Castle Acre, Norfolk

Description
Castle-Acre, a village and a parish in Norfolk. The village stands on the Peddar Way and the river Nar, 4 miles N of Swaffham station on the G.E.R. It has a post, money order, and telegraph office under Swaffham, and fairs on 1 May and 5 Aug. Acreage of the parish, 3260; population of the civil parish, 1232 ; of the ecclesiastical, 1306. There are extensive remains of a castle and a priory, founded in 1085 by the Earl of Warrenne. The castle occupied the site of previous works, covered an area of about 18 acres, and had an encircling embattled wall 7 feet thick. The priory was a cell to Lewes, included an area of 29 acres, had a cruciform church 218 feet long, a chapter-house 40 feet by 20, and a refectory 110 feet by 26, and was given at the dissolution to the Duke of Norfolk. Part of the south-west tower, some pillars of the nave, the walls of the transepts, the chapter-house, the refectory, the prior's lodge, and the gatehouse are still standing, exhibit features from Norman to Perpendicular, and look very picturesque. The living is a vicarage, annexed to that of Newton-by-Castle-Acre, in the diocese of Norwich; joint net yearly value, £277, in the gift of the Bishop of Norwich and Earl of Leicester, the Earl having two turns and the Bishop one turn. The church is ancient, large, and good, has a lofty square tower, and contains, an ancient font and some curious monuments. There are Baptist, Wesleyan, and Primitive Methodist chapels.