This post features Burnham Market, Walsingham, Kings Lynn, Diss, Great Yarmouth, Norwich, Sheringham, Aylsham, Caister, Wymondham and Attleborough
Around Burnham Market
St Mary’s Church, Houghton on the Hill, has the finest Saxon wall paintings in the country..The church is in the middle of nowhere and the village it once served has long since disappeared – we found it courtesy of a local postmanNot surprisingly it was locked – so we couldn’t see the Saxon wall paintings but it is clear to see how well the little church and its grounds have been restored and looked after…St James the Great, Castle AcreCastle Acre Priory – one of the largest and best preserved monastic sites in England dating back to 1090. It was the home of the first Cluniac order of monks to England and the Cluniac love of decoration can be seen in the ruins…Castle Acre PrioryCastle Acre PriorySt Andrew’s Church in East Lexham has the oldest tower in the country, dating from 900ADSt Andrew’s Church in East Lexham St Andrew’s Church in East Lexham St Andrew’s Church in East Lexham St Andrew’s Church in East Lexham Burnham Tower windmill, owned by the National Trust
Blakeney
St Nicholas, Blakeney – the main tower is 38m high (137 steps)…Curiously, the church has two towers – no one knows why…The east window is one of only two medieval seven-light windows in England (Ockham, Surrey is the other one)…St Nicholas, BlakeneyGetting ready for Christmas at St Nicholas, BlakeneyView from St Nicholas’ tower View from St Nicholas’ tower View from St Nicholas’ tower The mean streets of BlakeneyThe mean streets of Blakeney
Binham Priory
Binham Priory was founded in 1091 by Peter des Valoines – a nephew of William the ConquerorBinham Priory
Walsingham
Walsingham became an important site for pilgrims after Lady Richeldis, Lady of the Manor, had a vision that Gabriel took her to Nazareth. She built a holy house here in 1061, although pilgrims didn’t start arriving until around 1111 and the first priory building wasn’t completed until 1280…WalsinghamWalsinghamThe untamed and turbulent waters of the River Stiffkey…Russian Orthodox chapel of St SeraphimThe Orthodox Church of the Holy Transfiguration in Great Walsingham – it usually has a congregation of about 35-40 people – with many Orthodox adherents coming from Kings LynnWalsinghamWalsinghamWalsinghamWalsinghamThere are several shops catering to pilgrims…The old Miles Brown Mill – the chimney dates from 1861 and won a bronze medal in the Chimney of the Year regional heats the following year
Little Snoring
St Andrew’s Church, Little Snoring…The Norman tower is separate from, and older than, the main body of the churchSt Andrew’s Church, Little Snoring…St Andrew’s Church, Little Snoring…St Andrew’s Church, Little Snoring…
Burnham Overy Staithe
St Clement’s Church, Burnham Overy Staithe – dating from Norman times, it is unusual in having a central towerSt Clement’s Church, Burnham Overy Staithe
Booton
There are more than 650 medieval churches in Norfolk – the greatest concentration of medieval churches in the world and of these 124 have round towers – the most in any county in the UK – having said that, St Michael the Archangel in Booton is a Victorian confection dating from 1875…St Michael the Archangel, Booton St Michael the Archangel, Booton It is sparse inside with no pews – no longer used as a parish church it is maintained by a historic churches trusthe stained glass windows are glorious – these photos do not do them justice
North Creake
The Augustine monastery at North Creake dating from 1205…
Kings Lynn
Curiously, the signs at King’s Lynn railway station all feature the old British Railways logo…King’s Lynn Museum
The Minster:
St Margaret’s Church was begun in 1101 The Norman church survives only in the internal arches of the west towers and at the base of the southern one outside as the church was rebuilt in the 13th century. This was followed in the 15th century with enlargements and alterations funded by wealthy merchants and members of the Trinity Guild, whose hall stands opposite the church. The northwest tower had to be rebuilt in 1453, apparently subsidence into the soft ground had caused its predecessor to lean dangerously. The nave and aisles had to be rebuilt completely after a gale in 1741 blew down a spire which formerly crowned the southwest tower. The Victorian restoration of 1874, under the direction Sir George Gilbert Scott, brought more changes. It was designated a minster in 2011.The church underwent rebuilding in the 13th century; later in the 15th century and then again following storm damage in 1741…Kings Lynn MinsterKings Lynn Minster
Medieval Kings Lynn:
The old Town Hall dates from the 1420’sThe Town Hall is now home to a museum…Hanse House is the only surviving Hanseatic warehouse in England…The medieval part of King’s Lynn is lovely…Greenland Fishery – the building dates from the 1605 – built as a merchant’s house, becoming a pub in the 18th century – popular with King’s Lynn’s whaling community…Samuel Cresswell, explorer, was born in this house – the statue is of Charles IGreyfriar’s Tower – the Grey Friars’ friary dates from 1230 – by 1300 there were 4 friaries in the town…
The Waterfront:
The Great Ouse The old Customs House dates from 1683…George Vancouver (1757-1795) explorer
St Nicholas:
St Nicholas’ Chapel is England’s largest surviving parochial chapel. It was founded in 1146 as a chapel of ease to St Margaret’s Church. The original building was replaced in about 1200 and the southwest tower was added some twenty five years later. In the early 15th century, the whole church apart from the tower was rebuilt. At the same time a splendid two storey south porch was added, with a row of niches in delicate panelling. The current steeple dates to 1869, replacing an earlier one that collapsed in 1741. St Nicholas’ Church, Kings Lynn St Nicholas’ Church, Kings Lynn St Nicholas’ Church, Kings Lynn St Nicholas’ Church, Kings Lynn In the churchyard of St Nicholas’ Church, Kings Lynn… Nice street behind St Nicholas’
The Town:
Most towns have blue plaques but Kings Lynn has green ones…The Corn Exchange (note to self: don’t come to King’s Lynn when there is a funfair in the Tuesday Market Place)…A statue of King John – who famously lost his Crown Jewels while crossing The Wash in 1216 – not overly impressed by his surroundings
Diss
The MereI don’t remember having seen so many coots together. The collective noun is a cover, according to www.thespruce.com
Eaton
St Andrew’s, Eaton The Yare – home to the Norfolk Naiads…The Yare – home to the Norfolk Naiads…The River YareGhost house…Eaton ParkEaton ParkMarston MarshMarston MarshMarston MarshMarston MarshMarston MarshMarston Marsh
Great Yarmouth
The Minster:
Great Yarmouth, one of 5 Hanseatic towns in the UK, has a Minster, some remaining town walls and a monument to Nelson https://www.hanse.org/en/hanseatic-cities/The Minster of St Nicholas – it claims to be the largest parish church in the country…The Minster of St Nicholas The colourful organ case was funded by the Masons in 1945 to celebrate the end of WW2Interesting information on the church
Town Walls:
Not much of the town wall remainsThis gatehouse dates from 1344
The Town:
The remains of the Benedictine Priory, founded in 1101 by Herbert de Losinga – first bishop of Norwich. The priory was closed in 1536 during the dissolution of monasteries. There was an Augustinian priory and a Greyfriars priory in Great Yarmouth – remains of both can still be seen…The Fisherman’s Hospital dates from 1702The Nelson monument, featuring Britannia on top, was erected to commemorate the victory of the Battle of Trafalgar. It is around 40m high – about 5m shorter than Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square…
Norwich
In 1404 Henry IV endowed the City of Norwich, then the second largest city in England, with a civic charter proclaiming it to be a county in its own right, thus giving it greater autonomy from the county of Norfolk and empowering its citizens with the right to elect a mayor and two sheriffs annually. It ceased to be a separate county in 1974. Anyone who knows Norwich will be aware of the legend that it has 52 churches and 365 pubs. In addition it has a castle, fragments of city walls and 2 cathedrals. Unsurprisingly, Norwich is designated a “gem town”…
Some of the Churches:
St John the Baptist, TimberhillAll Saints ChurchSt Peter Mancroft – a medieval masterpiece – was begun by 1430, and was consecrated on St Peter’s Day, 1455 St Peter Mancroft St Peter Mancroft St John’s church is popularly known simply as St John Maddermarket, and is famous for being the church where the morris dancer Will Kempe ended his nine days dance to Norwich from London in 1599.St. Andrews is the centrepiece of The Halls – the name by which many people refer to the whole complex. It has a high-beamed ceiling, beautiful stained glass windows, limestone columns and a large polished maple floor. It was originally the nave of the friary and was completed in 1449. St Michael at PleaLovely Wisteria in the grounds of St Michael at PleaSt Peter HungateSt George TomblandSt Gregory’sSt GilesAnyone familiar with Norwich will know that there are lots of churches, including this little one tucked away on Queen Street: St Mary the Less: a 13th century church that closed in 1542. Dutch “strangers” were housed here in 1565; it became a French Protestant church in 1637 and ceased being a church (again) in 1953. It then became a furniture warehouse until 1967 and now it is in private hands…St Julian’s ChurchSt Julian’s ChurchThe Octagon Chapel dates from 1756The Quaker Meeting House
Cathedrals:
Norwich Cathedral was started in 1096 and took nearly 200 years to complete, with stone shipped from Caen in Normandy. The cathedral has the second tallest spire and second largest medieval cloisters in England. It also has the largest collection of decorative roof bosses in England and is the only church in the Northern Hemisphere to have its Saxon Bishop’s Throne in its original positionNorwich CathedralNorwich Cathedral – founded around 1096 along with a Benedictine Priory…Julian of Norwich wrote the first work in English by a woman: Revelations of Divine Love – around 1413…Erpingham Gate (c1420) was built by Sir Thomas Erpingham, who led the English archers at the Battle of AgincourtEthelbert Gate (c1316) was built by the citizens of Norwich as a penance after their riot had burnt down the original wooden gate.The Catholic Cathedral of St John the Baptist was designed by George Gilbert Scott Jr and completed under John Oldrid Scott in 1884-1910
Medieval Norwich:
Norwich Castle – work on a castle started in 1067, with work starting on a stone castle getting underway in 1094 – restoration started in 2020…It’s a bit harsh to criticise Great Yarmouth for not looking after its town walls when the city walls here in Norwich are in such a sad state. Norwich’s City walls were built around 1294-1343 and no houses were built outside the wall until 1779 -89. The walls incorporate a number of towers such as the Boom Tower, Cow Tower and Black Tower. During the English Civil War three of the city’s gates (St Augustine’s, Conesford and Bishop’s) were blocked up with earth. Research into the defences show that the Boom Towers, like the rest of the walls, gradually fell out of serious use, becoming “monuments in the landscape”… The East Garth and West Garth – remains of a Dominican Friary (Blackfriars) dating from the early 1300’sThe Guildhall was built between 1407-13. On completion it was the largest municipal building in England outside London…Dragon Hall is a Grade 1 listed medieval trading hall dating from around 1430, renowned for its spectacular timber crown-post roof and intricately carved and painted dragon…Whereas this bit is need of restoration…There are many fine medieval streetsElm Hill – an area of cobbled streets and Tudor buildingsHenry Bacon’s house dates from around 1548 – Henry Bacon was Sheriff of NorwichThe Maids Head Hotel claims to be the oldest hotel in the country as it was the site of a hospice in the early 12th century. Records from 1287 show that it was called the “Murtel Fish Tavern“…
The City:
By 1837 Bullard’s Anchor Brewery occupied a 7 acre site. In 1958, Bullard’s acquired local rival Young’s, Crawshay & Young’s. In 1961, Bullard’s joined with Steward & Patteson to buy Morgan’s Brewery. In 1963, Bullard’s itself was bought by Watney’s, who closed the Anchor Brewery in 1966. In 1967, Watney’s bought Steward & Patteson and closed their brewery in 1970. Following the closure of Bullard’s and then Steward & Patteson, Norfolk became something of a beer desert but gradually a thriving independent brewing industry grew… https://www.norfolk-norwich.com/news/norfolk-breweries.phpThe Queen of Hungary Yard runs alongside the former Queen of Hungary pub, which closed in 1913. Earliest records of the pub seem to go back to around 1760, so it might have been named after Queen Maria Theresa – the only woman to rule the mighty Hapsburg Empire https://www.historyofroyalwomen.com/…/year-maria…/The Gardeners Arms – also known as “The Murderers”Poor Millie married Frank Miles in 1892 but it was not a happy marriage. By 1895, Millie was back living with her mum, Maria Wilby – landlady of The Gardeners Arms. One day, Frank saw Millie walk into the pub with a young man and swore he’d come back and murder her. True to his word, Frank came back next day and attacked poor Millie and she died on 4th June, 1895. Thereafter, the pub became known as “The Murderers”…The Royal Arcade has a lovely Belle Époque entranceThe Royal ArcadeThe former General Post OfficeAt one time there were five churches on St Benedict’s Street
Riverside:
The River Wensum. Norwich has four rivers – the Wensum and the Yare are the biggest: the Tas and Tud being the other two…At the Rib of Beef, overlooking the River WensumThe River Wensum
Heydon
Heydon: between Norwich and Melton Constable, it is something of a curiosity – an unspoilt village much loved by film makers. Heydon is one of the last privately owned villages in the country http://heydon.co.uk/
Reepham
Reepham is not unique in having two adjacent churches but is unusual in having three. The churches are in different parishes, despite their proximitySweet village sign – not sure why it’s in the middle of the churchyard, though…St. Michael’s, Reepham and St. Mary’s, Whitwell – both closed to visitorsThese are the remains of All Saints Church – so claiming three churches is stretching things somewhat…The town centre has many fine Georgian buildingsIt must be posh here as it has an office of the auction house BonhamsThe old Reepham and Whitwell railway station is a bit of a junk yard. The line was on the old Midland & Great Northern line – known colloquially as the “muddle and go nowhere” line…It is now a heritage line and runs trains in season from here to LenwadeLucy and Jack not very impressed
Sheringham
A Class One DMU, dating from 1960, on the North Norfolk Railway heritage line that runs between Sheringham and Holt…As claims to fame go, this is a curious one: the site of the first bomb dropped by an aeroplane in WW1An old cannon that, according to the plaque, “may have been around” at the time of the Armada (1588)
Aylsham
St Michael and All Saints dates from the 13th century – very grand outsideAnd very plain insideHumphry Repton (note spelling) was a famous landscaper and is buried in the graveyard…Lord Nelson came to a dance here on December 15th, 1792 – I hope he had dinner here, too, as the food is very good…
Burgh Castle
Burgh Castle is the site of a Roman fort dating from around 300ad and is the best preserved Roman site in East Anglia. The fort protected what was an important port – not immediately obvious from the current landscapeBy around 630ad this is believed to have been the site of an early Christian monasteryIn the 1100’s the Normans built a castle here – of which very little remainsBaffled by the presence of these two police officers
Caister
The castle was commissioned in 1432 by Sir John Fastolf – it is one of the earliest brick-built buildings in the countryBy 1469 the castle had been acquired by the Duke of Norfolk but the main attraction here nowadays is…A 1903 City & Suburban electric carA Renault Raceabout from 1912 – strange…A 1921 Stoewer – made in what was Stettin (Szczecin)…A 1927 Voisin C12A 1929 Minerva LimousineA vast 1936 Hispano Suiza K6A 1936 Singer AirstreamA 1957 Heinkel bubble carA 1961 Vauxhall CrestaA 1968 Glas 1300 GTA Scott Sociable – probably from the early 1920’s – it was originally designed for use as a gun carrier in WW1 but the lack of a reverse gear plus inherent instability rendered it unsuccessful. However, around 300 were made in the early 1920’s and were popular with gamekeepers on grouse moors…This Bond was in the car park – clearly no one was expecting it. It is a Bond Minicar MKG Ranger from around 1962. The original Bond Minicar was built in Preston. Bond was subsequently bought by Reliant in 1969, who closed the Preston factory in 1970, with production moving to Tamworth. The last Bond car, the Bug, ceased production in 1974…
