| Alethorpe | |
Site of the lost settlement |
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Alethorpe
Alethorpe shown within Norfolk |
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| OS grid reference | TF948313 |
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| - London | 135 miles (217 km) |
| Parish | Little Snoring CP |
| District | North Norfolk |
| Shire county | Norfolk |
| Region | East |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | FAKENHAM |
| Postcode district | NR21 |
| Dialling code | 01328 |
| Police | Norfolk |
| Fire | Norfolk |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
| List of places: UK • England • Norfolk | |
Alethorpe is one of Norfolk’s lost medieval villages. The village was located within the parish of Little Snoring in mid North Norfolk just to the south of Great Snoring and 2 miles (3.2 km) east-northeast of the town Fakenham.[1] The village was finally abandoned in the 16th century and is thought to be the consequence of the land being enclosed by the landlord of that time.
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The village of Alethorpe is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1085 where its population, land ownership and productive resources were detailed[2] In the survey Alethorpe is recorded by the name of Alatorp. The land is said to be in possession of the King with Stibbard having land from the King.
Alethorpe was also recorded in the Nomina Villarum.[3] These documents were a series of surveys carried out in late 13th and early 14th century which contained a list of all cities, boroughs and townships in England and the Lords of them. The documents were compiled for King Edward II. In the surveys Alethorpe is recorded as being a village of Thirty houses in 1272, twelve taxpayers 1329, eleven in 1332, and twelve in 1377. It was recorded that there was ten heads of families in 1496.
The medieval church of Alethorpe was called All Saints. The church has not survived. The building was in disrepair and used as a barn by 1602, its demise linked to the depopulation of the village in the 16th century. Nothing can be seen today, though three human skeletons were unearthed in 1962 in what is presumed to be the old churchyard. A tree stands on the site of the church itself. Of Alethorpe, only a few low earthworks remain, possible track ways and a house platform can be seen. Another building, a leper hospital mentioned in documents has also disappeared, though its existence in the first place was not certain.