WYMONDHAM, or WINDHAM, a parish in the
hundred of FOREHOE, county of NORFOLK, 9 miles
(W. S. W.) from Norwich, and 100 (N. E. by N.) from
London, comprising the market-town of Wymondham,
which forms the in-soken, and the divisions of Downham,
Market-Street, Silfield, Suton, Towngreen, and
Wattlefield, which form the out-soken, and containing,
according to the last census, 4708 inhabitants, since
which the number is supposed to have increased to
nearly 7000. This town derives its name from the
Saxon words Win Munde Ham, which signify " a pleasant
village on a mount," and is indebted for its importance
to the foundation of a priory of Black monks,
at first a cell to the abbey of St. Albans, by William
d'Albini, or Daubeny, in the reign of Henry I. This
monarch endowed the monastery with lands and with
the privilege of appropriating all wrecks between Eccles,
Happisburgh, and Tunstead, and with an annual
rent, in kind, of two thoxisand eels from the village of
Helgay. About 1448, it was elevated to the rank of an
abbey, and at the dissolution its revenue was valued at
£72. 5. 4. The two Ketts, who disturbed this county
in the reign of Edward VI., were accustomed to assemble
their followers under an oak, of which part yet
remains, in the vicinity of the town; after their defeat
by the Earl of Warwick, the elder was hanged in
chains "on the castle of Norwich, and-the younger upon
the lofty steeple of the church of Wymondham, of which
town they were both natives. In 1615, three hundred
houses were destroyed by fire; and in 1631, the plague
raged with great fury among the inhabitants. The town,
which is situated on the main road from Norwich to
London, is of considerable extent, and is well supplied
with water from springs; it has much improved of late
years. Different branches of weaving are carried on in
private houses, from ten to twelve hundred persons being
employed by Messrs. Tipple and Son, the only firm in
the town; the chief articles are bombazines and crapes.
The market, granted by charter of King John in 1203, is
held on Friday: the fairs are on February 14th and May
17th, principally for cattle, horses, and pedlary; statute
fairs for hiring servants are held occasionally: in the
market place is an ancient cross. A court leet is held
annually for the appointment of constables, and manorial
courts are held as occasion requires; the inhabitants
enjoy the privilege of exemption from serving on
juries at assizes and sessions.
The living is a discharged vicarage, in the archdeaconry
of Norfolk, and diocese of Norwich, rated in the
king's books at £10. 14. 4., and in the patronage of
the Bishop of Ely. The church, which comprises the
eastern part of the abbey church, and is dedicated to
the Virgin Mary, is a fine structure in various styles of
architecture, with the remains of the central tower,
and another at the west end. Amid the ruins of the
ancient conventual edifice are some Norman arches
with low massive columns, and fragments of old walls;
the more modern parts of the building are the north
aisle, porch, and towers. In the interior is a large font,
adorned with carved work, and elevated on steps; in
the chancel is the tomb of the founder, who died in
1156, and several sepulchral memorials to the d'Albini
family and other noble persons. There are places of
worship for Baptists, the Society of Friends, Independents,
and Wesleyan Methodists. A free grammar
school was founded in the reign of Elizabeth, and endowed
with part of the property of the guilds belonging
to the collegiate church; a scholarship in Corpus
Christi College, Cambridge, was attached to it, in 1574,
by Archbishop Parker; another, in 1580, by John Parker,
Esq.; and, in 1659, a share in an exhibition for
scholarships to the same college, given by Edward
Coleman, Esq.: the scholars must be natives, and
have continued at the school for two years without intermission,
and be fifteen years of age; the master's
salary is about £60 per annum. There is also a bequest
of a house and land, by a person unknown, producing
about £100 per annum, for this school, part
being distributed among the poor. The school is
kept in an ancient chapel, dedicated to St. Mary
and Thomas a Becket, at the bridge. The Rev. John
Hendry, in 1722, bequeathed £400 to be vested in
the purchase of land and the rental to be given to
the vicar, on condition that two sermons be preached
in the church every Sunday throughout the year;
also a rent-charge of £13. 10. for preaching a sermon
every Friday in Lent: the same benefactor bequeathed
a small estate for the use of the charity
school, chargeable with the payment of fifty shillings
annually to indigent old maids of Wymondham, and
ten shillings to the poor of Crownthorpe. A charity
school in Churchgate-street, for educating, &c. an unlimited
number of children, is supported by voluntary
subscriptions.