Bergh Apton

Bergh Apton
Bergh Apton
	Bergh Apton Village Hall
	Bergh Apton Location within Norfolk
Area	8.05 km2 (3.11 sq mi)
Population	442 (2011)
• Density	55/km2 (140/sq mi)
OS grid reference	TG232085
Civil parish	Bergh Apton;
District	South Norfolk;
Shire county	Norfolk;
Region	East;
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	NORWICH
Postcode district	NR15
Dialling code	01508
Police	Norfolk
Fire	Norfolk
Ambulance	East of England
	List of places UK England Norfolk 52°33′38″N 1°24′07″E / 52.56061°N 1.40193°E

Bergh Apton is a village and civil parish in the South Norfolk district of Norfolk, England, 7 miles (11 km) south-east of Norwich just south of the A146 between Yelverton and Thurton. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 428 in 186 households,^[1] the population increasing to 442 at the 2011 Census.^[2]

History

The origin of the name 'Bergh Apton' is from the joining of two separate villages; Apton to the north-west and Bergh to the south-east, each with its own church, the origin of their names are unknown. Apton was served by the church of St. Martin which lay near the present day Church Farm on Dodgers Lane, its last recorded use being in 1555 and the remains being finally cleared in 1834. Bergh was served by the Church of St. Peter and St. Paul which stands on a low hill overlooking the River Chet which marks the southern boundary of the now combined parish. The church appears to have been reconstructed in the 14th century, with local flint with ashlar and brick details.^[3]

Today

The village school was closed in 1981 and the children transferred to Alpington and Bergh Apton CofE voluntary-aided school in Alpington. The village shop and Post Office closed on 31 December 2012. In August 2015 the Post Office reopened its Bergh Apton branch within the Green Pastures Plant Centre and Farm Shop on Mill Road.^[4] The village hall, opened on the day of Queen Elizabeth's coronation on 2 June 1953 was totally refurbished in 2013 and reopened in November of that year with new facilities and all-ability access. The hall is regularly used by village societies, the Parish Council, and numerous activities that include a microscopy study group, yoga, painting, singing and dog-training.^[5]

Bergh Apton is served by bus route 570 operated by Konectbus providing five services a day into Norwich and out to Seething and Loddon.^[6]

Sculpture Trail and Mystery Plays

Beginning in 1997 and repeated in 1999, 2002, 2005, 2008 and 2011, the village hosted six sculpture trails with works from over 60 artists both local to Norfolk and from across the UK, displayed in private gardens and public places. The trails were organised by Bergh Apton Community Arts Trust and became significant South Norfolk tourist attractions. In the years 2005, 2008 and 2011, they drew over 10,000 visitors over three weekends in late May/early June.^{[citation needed]}

During the 2011 Sculpture Trail, the village, with assistance from the Bishop of Norwich, performed “A Mighty Water”. This Mystery Play, based on the story of Noah, was commissioned from internationally renowned story teller, Hugh Lupton.

In May and June 2014, Bergh Apton was joined by inhabitants of 11 neighbouring villages to perform a Cycle of four Mystery Plays based on the Bible stories in the Legend of the Rood, also commissioned from Hugh Lupton.^[7]

War memorial

Both World Wars took an enormous toll upon the population of Bergh Apton with twenty villagers dying in the First World War alone. Their names are recorded on the memorial located in St. Peter and St. Paul's Churchyard, which was rededicated in May 2007 to include even more men who were associated with the village. The fallen for the First World War are listed as:

Corporal John A. Boggis, MM (1881–1918), 9th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
Lance-Corporal James R. Wright (1885–1918), Royal Military Police
Lance-Corporal Walter E. Alexander (1892–1916), 1st Battalion, Royal Newfoundland Regiment
Lance-Corporal Aubrey S. Stone (d.1916), 9th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
Private Leonard G. Rope (1889–1916), 31st Battalion, Calgary Rifles, Canadian Army
Private Ernest A. Leeder (d.1917), 11th Battalion, 3rd (Australian) Division
Private Henry G. V. Greenacre (1892–1916), 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards
Private Charles D. Weddup (d.1915), 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards
Private Arthur W. Annis (1882–1916), 7th Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment
Pioneer Albert W. Parker (d.1917), 392nd (Road Construction) Company, Royal Engineers
Private Sidney H. Marks (d.1917), 1st Battalion, Essex Regiment
Private Sydney G. Keeler (1899–1918), 41st Battalion, Machine Gun Corps
Private Robert G. Beaumont (1888–1917), 22nd Battalion, Manchester Regiment
Private Victor G. Gillingwater (1897–1917), 1st Battalion, Royal Marine Light Infantry
Private Albert H. Rope (1894–1917), Royal Marine Light Infantry
Private Charles W. Greenacre (d.1916), 2nd Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
Private Harry S. Mayes (d.1915), 7th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
Private Clement S. Wall (1888–1917), 8th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment
Private Sidney R. Kedge (1895–1916), 6th Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey)
Deckhand C. Walter W. Bracey (d.1914), H.M. Trawler Eyrie
Leonard Cain
Jack Lovewell
Archibald Mayes
Jack Mayes
Charles Podd

And, the following for the Second World War:

Petty-Officer John A. Mayes (1903–1941), HMS Cossack (F03)
Leading-Seaman Archibald R. Mayes (d.1941), HMS Warspite (03)
Sergeant Jack E. Lovewell (1922–1943), No. 75 (New Zealand) Squadron RAF
Gunner Herbert C. G. Podd (1916–1942), 74th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery
Private Leonard W. G. Cain (1920–1944), 7th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment^[8]

References

^ "Bergh Apton parish information". South Norfolk Council. 6 March 2013. Archived from the original on 6 December 2014. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
^ "Parish population 2011". Retrieved 5 September 2015.
^ Kelly, Geoffrey (2005). The Book of Bergh Apton. Tiverton: Halsgrove. ISBN 978-1-841-14418-4.
^ Smith, Amy. "Post Office reopens branch in Bergh Apton and reaches 3,000 milestone". Retrieved 15 August 2016.
^ "The Bergh Apton Newsletter". September 2016.
^ Anglian Coaches Timetable Timetable
^ "Heavenly Bergh Apton". Retrieved 15 August 2016.
^ Ling, J. (2005). Retrieved October 31, 2022. http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Norfolk/Berghapton.html

http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Norfolk/Bergh%20Apton

External links

[1] "Bergh Apton parish information". South Norfolk Council. 6 March 2013. Archived from the original on 6 December 2014. Retrieved 4 March 2015.

[2] "Parish population 2011". Retrieved 5 September 2015.

[3] Kelly, Geoffrey (2005). The Book of Bergh Apton. Tiverton: Halsgrove. ISBN 978-1-841-14418-4.

[4] Smith, Amy. "Post Office reopens branch in Bergh Apton and reaches 3,000 milestone". Retrieved 15 August 2016.

[5] "The Bergh Apton Newsletter". September 2016.

[6] Anglian Coaches Timetable Timetable

[7] "Heavenly Bergh Apton". Retrieved 15 August 2016.

[8] Ling, J. (2005). Retrieved October 31, 2022. http://www.roll-of-honour.com/Norfolk/Berghapton.html

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