Castle Rising

Castle Rising is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is best known for the castle which dominates the village. The village is situated some 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) north-east of the town of King's Lynn and 60 kilometres (37 mi) west of the city of Norwich. The River Babingley skirts the north of the village separating Castle Rising from the site of the lost village of Babingley.[1]

For the castle, see Castle Rising Castle.

Castle Rising

Castle Rising
Castle Rising
Location within Norfolk
Area8.65 km2 (3.34 sq mi)
Population216 (2011)
• Density25/km2 (65/sq mi)
OS grid referenceTF655245
Civil parish
  • Castle Rising
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townKING'S LYNN
Postcode districtPE31
PoliceNorfolk
FireNorfolk
AmbulanceEast of England

Description
The castle viewed from the village

The civil parish has an area of 8.65 square kilometres (3.34 sq mi) and in the 2001 census had a population of 225 in 110 households, the population reducing to 216 at the 2011 Census.[2] For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the district of King's Lynn and West Norfolk.[3] It lies within the parliamentary constituency of Norfolk North West, whose Member of Parliament is James Wild of the Conservative Party.

Castle Rising church in July 2017

The village is a conservation area. It includes a fine example of Norman architecture in the church, built in the local and very distinctive local carrstone and flint. The village was once on the main road to the North Norfolk coast but since the King's Lynn bypass was constructed it has become a quiet, tranquil village. There is one public house in village (at the time of writing in 2016) called The Black Horse Inn, the public telephone box, of the famous red Gilbert Scott design, has become a book lending library. Regular historic reenactments take place at the castle as do Jazz Picnics, which raise money for charity.

History

Castle Rising is included in Snettisham's complex entry in the Domesday book where it is divided in ownership between William de Warenne and the Bishop of Bayeux. Related berewicks are West Newton and Castle Rising.[4] However Castle Rising is clearly in the ownership of the Bishop of Bayeux[5]

In 1332, Isabella of France retired to Castle Rising castle following a coup d'état by her son Edward III, seizing power from her and Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March. Isabella died here in August 1358.[6]

Prior to the Reform Act of 1832, Castle Rising had the status of a parliamentary borough and, because of its small population, was often cited as a rotten borough. Its most notable member was Robert Walpole, Prime Minister from 1721 to 1742. Samuel Pepys also served as its member.

Screen appearances

The village has appeared on the small and big screen including 1985's Oscar-winner 'Out Of Africa', where the village appeared as a Danish village, the BBC comedy drama 'Grass', featuring former 'Fast Show' performer Simon Day. It also appeared in the locally produced but not yet released production 'High-Tide'.

See also

References
  1. Ordnance Survey (2002). OS Explorer Map 250 - Norfolk Coast West. ISBN 0-319-21886-4.
  2. "Civil Parish population 2011". Retrieved 26 August 2015.
  3. Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes. Retrieved 2 December 2005.
  4. Moreover, Weston Longville is said to be in Snettisham's valuation
  5. Domesday Book: A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 2003. ISBN 0-14-143994-7, pp. 1075–6, 1090.
  6. Weir, Alison (1999). Britain's Royal Family: A Complete Genealogy. London, United Kingdom: Vintage Books. ISBN 978-0099539735.
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