# Honing, Norfolk

Honing is a village and a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is located 15 miles (24 km) north-north-east of Norwich, 13 miles (21 km) south-east of Cromer and 4 miles (6.4 km) east of North Walsham. The parish of Honing, which includes Crostwight, had a population of 319 in the 2001 census, but this fell to 312 at the 2011 Census. The village is part of the district of North Norfolk.

## History

There is very little evidence of any human settlement or activity in the parish of Honing until the medieval period and beyond, apart from a Mesolithic or possibly Neolithic flint axehead.

### Toponymy

The name Honing derives from the Old English for something approaching "settlement of the people at the hill or rock."

### Domesday Book

Honing has an entry in the Domesday Book of 1085 where it, its population, land ownership and productive resources were extensively detailed. In the survey, Honing is recorded by the name of Haninga. The main tenants were Robert Malet, from the abbot of Holme who had held the land before and after 1066; Robert de Glanville from Robert Malet; and Ranulf, brother of Ilger.
The survey also lists that there have "always been 13 smallholders on this land. 2 ploughs in lordship; 3 men's ploughs; meadow, 35 acres (140,000 m$^2$); woodland, 8 pigs; 1 mill: 2 cobs; 4 head of cattle; 12 pigs; 40 sheep; 30 goats. Also 8 freemen, 41 acres (170,000 m$^2$). Always 2 ploughs; meadow, 5 acres (2.0 ha). Value of the whole 40s. It has 1 league in length and 10 furlongs in width; tax of 10d, whoever holds there."

### War trophy

After the First World War, Honing was given a German trench mortar, a 1917 25 cm schwerer Minenwerfer, as a war trophy. It stood outside Honing Post Office until it was given to Strumpshaw Hall Steam Museum, circa 1970. It was returned in 2014 and stands outside the village hall.

## Description

Honing is a large parish in north-east of the county of Norfolk. Its northern boundary is with the civil parish of Witton, whilst the parish of Dilham lies to the south; to the west lies Worstead and on the eastern boundary is the parish of East Ruston. The disused North Walsham and Dilham Canal runs along the south-west boundary of the parish. There are several areas of common land within the parish, including Crostwight Common and Honing Common.
The village sign depicts a labourer honing his scythe. Since 1935, the civil parish of Honing has incorporated its very small neighbouring village of Crostwight.

## Notable buildings and structures

As of 2023, there are 19 listed buildings in the parish: Crostwight church is Grade I listed; Honing church and Honing Hall are Grade II* listed; and 16 other buildings, including the war memorial, the railway bridge, and Crostwight Hall, are Grade II.

### Parish church

The Church of England parish church of St Peter and St Paul is situated on raised ground north of the village and is Grade II* listed. On its west elevation is a tall perpendicular tower with flushwork panelling at its base and battlements.
The tower has a three light window with transom and tracery. Below the window is another window which was once the west door and thought to have been filled in a period of reconstruction c.1795. In the same period of restoration the aisles were reduced to narrow passages and the length of the chancel was shortened to only four feet. The font dates from the 13th century. The stem is perpendicular with the bowl of Purbeck marble. The roof dates from the 18th century. Between the choir stalls is a brass to Nicholas Parker of 1496. He is depicted in full armour. On the north wall hang two hatchments, both to a man leaving a surviving wife. There are also two tablets: one to Thomas Cubitt, who died in 1829, and the other to Edward George Cubitt, who died in 1865.

### Honing Hall

Honing Hall is a Grade II* listed country house which was built in 1748 and altered and renovated in 1790 by the prominent architect John Soane. Landscaping and further work on the hall was carried out under the instructions of Humphry Repton in 1792. The house was built for a wealthy worsted weaver called Andrew Chambers on the land once occupied by previous dwellings. The hall and grounds are in private ownership and are owned by the Cubitt family, who have lived there since 1784.

## Transport

The nearest railway station is Worstead on the Bittern Line; Greater Anglia operates regular services between Sheringham, Cromer and Norwich.
The nearest airport is Norwich International Airport, which is sited to the north-west of the city.

### Former railway

The Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway ran through the parish, as part of a line that linked Yarmouth Beach and Sutton Bridge, via Stalham, North Walsham, Aylsham North, Melton Constable, Fakenham West and South Lynn. It opened in stages between 1865 and 1933; Honing railway station opened in 1882. The line and the station closed in 1959.
In addition to the disused platforms at Honing station, other remnants of the line that can still be seen in the parish are a cast iron, steel and brick railway bridge of 1881 on the Dilham road south of the village.
Some sections of the trackbed survive as part of the Weavers' Way shared-use path, which passes across the south-east corner of the parish. The path runs for 61 miles (98 km) between Cromer and Great Yarmouth.

## Gallery

* The parish church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Honing
* Honing Hall
* The disused North Walsham and Dilham Canal at Dee Bridge, south of the village
* A Water pump on the station platform
* The North Walsham and Dilham Canal near Honing
* A 1917 World War One German 25cm schwerer Minenwerfer