# Gateley > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Gateley > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Gateley.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateley > Source revision: 1312570839 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Village in Norfolk, England For other uses, see [Gateley (disambiguation)](/source/Gateley_(disambiguation)). Human settlement in England Gateley St Helen's Church Gateley Location within Norfolk Area 2.37 sq mi (6.1 km2) OS grid reference TF959243 Civil parish Gateley District Breckland Shire county Norfolk Region East Country England Sovereign state United Kingdom Post town DEREHAM Postcode district NR20 Dialling code 01328 Police Norfolk Fire Norfolk Ambulance East of England UK Parliament Mid Norfolk List of places UK England Norfolk 52°46′54″N 0°54′14″E / 52.78153°N 0.90390°E / 52.78153; 0.90390 **Gateley** is a village and [civil parish](/source/Civil_parish) in the [Breckland](/source/Breckland_(district)) district of the [English](/source/England) county of [Norfolk](/source/Norfolk). Gateley is located 8.7 km (5.4 mi) north of the town of [Dereham](/source/Dereham) and 22.7 km (14.1 mi) north-west of the city of [Norwich](/source/Norwich), along the course of the [River Wensum](/source/River_Wensum). ## History Gateley's name is of [Anglo-Saxon](/source/Anglo-Saxon) origin and derives from the [Old English](/source/Old_English) for 'goat wood or clearing.'[1] In the [Domesday Book](/source/Domesday_Book) of 1086, Gateley is listed as a settlement of 31 households in the [hundred](/source/Hundred_(county_division)) of Launditch. In 1086, the village was part of the [East Anglian](/source/East_Anglia) estates of [Alan Rufus, Bishop of Thetford](/source/Alan_Rufus), [Hugh de Montfort](/source/Hugh_de_Montfort%2C_Lord_of_Montfort-sur-Risle) and [Peter de Valognes](/source/Peter_de_Valognes).[2] During the [Second World War](/source/Second_World_War), a 'starfish' decoy site was built in Gateley to direct [German](/source/Nazi_Germany) bombers away from nearby [RAF West Raynham](/source/RAF_West_Raynham).[3] ## Geography Due to its small size, Gateley's population has been combined with nearby [North Elmham](/source/North_Elmham) for the last three censuses.[4] Gateley is located along the course of the [River Wensum](/source/River_Wensum). ## St. Helen's Church The parish church of Gateley is called [St Helen's](/source/Helena_(Empress)). The [nave](/source/Nave) dates from the 15th century. The chancel is a Victorian rebuilding. The church tower is of the Perpendicular style. There are two shields on south-west buttress. Tower has rectangular vice, the belfry windows have been partly blocked. On south side of the nave is a round headed arch made up of late medieval tiles although the doorway is of late Saxon origins. The south porch has three niches. The church floor has been renewed but is of brick. The primitive font has a marble plinth . There is a rood screen with fine paintings thought to be East Anglia, which are of a local flavour. The Saints chosen for the screen are for local devotions. From left to right they are [Saint Etheldreda](/source/%C3%86thelthryth), foundress of the Diocese of Ely shown as a nun with a Latin inscription, Scta Adria, or Saint Audrey. Next is [Saint Elizabeth](/source/Elizabeth_(Biblical_person)), also shown dressed in a nun's habit and her arms crossed as if in an echo of the Visitation, The Blessed Virgin, turned to face her cousin. A third image is of the Mistress of Ridibowne, a local devotion. Virtually nothing is known about her. Ridibowne was probably either Redbowne in Lincolnshire or Redbowne in Hertfordshire. On the other side of the screen are paintings of Saint Louis of France, Henry VI labelled in Latin as 'the Blessed Martyr Henry VI', St Augustine and Sir John Schorne, conjuring the devil into a boot. Sir John Schorne was a clergyman, he is said to be best known for his ability to cure the gout.[5] ## Gateley Hall Gateley Hall Gateley Hall is an [English Heritage](/source/English_Heritage) Grade I listed building which was built in 1726, on the site of an older manor house. The early [Georgian](/source/Georgian_architecture) house has double shaped gables at each end. On the south gable is an illegible date plaque thought to be 1726, the plaque is paired by a sundial. The front elevation stands over five bays topped with [parapets](/source/Parapet) and is of two storeys. Another architectural feature of the house is the Roman [Doric](/source/Doric_order) doorcase which has the same slightly chequered brickwork as the gables, but has been cemented over. On the rear elevation there is a round brick projecting bay and a flint bay with small blocked windows. Inside the house the half-turn staircase with landings dates from 1726. The stair has Turned attenuated vase at the balusters and shaped tread-ends and a wide swept handrail. There are examples of [Rococo](/source/Rococo) plaster and wood decoration. The grade I listing was put on the building in 1954 partly due to the exceptional quality and rarity of Rococo plasterwork to the interior of the house. There is also a fine barn dating from the 16th Century. The house is the current seat of the [7th Earl Cathcart](/source/Earl_Cathcart), Charles Alan Andrew Cathcart.[6] ## Governance Gateley is part of the [electoral ward](/source/Wards_and_electoral_divisions_of_the_United_Kingdom) of Upper Wensum for local elections and is part of the [district](/source/Non-metropolitan_district) of [Breckland](/source/Breckland). The village's national constituency is [Mid Norfolk](/source/Mid_Norfolk_(UK_Parliament_constituency)) which has been represented by the Conservative's [George Freeman MP](/source/George_Freeman_(politician)) since 2010. ## References Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Gateley, Norfolk](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Gateley,_Norfolk). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Key to English Place-names"](http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Norfolk/Gateley). *kepn.nottingham.ac.uk*. Retrieved 23 March 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Gateley | Domesday Book"](https://opendomesday.org/place/TF9624/gateley/). *opendomesday.org*. Retrieved 23 March 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["mnf20535 - Norfolk Heritage Explorer"](https://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/record-details?mnf20535). *www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk*. Retrieved 23 March 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Gateley (Parish, United Kingdom) - Population Statistics, Charts, Map and Location"](https://www.citypopulation.de/en/uk/eastofengland/admin/breckland/E04006116__gateley/). *www.citypopulation.de*. Retrieved 23 March 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["mnf2933 - Norfolk Heritage Explorer"](https://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/record-details?mnf2933). *www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk*. Retrieved 23 March 2025. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["mnf12437 - Norfolk Heritage Explorer"](https://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/record-details?mnf12437). *www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk*. Retrieved 23 March 2025. v t e Civil parishes of Breckland Ashill Attleborough Banham Bawdeswell Beachamwell Beeston with Bittering Beetley Besthorpe Billingford Bintree Blo' Norton Bradenham Brettenham Bridgham Brisley Bylaugh Carbrooke Caston Cockley Cley Colkirk Cranwich Cranworth Croxton Didlington Dereham East Tuddenham Elsing Foulden Foxley Fransham Garboldisham Garvestone, Reymerston and Thuxton Gateley Gooderstone Great Cressingham Great Dunham Great Ellingham Gressenhall Griston Guist Hardingham Harling Hilborough Hockering Hockham Hoe and Worthing Holme Hale Horningtoft Ickburgh Kempstone Kenninghall Kilverstone Lexham Litcham Little Cressingham Little Dunham Little Ellingham Longham Lynford Lyng Mattishall Merton Mileham Mundford Narborough Narford Necton New Buckenham Newton by Castle Acre North Elmham North Lopham North Pickenham North Tuddenham Old Buckenham Ovington Oxborough Quidenham Riddlesworth Rocklands Roudham and Larling Rougham Saham Toney Scarning Scoulton Shipdham Shropham Snetterton South Acre South Lopham South Pickenham Sparham Sporle with Palgrave Stanfield Stanford Stow Bedon and Breckles Sturston Swaffham Swanton Morley Thetford Thompson Tittleshall Tottington Twyford Watton Weasenham All Saints Weasenham St Peter Weeting-with-Broomhill Wellingham Wendling Whinburgh and Westfield Whissonsett Wretham Yaxham See also Broadland Great Yarmouth King's Lynn and West Norfolk North Norfolk South Norfolk --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Gateley](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateley) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateley?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.