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{{Short description|Village in Norfolk, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{UBE|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox UK place
|country=England
|official_name=Worstead
|coordinates  = {{coord|52.783|1.413|display=inline,title}}
|population =922
|population_ref = (2011)
|area_total_km2    = 10.65
|map_type=United Kingdom
|shire_district=[[North Norfolk]]
|shire_county =[[Norfolk]]
|region=East of England
|constituency_westminster=[[North Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)|North Norfolk]]
|post_town =NORTH WALSHAM
|postcode_district =NR28
|postcode_area=NR
|dial_code=01692
|os_grid_reference=TG3026
|static_image_name = File:Worstead Festival 2008 - the market square - geograph.org.uk - 897858.jpg
|static_image_caption= Festival day on the Church Plain
}}
'''Worstead''' {{IPAc-en|ˈ|w|ʊ|s|t|ɪ|d}} is a village and [[civil parishes in England|civil parish]] in the [[North Norfolk]] [[Non-metropolitan district|district]] of [[Norfolk]], England. 

In the [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]] the parish had a population of 862 in 365 households;<ref>Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). ''[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211032229/http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls |date=2017-02-11 }}''. Retrieved 2 December 2005.</ref> the population increased to 922 at the 2011 census.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11130970&c=Worstead&d=16&e=62&g=6449858&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&o=362&m=0&r=1&s=1441373850567&enc=|title=Civil Parish population 2011|access-date=4 September 2015}}</ref>

==History==
The village's name means "enclosure place".<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Norfolk/Worstead|title = Key to English Place-names}}</ref>

In [[Domesday Book]] of 1086 Worstead is called ''Wrdesteda'' and ''Ordested''. King [[Cnut|Canute]] gave the village to the abbots of [[St. Benet's Abbey|St Benet's Abbey]] on the [[River Bure]] in the [[Norfolk Broads]]. At the time of Domesday Book the village had two churches, one of which is believed to have been St Andrew's Church, of which no remains exist.<ref>[http://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/record-details?TNF1618-Parish-Summary-Worstead-(Parish-Summary) Norfolk Heritage Explorer] Parish summary</ref>

The village became prosperous from the twelfth century when [[Weaver (occupation)|weavers]] from [[Flanders]] arrived in the area. They had been encouraged to settle in Norfolk by King [[Edward III of England]], who had married a [[Flanders|Flemish]] princess. [[Worsted]] cloth derives its name from this weaving heritage, although it is no longer manufactured in the village and the last weaver, John Cubitt, died in 1882 at the age of 91. The oldest [[Act of Parliament]] kept in the [[House of Lords]] Record Office is the ''Taking of Apprentices for Worsteads in the County of Norfolk Act'' of 1497.<ref>[[12 Hen. 7]]. c. 1</ref>  Weaving and spinning demonstrations are part of the annual Worstead Festival on the last weekend in July.<ref>''[http://www.worstead.co.uk/history_village.htm Worstead village history]''. Retrieved 15 December 2005.</ref>

==Geography==
The village is {{convert|3|mi|km|0}} south of [[North Walsham]], {{convert|5|mi|km|0}} north of [[Wroxham]], and {{convert|13|mi|km|0}} north of [[Norwich]], and is covered by a [[Conservation area (United Kingdom)|conservation area]].<ref>[https://www.north-norfolk.gov.uk/media/9367/worstead-conservation-area-august-2023.pdf Conservation area, North Norfolk District Council (2012)]</ref> The civil parish has an area of 10.65 km<sup>2</sup>. The parish includes the hamlets of [[Bengate]], Briggate, Lyngate, and Meeting Hill<ref>full name is Meeting House Hill; [http://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/record-details?MNF16449-Site-of-Baptist-chapel-Meeting-House-Hill Norfolk Heritage Explorer] site of Baptist Chapel, Meeting House Hill</ref> at the north-east, and Withergate just to the north of the village. Another settlement is along Station Road in the south-west of the parish, with houses, and a food factory which since 2015 has been operated by potato supplier Albert Bartlett.{{cn|date=November 2024}} The [[North Walsham and Dilham Canal]] runs along the north-east parish boundary at Briggate.

==Governance==
Worstead [[Parish councils in England|parish council]] consists of nine members, and meets at the Village Hall.<ref>[https://worsteadparishcouncil.norfolkparishes.gov.uk/parish-council-council/ Worstead Parish Council] The Council</ref>

Worstead [[Wards and electoral divisions of the United Kingdom|electoral ward]] elects a councillor to North Norfolk District Council.<ref>[https://modgov.north-norfolk.gov.uk/mgMemberIndex.aspx?FN=WARD&VW=LIST&PIC=0 North Norfolk District Council] Your Councillors</ref> Before boundary changes in 2019, the ward stretched north to [[Suffield, Norfolk|Suffield]]. The pre-2019 ward had a population of 2,384 in 2011.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ukcensusdata.com/worstead-e05005876#sthash.41fTl18y.dpbs|title=Ward population 2011|access-date=4 September 2015}}</ref> Since 2019 the ward has consisted of the parishes of Worstead, [[Westwick, Norfolk|Westwick]], [[Scottow]], [[Swanton Abbott]] and [[Skeyton]].<ref>[https://www.north-norfolk.gov.uk/media/4962/nndc-ward-boundaries-2019.pdf North Norfolk District Council] Ward boundaries 2019</ref>

==Amenities==
[[File:St Mary's church - geograph.org.uk - 897706.jpg|thumb|left|St Mary's church, a Grade I [[listed building]]<ref>[https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1373814 Historic England] St Mary, Worstead</ref>]]
As of 2020 the village has a primary school,<ref>[https://www.worstead.norfolk.sch.uk/ Worstead Church of England Primary School]</ref> a [[village hall]], and adjacent recreation ground,<ref>[https://worsteadparishcouncil.norfolkparishes.gov.uk/services-and-amenities/ Worstead Parish Council] Services and Amenities</ref> a pub,<ref>[https://whatpub.com/pubs/NOR/1201/white-lady-worstead WhatPub] White Lady, Worstead</ref> and a Church of England [[parish church]] dedicated to St Mary the Virgin.<ref>[https://www.achurchnearyou.com/church/5431/ A Church Near You] Worstead: St Mary</ref>

The village is served by [[Worstead railway station]] on the [[Bittern Line]].<ref>Ordnance Survey (2002). ''OS Explorer Map 252 - Norfolk Coast East''. {{ISBN|0-319-21888-0}}.</ref><ref>Ordnance Survey (2005). ''OS Explorer Map OL40 - The Broads''. {{ISBN|0-319-23769-9}}.</ref>

There is an annual festival, which was first held in 1966.<ref>[https://www.worsteadfestival.org/ Worstead Festival]</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/worstead-festival-2021-cancelled-coronavirus-7837380| title = Worstead Festival cancelled for second year running| last = Johnson| first = Sabrina| date = 19 March 2021| website = Eastern Daily Press | publisher = Archant Community Media| access-date =31 July 2022}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Worstead}}
*[http://www.origins.org.uk/genuki/NFK/places/w/worstead/ Information from Genuki Norfolk] on Worstead
*[https://worsteadparishcouncil.norfolkparishes.gov.uk/ Parish Council]

{{Civil Parishes of North Norfolk}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Worstead| ]]
[[Category:Villages in Norfolk]]
[[Category:Civil parishes in Norfolk]]
[[Category:North Norfolk]]