’s Church in Stalham dates to the 14th and 15th century. The Chancel was rebuilt in 1822. The East window contains a stained glass view of The Last Supper, with three scenes of Jesus after the last supper: Praying in The Garden of Gethsemane; Trial before Pilate, and Carrying the Cross to Calvary. The stained glass was put in place in 1866. On the right-hand wall is a section of the original Rood Screen, containing five panels, saved from the original twelve. They depict: St. Andrew with a cross saltire, St. Thomas of Canterbury holding a cross, St. Edward holding a sceptre in his right hand, St. Edmund with a sceptre and arrow, and St. Roche showing a plague spot on his thigh. The tomb in the Sanctuary is of Katherine, married first to John Riches and, when widowed, and Rev’d William Smyth. The font is recognised as one of the finest in the county. During the unsettled times of the Reformation it was buried in the Church floor to save it from destruction. It was discovered in 1964 and restored to its present condition. Around the basin are depictions of The Baptism of Christ, the Mercy Seat, and the twelve apostles. The pedestal contains eight depictions of Christian Kings. The tower is about 70 feet in height. The belfry has fallen but when and how is not known. Legend has it there was formally a peal of bells which were sold to Dutch merchants. As they sailed from Happisburgh to Holland the vessel was lost; it is said that before a storm the solemn tolling of the Stalham bells can still be heard. The tower is now the Memorial area as it hold the War Memorials to those lost in the First World War, Second World War and Falklands War. The West Window contains a depiction of the Entry of Christ into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. This was placed here in 1920.
History
The name Stalham may derive from the Old English meaning either ‘homestead by a pool’ or ‘homestead with a stables’.
A wealth of Roman archaeology has been recorded in Stalham. It has been suggested that Devil’s Ditch, a horseshoe-shaped enclosure close to the town, was part of a military camp. The cropmarks of a possible Roman farmstead have been identified to the northwest of Chapelfield Farm, and several enclosures and field boundaries of possible Roman date have been recognised from other photographs. Such sites would suggest that the land in Stalham was fertile and suitable for farming during the Roman period. A Roman cremation has also been found near to Stalham churchyard and several urns containing burnt bone have also been reputedly recovered from ‘Bloody Field’. Other Roman finds tend to comprise coins and pottery sherds, both of which have been found in large numbers across Stalham through metal detecting and fieldwalking.
Saxon history
No Saxon sites have been located in Stalham. However, a number of interesting objects and small finds have been discovered. First and foremost of these is part of a canoe that was dredged from the River Ant was dated to AD 720 and is the oldest boat on record in Norfolk. The skull an adult Saxon male was also found in the river. Other noteworthy finds include the blade and hilt of a Late Saxon sword, a Late Saxon strap terminal with a stylised animal head and a Late Saxon bridle cheek piece with Ringerike-style decoration.
Medieval period
Documents also record that a medieval leper chapel once existed in the parish although little definitive proof has been found for its presence. A medieval carved plaque has been incorporated into Chapelfield Farmhouse and Stalham Hall is believed to be situated on the site of a former medieval manor but no complete medieval buildings remain in the parish other than the church. Aerial photographs show the cropmarks of various medieval to post medieval agricultural features like enclosures, field boundaries, banks and ditches. This information would tally with the evidence from the Domesday Book that suggested that by the medieval era Stalham was a thriving farming community. There is also evidence that peat cutting and turf cutting began to be conducted in this period, utilising the resources of Broad Fen amongst others. Various pieces of medieval metalwork have been recovered by metal detecting. Noteworthy pieces comprise a seal matrix with a hooded falcon motif, a gilt horse harness pendant, an elaborate strap end and a lead ampulla that probably came from Walsingham. All these items attest to religious, commercial, social and domestic activities in the parish. Allied to these finds are numerous pottery sherds and coins, which are the most common medieval finds.
Post-medieval period
By the post-medieval period, a number of mills were operating in Stalham. Documentary evidence provides the location of ‘Marsh Mill’ drainage mill, an unnamed smock mill and a tower mill. Rather more is known about Hunsett Mill, which started life as drainage mill in 1698 before being replaced with a windmill in around 1860. At some time after this point the mill fell from use, and it was saved from dereliction in 1946. It now stands fully restored in the garden of a property, and an electric pump nearby replaces the windmill. Several residential properties were also built during the post-medieval period, including Stalham Hall. The Hall was built for Robert Puckle of Norwich in 1625-75 and restored in 1935-6. It was constructed in the Artisan Mannerist style using brick. The central porch has a sundial dated 1624, and all the windows are of a rustic Venetian style with original metalwork. Inside, there are original doors, a set of 17th century stairs with a dog gate and some 18th century panelling. Other houses worth a look are situated on the Old Yarmouth Road and comprise Stewards House, Walnut Cottage and The Homestead. The last two in particular are pleasant 18th century properties with thatched roofs and timber features. The most unusual post medieval discovery to be made in Stalham is that of an elephant skeleton beneath a tree on the lawn of Stalham Surgery. The tree was said to be 150 years old and the owners of the property in the mid 19th century are known to have kept a circus. Other more interesting finds consist of a coin weight of George I, lead musket balls and a mould used to produce musket balls.
Victorian Stalham
In 1870-72, John Marius Wilson's Imperial Gazetteer of England and Wales described Stalham as "a village, a parish, and a sub-district, in Tunstead district, Norfolk. The village stands 6½ miles SE of North Walsham r. station; and has a post-office under Norwich, an inn, a police station, a corn-hall, a lecture-room, and a weekly market on Tuesday. The parish comprises 1,792 acres".
The most recent archaeological records for Stalham relate to World War One and World War Two structures. A circular pillbox dating to World War One stands on the northeast side of Wayford Bridge. RAF thermal images also show the cropmarks of three ring ditches northeast of Stalham Green which could indicate the former presence of a World War Two searchlight battery. The base of a World War Two Spigot mortar has also been identified on a footpath to the east of the bypass. During World War Two the stump of one of the former mills was given a concrete roof so as to allow it to function as an air raid shelter. Lastly it is worth noting that the North Walsham & Dilham Canal, which passes through Stalham, was used as an anti-tank ditch in World War Two.
Former railways
Stalham was once served by Stalham railway station until it was closed in 1959. It was once a busy station with goods trains, taking local produce and cattle to markets in London and York. The nearest railway station is now Worstead.
Economy
Through the 1960s Stalham's economy sank from a reduction of the agricultural labour force as a result of improvements in agricultural technology. Beginning in the 1970s, though, housing developments attracted people who took up residence in Stalham but worked elsewhere. In 2002 Tesco built a supermarket in Stalham, with considerable controversy, with many residents fearing that it would "kill the high street". Despite this, the High Street contains a wide range of independent traders.
Stalham Firehouse opened in 1833 on the corner of the Church and is understood to be the third-oldest organised Fire Brigade in United Kingdom. The Firehouse was restored in 2002 and the Museum opened in November that year. The museum has a collection of historical fire brigade related items including an original horse drawn pump engine. The museum is currently Grade 2 Listed. The purpose of Museum is to repair, restore, improve and preserve the building and contents of historical importance and make them available for public viewing. It is run entirely by volunteers.
Museum of the Broads
moved to Stalham in 2000 and is situated on Stalham Staithe. It 'aims to bring the history of the Broads alive for locals and visitors to Norfolk' and is open to the public throughout the summer.
Governance
Stalham is part of the electoral ward of Stalham and Sutton. The total population of this ward at the 2011 Census was 4,312.
