Geldeston is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.
Geldeston is located 2.5 miles (4.0 km) north-west of Beccles and 14 miles (23 km) south-east of Norwich, on the north bank of the River Waveney.
Geldeston's name is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from the Old English for Gyldi's farmstead or settlement.[1]
Geldeston is not listed in the Domesday Book.[2]
Geldeston is home to a crinkle crankle wall (located close to the village green), which are found most commonly in Suffolk.[3]
In 1777, Geldeston Hall was built as the home of the Kerrich family and it remained in the same family until 1930. Today, the hall is divided into several separate dwellings.[4]
According to the 2021 census, Geldeston has a total population of 407 people which demonstrates an increase from the 397 people listed in the 2011 census.[5]
Geldeston is located along the course of the River Waveney.
Geldeston's parish church is dedicated to Saint Michael and is one of Norfolk's 124 remaining round-tower churches, dating from the Twelfth Century. St. Michael's is located outside of the village on Yarmouth Road and has been Grade II listed since 1960.[6] St. Michael's holds monthly Sunday services and is part of the Waveney Marshlands Benefice.[7]
St. Michael's was significantly remodelled in the mid-Nineteenth Century based on the designs of Thomas Penrice and J. L. Clemence, with stained-glass depicting the Risen Christ installed by Leonard Walker in the mid-Twentieth Century.[8]
The village hall was originally opened in 1924. It underwent significant renovation from 2016 onwards and is now a registered charity.[9]
Geldeston is part of the electoral ward of Ditchingham & Earsham for local elections and is part of the district of South Norfolk.
The village's national constituency is Waveney Valley which has been represented by the Green Party's Adrian Ramsay since 2024.
Geldeston War Memorial is an elaborate octagonal cross with a large plinth emblazoned with various regimental crests.[11] The memorial lists the following names for the First World War:[12][13]
| Rank | Name | Unit | Date of Death | Burial/Commemoration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LtCdr. | Henry Gartside-Tipping | HMY Sandra | 25 Sep. 1915 | Nieuport Memorial |
| Capt. | Henry L. Kerrich | 3rd Bn., Sherwood Foresters | 27 Sep. 1917 | Wieltje Farm Cemetery |
| FLt. | Robert C. Packe[a] | Royal Air Force | 21 Jun. 1918 | Hollybrook Memorial |
| CfEn. | William Plummer | H.M. Drifter County of Nairn | 4 Dec. 1918 | St. Michael's Churchyard |
| Sgt. | Victor J. Bellward | 8th Bn., Suffolk Regiment | 10 Aug. 1917 | St. Michael's Churchyard |
| Pte. | Albert Thrower | 33rd Coy., Machine Gun Corps | 8 Nov. 1916 | Boulogne South Cemetery |
| Pte. | Albert J. Kemp | 4th Bn., Norfolk Regiment | 27 Mar. 1917 | Gaza War Cemetery |
| Rfn. | Alfred Hilling | 1st Bn., Royal Irish Rifles | 2 Oct. 1918 | Dadizele Cemetery |
| Spr. | John Gaff | 206 Coy., Royal Engineers | 27 Aug. 1916 | Cambrin Churchyard |
The following names were added after the Second World War:
| Rank | Name | Unit | Date of Death | Burial/Commemoration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FLt. | Anthony G. Clark | No. 137 (Fighter) Squadron RAF | 30 Oct. 1941 | St. Michael's Churchyard |
| LSgt. | Stanley Cook | 1st Bn., Royal Norfolk Regiment | 14 Oct. 1944 | Overloon Cemetery |
| LCpl. | Ernest A. Blaza | 8th Bn., Manchester Regiment | 7 Jul. 1944 | Arezzo War Cemetery |
| Pte. | George Somerville | 2nd Bn., Royal Sussex Regiment | 30 May 1940 | St. Michael's Churchyard |
| Smn. | Frank Gower | H.M. Trawler Myrtle | 14 Jun. 1940 | Lowestoft Memorial |
Media related to Geldeston at Wikimedia Commons
