HISTORY OF THE INN

When the Inn was up for auction

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A Coaching Inn named after the family that built it.

The historic past of the Inn is rooted in the stories of the local area and the family of Robert Marsham.

Apart from his story as a local landowner he had a passion for Phenology (Wiki).

HISTORY OF THE INN and its environs

When The Marsham Arms was acquired (1946).

For an extract from William White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk 1845 please see the GENUKI site.

The Marsham Arms before alterations, outside is a Mr. Norton, a local chicken dealer. His horse and cart stand in the shed to the left where horses used to be tied. The Marsham Arms was known to the locals as 'The Cold Blow'.

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The Marsham Arms in 1910 - this picture is a postcard and was provided by Mr. W. Waller of Brooke, Norfolk. It is addressed to a Miss M. Matthewson of Toronto, Ontario, Canada but was never sent. The Inn sign advertises Morgans Ales, a Norwich brewery.

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The Marsham Arms Free House & Inn has always stood on the Holt Road, Hevingham. It takes its name from Robert Marsham, a wealthy landowner of the 19th century. One night in 1832 Robert Marsham was attacked on the road. Thinking that the attackers might have been poor farm labourers, who could not afford anywhere to stay on their way to Norwich Market, he generously decided to build a hostel for such men

In the 1881 Census the Howard family lived at the Marsham Arms the entry reveals the following:

In 1881 at the time of the Census Samuel Howard, aged 36, was Head of the family and a farmer who was born at Eaton in Norwich, his wife was Maria Howard, aged 38, who was born in Drayton, Norwich. They had three children at this time all born in Hevingham and possibly at the Marsham Arms. They were - William Howard, aged 8, a son, Ellen Howard, aged 2, a daughter and Agnes Howard, aged 1, a daughter.

The original hostel has been developed and added to and become the Inn we know today. The wood beams and large open fireplace are original features. The bar and family rooms have been refurbished to reflect the character of the Inn. In recent years the Inn has developed additional features including modern accommodation, garden, patio and a play area for children.

A rather poor photograph showing Tom Norton in the tub on Westgate pit, now Hevingham Village Green. You can just see the horse-drawn ice cream cart standing near the cottage wall and a governess cart (Click on the picture to see a full-sized version) standing opposite the shop kept by Jack & Polly Ellis. Tom Norton may have been in the tub for a bet, there was usually some beer involved.

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Haycarting at Avenue Farm

All the photographs on this page come from "Man & Boy in a Norfolk Village" by E.O. Benton published by Roy Benton. The author and publisher are no longer living and whilst every effort has been made to establish the owners of the copyright of the pictures and titles we have not been able to find out who to contact.

If you know of an existing relative please email us.Watch out for more historic facts about the Inn and the surrounding area - if you know something we could add to this page then email us.