1. History
    Drainage and flooding  Beaupré Hall 

2. Geography

3. Notable people

4. References

5. External links

At the 2011 Census, the parish had a population of 2,083,^[2] an increase from 1,880 at the 2001 Census.^[3]

History

According to A Dictionary of British Place Names, derives from the Old English 'wella', meaning "a place at the spring or stream", combined with 'ūte', meaning "outer [or] lower downstream", distinguishing the place from Upwell [which is {{convert|1|mi|km|1}} to the south]. In 963 the settlement was referred to as 'Wellan', and in the 1086 Domesday Book, 'Utuuella'.^[4]

Outwell has an entry in the Domesday Book of 1086.^[5] The parish was in the custody William de Warenne. The survey also records 16 bordars with lands worth 5s. as belonging to Saint Benedict's Abbey in Ramsey.{{cn|date=January 2019}}

Drainage and flooding

In the Middle Ages the River Nene determined the layout of Outwell. Since that time, the landscape of the whole district has consequently been much altered by the construction of several large drains which run through the parish. In the 17th century Popham's Eau was cut to provide a conduit for the waters of the old River Nene into the River Great Ouse at Salter's Lode. This was followed by many alterations and new drains being dug. In May 1862 one sixth of the Parish of Outwell was inundated with water when the Middle Level Drain burst through its banks. It took three years before the area had fully recovered from the flood. Also constructed across the parish was the Wisbech Canal, now disused, which followed the course of the Well Stream as far as Outwell church and then struck across in a southeasterly direction to join Popham's Eau at Nordelph.

One consequence of all the drains and watercourse around this part of the Fens is the sport of Fen skating.{{cn|date=January 2019}} During the cold winters of the 1820s and 1830s there were a number of fenmen who made a name for themselves as skaters. They included James May of Upwell^[6]

Beaupré Hall

Geography

The village is {{convert|45|mi|km|sigfig=1}} west of Norwich, {{convert|12|mi|km|sigfig=1}} south-west of King's Lynn and {{convert|80|mi|km|sigfig=1}} north of London; the nearest town is Wisbech, which is {{convert|5|mi|km|sigfig=1}} north-west of the village.

Outwell is on the route of the A1101 road, close to the A47.^[9] The nearest railway station is Downham Market on the Fen Line between King's Lynn and Cambridge, and the nearest airport is Norwich Airport.

The village and parish of Outwell is on the western edge of the county of Norfolk which borders Cambridgeshire. Until 1990 Outwell parish was split with half in Norfolk and half in Cambridgeshire with the boundary falling along the old course of the River Nene. The boundary also cut straight through the middle of the village. In 1935 the part of Outwell which was in Cambridgeshire was reduced in size to enlarge the nearby village of Emneth. Outwell parish today is part of the King's Lynn and West Norfolk local government district.

The village and parish is traversed by drainage channels which characterize this part of Fenland Norfolk. The eastern corner of the parish is cut north to south by the Middle Level main Drain. Crossing the parish from east to west is the Well Creek drain. The north and eastern parts of the parish consist of arable and pasture fields, the eastern area referred to as Walsingham Fens and the north area as Well Moors. On the edges of the village there is a small amount of woodland near Birdbeck Field and to the south and at Church Field to the east.

Notable people

• Sir Robert Bell (Speaker) (died 1577), speaker of the House of Commons, lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer.^[7]
• Sir Edmund Bell M.P.,(son of Sir Robert Bell M.P.), MP for Aldborough in Queen Elizabeth's parliament.
• Sir Robert Bell M.P., lived at the hall and M.P. For Norfolk in 1626.
• Beaupre Bell, High Sheriff of Norfolk. Son of Francis & Dorothy Bell. Buried in St.Mary's chapel. Outwell.
• Charles W.Townley, Lord Lietenant of Cambridgeshire.

References

External links

• New York Route 284
• New York Route 285
• New York Route 286
• New York Route 286A
• New York Route 287
• New York Route 288
• New York Route 289
• New York Route 28A
• New York Route 28B
• New York Route 28N
• New York Route 29
• New York Route 290
• New York Route 291
• New York Route 292
• New York Route 293
• New York Route 294
• New York Route 295
• New York Route 296
• New York Route 297
• New York Route 298
• New York Route 299
• New York Route 29A
• New York Route 2A
• New York Route 300
• New York Route 301