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Burnham Thorpe, Norfolk

Burnham Thorpe is a hamlet and parish on the River Burn near the coast of North Norfolk.

The Burnham part of the village’s name means 'homestead/village on the River Burn' or perhaps, 'hemmed-in land on the River Burn'. Thorpe, meaning 'outlying farm/settlement' was added to distinguish it from the other Burnhams in Norfolk.

The village is famous for being the birthplace of Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson, victor at the Battle of Trafalgar and one of Britain's greatest heroes. At the time of his birth, Nelson's father, Edmund Nelson, was rector of All Saints church in Burnham Thorpe. The house in which Nelson was born was demolished soon after his father's death, though the rectory that replaced it and the church at which his father preached can still be seen. The site of the former rectory is marked by a roadside plaque.

The village's main public house was built in 1637 and was known as The Plough until 1798 when it was renamed The Lord Nelson in honour of Nelson's victory at the Battle of the Nile. Nelson held a dinner here for the men of the village prior to his departure to join HMS Agamemnon. The pub survives to this day.

The village sign depicts the Parsonage where Nelson was born on 29th. September 1759.

To the left of the building are mentioned three of Nelson's victory's and to the right three ships that Nelson served on are named. A portrait of Nelson is flanked on the left by the Union Jack and on the right by the Royal Navy's White Ensign.

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Uploaded on August 13, 2023
Taken on July 18, 2023