HARLESTON, a market-town in the parish of REDDENHALL,
hundred of EARSHAM, county of NORFOLK,
19 miles (S.) from Norwich, and 99 (N. E.) from
London. The population is returned with the parish.
The original appellation of Herolfston, or Herolveston, of
which the present is a corruption, was derived from
Herolf, one of the Danish leaders who came over with
Sweyn, and settled in this part of the kingdom: in
the centre of the town stands a stone, formerly called
Herolf's stone, whence probably originated the name of a
family to. which belonged Sir John Herolvestone, who in
the reign of Richard II. quelled a formidable insurrection
in Norfolk and the neighbouring counties. The
town is situated on the high road from Bury-St. Edmund's
to Yarmouth, about one mile from the river
Waveney, over which there is a bridge; it is lighted
with oil by subscription among the inhabitants, and well
supplied with water from springs, but not paved. The
manufacture of bombazines has been carried on of
late years to a limited extent. The market is on Wednesday;
fairs are held on Midsummer-day, and on the
9th and 10th of September; the latter, which is still
a large sheep and cattle fair, formerly continued eight
days; on the 1st of December is a fair for Scotch cattle,
which continues one month, and which was removed
hither many years since from Hoxne in Suffolk. The
whole town is under the superior jurisdiction of the
Duke of Norfolk, who is lord of the manor, and has the
tolls of the markets and fairs, holding courts for the
manor occasionally. In the centre of the town is a chapel
of ease, dedicated to St. John the Baptist, which was
rebuilt in 1726, and enlarged in 1823, at the expense
of the parishioners, by taking in the site of the market
cross; which stood at the east end: the curate is nominated
by the Master and Fellows of Emanuel College,
Cambridge, pursuant to the direction of Dr. Bancroft,
Archbishop of Canterbury, who in 1688 settled upon that
society £54 per annum, in trust, to nominate a chaplain
and schoolmaster, and pay him that sum for the performance
of daily service in this chapel, and for the education
of youth. The chapel has lately received an addition of
one hundred and fifty free sittings, towards defraying the
expense of which the Incorporated Society for the enlargement
of churches and chapels granted £100. There
are places of worship for Independents and Wesleyan
Methodists. The rents of an estate in the adjoining parish
of Rushall, purchased with £200, the gift of Mr. John
Dove, who died in 1690; likewise a rent-charge of 20s.
on a piece of land called the Fairstead, are appropriated
to the same purpose. A National school, supported by
voluntary contributions, affords instruction to about one
hundred children of both sexes.