Briston

Infobox UK place
official_name=Briston
country= England
region= East of England
shire_district= North Norfolk
shire_county= Norfolk
civil_parish= Briston CP
static_

static_image_caption =The Briston Village sign, Norfolk
population= 2,021 (parish, 2001 census)
population_density=
os_grid_reference= TG060320
latitude= 52.8534
longitude= 1.05945
post_town= MELTON CONSTABLE
postcode_area= NR
postcode_district= NR24
dial_code= 01263
constituency_westminster=
london_distance= convert|125|mi|km

Briston is a village and a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. ["OS Explorer Map 24 - Norfolk Coast Central". ISBN 0 319 21726 4.] . The village is 11 miles east north east of the town of Fakenham, 13.3 miles west south west of Cromer, 20.3 miles north north west of the city of Norwich, and 125 miles north north east of London. The nearest railway station is at Sheringham for the Bittern Line which runs between Sheringham, Cromer and Norwich. The nearest airport is Norwich International Airport. The civil parish had in 2001 census, a population of 2,021. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the district of North Norfolk. The village is situated on the route of the B1354 that runs between the A148 at Thursford and the B1149 at Saxthorpe [County A to Z Atlas, Street & Road maps Norfolk, page 228 ISBN 978 1 84348 614 5] .

History

The name Briston derives from of Brurstuna. "the settlement on the River Bure".Briston has an entry in the Domesday Book of 1085 [The Domesday Book, Englands Heritage, Then and Now, Editor: Thomas Hinde,Norfolk page 187, Briston, ISBN 1858334403] . In the great book Briston is recorded by the name "Brurstuna". The main landholders was William de Warenne who owned 60 acres of land from which had been previously the property of Toke, a Saxon "Thegn" who had been evicted after the defeat of the King Harold at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. This land was farmed by three Free Men or Socman and a further 280 acres was farmed by fourteen "bordars". There was a "pannage" or woodland for 20 pigs which was valued at 16 shillings.

Village Amenities

Within the village there is a bakery, butchers shop and a grocers and minimarket. There is a social club. For sport the village has a playing field with tennis courts. There is also a bowling green and a playground for the children of the village. There are two public Houses in the village. On the outskirts of the village is the John H Stracey, a 16th Century Inn with open log fire and oak beams and is named in dedication to the boxer of the same name. In the centre of the village is the Green Man which has a slection of real Ale.

All Saint parish church

The parish church of All Saint’s is unusual in that there is no church tower. It originally had a round tower but this collapsed in 1785 [Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East, By Nikolaus Pevsner and Bill Wilson, Briston entry. ISBN 0-300-09607-0 ] and was never re-built. In the towers place was built a bell-cote consisting of two plain brick pillars. The churches east window is decorated in a 14th century style and the chancel screen was erected in memory of a former rector of the church the Reverend Charles Norris and dates from 1875. The church has a strange curiosity, a metal cello which was made by the village blacksmith in 1700, which is kept in a glass case at the back of the church. Mr Clithero, the blacksmith would play the instrument for many years in the church [The Popular Guide to Norfolk Churches,1:North-East Norfolk, By D.P. Mortlock & C.V. Roberts, 1981, Pub:Acorn Editions, Page 20 Briston All saints, ISBN 0 906554 04 7 ] .

References