Booton, Norfolk Explained

Country:England
Coordinates:52.761°N 1.1254°W
Os Grid Reference:TG109228
Official Name:Booton
Population:216
Population Ref:(2021 census)
Area Total Km2:11.5
Static Image Name:Booton village sign - detail - geograph.org.uk - 755779.jpg
Static Image Width:200
Static Image Caption:The village sign, showing its distinctive church towers at left
Shire District:Broadland
Shire County:Norfolk
Region:East of England
Civil Parish:Booton
Constituency Westminster:Broadland and Fakenham
Postcode District:NR10
Postcode Area:NR
Post Town:NORWICH
Type:Village and Civil Parish

Booton is a village and civil parish in the Broadland district of the English county of Norfolk.

Booton is located 0.7miles south-east of Reepham, 5.7miles south-west of Aylsham and 12miles north-west of Norwich. The civil parish of Booton also includes the smaller village of Brandiston.

History

The origin of Booton's name is uncertain. It is either of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from the Old English for Bota's farmstead or settlement or of Viking origin, deriving from the Old Norse for Bo's farmstead or settlement.[1]

In the Domesday Book, Booton is listed as a settlement of 7 households in the hundred of Erpingham. In 1086, the village was part of the estates of Tihel of Hellean.[2]

Within the village is Booton Hall, a red-brick structure which dates back to the Seventeenth Century though has significant Eighteenth Century re-modelling.[3] There is also an Eighteenth Century threshing barn located nearby.[4]

There are two Grade II listed structures on 'The Street', including Town Farmhouse and a nearby barn.[5]

A postmill was constructed in the village by Mr. R. George in 1848. It stood until it was largely dismantled in 1900.[6]

In 1940, a polygonal bunker was built as part of the defences against a possible German invasion of Britain.[7]

Geography

According to the 2021 census, Booton has a population of 216 people which demonstrates an increase from the 196 people listed in the 2011 census.[8]

St. Michael the Archangel's Church

See main article: articles and St Michael the Archangel's Church, Booton. Booton is dominated by its parish church which is dedicated to Saint Michael. St. Michael's was built largely due to enthusiasm of Whitwell Elwin who built over the much smaller Medieval church.[9] The church has been Grade I listed since 1961.[10]

Governance

Booton is part of the electoral ward of Great Witchingham for local elections and is part of the district of Broadland.

The village's national constituency is Broadland and Fakenham which has been represented by the Conservative Party's Jerome Mayhew since 2019.

Notable Residents

War Memorial

Booton's war memorial takes the form of a grey marble plaque in St. Michael's Church. It has gold lettering and a grey wreath of poppies carved at the top, it lists the following names for the First World War:[11]

!Rank!Name!Unit!Date of Death!Other Commemoration / Burial
Cpl.Robert J. Hall2nd Battalion, Norfolk Regiment1 December 1915Basra Memorial
Pvt.Wilfred StackwoodNorfolk Regiment26 March 1916St. Michael's Churchyard, Booton
Pvt.Stanley W. Davidson1st Battalion, Essex Regiment13 August 1915Helles Memorial
Pvt.Albert S. Bacon2nd Battalion, Norfolk Regiment13 May 1916Amara War Cemetery
Pvt.Sidney A. Davidson3/4th Battalion, Queen's Regiment30 December 1917British Cemetery, Flesquières
Rfn.William Coe9th (Queen Victoria's Rifles) Battalion, London Regiment28 November 1917Communal Cemetery, Achiet-le-Grand
Rfn.Sidney Page9th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment8 September 1917Maroc British Cemetery,Grenay
And: William Hall, John Long, William Roberts, Herbert Wells and William Douglas.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Key to English Place-names . 2024-11-10 . kepn.nottingham.ac.uk.
  2. Web site: Booton Domesday Book . 2024-11-10 . opendomesday.org.
  3. Web site: BOOTON HALL, Booton - 1169055 Historic England . 2024-11-10 . historicengland.org.uk . en.
  4. Web site: BARN AT BOOTON HALL, Booton - 1076896 Historic England . 2024-11-10 . historicengland.org.uk . en.
  5. Web site: BARN AT TOWN FARM, Booton - 1306708 Historic England . 2024-11-10 . historicengland.org.uk . en.
  6. Web site: Norfolk Mills - Booton post windmill . 2024-11-10 . www.norfolkmills.co.uk.
  7. Web site: MNF18380 - Norfolk Heritage Explorer . 2024-11-10 . www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk.
  8. Web site: Booton (Parish, United Kingdom) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location . 2024-11-10 . citypopulation.de.
  9. Web site: Booton . 2024-11-10 . www.norfolkchurches.co.uk.
  10. Web site: CHURCH OF ST MICHAEL AND ALL ANGELS, Booton - 1342776 Historic England . 2024-11-10 . historicengland.org.uk . en.
  11. Web site: Roll of Honour - Norfolk - Booton . 2024-11-10 . www.roll-of-honour.com.