carved statues of the four Doctor of the Church, medieval bench ends and medieval stained-glass depicting Saint Edward the Confessor.{{Cite web |title=Norfolk Churches |url=http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/harpley/harpley.htm |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=www.norfolkchurches.co.uk}}

Amenities

Harpley Church of England Primary School is located on School Lane and is part of the Great Massingham & Harpley Schools Federation. The headteacher is H. Myhill.{{Cite web |title=Staff – Great Massingham & Harpley CE Schools Federation |url=https://gmhfed.norfolk.sch.uk/staff/ |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=gmhfed.norfolk.sch.uk}}

The Rose & Crown Pub has stood in the village since at least 1789 but recently closed.{{Cite web |title=ROSE & CROWN - HARPLEY |url=https://www.norfolkpubs.co.uk/norfolkh/harpley/harplrc.htm |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=www.norfolkpubs.co.uk}}

Governance

Harpley is part of the electoral ward of Massingham with Castle Acre for local elections and is part of the district of King's Lynn and West Norfolk.

The village's national constituency is North West Norfolk which has been represented by the Conservative's James Wild MP since 2010.

War Memorial

Harpley War Memorial is a marble obelisk inside St. Lawrence's Churchyard which was unveiled by John Bowers, Bishop of Thetford.{{Cite web |title=Harpley War Memorial, Harpley - 1446272 {{!}} Historic England |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1446272?section=official-list-entry |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=historicengland.org.uk |language=en}} The memorial lists the following names for the First World War:{{Cite web |title=Roll of Honour - Norfolk - Harpley |url=https://www.roll-of-honour.com/Norfolk/Harpley.html |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=www.roll-of-honour.com}}{{Cite web |title=Geograph:: Hackford to Hunworth :: War Memorials in Norfolk |url=https://www.geograph.org.uk/article/War-Memorials-in-Norfolk/10 |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=www.geograph.org.uk}}

class="wikitable"

!Rank

!Name

!Unit

!Date of Death

!Burial/Commemoration

Pte.

|Ralph W. Porter MM

|60th (Victoria Rifles) Bn., CEF

|9 Oct. 1916

|Vimy Memorial

Pte.