Foulsham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.[3] The village is 19.6 miles (31.5 km) west-south-west of Cromer, 17.7 miles (28.5 km) north-west of Norwich and 119 miles (192 km) north-east of London. The village lies 9.4 miles (15.1 km) north-north-east of the town of East Dereham. Foulsham is largely unspoilt, with a number of attractive 16th and 17th century buildings.
Foulsham | |
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![]() Holy Innocents' Church | |
![]() ![]() Foulsham Location within Norfolk | |
Area | 12.56 km2 (4.85 sq mi) |
Population | 860 (2001 census[1]) 1,021 (Including Bexfield 2011)[2] |
• Density | 68/km2 (180/sq mi) |
OS grid reference | TG0325 |
• London | 119 miles (192 km) |
Civil parish |
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District | |
Shire county |
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Region |
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Country | England |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | DEREHAM |
Postcode district | NR20 |
Dialling code | 01263 & 01362 |
Police | Norfolk |
Fire | Norfolk |
Ambulance | East of England |
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The village's name derives from 'sham', or home, and 'foul', from the bird. Foulsham has an entry in the Domesday Book of 1085.[4] In the great book, Foulsham is recorded by the name Folsam and Folsham; it is said to be in the ownership of the King before and after 1066 and Walter Gifford from the king and in the custody of Godric. The survey also notes two churches, a mill, twelve cattle, four hundred pigs, fifty goats and 13 sesters[5] of honey. The spelling Folesham was also used.[6]
In World War 2, RAF Foulsham played host to No. 100 Group RAF, a special operations unit who flew bombers including the Handley Page Halifax and De Havilland Mosquito in electronic warfare missions. All that remain now are a couple of dilapidated hangars and a few small outbuildings.
The village gave its name to a family of Puritan dissidents, who fled England for the town of Hingham, Massachusetts (and later Exeter, New Hampshire) and whose spelling of the name was slightly changed to Folsom.[7] Today, these American descendants of Foulsham have given rise to Folsom, California, Folsom Street in San Francisco, Folsom Prison (all named for California pioneer and New Hampshire native Joseph Libbey Folsom), as well as General Nathaniel Folsom, who represented New Hampshire in the Continental Congress.[8]
The nearest railway station is at Sheringham, 17 miles away. It is on the Bittern Line, which runs between Sheringham, Cromer and Norwich.
The village had its own railway station, on the line between Dereham and Wroxham; this was closed to passenger services in 1952.
The nearest airport is Norwich International Airport.
Media related to Foulsham at Wikimedia Commons
Civil parishes of Broadland | |
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