Denton is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. Denton is located 3.8 miles north-east of Harleston and 13 miles south of Norwich.

History

Denton's name is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from the Old English for an enclosed farmstead or settlement in a valley. In the Domesday Book, Denton is listed as a settlement of 49 households in the hundred of Earsham. In 1086, the village was divided between the estates of King William I and Eudo, son of Spirewic. The village boundaries include the remaining earthworks of Denton Castle which was likely built in 1088 by William d'Albini and subsequently abandoned in 1254. Today, the castle is a scheduled monument and in the ownership of the National Trust.

Geography

According to the 2021 Census, Denton has a population of 358 residents living in 164 households. Denton falls within the constituency of Waveney Valley and is represented at Parliament by Adrian Ramsay of the Green Party.

St. Mary's Church

Denton's parish church is of Norman origin and dedicated to Saint Mary. The church tower holds evidence of three major rebuilding efforts, the most notable in the 18th century in the Tudor Perpendicular Style. The stained glass dates back to the Medieval period, with some examples installed by Le Grys Manfylde in the mid-16th century.

Village Life

Denton won the 2008 Pride in Norfolk Award for a village under 500 people in population. The village went on to win the 2009 Calor Village of the Year competition.

War memorial

Denton war memorial takes the form of a carved marble plaque inside St. Mary's Church. It lists the following names for the First World War: And, the following for the Second World War: Further information about all these people is available on the Village Website.