Taverham

Description

Taverham is situated on the southern bank of the River Wensum. Today, practically a suburb of Norwich, the original village faces a northern curve in the river with houses extending up a slope to a plateau to the most recent development of Thorpe Marriot. Casual finds of flint tools and pottery provide evidence that people occupied this valley for thousands of years from the Palaeolithic period, through Roman times until the village was established in early Saxon times around a church on the river’s northern bank, –ham being the word used to denote a village in Anglo Saxon and the hundred becoming known as Taverham. By the thirteenth century, the majority of the fourteen manors within the hundred were owned by Norwich Cathedral Priory. Land near the church, although given to Roger Bigod, was given by William II to the Priory who appointed one of the two priests and the land was leased to tenants.

Judy Sims’ thorough research takes the fascinating story of this priory manor from its origins up to 1914. Using documentary and archaeological evidence, she traces the establishment and development of Taverham Hall and the families that lived there, the history of the church, the development of industry, and education during the 19th century. Typical of many Norfolk villages, it provides an important contribution to understanding how rural communities developed through time.

About the author

Judy Sims taught secondary school students for many years in Leicester before returning to Norwich where she also taught younger pupils.  Having gained experience of excavation on several sites in the area, and with the help of one of Chris Barringer’s courses at Wensum Lodge, she discovered the wealth of sources on 13th century Taverham in the Norfolk Record Office.  Together with copious letters from more recent occupants of Taverham Hall, she set about her research while taking the opportunities offered by an Open University degree.  She has been the Librarian of the Norfolk & Norwich Archaeological Society since 2009.