# Corpusty

Corpusty is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Corpusty and Saxthorpe, in the English county of Norfolk.
Corpusty is located on the River Bure, about 16 mi (26 km) from Norwich and 6 mi (9.7 km) from Holt.

## History

Corpusty's name is of Viking origin and derives from the Old Norse for 'raven's path'.
In the Domesday Book, Corpusty is recorded as a settlement of six households in the hundred of South Erpingham. In 1086, the village was divided between the estates of William de Warenne, William de Beaufeu and William d'Ecouis.
At the turn of the Eighteenth Century, Corpusty watermill was built. The mill was heavily damaged in a flood in 1912 with the mill finally closing in 1965.
The village was once home to Corpusty and Saxthorpe Railway Station, which opened in 1883 as part of the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway. It was a stop on their route between Melton Constable and Yarmouth Beach. The station closed in 1959, yet much of the infrastructure still remains.

## Geography

In 1931, the parish of Corpusty had a population of 434. On 1 April 1935, the parish of Saxthorpe was merged with Corpusty; the parish was renamed Corpusty & Saxthorpe on 1 April 2007.
Corpusty is located along the River Bure and close to the course of the B1149, between Holt and Norwich.

## St. Peter's Church

Corpusty's parish church is dedicated to Saint Peter and largely dates to the Fifteenth Century. St. Peter's is located on Norwich Road and has been Grade II listed since 1960.
St. Peter's became derelict in the late-Medieval era and was saved from ruin by a heavy restoration in 1891. The church again fell into disuse in the 1960s and suffered from vandalism and arson until it became a focus in a campaign by Mr. Roger Last and Lady Billa Harrod to restore abandoned churches. This campaign eventually developed into the Norfolk Churches Trust which, today, cares for St. Peter's Church.

## Amenities

Corpusty Primary School is located in the village and operates as part of the Synergy Multi-Academy Trust. In 2022, the school was rated 'Good' by Ofsted.
The Duke's Head public house in Corpusty is still open and has operated on the site since 1794.

## Little London

The hamlet of Little London lies to the north-west of the village, also on the south side of the River Bure. It comprises one street, which is named The Street; both Corpusty and Saxthorpe also have streets so named.

## Governance

Corpusty is part of the electoral ward of Stody for local elections and is part of the district of North Norfolk.
The village's national constituency is North Norfolk, which has been represented by the Liberal Democrat Steff Aquarone MP since 2024.

## War memorial

Corpusty's war memorial is shared with nearby Saxthorpe and is a marble plaque located in St. Andrew's Church, Saxthorpe. The following men, who were likely from Corpusty, are listed for the First World War:
| Rank | Name | Unit | Date of Death | Burial |
| Gnr. | George Wells | Royal Garrison Artillery | 10 May 1915 | Harton Cemetery |
| Pte. | James Roberts | 44th (West Australia) Bn., AIF | 11 Jun. 1917 | Boulogne East Cemetery |
| Pte. | Samuel H. Smithson | 2nd Bn., Lincolnshire Regiment | 16 Aug. 1917 | Tyne Cot |
| Pte. | Walter A. Potter | 19th Bn., Middlesex Regiment | 9 Jun. 1917 | Dickebusch New Cemetery |
| Pte. | James A. Pye | 1/4th Bn., Norfolk Regiment | 19 Apr. 1917 | Gaza War Cemetery |
| Pte. | John Hancock | 7th Bn., Norfolk Regt. | 13 Oct. 1915 | Loos Memorial |
| Pte. | Sidney J. Faircloth | 8th Bn., Norfolk Regt. | 1 Jul. 1916 | Thiepval Memorial |
| Pte. | Henry C. Middleton | 8th Bn., Norfolk Regt. | 5 Oct. 1916 | Thiepval Memorial |
| Pte. | Walter R. Field | 10th Bn., Queen's Royal Regiment | 10 Dec. 1916 | Lijssenthoek Cemetery |
| Pte. | Horace H. Carr | 4th Bn., Worcestershire Regiment | 13 Apr. 1918 | Ploegsteert Memorial |
And, the following for the Second World War:
| Rank | Name | Unit | Date of Death | Burial |
| Cpl. | Herbert J. Roberts | 11 (Field) Coy., Royal Engineers | 28 Jun. 1940 | St. Andrew's Churchyard |