Kirby Bedon Explained

Country:England
Coordinates:52.6005°N 1.3715°W
Os Grid Reference:TG28240560
Official Name:Kirby Bedon
Population:198
Population Ref:(2011)
Area Total Km2:7.82
Region:East of England
Civil Parish:Kirby Bedon
Postcode District:NR14
Postcode Area:NR
Post Town:NORWICH
Dial Code:01508
Static Image:The ruin of St Mary's church - geograph.org.uk - 1284068.jpg
Static Image Width:240px
Static Image Caption:Ruin of St Mary's church, Kirby Bedon

Kirby Bedon is a hamlet[1] in South Norfolk which lies approximately 3½ miles (5½ km) south-east of Norwich on the road to Bramerton. It covers an area of 7.82km2 and had a population of 186 in 77 households at the 2001 census,[2] the population increasing to 198 at the 2011 Census.[3]

The villages name means "church farm/village". The village was held by the Bidun family in the 12th century.

It has two churches, the ruined round-towered St Mary's Church and, standing opposite, St Andrew's church, which is still in use. St Andrew's contains a plaque erected by parishioners in memory of four crew members of "Broad and High", an American B-24 Liberator bomber who were killed when it crashed near the church on 18 August 1944 as it returned to Rackheath from a raid on Germany.[4]

Kirby Bedon village school was open between 24 June 1878 and 26 July 1978, a victim of the drive to close small village schools.

Kirby Bedon has a historic link to the transatlantic slave trade through Sir John Berney (1757-1825) of Kirby Bedon Hall. He was the owner of Hanson Plantation, Barbados.[5]

The village no longer has a pub; the Stracey Arms on the main road from Norwich to Bramerton closed in 1967.[6] It is now a Caravan Club certified location.[7]

Kirby Bedon Church Hall was the home venue of Kirby Bedon Short Mat Bowls Club from the late 1980's to 2017 when it disbanded. They were a very successful side which won the Norfolk Summer League on many occasions as well as many other cups and titles. They were the winners of the first ever National Club Championships in 2009.

Kirby Bedon is linked to Norwich by bus route 85 operated by Konectbus, providing nine services a day into Norwich and to the neighbouring villages of Bramerton, Surlingham and Rockland St Mary.[8]

References

http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Norfolk/Kirby%20Bedon

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/getoutside/local/kirby-bedon-south-norfolk Kirby Bedon, South Norfolk - area information, map, walks and more
  2. Web site: Kirby Bedon parish information . South Norfolk Council . 4 January 2006 . 20 June 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081015154224/http://www.south-norfolk.gov.uk/democracy/kirbybedon_parish.asp . 15 October 2008 .
  3. Web site: Parish population 2011. 8 September 2015.
  4. Web site: 2nd Air Division Memorial Library- Rackheath . www.2ndair.org.uk . 13 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20030629074820/http://www.2ndair.org.uk/Bases/rackheath.htm . 29 June 2003 . dead.
  5. Web site: Hanson Plantation, Barbados. Norfolk County Council. 27 April 2017.
  6. http://www.norfolkpubs.co.uk/norfolkk/kirbybedon/kbedsa.htm Kirby Bedon – Stracey Arms
  7. http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/NR/rdonlyres/DC2EA460-8469-4655-8FB4-9A8C06944CB5/0/CLSiteGPSfilesmall.pdf CL Site GPS file small.xls
  8. Web site: 85 Norwich to Surlingham. Konectbus. 23 April 2024.