Parish -   Hopton ...Renamed  Hopton On Sea in in 1952

meaning - Enclosure in midst of fen

Hundred - Lothingland ( -- 1764) , Mutford & Lothingland (1764 - 1974) , Norfolk (1974)

area 1284 acres land , 7 acres of water (1912)

soils - deep well drained coarse loam often stoneless soils , risk water erosion

Type of farming ---

1066 -wood for 20 pigs, 6 acres meadow , 2 cobs , 5 cattle , 16 pigs , 3 beehives , 4 oxen

1500 -1640  -- sheep-corn region , sheep main fertilising agent , bred for fattening, barley main crop.

1818 -- management varies with condition of sandy soils, rotation usually turnip , barley clover, wheat or turnip.

1937 -- main crops , wheat , barley , roots , hay.

1969 --barley and sugar beet, some rye , little wheat , herbage seeds and carrots.

enclosurs -- 1813 , -- 666 acres enclosed under private act of land 1809

Communications..

rail -- 1891 -- 5 miles lowestoft station; Norwich-yarmouth_Lowestoft line opened (1844)... Yarmouth-Lowestoft line opened (1903)...closed for goods (1967).. closed to passengers (1970)

Population

1066 - 13 recorded ,

1327 - 16 taxpayers  paid £1 4s 6d

1524 - 13 taxpayers paid £1 0s 10d

1603 -  16 adults

1674 - 23 households

1801 - 202 inhabitents

1851 - 331    ''

1871 - 309    ''

1901 - 295    ''

1951 - 578    ''

1971 - 765      ''

Churches

Old ruin.... &  New church , built 1866... seats 200 (1912)... independant chapel listed in 1891

Occupations

1600-1649    1 carpenter, 3 husbandmen , 2 yeomen

1650 - 1699   1 husbandman , 4 yeoman

1831 -     54 in agriculture , 9 in retail trade 13 in domestic service, 1 other

1844 -     vitualler , 3 farmers

1912 -     sub postmaster , school mistress , station master , publican , 7 farmers , farm baliff , insurance agent , shopkeeper

Education....

1818 --- 1 sunday school ( 36 attend )

1833 ---  1 sunday school ( 24 attend )

school built  1861  enlarged 1871 & 1902 average attendance (1891 ) 50.... (1912 ) .65

Other information

Hobland Hall  built 18th cent , gutted by fire 1961 and then  subsequently demolished

Hopton Hall late 19th cent... divided into cottages (no dates )