Tittleshall

In the 2011 census had a population of 406 in 161 households.[2] For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the district of Breckland.[3]

Tillleshall has an entry in the Domesday Book of 1085 where its population, land ownership and productive resources were extensively detailed.[5] In the survey Tittleshall is recorded by the name of Titeshala. The main tenants were Wymer from William de Warenne, and Ralph Sturmy from Ralph Baynard. The survey also lists that for the Wymer tenancy, there had always been 7 smallholders on this land. Meadow 6 acres (24,000 m²), always 3½ ploughs, woodland, 40 pigs and 1 fishery. Value then 20s, now 30. For Ralph Sturmy’s tenancy there were 12 villagers, now 8. Then and later 4 smallholders, now 14. Then and later 6 slaves, now 2. Meadow 10 acres (40,000 m²), always 2 ploughs in lordship. Then and later 4 men’s ploughs, now 2. Woodland, 100 pigs; always 1 mill. Then 6 head of cattle. Then 30 pigs, now 19. Then 100 sheep, now 80. Then 40 goats, now 73. 4 beehives. Also 1 Freeman, acres 6 acres (24,000 m²). Value then 70s, now the same. Also 1 church, acres 6 acres (24,000 m²), value 5d. The whole has 9 furlongs in length and ½ league in width, tax 5d.[6]

The parish church of Saint Mary has a nave built in the perpendicular style which is illuminated with transomed windows. There is a canonical sundial on the south wall. The chancel and west tower are in the decorated style. The chancel has a large Decorated five-light window with reticulated tracery, and there is an elaborately moulded tower arch on the west tower. The church has a Kingpost roof.

The church was used over many years by members of the Coke family who had bought the Tittleshall manor following the reformation, as part of their expansion of the Holkham Estate. Saint Mary’s was chosen as the final resting place for many of the Coke family during the post medieval period. There are a number of Coke family monuments at Saint Mary’s dating from 1598 up unto the building of the family mausoleum at Holkham in the 1870s, including memorials to Edward Coke and to his first wife Bridget Paston. [7]

On the west wall of the nave there is an old Tittleshall School honours board which bears the names of eighteen children who passed scholarships to grammar school during the first sixty years of the twentieth century. Several of these names also appear on the war memorial.