Tasburgh
| Tasburgh | |
| Norfolk | |
|---|---|
 St Mary's Church, Tasburgh | |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | TM205955 |
| Location: | 52°30’54"N, 1°14’51"E |
| Data | |
| Population: | 1,149 (2011) |
| Post town: | Norwich |
| Postcode: | NR15 |
| Dialling code: | 01508 |
| Local Government | |
| Council: | South Norfolk |
| Parliamentary constituency: |
South Norfolk |
Tasburgh is a village in the south of Norfolk, on the River Tas some eight miles south of Norwich. It stands on the A140 road, north of Long Stratton and south of Newton Flotman.
The village is made up of Upper Tasburgh and Lower Tasburgh. The majority of Lower Tasburgh contains buildings from the early days of the village whilst Upper Tasburgh is made up of more modern housing. Its name means 'Tæsa's fortification' and could also be interpreted as 'pleasant/convenient fortification'.
The parish church is St Mary the Virgin. It is a traditional Norfolk Saxon church of flint with a round tower.
The grand house of the village is Tasburgh Hall, to the west of the village.
History
Early history
A large hill fort abuts the village at the north-west end, and the village church is built within it.
A Roman road ran through the parish, now the A140, between Colchester and Venta Icenorum (five miles to the north of Tasburgh, by Caistor St Edmund). Two Roman coins have been found in the village.
In the Domesday Book of 1086, Tasburgh (Taseburc) is recorded with a watermill.
Modernity
In 1816 Thomas Clabburn left £400 as a charity fund for the relief of the parish poor. It survived until 1928, when the Fuel Allotment and Meek's Charity, the Poor's Land and the Clabburn and Bateman Charity were all amalgamated into Tasburgh United Charities
In 1840, the Rev Henry Preston built The Old Rectory on Glebe Cottage. In 1844 he founded a school on his rectory land alongside Church Hill. Soon afterwards the railway came to this part of Norfolk, spurring a growth in population.
During the Second World War, a spy was captured in the village. The man was known to tour the district on a bicycle, visiting The Horseshoes public house to mix with the soldiers drinking there. One night a Home Guard saw a flashing light from the cottage as enemy aeroplanes were flying over. The incident was reported, and shortly after the Tasburgh Home Guard were called out to patrol the area until a light armoured vehicle and army lorries with Military Police arrived. The spy was arrested and a radio transmitter was found in the cottage chimney.
In 1980 a new school was opened by the Bishop of Norwich, and the Old School was converted into a private house.
About the village
The village hall and adjacent social club is used for a range of functions and is home to Tasburgh's community run post office.
A public house, The Countryman, is located in the village, by the A140. This is opposite the site of a former Little Chef restaurant, which has since become a garden building show centre.
Outside links
 |
("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Tasburgh) |
- Tasburgh Village Hall
- Tasburgh Parish Council
- Information on Tasburgh from GENUKI
- St Mary's: European Round Tower Churches
References
- Place-Names