The Norfolk
Controversy
The group held
itÕs first meeting of the year on January 20th at St. Andrews Church with the
speaker being Janet Gough, a member of the group.
The talk
entitled, A Norfolk Controversy, concerns events which
occurred during the latter part of the year 1698 and January 1699 at West
Dereham Church.
To give readers a
brief history lesson the 17th century was an eventful 100 years from the death
of Elizabeth I in 1603, King James Bible in 1611, the English Civil War
1642-51, execution of Charles I, 1649, Monarchy restored in 1660, the Book of
Common Prayer 1666, Test Act of 1673 (test people to prove they were
Christians), Act of Toleration & Bill of Rights 1689 and the Blasphemy Act
in 1698.
At that time
William & Mary were on the throne of England, Mary
Stuart having married William of Orange as part of Charles II foreign policy.
She bore him no children and died of smallpox in December 1694.William was
invited to England by Parliament where he proceeded to suppress the Jacobite
Rebellion. William ruled alone after Mary died until his own demise in 1702 due
to a serious injury falling from his horse.
Elizabeth I had
under the Act of Supremacy of 1559 re-established the Church of EnglandÕs
independence from Rome. The Puritans were a rather disparate group of people
but were agreed that the Elizabethan Settlement had not gone far enough.
They objected to
ornaments and rituals vestments, church organs etc which
they said were idolatrous, popish, pomp and rags. The turmoil of the civil war
(1642-51) allowed people to think and to experiment with new ideas.
During the 1660s
a group of people emerged who became to be known as Quakers. They were also
called ÔfriendsÕ or Ômeeting house peopleÕ in some quarters. It was based on
the personal insights of George Fox who was born in Leicestershire and was a
shoe maker .He developed a new set of beliefs based on the idea of the light
within which is mentioned in the 1st Chapter of John.
The Quaker was
seen as a rather dull person who was, plain of speech and dress.
They went about
daily life without any of the normally expected bowing and scraping and refused
to doff their hats in the presence of ÔsuperiorsÕ. Only God could be so
honoured. To fail to remove ones hat in court meant certain imprisonment. They
treated every day the same and traded on Sundays and Christmas day.
They attacked the
established Church and called church buildings Ôsteeple housesÕ. They would pin
notices to church doors and heckle the clergy in the street. They refused to
pay tithes to the church which in turn led to imprisonment
along with those already there for their beliefs and evangelism.
George Fox
himself was beaten up and placed in the stocks for interrupting a sermon.
William Penn, (1644-1718) was hounded out of the country and emigrated
to America where he founded Pennsylvania.
The persecution
became less after the Declaration of Indulgence in 1687,
it was the first step towards the freedom of religion in the British Isles. It
allowed people to worship in their homes and chapels as they saw fit. The Act
of Toleration allowed non-conformists their own places of worship if they accepted
certain oaths of allegiance in 1688.
Those denying the
Trinity were deprived of the above mentioned acts
under the Blasphemy Act 1697-98. Put simply persons who by writing, preaching,
teaching deny that the members of the Holy Trinity were God or assert they was
more than one God or deny the Christian religion to be true were guilty of
Blasphemy and were liable to three years imprisonment without bail.
Quakers were
unusually active in Norfolk in the decade after the act of toleration engaging
in aggressive evangelism which aroused strong
resentment amongst local clergy. New Meeting Houses were in use at Downham
Market and Attleborough and well attended whereas Church attendance numbers
declined.
This brings us to
West Dereham in December 1698 and to Laurence Parke. Contrary to some sources
he was not Vicar of West Dereham, he was actually rector of Barton Bendish
(1690-1716) and Vicar of Wiggenhall St. Mary (1692-1716), he
was a curate at West Dereham for a short while in 1704.
There had been a
number of villagers who were known to have attended Quaker meetings and like
many other Clergy at that time Parke became angry at the prospect of this
rivalry and preached at West Dereham against them. In a publication the
inhabitants state that the said Laurence Parke came to preach there and made it
much of his business, at several times to preach against the said people in
very harsh terms and expressions which caused dissatisfaction to several of his
hearers who thought the said people did not deserve to be so preached against.
Apparently there
was but one person and his wife in the village who had attended a Quaker
meeting at that time. This may have been Thomas Becket who rented land near the
Church and he was known to have had an argument with Parke on a previous
occasion.
This led to an
exchange of correspondence from a number of local clergy including Parke and
Lancaster Topecliff Rector of Hockwold with the Quakers culminating in a
meeting in West Dereham Church. A great deal of the argument was had about who
had challenged who. The meeting was set for Thursday the 8th.of December at 10
o-clock in the morning and shall be at West Dereham Church which Ôbeing pretty
capacious and well galleried. That six from each side shall be permitted to
discuss the matter and to allow no more than five minutes in which no
interruption is to be made.
A notary to be
appointed by each side to write down the objections and answers that are made
by each party to be compared at the end of every meeting if there be more than
one. The Priests made five charges of Blasphemy, against God, Jesus Christ, the
Holy Scriptures and civil contempt which was signed by
Henry Meriton, John Meriton and Laurence Parke.
There was but one
meeting and the matter finally came to an end in January 1699 when a petition
was drawn up in Kings Lynn. The Norfolk Petition - To make
friends obnoxious to the Government. To be presented to the MPs for the
Borough and local reports to the ÔfriendsÕ say it had over 500 signatures.
After about a week the petition was presented at the quarter sessions to a
grand jury and accepted. Despite the efforts of the Norfolk clergy in lobbying
their MPs and both houses of Parliament the petition failed. The failure was
attributed to the superior lobbying skills of the friends. Was there ever a
strong Quaker following in West Dereham, I believe there was and clearly the
inhabitants of the village were not prepared to see them persecuted and
defended the act for freedom of religious beliefs.
The meeting ended
with refreshments and general discussion.
A very
interesting account of local history which very few of
JanetÕs audience knew about
Upward
mobility in the 13th Centure from Magna Carta to West Dereham
It never ceases
to amaze me what a little research can achieve in this 21st. century computer
age. This came to light most vividly in a lecture given by
our guest speaker in February, Clive Wilkins-Jones. Clive is a Librarian
and his subject was entitled ÒUpwardly Mobile in the 13th CenturyÓ, West
Dereham to Magna Carta.
The Norman Conquest
was over 100 years in the past and Richard I was on the throne of England.
Richard was a French speaking King and spent a lot of time abroad fighting in
the Crusades. His right hand man at that time was of course our own Archbishop
Hubert Walter. At this point there emerges another person who had similar
humble beginnings who became known as Master Elias of Dereham at a time when it
was considered a sin to be ambitious.
He was born in
about 1160 during the reign of Henry II and raised in the village although it
is unlikely that he was from a Serf family. There is some evidence to suggest
he was from the household of Ranulf de Glanvill who was Hubert Walters Uncle,
married to his Mothers sister, Bertha. Elias was certainly known to Hubert
Walter and by 1188 was part of his household at Canterbury in the capacity of a
Steward. Elias clearly had talent although there is nothing about him having
any sort of formal education. Walter was himself without a University
education, his grasp of Latin was poor but this did not mean he was illiterate,
the medieval writer, Gerald of Wales said of Walter that the Exchequer was his
school.
His work for the
Archbishop would involve dealing with property and the day to
day administration relating to this.
On Hubert Walters death in July 1205 he was the executor of his estate
however by this time Richard I had died (1199) and his younger brother John was
on the throne.
He promptly
confiscated all Walters bequests and Matthew Paris the medieval chronicler
retold the story that when John heard of Walters death exclaimed ÒNow for the
first time I am king of EnglandÓ. Walter died in July 1205 after a long illness
and was buried in the Trinity Chapel next to St. Thomas Becket
A period of
unrest and war with his own Barons and the Church which
eventually lead to Magna Carta and his own death in 1216.
John was in some
ways an unstable character who was always on the move. He feared his Barons and
used to insist on having some of their children at his court. He was accused of
dishonour on one occasion over the death of a nephew and one wife actually
refused to place her children at the court. He had her taken and imprisoned
where he ordered her to be starved to death. It has been suggested that the
Maid Marion of Robin Hood (Robert of Locksley) fame may have suffered a similar
fate.
John chose John
De Grey, Bishop of Norwich as his successor to Hubert Walter while some of the
younger monks elected Reginald, the subprior of Christ Church, Canterbury. Both
elections were quashed on appeal to Rome and a new election was to proceed in
the presence of the Pope Innocent III. Stephen Langton emerged as the winner
and was consecrated by the Pope in June 1207. Stephen was born in Lincolnshire
near Wragby and had two brothers one of whom, Simon, served his brother as
Archdeacon of Canterbury in 1227.
Stephen had
studied at the University of Paris and lectured there on theology until 1206.
He formed a friendship with Pope Innocent III while in Paris and he called him
to Rome and made him a Cardinal Priest. His piety and learning had already won
him prebends (stipend or tithe income) at Paris and York and he was recognised
as the foremost English churchman.
There followed a
hard political struggle between John of England and Pope Innocent III. The King
proclaimed as a public enemy anyone who recognised Stephen as Archbishop,
expelled the Canterbury monks who were now unanimous in support of Stephen and
seized the Canterbury estates. This prompted a papal interdict and at the close
of 1212 after repeated negotiations had failed passed sentence of disposition
against John. In May 1213 John yielded and Stephen, who since his consecration
had lived at Pontigny Abbey in Burgundy, along with his fellow exiles returned
to England in July. Stephen now became a leader in the struggle against King
John. At a council of churchmen at Westminster in August 1213 to which certain
lay Barons were invited he read the text of the charter of Henry II and called
for its renewal. As a result of Stephens energetic
leadership and the Barons military strength they forced John to sign the Magna
Carta on 15th July 1215.
In the meantime
what of Master Elias, well from 1208 until 1213 he seems to have been in exile
along with Stephen in France but appears again as Surveyor to Archbishop
Jocelin of Bath & Wells who was in France with him. Archbishop Stephen
Langton appointed him his Stewart and Elias certainly accompanied him to
Runneymede on 15th June. He was also entrusted with several copies of the Magna
Carta.
For Stephen
another period of suspension for refusing to published the excommunication of
the Barons he appealed to the Pope in person who released him from suspension
on condition he kept out of England until peace was restored and he remained
abroad until May 1218. In the meantime both Pope Innocent and King John had
died and all parties in England rallied to the support of Henry III JohnÕs son
who was only 9 years of age. Stephen died in July 1228 and was buried in open
ground beside the south transept of Canterbury Cathedral. This was later built
over, St Michaels Chapel where his tomb projects into the east side under the
altar with his feet outside it.
In 1219 Master
Elias is still working for Stephen Langton and has shown talent at building
design and stone carving. He worked on the tomb of Hubert Walter and carved
some of the decoration. During the period 1233 to 36 he was supervising the
repair of damage at Winchester Castle which occurred during
1216 and the Barons struggle with King John. Elias craved the stone for
the gatehouse windows.
Here he worked
closely with Bishop Peter De Roches who was a favourite of King John. Elias
moved on to Salisbury where he became a Canon in about 1238 and would oversee
the construction of the Cathedral. Displayed in the chapter house is an
original copy of the Magna Carta which was one of the
copies entrusted to Elias after his presence at Runnymede. Some scholars
believe he was in fact the Architect of Salisbury Cathedral,
the writings of Mathew Paris are but one example.
Elias died in
1245 although other accounts suggest 1246,he was
buried in the Canons graveyard to the south east of the Cathedral.
So Elias worked
with both Archbishops, Walter and Langton, whereas Walter worked closely with
both Richard and John, Langton opposed much of Johns draconian rule and worked
hard to reinstate the freedoms of the Henry II charter with the backing of the
Barons which resulted in Magna Carta and the rights of man. He was also a
voluminous writer and it was he who divided the Bible into the standard modern
arrangement of books and chapters.
Funeral Customs
The one certain
thing in life is that we all eventually die and at our meeting in March we
welcomed back Anne Barnes with a talk on Funeral Customs.
Starting with the
14th century it was essential to have what was known as a good death. Feathers
were thought to prevent a person passing on and any bedding or pillows would
have been removed. Door and windows would be left open for the spirit to move
on without hinder.
Bee
keepers always reported a
passing to their hives. Bodies would be wrapped in a simple shroud and carried
on a bier which is rather like a stretcher and would
be carried on the shoulders of mourners, other examples had wheels. Coffins did
not see regular use until the 17th. Century and then often only the well off
could afford the cost. Bodies were always buried in consecrated ground and the
deceased must have been baptised.
Non-believers and
suicides would be interned in non-consecrated areas. Suicides were often buried
at crossroads.
A charnel-house was a house or vault where dead bodies or
bones are piled. Much used during the plague period of 1345- 49.
The rich and
priests had the option of being buried inside the church with grand memorials
and the tomb covered with a brass plate usually full length with etched or
engraved decoration. It had long been thought these brasses were made to
individual instructions but recent research has revealed that they could be
obtained Òoff the shelfÓ. The practice died out after the 1650 as religion
became less ceremonial and simpler. Ale and bread were passed
by mourners across the body to eat and drink the sins of the deceased.
This practiced continued in some areas right up to 1910.
Persons of title
or members of Royalty who were transported to a place of burial would have
crosses of wood or stone erected at stopping points on their journey, Charing
Cross is a typical example.
On the death of a
young unmarried woman the funeral would entail the use of white shrouds and the
body clothed in white carried by children.
By the 1650s
Puritan and Quaker influences has reduced the funeral to a very simple event
with prayers for the departed being more important than pomp and ceremony.
Lynch Gates
provided a resting place for mourners carrying the deceased.
In the early 19th
century death returned to a more social event with very strict etiquette
according to ones social standing. Dressing in black, the use of crepe and
mourning jewellery were the standard for the rich which
included Royalty, titled persons, Military and the Church. This all came to a
peak at the time Prince Albert died of typhoid in 1862. Queen Victoria went
into a long period of mourning, so long in fact it was considered un-natural by
many of her subjects.
Special rooms
were for the purpose of placing the body, a large table had been used to place
the body on prior to burial since the 17th century returned particularly in
Ireland and were known as Òwakes tablesÓ. The body was not to be left alone at
any time and persons of title or fame were laid out Òin stateÓ so that members
of the public could come and pay their respects. This would happen even in the
most humble of homes from the 1780s.The Victorians made an industry out of
death with the manufacture of special jewellery, Whitby Jet was a favourite and
worn by Queen Victoria, lockets held a lock of hair, envelopes and writing
paper had black edges and you sealed your envelope with black sealing wax in
preference to the usual red. Everlasting flowers started to appear in the 1870s which were made of coloured wax and were sealed in
glass domes. They were finally banned in public cemeteries because of the
danger of the glass but they were in use in some churchyards up to 1915.
Large memorials
and epitaphs were erected in the municipal cemeteries that were in use after
about 1840.Many of these are now unkempt and vandalised although some are
beautifully kept mainly because they are still in use.
Medical re-search
and the workings of the human body were still in an early state of development,
what was required was the body itself which Surgeons and Doctors could examine
in detail. Few, if any, relatives of a deceased person were willing to provide
a corpse for such a purpose which resulted in what
became known as body snatching. Physicians were prepared to pay for any bodies
brought to them with no questions asked. It became a lucrative business for
some and relatives sought ways to prevent their loved ones being removed from
their burial place. Double coffins, weighted, chained and iron bars were
employed to foil the snatchers. Watching the grave was another way relatives
and neighbours prevented the removal. After a while the body will have started
to decompose and would be useless.
The problem was
eventually solved when unclaimed and pauper dead were
provided for this purpose.
Cremation would
have been the answer but it was not employed in the UK at that time and the
Cremation Act was not passed until 1907.
Undertakers came
about when the formality of a funeral and burial was too much for a family and
the organising was placed with someone to ÒundertakeÓ or to hire out.
These people were
local carpenters, wheelwrights or builders who would provide the service for a
fee. This gave rise to one saving for ones burial and the introduction of
Funeral Plans.
To conclude it
has to be mentioned that during the 18th and 19th centuries many working class
people have no known burial place. For every person who could afford a memorial
there will be 10 who had nothing. Paupers in small towns and villages would be
provided for but it was very basic and placed in an unmarked grave. Mass graves
are a rarity after the late 16th century and they came about because of war or
plague.
Those from the
20th century are well documented usually as result war or civil unrest.
For those who are
researching family members the church has a burial record
which will go back centuries and the National Records provided details
of most births, marriages and deaths since 1838.
On the 21st March
Ruth organised another trip to North Farm, Bottisham to see the workshops of
Fairhaven and White the stonemasons who did the work on the windows of St.
Andrews. It enable those members who were unable to go
on the first trip to view the work they do there.
With a skilled
and young workforce the firm provides a vital service to the preservation of
our beautiful old churches and buildings. Working demonstrations of stone
cutting, shaping and carving provided visitors with an insight into how the
stonemasons have developed their skills during the last 100 years. Modern tools
have taken on much of the rough shaping to cut down on time and keep costs
reasonable.
Diamond toothed
saws and electric powered tools are all employed to this end.
One chap has been
making moulds from existing carvings for over 40 years. These are used as a
template for new carvings. All the staff were
informative and helpful.
Many members went
on to Angelsey Abbey to have lunch and view the gardens.
Heritage Room Update
The groups Committee held a formal meeting on the evening of the 12th May at the home of Ruth Marsters with Chairman Jack Walker, Secretary Pam Walker, Treasurer Ruth Marsters, Pam Bullas, Janet Gough and Richard French.
Main topics discussed included the delay to the fixing of the new roof to the Village Hall however at the time of writing this had almost been completed. There will also be some changes to the published programme, Dr. Paul Richards Kings Lynn tour will now be in June and Richards Village walk will take place in July. As the Village Hall will not be finished the annual Bar BQ planned for August will need to find another venue.
Quotes for the Heritage Room fixtures and fittings were shown and approved and Ruth will get the carpenter to proceed and to quote for further additions under the planned worktops where it is possible to fit extra cupboard space. Recording equipment has been costed and approved as is a projector with screen. This item will be open for usage by all Village Hall functions where such a usage is required, films, photographs etc.
We are still urgently seeking old photographs and postcards of the Village and I shall be visiting the Wisbech Museum this summer to look at the collection of postcards published by the local photographer Coates. If there are any of West Dereham I shall hope to be able to purchase copies. I am sure there is one or more of the aftermath of the fire which engulfed the Manor Farm House in 1924/25.
Our heading paper now has the Heritage Lottery Grant logo added which Janet has forwarded to committee members.
Many of the articles and reports which have been published in the Pump can also be viewed on our website at www.westderehamheritage.co.uk
A congratulatory message has been received from Roger Darsley, (Railway book Author) about the quality of a booklet by Pam Bullas and Cyril Marsters about the Stoke Ferry branch line from Downham Market and published by them.
The main meeting of the month was held at the Church on the 19th with 22 members present and was open and informal. There was a lot of input from members including some interesting research, with photographs, by Graeme Prcssley into the old building to the rear of his home on Church Road which can be reached via White House Farm although this is a private road and not accessible to the public. It would appear that this was once part of a range of properties that may date from 1650 which were once in the ownership of Gregory Lovell who left the sum of £500 in his will of 1693 to provide relief to the poor of the Village. This later became known as Lovells Dole which derived its income from land purchased at Upwell and rented out. The building has been used for agricultural purposes for many years and has recently lost its roof which has collapsed. I note that there was a planning application submitted some time ago for its conversion to residential use. It would such a shame to lose this building on what is such an ancient site.
Ruth put members up to date with developments concerning the Heritage Room and the refurbishment of the Village Hall and how the Lottery Grant money will be spent. Richard spoke about the details for the next of his village walks and suggested meeting at the Church as usual and then going up to the Lime Kiln and the Grange by car due to the distance involved and having to cross the A134 to access the Grange.
Cars will be available so that each vehicle holds its maximum number of passengers as parking will be restricted. Ruth will provide refreshments at Hilgay Road on our return for those who need a break before returning home.
With thanks for all contributions Jack closed the meeting at 845pm and my thanks to those who provided the refreshments which are always most welcome.
Do YOU have an interesting family history or story to tell? You do not have to live in the Village to be a member, why not come along one evening to try us out, we don't bite and its all very friendly.
Work with the
Heritage Room is continuing at an ever-increasing pace with detailed planning
of the layout now finalised and a woodworking craftsman has been along to take
measurements for various cabinets and display cases that will be required.
His quotations
have been received and will be discussed at a Committee Meeting planned for the
12th of May when the decision for the work to proceed
will be made.
Paddy Murfitt has
completed the fitting of the remains of the tracery window
which was salvaged and kept when the Nave windows to St Andrews Church
were replaced earlier in the year. When these pieces were offered to the
Village it was discussed by the group and it was
suggested that the top arch of this window could be placed some where in the
Village Hall during the refurbishment programme. The contractor, Robin Constable,
had no problem with this and Paddy finished the work in April.
This will now be
a permanent display of a window that was placed in the Church during the 18th
century.
Although the
weather has been excellent for the tourist trade itÕs been far too dry for
farmers, horticulturists and those of us who have allotments and gardens
cultivating fruit and vegetables. The driest March since 1944 and no recordable
rain in West Dereham during April itÕs been a disaster for us allotment
tenants. I thought 2010 was bad enough with a very dry spring/early summer, the
rain coming just as the harvest got underway. In August there was 106mm
recorded by me but prior to that a total of 50.5mm during the previous 3
months. Already some cereal crops look to be under stress and brassicas are needing irrigation to keep them from any checks in their
growth.
Sugar Beet have
germinated and are growing reasonably well but early potatoes are suffering
without the rain in spite of large amounts of farmyard manure dug in last year.
At least the onions and shallots like the dry conditions.
Anyway there
always hope, maybe some rain this weekend???
Victorian King's Lynn
This month we went to Kings Lynn on the evening of the 16th of June to meet up with Dr. Paul Richards and proceed on a two hour walk entitle Victorian Kings Lynn.
The sky looked very threatening at times but the rain held off and we started the tour with Paul at the Saturday Market Place.
Queen Victoria came to the throne in 1838 as a young woman aged just nineteen and died in 1901.
The area where the market stalls now stand was known as The Shambles from about 1814 and was a site for meat traders until it was finally demolished in 1864.
There were at least 15 slaughterers and butchers there with about 8 coming in from the outlaying towns and villages. We know that there is a small slaughter house in West Dereham which has recently been restored by the current owners and was certainly in use during the latter half of the 19th century. They were mainly pork butchers so it is possible some of the meat could have ended up at the Shambles.
The area also supported many Public Houses and a favourite drink was pul, pronounced pearl, a mixture of ale and wormwood which is a herb of the genus Artemisia and has stimulating qualities and is also used in the preparation of vermouth and absinth, the latter of which will kill the over indulgent.
A piped water supply was still very much of a luxury and ales and beer were the preferred drink to most of the working class as it was less likely to cause stomach
upsets. Working conditions were harsh particularly on the water front where sailing ships tied up and discharged/loaded cargo. Handling sails and ropes took a great deal of physical strength.
Moving on down St James street we came to the Theatre Royal which is now a Bingo Hall. The site has held a theatre since the early part of the 19th century the original of which burnt down and the building which we see today was erected as a cinema.
The Victorian theatre was very popular and lots of the most famous acts of the time appeared there.
Passing by we also viewed the Greyfriars Tower which owes its survival to the fact it could be seen from the sea and the Wash so it proved to be a useful landmark for shipping entering the port.
Crossing the main London Road into the Walks , a fine avenue of Lime trees which are clearly shown on a map of 1846 with the Alms houses on the left. Here was also the dreaded Work House a vast building with west and east wings and just to the north the New Burial ground. This site has been redeveloped in recent years and all the standing gravestones have been moved to the back of the Court House under the canopy of a very old Plane tree of the genus plantanus. This tree is reputed to be 600 years old. We also looked at the Evengelist Chapel of St John with architecture very much in the manner of Augustus W. Pugin 1812-1852 who was the architect of the Gothic Revival. There are a number of fine buildings in this style to be seen in this part of Lynn. It was here we attracted the attention of a passer by who stopped to listen in on Paul's commentary, just goes to show how interesting these walking tours can be.
The Railway finally came to Kings Lynn in 1846 just in time to save a declining town which at one time was the third largest port in England. At first operated by the Great Eastern Railway Company then incorporated into the London & North Eastern in 1923. Later it also was a destination for the Midland & Great Northern Railway which moved its main depot to Melton Constable in the early 20th century. The Station remains a fine example of a Victorian Railway building with very little in the way of modern alteration or interference.
The Great Eastern Railway Hotel is now just a building site, having been neglected for years it's been demolished although many fine examples of Victorian architecture do still exist along the streets at right angles to the Station.
Over the road then known as New Street to the Cattle Market and Paradise Lane. The Cattle Market closed in 1969 and moved out to Hardwick Road. The site is now a car park , supermarket and bus depot.
Into Norfolk Street and a look at Paradise Yard which was once one of many which were off this street. Paradise Yard remains intact and the buildings are listed and was the working area of local Wheelwright. Some of their equipment can still be seen outside the workshop. When the cash is available it will be restored and open to the public as part of Lynn Heritage.
I do remember this area quite well as I used to drive through Lynn during the mid 1960s on my way into Norfolk from Lincolnshire where I was working at that time.
We often would stop off in the town centre, yes you could park almost anywhere in those days, and have a cup of coffee and a bite to eat. Tuesday was market day and the cattle market and the Tuesday market place were crowded with people in from the rural towns and villages buying and selling. I always loved the smell, hustle and bustle of the cattle market, you buy almost anything there from a small runt piglet for the pigsty at home to antique furniture which went largely unrecognised in those days.
The yards also housed many Saddlers and Harness makers of which I think Mr Wilson was the last as he survived into the 1970s and held a Royal Warrant from the late Victorian times.
Moving on into Jews Lane off Chapel Street which leads on to the Tuesday Market place. This was a "red light" area at that time and no doubt proved profitable to those women who were members of the profession. The pubs around discharging their clients at closing time particularly on markets days when purses of some of those who were successful in doing good business were full and the huge numbers of seaman of many nations, fishermen, farmers and their labourers who treated market days as a holiday more often than not.
We ended the evening on Common Staithe Quay the rain having gone all round us but ended a long drought we have had at West Dereham by dropping 6mm rain on our very dry land.
I have been brief in my description of what we heard and saw that evening and Paul is always enthusiastic with his delivery and vast knowledge of Kings Lynn. Phyllis and I always enjoy his tours and I discover something new to add to my history of the town every time.
Village Walk
On a cold evening in July I took a party of members up to the North of the village to Grange Farm. We travelled by car as it is a fair walk and it would mean trying to cross the A134 which I thought might be difficult due to the traffic.Although I have lived in the village for about 35 years its an site I have never visited. Now part of a Norfolk County Council smallholding and as such a working farm.
The site is also home to the Scout & Guide hut and I was most grateful for their co-operation to visit this ancient monument.
The area was home to early man for many years after the Roman occupation but still sparsely populated. After the Norman conquest it may have been occupied by a Saxon longhouse although there is no proof of this as the site has never seen any investigation by archeologists but noted as a scheduled monument on English Heritage records.
By the end of the 12th. Century it and surrounding land was part of the West Dereham Abbey. A monastic Grange was a farm owned and run by a monastic community and independent of the manorial system of agriculture and servile labour. The function of a Grange was to provide food and raw materials for the parent house and to provide a surplus for sale and profit. The first monastic Granges appeared during the 12th. century but they continued to be constructed right up to the dissolution in the 1530s.
The system of agriculture was pioneered by the Cistercian order and was soon adopted by others. As West Dereham was a Premontratstensian order the Canons did not work the land but would have used local labour under a secular leader who would have resided on the site.
Many were established on land adjacent to the parent house but some were located considerable distances away, this one being 2.5km to the North West.
After the dissolution in 1539 and the plunder of the main site by John Ap Rice which he shared with Thomas Cromwell, Vicar General to Henry VIII the Abbey and all its land was granted to Thomas Dereham of Crimplesham (1) in 1541,(died 1554) and his son Robert,(died 1612)
Thomas was imprisoned in the Tower for a short time owing to his elder brother, Francis, being arrested for treason after his affair with Queen Catherine Howard for whom he acted as Secretary. Both were executed.
The estate then passed through a number of family members to Baldwin Dereham who was described as 'a decayed merchant of London' and who was known to have
had a large family and his eldest son, also Thomas(3) came into the property. Thomas was Knighted by James I at Newmarket in 1617 and it is thought he built the mansion on the site starting in 1621. He may well have been assisted by his son Richard, (Knighted 1661) and a date on the remains of the coach house says 1625.
A description published in 1914 states it was a picturesque mansion with a high pitched roof and porch which led into a large oak panelled room with a great oak beam. Rooms on the upper floors had fine oak panelling with moulded plaster ceilings of geometric devices. The hearth tax of 1664 recorded 45 hearths which made it one of the largest houses in Norfolk at that time. They also built a large garden which contained a moated area, its associated earthworks and a dovecote built of brick or stone. There were many fine tree lined walks and examples of fruit growing which was popular with the wealthy during the 17th century which is clearly indicated by a rent book of 1810 which refers to it as The Orchard.
Sir Richard abandoned the house and estate in 1687 and went to the West Indies along with the Duke of Albemarle (died 1688) and lived in Kingston where he concealed his title and although the exact date of his death is unknown as a tornado in 1722 swept away all records it is likely to have been before1692 .Owing to his insolvency the estate then passed to a cousin in 1688. Sir Thomas Dereham who was an Envoy for Charles II to the Courts of the Doge of Genoa and the Grand Duke of Tuscany, Cosimo III and of whom we know more about.
He decided to abandon the Grange in favour of building an Italian style mansion using the old Abbey gatehouse as a basis in 1689. He was aided in this by petitioning William III for arrears of salary and expenses which were granted in 1690. Being Catholic he spent most of his life in Rome and disposed of most of his property in England during 1732. He died in Rome on 7th February 1739 and thus ended the Derehams link with West Dereham. The estate passed to his sister Elizabeth Stuart.
In the 1690s the Hon.Colonel Edmond Soame was the resident along with his sister Mary and her husband Giles Green. Col. Soame died at the young age of 38 on his way with a commission from Queen Anne for an expedition to Spain at Torbay in 1706
I can find no date for the death of Giles Green but Mary passed away in1710.
By the late 18th century the estate was in the ownership of Thomas Kett and later his son George S. Kett but by 1820 the land is shown as being owned by T.J. Bagge.
The Stebbings family lived and farmed the Grange during the first half of the 19th. century up to 1858.
Joseph Kerkham was a breeder of Lincoln red cattle and he retired and sold up in September 1924 with up to 30 horses included in the sale which was conducted by auction with Charles Hawkins taking the bids.
When the old mansion was finally demolished is at this time of writing unknown but the two houses on site now are dated 1936 but barns and buildings clearly dating from the 1630s with various additions from 18th 19th century and 20th century improvements can be seen. It was purchased by Norfolk County Council either by agreement or compulsory in the early 1930s.
We also looked at the Lime Kiln in Lime Kiln Lane but will save the history of that until next month.
My thanks to Pam W for arranging with the Scouting Organisation and Mr Mortons permission for the visit.
Refreshments were provided by Ruth & Phyllis at Ruths home on Hilgay Road..
Refs.
The Last of the Norfolk Dereham. Rev.Father Goldie. SJ (1914)
Noted Church Monuments WDHG (2007)
West Dereham Grange, an early 17th century Garden in West Norfolk. Patsy Dallas (2004)
Richard C. French.
Barbeque and History Fair
Our activities go into holiday mode during August when we usually plan a BarBQ for a nice warm evenings entertainment. Last year the heavens opened and we had to retreat under cover.Members held this years event at Grange Farm with the use of the Scout Hut and it's facilities which made cooking simpler for the Chefs.The weather again proved to be changeable with the threat of rain so members sat indoors to a BarBQ style meal of roast chicken, sausages and salads etc. Thanks to Pam & Jack Walker who organised it and arranged for use of the Scout Hut.
Several members set up a stall at the St. Edmunds Church History Fair on Saturday the 10th of September with the doors opening to the public at 10.30am.The grassy area outside the Church Hall also hosted a variety of stalls, with Pony Rides, Historical re-enactment with dressing up in period costume for the children.The main aim of the event is to draw attention to the past history of Downham Market and the surrounding villages which were served by the town. West Dereham was just one of many who took part with displays of their history over the last 100 years. Many are fortunate in having lots of old photographs of villagers and events of yesteryear. I noted one newspaper cutting along with some photographs of a packed Village Hall at Barroway Drove which announced the coming of the electricity supply in 1954. The stalls were a mixture of craft and bric a brac along with some Norfolk Ales and a display of model WWII Aircraft. The Royal British Legion also had a stand displaying their wide range of memorial merchandise.Outside on the grass area a gentleman was held in the pillory to allow him to be pelted with wet sponges, at a price of course. I noted the Vicars aim was a bit off the mark when he took his turn at throwing.
The Church Hall served light meals throughout the day along with all the usual beverages. Inside the Church we were treated to a musical interlude by a newly formed group of four young ladies calling themselves The Tenor Ladies. They sang a wide range of work unaccompanied with just one exception when a chap played along with a guitar. I am no music expert but I know what I like and I very much enjoyed what they sang.There was a lot of interest from the public in our stand and our publications which sold well throughout the day. Thanks to Pam Bullas. and Janet Gough who along with myself manned the stall.
Richard C. French.
Frimstone Dig and Finds
For our September meeting we were pleased to welcome Jayne Bown who works for Norfolk Archaeology. Jayne came instead of Peter Watkins who has moved on since we contacted him to come and update us on the progress of the excavations on the site of the new Frimstone quarry on the north western boundary of the Parish close to Crimplesham. As Jayne was also involved during the duration of the dig she was well qualified to give us details of the findings to date.
The land is owned by Norfolk County Council and leased to Frimstones to allow extraction of sand and aggregate, their existing site having become depleted.
Before any such extraction can begin the site has to be accessed for remains of past civilisations that need to be researched and preserved. Such remains are usually very fragile and therefore vulnerable to disturbance however light. A past history of surface finds have indicated there has been some form of habitation on it in the past which has also given a guide to the age of what cannot be seen under the surface.
This is done by what archaeologist call "field walking" and artefacts that are on the surface which can be seen by a trained eye and thus collected for examination. These have been brought to the surface by deep modern ploughing. The site might also contain irregular features, humps and depressions which can be seen from the edge of the field or from the air. An air survey can be particularly revealing in a dry summer as what are known as "crop marks" appear and show a marked difference to the surrounding crop.
The soil dries out quicker over old foundations and roadways and shows up as the crop loses moisture. The opposite occurs if there are post holes, ditches or waste pits as these areas hold moisture and the crop shows up a darker green than the rest.
It was clear from the initial survey that the site held some remains which had to be investigated before quarrying could begin. This was backed up by the more modern method of looking below the surface of field with the use of Geophysics which is a sensitive device that looks for anomalies in the soil structure.
Excavation can now begin in earnest with test trenches going in all over the site.
The first layers are taken off with a machine but as soon as any indication of archaeology is seen then this stops and work goes on by hand. If you have seen the television programme Time Team then you will know how its done.
After some weeks of work one small area showed signs of having held a number of dwellings. Various artefacts, pottery etc seemed to indicate having been occupied between the 5th and 7th centuries. These people were here after the Romans left England around 438AD but so far no burials have been discovered. As the site covers 7 acres and the main excavations are in a small western edge there is no doubt more to find. It would be most unusual not to find some burials as the site is on high ground that faces out to the south which at that time would have been the vast watery world of the Fens stretching out to Ely and Wisbech. These people favoured burials which looked out over water and as at Sutton Hoo persons of importance were buried with all their possessions which included weapons, jewellery and even prized animals.
Several items have been found which are worth mentioning which included a bronze belt end, a bronze broach and a number of garment pins. There is also a lot of pottery fragments which includes some Roman examples.
It is hoped that once the cleaning and indexing of the finds has been completed they will be released and we will be able to acquire them for display in our new Heritage Room exhibition area.
It's a matter of watching this space, to be continued.
By the time you read this we will be able to use our Village Hall after its refurbishment and the Village Hall Committee will have staged its first event.
I shall report on the open days that will take place during a weekend in October next time.
Richard C. French
Drainage of the Fens and the English Civil War
October proved to be a busy month for our members with a lot of activity centred around meetings, getting the Heritage Room furnished in the Village Hall and supporting the Village Hall Committee with their plans.
DRAINAGE OF THE FENS & THE CIVIL WAR
The ever popular Mile Petty once again proved his worth the a lecture on the above subject held in St. Andrews Church on the evening of the 13th of October.
To report fully on the content of this subject would take far more space than I have available here. Mike has a vast knowledge of his subjects and although he does refer to his notes now and again his talks always flow easily with a mixture of fact and humour. I still have in my mind, as an example, the sight of a man on stilts driving through the knee deep water 400 head of cattle with the help of one small boy to another dry area of pasture.
The Fens at the time of the Civil War was an area covering over 500 square miles and stretched from Lincoln in the North, Peterborough to the West, Kings Lynn and the Wash to the east and Cambridge to the South.
There is archaeology to show the Romans had a go at reclaiming some parts realising the potential of the drained land to produce grain.
In the 17th century flooding during the winter months was a problem and it was realised that water from the uplands to the west were to blame. In the 1590s harvests were poor throughout the rest of the country due to heavy rainfall. Some places saw the arrival of Dutchmen escaping the invading Spanish armies and with methods perfected in their native country using wind driven machines to bring the water levels down.
It was known that if the water travelled fast enough it would scour out silt and other debris which would allow water to flow out through the existing rivers to the sea.. They had to be deepened to achieve this and a great supporter of this idea was Jan B. Westerdyke but his plans for draining the whole of the Fens had failed by 1630.
Up until this point the King had financed these projects but he now put the whole scheme out to private enterprise. Francis Russell the 4th Earl of Bedford along with his investors, the so called Adventurers, took up the challenge. Named the Bedford Level Corporation they employed Cornelius Vermuyden who also failed when his plans did not live up to there promise in1649 and again in 1665.
William Dodson, who had been employed on Vermuydend's first scheme suggested combining the fen rivers into one outfall thus giving a good scour with the greater flow of water. He may have put forward the plan in 1649 when he was Director of the Bedford Level and again in 1665. During the Civil War he was appointed Governor of Crowland so had a wealth of drainage experience but by this time Vermuyden had succeeded, however his idea may have influenced the building of Denver Sluice.
Not all of Vermuyden's plans were carried out as there was fierce opposition from locals, fenmen who became know as Fen Tigers who threw down his banks and filled in the ditches. They saw their way of life being destroyed which was pastoral farming, wildfowling and fishing, mainly for ells for which there great demand in towns and city among the poorer classes. Oliver Cromwell himself a Fenman, born 1599 in Huntingdon and living in Ely was sympathetic until the Civil war intervened and the money ran out.
Rivers still failed to sour fully in some years which again resulted in flooding.
Geographically the Fens were high enough to drain naturally provided there was adequate outfalls to the sea. Most of Vermuyden's scheme achieved this by-passing the old twisting river course of the Ouse to Streatham and Ely by straightening it via Earith and on to Denver.
The part Machines and Mills played in all this I will deal with next month when I shall have more space.
VILLAGEHALLOPEN DAYS
The Village Hall Committee gave villagers to opportunity to see the progress of work in the refurbishment of the hall during the 16th & 17th of October.
Despite a poor turnout of only 45 people those who visited the hall were very impressed with the work so far. A letter distributed at the end of October states that the meetings and Concert booked to be held in the Hall had to be re-located or cancelled. It's disappointing and frustrating not to have the premises ready for use when planned but there are always delays to a project of this size. The contractor has done a splendid job but he too has had his problems.
The time since then has allowed the final fittings and fixtures to be almost completed. I have visited the project on many occasions since the start and have been most impressed with the quality of the work done with the commitment and skill of the main contractor, R. J. Constable.
The Heritage Room is finished with our Cabinet Maker, Roy Marshall, delivering and fitting the work tops, bookcase and display cabinet during October all beautifully made in Chestnut. Furnishing and equipment will come next with an open day next year.
The Village Hall Committee and the Village Trust (formally the Millennium Committee) have put in a huge amount of time into managing this project from applying for grants, purchasing extra land, buying equipment to planting hedges.
They are to be congratulated for their dedication, the hours of time and community spirit that has provided our Village with such a superb venue for all future events and activities.
BIZET TO BROADWAY
The concert was re-located to St Andrews Church and preformed by a group of seven singers, three Gents and four Ladies called The Upper Octave.
Our little Church clearly enhanced the music of these very talented singers who's programme range from popular stage and film musicals, South Pacific, The King and I, Les Miserables and Phantom Of The Opera to the classics which included Tosca, Barcarolle, Handel and Bizet. Two acts with twenty five numbers preformed with a standing ovation at the final curtain and an encore to finished the show. Two hours which gave the audience a taste of London and New York's musical theatre scene without having to travel to the capital to enjoy it. First class entertainment, highly recommended if you have not seen and heard them before.
Production credits to Christian de L'Argy, Rachel Duffield, Joan Hocking LLCM, Annette Phillips, Martyn Shults ALCM, Gus Woodcock and Heather Woodcock. Sound – Keith Turner, Lighting – Roger Thacker & Mike Cooper.
The audience were able to meet the cast when refreshments and a Bar were provided in the Bell Tower.
Christmas & New Year Greetings to all our readers from West Dereham Heritage Group.
Richard C. French.
The Group held it's Annual General Meeting on the 17th of November at St. Andrews Church.
The Agenda was proceeded with at a brisk pace with apologise for absence, a number of members were unable to attend, through to the minutes of theAGM2010 with Matters arising.
The Treasurer reported a small surplus for the year and spending of the Lottery Grant had started with the fitting of the Heritage Room cabinets, Projector and Screen for the Village Hall, Sound Recording Equipment, and Binding Tools & Accessories.
The Chairman, Jack Walker expressed his thanks to all the Groups Officers for their contributions throughout the past year. He was very pleased with the way the Group continued to progress not only as organisation committed to recording village history but as a social gathering as well.
Election of Officers was proposed and seconded en bloc as there were no nominations at this time. A new office was proposed, that of Researcher, Paddy Murfitt has already done so much work collecting field names it was felt his services would be invaluable to other areas as well particularly when it came to Mapping.
The Officers elected were:- Chairman- Jack Walker, Secretary- Pam Walker,
Treasurer- Ruth Marsters, Archivists- Pam Bullas, Webmaster- Janet Gough,
Researcher- Paddy Murfitt, Media & Reporting- Richard French.
After a great deal of discussion it was decided by a majority to increase the Annual Subscription to £15.00. At a previous Committee Meeting it was generally agreed that the subs had to be increased. Both Jack Walker and Richard French were in favour of making the increase to £15, both stated cases where similar organisations had failed owing to lack of funds. There was also the fact that had been no increase for the 5 years since formation, inflation reducing the value of subs and savings and the village hall hire would be a lot more once it re-opened. The Treasurer felt that a £5 increase was too much and might result in a loss of members so it was initially set at £12.50. per annum but the membership were in favour of a full £5 increase.
The Heritage Room is just about complete and once the builders have finished we can begin to furnish it and start placing in the archives that are at present in members homes or in storage.
A full programme for 2012 was thrashed out and there are to be some changes. There will be more occasions for "Round The Table Discussion" and some new speakers.
Last years outing failed but there seems to be a lot of enthusiasm for one next year but closer to home. With that in mind Ely Cathedral was suggested and agreed too.
The meeting closed at 8.45pm with refreshments and members chatting among themselves until 9.30. Special thanks to Graeme Pressley our Churchwarden who has opened the Church for our use and helped with the refreshments throughout the time we have been using St. Andrews also thePCCfor allowing us to use the Church while the village hall was refurbished.
Held at the home of Ruth & Cyril Marsters on Hilgay Road on the evening of the 8th. of December at 7.30pm. Members gathered for a buffet style supper with all the usual beverages. Not quite so many present this year which was perhaps better as it was getting a little overcrowded last time. Several members had previous engagements which included the Thursford Show and a Wedding Anniversary. This will not be a problem in the future as we will be back in the village hall soon. The evening closed at about 11pm when the last members went home. Thanks to Ruth & Cyril for hosting the event, yet again, generous with their hospitality and time over the past years. Very much appreciated by all the members and the highlight of our social calendar. I shall look forward to seeing you all again this month when our new programme opens on the 19th of f January.
New members welcome or just came along anyway and see the new hall.
Happy New Year.
Richard C. French.