Brooke, Norfolk Explained

Country:	England
Coordinates:	52.55°N 1.383°W
Os Grid Reference:	TG293001
Official Name:	Brooke
Population:	1399
Population Ref:	(2011)
Area Total Km2:	8.72
Static Image Name:	Brooke-g3.jpg
Static Image Caption:	Brooke St Peter
Region:	East of England
Civil Parish:	Brooke
Postcode District:	NR15
Postcode Area:	NR
Post Town:	NORWICH
Dial Code:	01508

Brooke is a village and civil parish in the South Norfolk district of Norfolk, England, about 7 miles south of Norwich and roughly equidistant from Norwich and Bungay.

History

Brook's name is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from the Old English for a small stream.^[1]

In the Domesday Book, Brooke is described as consisting of 41 households which belong to Bury St Edmunds Abbey.^[2]

Geography

According to the 2011 Census, the population of Brooke and Howe is 1,399 people.^[3]

St Peter's Church

Brooke's Parish Church is dedicated to Saint Peter and is one of the 124 remaining round-tower churches in Norfolk.^[4]

Places of interest

Primary-age children attend Brooke Primary School, located in the village.^[5]

Brooke's village public house is called 'The White Lion' and dates back to the 1800s.

Governance

An electoral ward of the same name exists. This ward had a total population of 2,662 at the 2011 Census.^[6]

Notable residents

• Sir Astley Cooper – British surgeon and anatomist
• Edward Seago – English artist
• Bernard Matthews – founder of Bernard Matthews Farms
• Caroline Cossey – British model and actress

War memorial

Brooke War Memorial is a stone cross memorial located in St. Peter's Churchyard and lists the following for the First World War:

• Leading-Seaman Christopher Jay (1883–1914), HMS Hawke
• Sergeant Charles R. Burroughs (1890–1914), 1st Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
• Lance-Corporal Matthew A. Evans (1881–1918), 10th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers
• Lance-Corporal R. Charles Sturman (1894–1916), 7th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
• Gunner Cecil R. Parfitt (1878–1917), 25th (Anti-Aircraft) Company, Royal Garrison Artillery
• Private George Cooper (1892–1916), 3rd Battalion, Coldstream Guards
• Private Llewellyn Dredge (d.1915), 1st Battalion, Essex Regiment
• Private E. E. Victor French (1898–1918), 1st Battalion, Essex Regiment
• Private Charles H. Bullen (1880–1918), 2nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
• Private George A. Turner (1883–1916), 9th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers
• Private Robert Sayer (1883–1916), 1st Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
• Private Charles R. Baldwin (1893–1915), 4th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
• Private Edwin J. Cubitt (1894–1917), 4th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
• Private Frederick J. Sayer (1896–1917), 4th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
• Private James P. Norman (1897–1917), 8th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
• Private Sidney G. Sturman (1891–1915), 8th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
• Private Harry B. J. Whitwood (1894–1917), 1st Battalion, Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment

And, the following for the Second World War:

• Flight-Sergeant Frederick G. Clarke (1925–1945), Royal Air Force
• Sergeant Peter B. Corbett (1917–1941), No. 90 Squadron RAF
• Gunner Frederick S. Sayer (1919–1941), 3rd Maritime Regiment, Royal Artillery
• Private Edward A. C. Utting (1924–1944), 2/5th Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)
• D. Gooch

Furthermore, a brass plaque is located inside St. Peter's Church commemorating the following from the Boxer Rebellion:

• Assistant-Paymaster Arthur Bunbury (1877–1900), HMS Hermione^[7]

External links

• St Peter's on the European Round Tower Churches Website

Notes and References

1. University of Nottingham. (2022). Retrieved November 11, 2022. http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Norfolk/Brooke
2. Domesday Book. (1086). Retrieved November 11, 2022. https://opendomesday.org/place/TM2999/brooke/
3. Web site: Parish population 2011. 5 September 2015.
4. Knott, S. (2022). Retrieved November 11, 2022. http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/brooke/brooke.htm
5. Brooke Primary. (2022). Retrieved November 12, 2022. https://www.brooke.norfolk.sch.uk/
6. Web site: Ward population 2011. 5 September 2015.
7. Peck, M. (2017). Retrieved November 12, 2022. http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Norfolk/Brooke.html