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 7.82 km2 (3.02 sq mi) and had a population of 186 in 77 households at the 2001 census,[2] the population increasing to 198 at the 2011 Census.[3]

Kirby Bedon

Ruin of St Mary's church, Kirby Bedon
Kirby Bedon
Location within Norfolk
Area7.82 km2 (3.02 sq mi)
Population198 (2011)
• Density25/km2 (65/sq mi)
OS grid referenceTG28240560
Civil parish
  • Kirby Bedon
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townNORWICH
Postcode districtNR14
PoliceNorfolk
FireNorfolk
AmbulanceEast of England
The church of St Andrew in Kirby Bedon
The church hall in Kirby Bedon

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]

For one hundred years Kirby Bedon had a village school, which opened on 24 June 1878 and closed for the last time on 26 July 1978, a victim of the drive to close small village schools.

Kirby Bedon has an 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 Our Bus providing nine services a day into Norwich and to the neighbouring villages of Bramerton, Surlingham and Rockland St Mary.[8]

References
  1. Kirby Bedon, South Norfolk - area information, map, walks and more Retrieved 2018-03-05.
  2. "Kirby Bedon parish information". South Norfolk Council. 4 January 2006. Archived from the original on 15 October 2008. Retrieved 20 June 2009.
  3. "Parish population 2011". Retrieved 8 September 2015.
  5. "Hanson Plantation, Barbados". Norfolk County Council. Retrieved 27 April 2017.
  6. Kirby Bedon - Stracey Arms
  7. CL Site GPS file small.xls
  8. our-hire | Our Bus retrieved 2019-02-01.

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