Hilborough

Village in Norfolk, England

Human settlement in England

Hilborough

All Saints Church

Hilborough

Location within Norfolk

Area| 22.64 sq mi (58.6 km2)
Population| 219 (2021 census)
• Density| 10/sq mi (3.9/km2)
OS grid reference| TF8200
• London| 93.2 miles (150.0 km)
Civil parish|

* Hilborough

District|

* Breckland

Shire county|

* Norfolk

Region|

* East

Country| England
Sovereign state| United Kingdom
Post town| THETFORD
Postcode district| IP26
Dialling code| 01760
Police| Norfolk
Fire| Norfolk
Ambulance| East of England
UK Parliament|

* South West Norfolk

List of places

England
Norfolk

52°34′19″N 0°41′45″E﻿ / ﻿52.57184°N 0.69596°E﻿ / 52.57184; 0.69596

Hilborough is a village and a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The parish of Hilborough also includes Bodney.

Hilborough is located 5.5 miles (8.9 km) south of Swaffham and 25.4 miles (40.9 km) west-southwest of Norwich, along the A1065 road.

## History

[edit]

Hilborough's name is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from the Old English for Hildeburh's enclosure.[1]

In the Domesday Book, Hilborough is listed as a settlement of 38 households in the hundred of South Greenhoe. In 1086, the village was part of the East Anglian estates of William de Warenne.[2]

The ancestors of Admiral Nelson, including the Admiral's father, the Reverend Edmund Nelson, who left for Burnham Thorpe shortly before Horatio was born, were rectors of the parish church of All Saints at Hilborough between 1734 and 1806.

In the Nineteenth Century, Old Bodney Hall was demolished[3] and soon replaced with another hall built by Robert Adam. The residence was at one point the residence of Arthur Wellesley, 2nd Duke of Wellington.[4][5]

During the Second World War, there were plans to build an airfield for RAF Bomber Command on Hollow Heath yet this was abandoned due to the objections of local landowners. Instead, the area became a decoy airfield which was bombed at least once.[6]

In 1986 a portion of the Hilborough Estate originally commissioned by Ralf Cauldwell in 1779, was bought by Hugh van Cutsem, who built a neo-Palladian mansion [7] designed by architect Francis Johnson. The efforts of the van Cutsem family and their estate workers resulted in the Hilborough Estate becoming one of the country's leading wild-bird shoots, winning awards for their conservation work.[8]

## Geography

[edit]

According to the 2021 census, Hilborough has a population of 219 people which shows a decrease from the 243 people recorded in the 2011 census.[9]

The A1065, between Mildenhall and Fakenham, passes through the village.

## All Saints' Church

[edit]

Hilborough's parish church is located just off the A1065 and dates from the Fifteenth Century. All Saints' has been Grade I listed since 1960 and is no longer open for Sunday service.[10][11]

All Saints' features a hammerbeam roof dating from the Fifteenth Century and features a set of royal arms dating from the reign of King James I.[12]

## Notable Residents

[edit]

The family of Admiral Nelson. Nelson's grandfather, father, uncle-by-marriage and his brother were all rectors of All Saints parish church in the village. As a young boy Nelson stayed with his uncle and grandmother in Hilborough. After the battle of the Nile, Nelson was created Baron Nelson of the Nile and Hilborough.[13]

### Other notables

[edit]

* George Caldwell\- (1807-1863) MCC cricketer, born in Hilborough.
* Sophia Cooke\- (1814-1895) missionary and schoolmistress in Singapore, born in Hilborough.
* Sir R. A. Young CBE\- (1871-1959) physician, born in Hilborough.
* Chris Mead\- (1940-2003) ornithologist, author & broadcaster, link to Hilborough unknown.
* Hugh van Cutsem\- (1941-2013) banker, businessman & landowner, owner of Hilborough Hall.
* Fiona Richmond\- (b.1945) glamour model and actress, born in Hilborough.
* Harriet Mead\- (b.1969) wildlife sculptor, lives in Hilborough.

## Governance

[edit]

Hilborough is part of the electoral ward of Ashill for local elections and is part of the district of Breckland.

The village's national constituency is South West Norfolk which has been represented by Labour's Terry Jermy MP since 2024.

## War Memorial

[edit]

Hilborough War Memorial is a small wheel cross monument in All Saints' Churchyard. The memorial lists the following names for the First World War:[14]

Rank  | Name  | Unit  | Date of Death  | Burial/Commemoration

|
|
|
|

LCpl.  | Herbert J. Hoggett  | 7th Bn., Norfolk Regiment | 28 Apr. 1917  | Arras Memorial
Dvr.  | Fred Hubbard  | 224th Coy., Army Service Corps | 13 Jul. 1915  | All Saints' Churchyard
Pte.  | George Hubbard  | 6th Bn., Durham Light Infantry | 8 Apr. 1918  | Denain Cemetery
Pte.  | Ernest E. Bilverstone  | 4th Bn., Middlesex Regiment | 12 Oct. 1918  | Vis-en-Artois Memorial
Pte.  | Harry Stevenson  | 2nd Bn., Norfolk Regiment | 16 Apr. 1916  | Basra Memorial
Pte.  | Maurice Stevenson  | 8th Bn., Norfolk Regt.  | 19 Jul. 1916  | Thiepval Memorial
Pte.  | Arthur C. Buckle  | 1st Bn., Northamptonshire Regiment | 9 May 1915  | Le Touret Memorial
Pte.  | Charles W. Baker  | Queen's Royal Regiment | 18 Dec. 1918  | Norwich Cemetery
Pte.  | Frederick W. Howard  | 12th Bn., Suffolk Regiment | 25 Sep. 1916  | Arras Memorial

The following names were added after the Second World War:

Rank  | Name  | Unit  | Date of Death  | Burial/Commemoration

|
|
|
|

FO  | Bert W. Golden  | No. 35 Squadron RAF (Lancaster) | 21 Feb. 1945  | Reichswald Forest Cem.
Sgt.  | Leonard C. Gaskins  | No. 75 Squadron RAF (Lancaster) | 4 Nov. 1943  | Runnymede Memorial
LBdr.  | Arthur C. Wing  | 191 Regt., Royal Artillery | 21 Jul. 1944  | Ranville War Cemetery
LS  | Arthur E. Grummitt  | HMS Pandora (Submarine) | 1 Apr. 1942  | Chatham Naval Memorial
Pte.  | Reginald R. Harvey  | 6th Bn., Royal Norfolk Regiment | 27 Jan. 1942  | Kranji War Memorial

## References

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hilborough.

1. ^ "Key to English Place-names". kepn.nottingham.ac.uk. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
2. ^ "Hilborough | Domesday Book". opendomesday.org. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
3. ^ "MNF5044 - Norfolk Heritage Explorer". www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
4. ^ "MNF2717 - Norfolk Heritage Explorer". www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
5. ^ "Norfolk Churches". www.norfolkchurches.co.uk. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
6. ^ "MNF29536 - Norfolk Heritage Explorer". www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
7. ^ Photos on Flckr
8. ^ "EDP24". Archived from the original on 26 February 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
9. ^ "Hilborough (Parish, United Kingdom) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
10. ^ "CHURCH OF ALL SAINTS, Hilborough - 1171997 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
11. ^ "Hilborough: All Saints". www.achurchnearyou.com. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
12. ^ "Norfolk Churches". www.norfolkchurches.co.uk. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
13. ^ "Norfolk Churches". www.norfolkchurches.co.uk. Retrieved 17 May 2025.
14. ^ "Geograph:: Hackford to Hunworth :: War Memorials in Norfolk". www.geograph.org.uk. Retrieved 17 May 2025.

* v
* t
* e

Civil parishes of Breckland

* Ashill
* Attleborough
* Banham
* Bawdeswell
* Beachamwell
* Beeston with Bittering
* Beetley
* Besthorpe
* Billingford
* Bintree
* Blo' Norton
* Bradenham
* Brettenham
* Bridgham
* Brisley
* Bylaugh
* Carbrooke
* Caston
* Cockley Cley
* Colkirk
* Cranwich
* Cranworth
* Croxton
* Didlington
* Dereham
* East Tuddenham
* Elsing
* Foulden
* Foxley
* Fransham
* Garboldisham
* Garvestone, Reymerston and Thuxton
* Gateley
* Gooderstone
* Great Cressingham
* Great Dunham
* Great Ellingham
* Gressenhall
* Griston
* Guist
* Hardingham
* Harling
* Hilborough
* Hockering
* Hockham
* Hoe and Worthing
* Holme Hale
* Horningtoft
* Ickburgh
* Kempstone
* Kenninghall
* Kilverstone
* Lexham
* Litcham
* Little Cressingham
* Little Dunham
* Little Ellingham
* Longham
* Lynford
* Lyng
* Mattishall
* Merton
* Mileham
* Mundford
* Narborough
* Narford
* Necton
* New Buckenham
* Newton by Castle Acre
* North Elmham
* North Lopham
* North Pickenham
* North Tuddenham
* Old Buckenham
* Ovington
* Oxborough
* Quidenham
* Riddlesworth
* Rocklands
* Roudham and Larling
* Rougham
* Saham Toney
* Scarning
* Scoulton
* Shipdham
* Shropham
* Snetterton
* South Acre
* South Lopham
* South Pickenham
* Sparham
* Sporle with Palgrave
* Stanfield
* Stanford
* Stow Bedon and Breckles
* Sturston
* Swaffham
* Swanton Morley
* Thetford
* Thompson
* Tittleshall
* Tottington
* Twyford
* Watton
* Weasenham All Saints
* Weasenham St Peter
* Weeting-with-Broomhill
* Wellingham
* Wendling
* Whinburgh and Westfield
* Whissonsett
* Wretham
* Yaxham

See also
Broadland
Great Yarmouth
King's Lynn and West Norfolk
North Norfolk
South Norfolk
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