Lexham

{{about|the English parish|the Bible translation|Lexham English Bible}}

{{Infobox UK place

| country = England

| coordinates = {{coord|52.7272|0.7468|display=inline,title}}

| official_name = Lexham

| population = 148

| population_ref = (2021 census)

| shire_district = Breckland

| shire_county = Norfolk

| metropolitan_borough =

| metropolitan_county =

| region = East of England

| constituency_westminster = Mid Norfolk

| post_town = KING'S LYNN

| postcode_district = PE32

| postcode_area = PE

| dial_code = {{UBL| 01328 (East Lexham) | 01760 (West Lexham) }}

| os_grid_reference = TF8558517933

| static_image = File:East Lexham village sign - geograph.org.uk - 6796436.jpg

| static_image_name = East Lexham Village Sign

| area_total_sq_mi = 3.76

| hide_services = Yes

| static_image_caption = East Lexham Village Sign

}}

Lexham is a civil parish, consisting of the twin villages of East Lexham and West Lexham, in the English county of Norfolk.

Lexham is located 7.7 miles (12.4 km) north of Swaffham and 30.1 miles (48.4 km) west-north-west of Norwich.

History

Lexham's name is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from the Old English for 'leech homestead', likely in the sense of a physician.{{Cite web |title=Key to English Place-names |url=http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Norfolk/East%20Lexham |access-date=2025-06-15 |website=kepn.nottingham.ac.uk}}

In the Domesday Book, Lexham is listed as a settlement of 45 households in the hundred of Launditch. In 1086, the village was divided between the East Anglian estates of William de Warenne and Ralph de Beaufour.{{Cite web |title=[East and West] Lexham {{!}} Domesday Book |url=https://opendomesday.org/place/XX0000/east-and-west-lexham/ |access-date=2025-06-15 |website=opendomesday.org}}

Lexham Hall was built in 1660 and was re-modelled twice in the Eighteenth Century. The building was used by the Royal Army Service Corps during the Second World War but burnt down in 1950, being restored again in 1972.{{Cite web |title=mnf4089 - Norfolk Heritage Explorer |url=https://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/record-details |access-date=2025-06-15 |website=www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk}} The modern gardens were designed by Dame Sylvia Crowe which are open for charity events.{{Cite web |title=Parish-Summary-Lexham-(Parish-Summary) - Norfolk Heritage Explorer |url=https://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/record-details |access-date=2025-06-15 |website=www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk}}

Geography

According to the 2021 census, Lexham has a population of 148 people which shows an increase from the 146 people recorded in the 2011 census.{{Cite web |title=Lexham (Parish, United Kingdom) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location |url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/uk/eastofengland/admin/breckland/E04006136__lexham/ |access-date=2025-06-15 |website=www.citypopulation.de}}

St. Andrew's Church

East Lexham's parish church is dedicated to Saint Andrew and is one of Norfolk's 124 remaining Anglo-Saxon round-tower churches. St. Andrew's has been dated to the Eleventh Century with a significant restoration effort made in the late-Nineteenth Century. The church possesses good examples of Nineteenth Century stained glass including one depiction of Saint Michael and the dragon installed by James Powell and Sons. Furthermore, the church features examples of artwork by Richard Foster depicting the Nativity, Saint Andrew as a fisherman and the Day of Judgement.{{Cite web |title=Norfolk Churches |url=http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/eastlexham/eastlexham.htm |access-date=2025-06-15 |website=www.norfolkchurches.co.uk}}

St. Nicholas' Church

West Lexham's former parish church is dedicated to Saint Andrew and is one of Norfolk's 124 remaining round-tower churches, dating from the medieval period. St. Nicholas' is located on Hall Lane and has been Grade II listed since 1960.{{Cite web |title=CHURCH OF ST NICHOLAS, Lexham - 1077485 {{!}} Historic England |url=https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1077485 |access-date=2025-06-15 |website=historicengland.org.uk |language=en}} The church no longer holds Sunday service and is part of the Launditch & Upper Nar Benefice.{{Cite web |title=West Lexham: St Nicholas |url=https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/10264/ |access-date=2025-06-15 |website=www.achurchnearyou.com |language=en}}

St. Nicholas' was largely rebuilt in the 1990s after it was found to be severely subsiding but still holds a stained-glass window depicting Christ designed by the Lobin workshop of Tours.{{Cite web |title=Norfolk Churches |url=http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/westlexham/westlexham.htm |access-date=2025-06-15 |website=www.norfolkchurches.co.uk}}

Notable Residents

Richard Foster (b. 1945), painter, born in East Lexham.

Governance

Lexham 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 Mid Norfolk which has been represented by the Conservative's George Freeman MP since 2010.

War Memorial

East Lexham's war memorial takes the form of an ornate plaque depicting Saint Michael and the Dragon, located inside St. Andrew's Church.{{Cite web |title=Roll of Honour - Norfolk - East Lexham |url=https://www.roll-of-honour.com/Norfolk/EastLexham.html |access-date=2025-06-15 |website=www.roll-of-honour.com}}{{Cite web |title=Geograph:: Earlham to Erpingham :: War Memorials in Norfolk |url=https://www.geograph.org.uk/article/War-Memorials-in-Norfolk/7#earlham-to-erpingham |access-date=2025-06-15 |website=www.geograph.org.uk}} The memorial lists the following names for the First World War:

class="wikitable"

!Rank

!Name

!Unit

!Date of Death

!Burial

A/Bdr.

|Ernest W. Seaman

|Machine Gun Corps

|21 Sep. 1916

|St. Andrew's Churchyard

LCpl.