Knapton

{{Infobox UK place

| official_name = Knapton

| country = England

| region = East of England

| shire_district = North Norfolk

| shire_county = Norfolk

| civil_parish = Knapton

| static_image = File:Knapton village sign - geograph.org.uk - 4602863.jpg

| static_image_width = 240px

| static_image_caption = Knapton Village Sign

| population = 389

| population_ref = (2021 census)

| population_density =

| os_grid_reference = TG305340

| coordinates = {{coord|52.85|1.42|display=inline,title}}

| label_position = top

| post_town = NORTH WALSHAM

| postcode_area = NR

| postcode_district = NR28

| dial_code = 01263

| constituency_westminster = North Norfolk

| london_distance = {{convert|134|mi}}

| area_total_sq_mi = 2.24

}}

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

Knapton is located {{convert|8.9|mi}} south-east of Cromer and {{convert|19.4|mi}} north-east of Norwich, along the B1145.

History

Knapton's name is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from the Old English for Cnapa's farmstead.{{Cite web |title=Key to English Place-names |url=http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Norfolk/Knapton |access-date=2025-06-09 |website=kepn.nottingham.ac.uk}}

In the Domesday Book, Knapton is listed as a settlement of 32 households in the hundred of North Erpingham. In 1086, the village was part of the East Anglian estates of William de Warenne.{{Cite web |title=Knapton {{!}} Domesday Book |url=https://opendomesday.org/place/TG3034/knapton/ |access-date=2025-06-09 |website=opendomesday.org}}

New Hall was built in the village in 1800 and is now a hotel.{{Cite web |title=MNF11567 - Norfolk Heritage Explorer |url=https://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/record-details |access-date=2025-06-09 |website=www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk}} Knapton House was built around the same period.{{Cite web |title=MNF31156 - Norfolk Heritage Explorer |url=https://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/record-details |access-date=2025-06-09 |website=www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk}}

In 1943, a Bristol Blenheim crashed in the parish. The crew escaped and one of the propellers have been subsequently recovered.{{Cite web |title=MNF49493 - Norfolk Heritage Explorer |url=https://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/record-details |access-date=2025-06-09 |website=www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk}}

Geography

According to the 2021 census, Knapton has a population of 389 people which shows an increase from the 364 people recorded in the 2011 census.{{Cite web |title=Knapton (Parish, United Kingdom) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/uk/eastofengland/admin/north_norfolk/E04006441__knapton/ |access-date=2025-06-09 |website=www.citypopulation.de}}

Church of St. Peter & St. Paul

Knapton's parish church is jointly dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul and dates from the Fourteenth Century. The church is located on 'The Street' and has been Grade I listed since 1955.{{Cite web |title=CHURCH OF ST PETER AND ST PAUL, Knapton - 1306264 {{!}} Historic England |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1306264 |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=historicengland.org.uk |language=en}} The church is no longer open for Sunday service and has received several grants from the National Churches Trust.{{Cite web |title=Knapton St Peter and St Paul {{!}} National Churches Trust |url=https://www.nationalchurchestrust.org/church/knapton-st-peter-and-st-paul |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=www.nationalchurchestrust.org |language=en}}

The church holds one of the widest double hammerbeam roofs in England, which is complete with carved angels at the end of the beams. The church was restored in the Victorian era by George Gilbert Scott and holds an ornate font cover which was built in the Palladian.{{Cite web |title=Norfolk Churches |url=http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/knapton/knapton.htm |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=www.norfolkchurches.co.uk}}

=Church Gallery=

Image:Inside Knaptom church 23 Jan 2008.JPG|The covered Font

Image:Knapton Church (1).jpg|Some of the carved angels

Image:Hammer Beam Roof at Knapton Church 23 Jan 2008 (4).JPG|The double hammerbeam roof

Notable Residents

Walter Pardon- (1914-1996) carpenter and traditional folk singer, lived in Knapton.

Governance

Knapton is part of the electoral ward of Trunch for local elections and is part of the district of North Norfolk.

The village's national constituency is North Norfolk, which has been represented by the Liberal Democrat Steff Aquarone MP since 2024.

War Memorial

Knapton War Memorial is a rough-hewn stone cross in the Churchyard of Saint Peter and Saint Paul which lists the following names for the First World War:{{Cite web |title=Knapton War Memorial, Knapton - 1437866 {{!}} Historic England |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1437866 |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=historicengland.org.uk |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Geograph:: Ickburgh to Knapton :: War Memorials in Norfolk |url=https://www.geograph.org.uk/article/War-Memorials-in-Norfolk/11#ickburgh-to-knapton |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=www.geograph.org.uk}}{{Cite web |title=Roll of Honour - Norfolk - Knapton |url=https://roll-of-honour.com/Norfolk/Knapton.html |access-date=2025-06-10 |website=roll-of-honour.com}}

class="wikitable"

!Rank

!Name

!Unit

!Date of Death

!Burial/Commemoration

2Lt.

|Douglas Lambert

|6th Bn., The Buffs

|13 Oct. 1915

|Loos Memorial

Sjt.