HUNSTANTON, a parish in the hundred of SMITHDON, county of NORFOLK, 10 miles (w.) from Burnham- Westgate, containing 433 inhabitants. The living is a discharged vicarage, in the archdeaconry of Norfolk, and diocese of Norwich, rated in the king's books at £ 12, and in the patronage of the Bishop of Ely. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, is a large edifice with a strong tower rising from the west end of the north aisle: it contains several memorials of the Le Stranges, to which family belonged the celebrated political writer, Sir Roger le Strange, who was born here in 1616; on the breaking out of the civil war he espoused the royal cause, and intending to surprise Lynn, was betrayed by two of his associates, seized, and condemned to death, which sentence was afterwards commuted for imprisonment in Newgate. Escaping from prison he fled to the continent, but returned prior to the Restoration, and afterwards published a newspaper, called " The Public Intelligencer and the News," which was suppressed, and the London Gazette substituted, the first number of which was published, February 4th, 1666. Subsequently he was appointed licenser of the press, wrote " The Observator" in defence of Government, and on the accession of James II. was knighted; he died in 1704. There are vestiges of an ancient chapel on St. Edmund's Point, a high cliff overlooking the North sea.