Hingham, Norfolk

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hingham is a market town and civil parish in the Forehoe district in the heart of rural Norfolk. Grand Georgian architecture surrounds the market place and village green. It was in the 18th century when the socialites of high society built and took residence in Hingham that it became fashionably known as "little London".

Hingham is located 17 miles from Norwich, East Anglia’s capital city. While many Hingham people now work in Norwich, commuting by car or bus, the town has maintained a strong employment base, providing work in a wide range of commercial enterprises in its industrial estate located on Ironside Way. A major employer in the parish is E. F. Shingfield & Sons, producers of Norfolk ducklings. There are several other firms providing a variety of services to agriculture and industry.

The many and varied local shops have the special character of a small market town but are up-to-date in what they provide. Despite the influence and attractions of neighbouring Norwich, an active and independent town life continues to thrive and grow in Hingham.

The civil parish has an area of 14.98 km² and in the 2001 census had a population of 2078 in 944 households. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the district of South Norfolk.^[1]

In the early 17th century, a number of residents of Hingham emigrated to the then colony of Massachusetts, where they founded the town of Hingham, Massachusetts. Amongst their number was Samuel Lincoln, an ancestor of President Abraham Lincoln.