author
Arthur Brown
1826–1903
A Victorian clergyman who turned local history into fiction, he wrote historical novels set in the places he knew best, including Norfolk and Suffolk. His stories often bring English religious and political history to life through clear, accessible storytelling.
1 Audiobook
The French Prisoners of Norman Cross: A Tale
by Arthur Brown
About the author
Born in London on 23 February 1826, Arthur Brown was the son of a wine merchant and later studied at Cambridge before being ordained. He served as a parish clergyman in Norfolk, including as vicar of Dilham with Honing and rector of Catfield.
Alongside his church work, he wrote historical fiction. Sources describe him as the author of several novels, many of them set where he happened to be living, which gives his books a strong sense of place. His known titles include Wetherden Hall, Stanch for the King, The Last of the Abbots, The Redeemed Captive, The Knight of Dilham, and The French Prisoners of Norman Cross.
Brown died in Catfield on 4 May 1903. The surviving record suggests a writer shaped by parish life, local history, and a practical gift for turning the past into vivid narrative fiction.