Baconsthorpe / Baconsthorp / Torp

Blomefield (1805-1810) writes: "This village occurs in Domesday Book by the name of Thorp, and took the additional name of Bacon to distinguish it from other towns of the name of Thorp in this county, the Bacons being anciently lords of it. [...] At the Conqueror's survey here were two lordships, one belonging to Roger Bigot [...] The other lordship belonged to Guard, a Dane, in the Confessor's time, and was held of him by Uluric, or Wulric, a freeman; at the conquest it belonged to Robert Grenon, and Osbert held it of him; [...] to this there appertained 3 villains, one slave, and 2 carucates in demean at the survey, one carucate and an half among the free men, a church endowed with 30 acres [...] The Church is dedicated to St. Mary the Virgin, the nave, one isle, a chancel, with the chapels at their east end, are covered with lead, as is the north porch; the vestry on the north side of the chancel is tiled; the tower was square, but fell above half down in 1739, and contained five bells." Blomefield (1805-1810) names "Ralph" as first recorded rector here, in 1331. The English Heritage listing for this church [NGR: TG1274136862] [www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-224557-church-of-st-mary-baconsthorpe-norfolk] [accessed 3 June 2013] reads: "octagonal font, 1866, on Maltese cross base having floral and geometric designs to faces". A commentary accompanying a photograph by Whipper-snapper in FLICKR [www.flickr.com/photos/barryslemmings/293207902/] [accessed 3 June 2013] reads: "The church had - one one time - two fonts. One was donated to a Norwich church in 1955 to replace a font destroyed during the Second World War. When the present font was erected in its current position it subsided because it had been put over a coffin under the pavement. When the coffin was investigated it was found to be elaborately fitted, covered in crimosn velvet and highly ornamented."