The Snoring VillagesLittle & Great Snoring in Norfolk, England

Directories provide first hand data about local communities, their infrastructure and the individuals inhabiting those communities.

Published more frequently than the census, directories can also help you fill in any missing gaps.

They contain descriptions of places, local facilities, local facilities, institutions and associations, resident, trades and professions, and important people.

From the 17th century, directories met the growing demand for accurate information about trade and industry. Data was collected either by personal canvassing combined with existing listings or people were asked to supply details.

By the early nineteenth century methods of compilation had become more organised. In part, this reflected the growing links between directories and the Post Office. Many postal officials, such as Frederick Kelly, turned their hand to directory publishing as a means of both aiding their work and making some extra money. Information was collected by letter carriers, who circulated forms during their postal rounds, and also delivered the finished directory on commission..

In the 20th century over 250 were published each year, the peak year being 1936, with around 320 directories appearing. But a decline came after World War II as many publishers went out of business. With the advent of the telephone large-scale directory production and usage ended.

SNORING, (GREAT) a parish and considerable village, 2 miles S. of Walsingham, and 3½ miles N.E. by N. of Fakenham, contains about 1,600 acres of land, belonging to several proprietors, the largest of whom is John Dugmore, Esq., of Swaffham, the lord of the manor, in which the copyholds are subject to arbitrary fines.

The ancient lords were the Burgolyons, Sheltons, and Richardsons. It had 556 inhabitants, in 1841, including 81 in Walsingham Union Workhouse, which is already noticed at page 669.

The CHURCH (Virgin Mary,) has a fine tower with one bell, and formerly had a spire. It has some ancient stone stalls, and the effigies of Sir Richard Shelton and his lady, beautifully engraved in brass. The Sheltons built the rectory-house, which is a fine specimen of ornamental brickwork.

The RECTORY, valued in the King's Book at £24 has 36A. of glebe, and is consolidated with Thursford, in the patronage of St. John's College, Cambridge, and incumbency of the Rev. Cphr. Stannard, B.D., who is lord of a small manor, called Snorings, (fines certain.) The joint livings were valued in 1831 at £610 per annum; and the tithes were commuted in 1840.

The CHURCH LAND, 2A. 8P., with a cottage upon it, is let for £5 2s. In 1688, John Pearson, bishop of Chester, left for the poor £20, which was laid out with £20 left by the Rev. Robt. West, in 1676, in the purchase of land, now consisting of 6A. 3R 31P., let for £8 which is distributed in bread and coals. The poor have also dividends of £209 18s. three per cent. Consols, purchased with £200 left by John Alvis, in 1823.

Archer James	farm-bailiff
Archer Robert	castrator
Bray Benjamin	schoolmaster
Bushell Jonas	machine maker
Claxton Violet	victualler, Three Tuns
Comer William	shoemaker
Cook David	wheelwright
Dunn S.	tailor
Jackson Christopher	bricklayer
Lack Thomas	shoemaker and victualler, Unicorn
Plane John	shoemaker and baker
Platten Robert	Master of Workhouse
Savage Henry	shopkeeper
Southgate Chas.	miller & millwright
Stannard Rev. Cphr. BD	Rectory
Blacksmiths	Girdlestone Rt.
	Granger Charles
	Loades Jarrett Pond
FARMERS (* are owners)	Bradfield Charles
	* Bray William
	Hall James
	Page Christopher, Old Hall
	Southgate Samson
	Southgate Wm.
	* Ward Edmund
	* Whistler John
	Wright Robert

SNORING (LITTLE) is a pleasant village and parish, 3 miles E.N.E. of Fakenham, containing 293 souls, and 1,518A. of land. Lord Hastings owns most of the soil, and is lord of the manor, and patron of the CHURCH, (St. Andrew's) which is an interesting specimen of Saxon architecture, and has a round tower detached at the distance of eight feet from the west end.

Here was a house of Lepers, founded in 1638.

The RECTORY, valued in the King's Book at £12, is consolidated with East Barsham, (see page 648.) The glebe is 59A. 3R.

The Fuel Allotment awarded in 1806, is 17A., on which the poor cut fuel. They also have two cottages and 8A. 3R. 5P. of land, let for £19, and derived from the bequests of John Chappell and other donors.

Adams Edward	baker & shopkeeper
Banyard John	shoemaker
Barnes Henry	wheelwright
Bell Samuel	blacksmith
Nickalls Jarrett	wheelwright
Shepherd Wm.	corn miller
Sheppard Rev. A.F., B.A	Curate
Tuck Wm	Gent
Sutherland Wm.	victualler, Bell
Tuddenham John	shoemaker, and victualler, Green Man
FARMERS	Barwick John
	Merrill Robt.
	Powell Nichs.