West Barsham / Barseham

Blomefield (1805-19810) writes: "There are three towns of the name of Barsham, that is a ham by a bar, that is, on or by the hills. In Domesday book they are not distinguished by the appellation of East, West, and North, but included under the general name of Barsham. Hugo held then a manor of the Earl Warren; Toke, who was lord of it in the Confessor's time, being deprived of it. It then contained four carucates of land, ten villains, and twenty-six bordarers, with four servi, four carucates in demean, and five amongst the men, &c. three acres of meadow, 4 mills, &c. six socmen had half a carucate, and three bordarers, with two carucates, and a church endowed with 100 acres [...] This I take to be West Barsham [...] from this Hugh, who was lord at the survey, descended Sir Ralph de Wauci, lord; and father of Hugh de Wauci, who by deed, sans date, confirmed to the priory of Castleacre his land of West-Barsham, and all he had therein, with the church of that village, and all the appertenances in pure alms [...] the church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin in this town". Blomefield (ibid.) names "William Newton" as first recorded vicar here, in 1220 "presented by the prior and convent of Castleacre." According to English Heritage [Listing NGR: TF8302242092], the present font, round basin on a baluster stem, is 18th-century. [NB: we have no information on the font(s) of the original font of the early church here].