Langhale is one of Norfolk's "lost" villages and became part of present day Kirstead in the eighteenth century. It appears in the Domesday book and we know that it had its own church, dedicated to St Christopher. In 1421 the "living" of Langhale was combined with that of Kirstead and one rector served both churches. Over time the Langhale bit of "Kirstead with Langhale" has fallen out of use.The name was chosen for our new benefice, bringing together the Brooke Benefice and the Hempnall Group of Churches, as name is local but does not belong to any one of the thirteen villages that make up the group. Also, geographically, the site of Langhale is the joining point of the two benefices.It will still be some time before the name becomes part of our legal identity but it will begin to be used in the coming months.
