Castle Rising
| Castle Rising | |
| Norfolk | |
|---|---|
 Castle Rising | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | TF655245 |
| Location: | 52°47’40"N, -0°28’10"E |
| Data | |
| Population: | 216 (2011) |
| Post town: | King's Lynn |
| Postcode: | PE31 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | King's Lynn and West Norfolk |
Castle Rising is a village in Norfolk, best known for the its castle – Castle Rising Castle –which dominates the village and from which it takes its name. The village itself stands some five miles north-east of the town of King's Lynn and 37 miles west of the county town, 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.
Description
The wider civil parish has an area of 2,137 acres and had a population of 216 at the 2011 Census.
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 Snettisham is shown to be divided in ownership between William de Warenne and the Bishop of Bayeux. Related berewicks are West Newton and Castle Rising. Amongst this, Castle Rising is clearly in the ownership of the Bishop of Bayeux[1]
In 1332, Isabella of France retired to Castle Rising's castle following a coup d'état by her son, King Edward III, when he came to adulthood and seized power from her and her lover Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March. Isabella died here in August 1358.[2]
Until 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, who served as Prime Minister from 1721 to 1742. In the previous century, Samuel Pepys had served as its member.
On screen
The village has appeared on the small and big screen on occasion, including:
- 'Out Of Africa' (1985) where the village appeared as a Danish village;
- 'Grass' (a BBC comedy drama)
- 'High-Tide'.
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Castle Rising) |
References
- ↑ Domesday Book: A Complete Translation. (Penguin, 2003) ISBN 0-14-143994-7, pp. 1075–6, 1090.
- ↑ Weir, Alison (1999). Britain's Royal Family: A Complete Genealogy. London, United Kingdom: Vintage Books. ISBN 978-0099539735.