# East Tuddenham

East Tuddenham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.
The village is located 5.6 miles (9.0 km) south-west of Dereham and 9.5 miles (15.3 km) north-west of Norwich, along the A47.

## History

East Tuddenham's name is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from the Old English for Tuda's homestead or village.
There is evidence to suggest that East Tuddenham was the site of a Roman settlement, with Roman coins, pottery and the remains of a building with a hypocaust.
East Tuddenham is listed in the Domesday Book as a settlement of 32 households in the hundred of Mitford. In 1086, the village was divided between the estates of Alan of Brittany, Hermer de Ferrers, Ralph de Beaufour and William de Warenne.
During the First World War, RAF Mattishall was located in the parish of East Tuddenham and was used as a night-landing airfield for aircraft of No. 51 Squadron RAF, flying interception missions against German Zeppelins.

## Geography

According to the 2021 census, East Tuddenham has a population of 516 people which shows a minor decrease from the 517 people recorded in the 2011 census.
The A47, between Birmingham and Lowestoft, runs through the parish as does the River Tud.

## All Saints' Church

East Tuddenham's parish church is located on Norwich Road and dates from the Thirteenth Century. The church has been Grade I listed since 1960.
All Saints' was heavily re-modelled in the Fifteenth Century with a font which likely dates from the Twelfth Century. The church also possesses good examples of Twentieth Century stained glass, particularly depictions of Faith, Hope and Charity by Leonard Walker as well as other pieces from workshops in Flanders and a set of royal arms from the reign of King Charles I.

## Notable residents

* Lt-Col. William Mellish- (1813-1864) army officer and cricketer, born in East Tuddenham.
* Sir George Mellish- (1814–1877) barrister and judge, born in East Tuddenham.

## Governance

East Tuddenham is part of the electoral ward of Mattishall for local elections and is part of the district of Breckland.
The village's national constituency is Mid Norfolk which has been represented by the Conservative's George Freeman MP since 2010.

## War Memorial

East Tuddenham's war memorial is a wooden plaque with the names of the fallen carved into it located inside All Saints' Church. The memorial lists the following names for the First World War:
| Rank | Name | Unit | Date of Death | Burial/Commemoration |
| Capt. | Arthur E. Beck MC | 1/5th Bn., Norfolk Regiment | 19 Apr. 1917 | Gaza War Cemetery |
| Sgt. | James J. Turner | 2nd Bn., East Yorkshire Regiment | 3 Oct. 1915 | Bethune Town Cemetery |
| Cpl. | William D. Arthurton | 7th Bn., Border Regiment | 6 Apr. 1916 | Cite Bonjean Cemetery |
| Cpl. | George W. Claxton | 1st Bn., East Surrey Regiment | 8 Nov. 1918 | Pont-sur-Sambre Cemetery |
| Cpl. | John Pinchen | 1/5th Bn., Norfolk Regiment | 19 Apr. 1917 | Jerusalem Memorial |
| Gnr. | Dennis Bales | 2nd (Mortar) Bty., Royal Field Artillery | 11 Jun. 1916 | Arras Memorial |
| Gnr. | William Spinks | 137th Bty., Royal Garrison Artillery | 1 Jan. 1918 | Giavera Cemetery |
| Pte. | William Turner | 2nd Bn., Bedfordshire Regiment | 23 Oct. 1918 | Highland Cemetery |
| Pte. | Colin G. Pinchen | 6th Bn., Bedfordshire Regt. | 12 Apr. 1917 | Arras Memorial |
| Pte. | Stanley Turner | 35th Bn., Royal Fusiliers | 5 Jun. 1917 | St. Sever Cemetery |
| Pte. | William James | 1st Bn., Norfolk Regiment | 1 May 1915 | Bailleul Cemetery |
| Pte. | George J. Turner | 2nd Bn., Norfolk Regt. | 2 Oct. 1917 | Basra War Cemetery |
| Pte. | William Thompson | 8th Bn., Norfolk Regt. | 3 Nov. 1916 | Contay Cemetery |
| Pte. | Reginald F. Buck | 9th Bn., Norfolk Regt. | 15 Apr. 1918 | Tyne Cot |
| Pte. | Charles Moore | 2nd Bn., Queen's Royal Regiment | 9 Apr. 1917 | Etaples Military Cemetery |
And, the following for the Second World War:
| Rank | Name | Unit | Date of Death | Burial/Commemoration |
| AS | Frank E. Fennell | H.M.M.T.B No. 697 | 17 Apr. 1945 | Belgrade New Cemetery |