Litcham Common Garden Allotments have a long and interesting history, which is recorded by Dr Puddy (1953) A Story of a Mid-Norfolk Village.

Dr Puddy describes the Lands gifted to the Parish of Litcham and it proves an interesting journey with records of allotments as far back as the 1700’s.

Litcham Charities are recorded as follows:
Allees’s Charity 1629
Dame Mary Wodehouse’s Charity - Sir Thomas Wodehouse granted by deed-poll of Kimberly by deed poll 16th June 1634
Matthew Halcots Bread Dole 1674
John Halcotts Almshouses 1677
Matthew Willmont’s 1709 Charity (The Unknown Donors Charity) - 31 garden plots now 6 acres let as arable land Tittleshall Road.
Glovers Charity 1741 
John Copeman Lound Charity.

For many years it is well documented in Litcham Parish Records that the Allotments were managed by the Litcham Garden Trust who collected rents, let allotments and distributed ‘dole’ small amounts of cash to villagers just before Christmas each year. A representative attended Litcham Parish Council annually to give a financial report.

Allotment Development
Prior to 1894 Matthew Willmont’s 31 gardens found insufficient for the needs of Litcham villagers. (Land now rented in Tittleshall Road for arable farming). As a result Mr Francis, one of the trustees of the poor was allowed by the Lord of the Manor to enclose 2 or 3 acres of the South Common for allotment gardens for the poor. Rent was paid into the Matthew Willmont’s Charity, also know as the Unknown Donor’s Charity. Puddy (1957).

Parish Councils were formed in 1884. It was noted that “There was some trouble” which appears to have arisen over the letting of allotments. The Local Government Act of 1894, Section 14(1), states that “Where trustees hold any property for the purpose of a public recreation ground ….or allotments, under Inclosure Award or otherwise, for the benefits of the inhabitants of a rural parish…except for an ecclesiastical charity, they may, with the approval of Charity Commissioners, transfer the property to the Parish Councils, or persons appointed by that  Parish Council if they accept the transfer…shall hold the property on the trusts and subject to the conditions on which the trustees held the same”. Parish Meetings Voted for Parish Council to take on the management role of the gardens but the Rector protested and wrote to the Charity Commissioners Puddy (1957:p109). 

So it was that unlike other villages Litcham found its allotments managed by a charity rather than the Parish Council.

Preserving the Heritage and Promoting the Future of Litcham Garden Allotments for the benefit of the whole community.