Old Buckenham
| Old Buckenham | |
| Norfolk | |
|---|---|
 All Saints Church, Old Buckenham | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | TM066916 |
| Location: | 52°29’1"N, 1°2’31"E |
| Data | |
| Population: | 1,270 (2011) |
| Post town: | Attleborough |
| Postcode: | NR17 |
| Dialling code: | 01953 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | Breckland |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
Mid Norfolk |
Old Buckenham is a village in Norfolk, in the south of the county, about 18 miles south-west of Norwich. Nearby villages include New Buckenham, Wilby and Banham.
The wider civil parish had a recorded population of 1,270 living in 529 households at the census 2011.
History
Old Buckenham was listed as Bucham, Buccham or Bucheham in the 1068 Domesday Book. The name comes from the Old English for "Bucca's homestead".[1]
During the nineteenth century there was a small Sandemanian community in the village which the natural philosopher Michael Faraday visited many times in the 1850s and 1860s.[2]
About the village
There is a large village green at the heart of the village, called Church Green. The two public houses — the Gamekeeper and the Ox and Plough — are located by this green.[3]
Old Buckenham Airfield, to the north-east of the village, was the home of the 453rd Bomb Group in the 2nd World war which flew the B24 liberator bombers. For a short time the actors James Stewart and Walter Matthau were based there. James Stewart attended the opening of the memorial room at the village all on 10 May 1983. The remains of Old Buckenham Castle and Old Buckenham Priory are nearby.
Old Buckenham Windmill is a preserved tower mill built in 1818, originally having 8 common sails but now having four patent sails. It is well known in the mill world for having the largest windmill circumference in Britain and housed five pairs of stones. The granary next door had four pairs driven by a steam (later oil) engine. The mill is open several times a year.[4]
Old Buckenham Cricket Club has one of the best grounds in Norfolk situated in what were the grounds of the old hall. The ground is famous for hosting a cricket match between L. G. Robinson's England XI (which included Jack Hobbs) and the touring Australians in 1921.
See also
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Old Buckenham) |
References
- ↑ Mills, Anthony David: 'A Dictionary of British Place-Names' (Oxford University Press, 2003) ISBN 978-0-19-852758-9
- ↑ James, Frank A. J. L.; Michael Faraday (1999). The Correspondence of Michael Faraday. IET. pp. xxviii. ISBN 0-86341-251-3. https://books.google.com/books?id=iX194mHFAcYC.
- ↑ CAMRA WhatPub
- ↑ "Old Buckenham towermill". https://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/Windmills/old-buckenham-towermill.html.