The Blenheim Road Show coming to Watton on 19th Jan

Group member Julian Horn has passed on the info about this forthcoming event 'This should be a cracker of a talk, Smudge has rebuilt the Blenheim 3 times and was on board in the Air Gunner’s position during its first crash many years ago.' It sounds an event not to be missed.

Snippets on Watton from the 'Norfolk Annals 1805 - 1850

25-8-1803.—Mr. George Wyer, of Downham Market, “carried a 20 stone sack of flour
one mile, leading through the town of Watton, for a wager of 230 guineas,
which he performed with great ease in 18 minutes, to the astonishment of
a vast number of spectators.”

29-10-1806 .—A trotting match for 50 guineas took place on the turnpike road from
Norwich to Watton, between Mr. King’s chestnut hone Doubtful and Mr.
Jeary’s brown mare Velocity.  “The horse won by about two lengths.  Owing
to a dispute respecting the horse galloping within the last hundred yards
the match still remains undetermined.  Fifteen and a half miles were
covered in one hour.”

16-10-1819.—The East Dereham and London Telegraph coach was advertised by John
Leverett and Co.  It started from the Cherry Tree Inn every Sunday,
Tuesday, and Thursday at 6.30 a.m., and travelled by Shipdham and Watton
to the King’s Head, Thetford, to meet the Norwich Telegraph.  The Dereham
Telegraph then proceeded to the Woolpack Inn and the Angel Inn at Bury
St. Edmund’s, whence it returned to Thetford on the following day and met
the Norwich Telegraph on its return from London, and arrived at Dereham
the same evening at nine o’clock.  On Saturday the Dereham Telegraph ran
to Norwich and back.

20-1-1823.—A coach commenced running from the Crown Tavern, Lynn, every Monday,
Wednesday, and Friday morning by Swaffham and Dereham to Norwich.  It
returned from Norwich _viâ_ Hingham, Watton, and Swaffham.  Another coach
set out from the White Swan, Norwich, every Tuesday, Thursday, and
Saturday morning at eleven o’clock, and travelled by Dereham and Swaffham
to meet the Stamford coach at Lynn.  It returned after the arrival of the
Stamford coach, by Swaffham, Watton, and Hingham.

5-3-1829.—The Westacre Staghounds had a remarkable run.  The meet was at Watton,
where the stag was turned off, and led a field of between 60 and 70 to
Ovington, Shipdham, Whinbergh, over Reymerston Common, touching
Southbergh, to Carbrooke, crossing Griston Common, to Thompson Heath.
Here there was a short check, which was hit off in good style, and away
they went for Tottington, on to Wretham, leaving the decoy on the left,
thence to Kilverstone and Brettenham Heaths, to the left of Croxton, and
to the River Ouze, which was crossed between Santon Downham and Thetford.
Only nine horsemen forded the river; they dashed away across the open in
the direction of Barton Mills, where another check occurred.  They then
passed over Wangford Warren to Lakenheath Common, straight for Bramber
Hall, and the stag was killed in the plantations of Mr. Edward Bliss,
after a run of three hours and three-quarters.  (The hounds were
advertised to be sold at the first Newmarket meeting, April 22nd.)

18-3-1843.—The Watton coach, on its way from Norwich, with six female outside
passengers, stopped at Barford Cock.  During the temporary absence of
Allen, the coachman, the horses started off at full gallop, and were not
stopped till they arrived at Hingham.  With the exception of a wheel
being taken off a passing vehicle, no damage was done.

All from:

                              NORFOLK ANNALS


              A CHRONOLOGICAL RECORD OF REMARKABLE EVENTS IN
                          THE NINETEENTH CENTURY

         (_Compiled from the files of the_ “_Norfolk Chronicle_”)

                                    BY
                              CHARLES MACKIE

                                * * * * *

                                VOLUME I.

                                1801–1850

                                * * * * *

    “It is beyond the capacity of the human intellect to discriminate
    beforehand between what is valuable and what is valueless in the
    pursuit of historical research.  What would we give now for
    newspapers and trade circulars illustrating the social habits of many
    bygone times and peoples?”—_The Times_, May 4, 1900.

                                * * * * *

                     [_Entered at Stationers’ Hall_]

                                   1901
  Printed at the Office of the “Norfolk Chronicle” Market Place Norwich

We had a good time at the Smashing Saxons half-term event at Watton Library

The Smashing Saxons event yesterday afternoon at Watton Library went very well. The photo top left shows Jayne Winterbone the Community Librarian demonstrating how to make thumb pots, based on the design of Saxon urns. Mums and children made 11 small pots and decorated them in Saxon style. The Capturing our Wayland Heritage Project put on a display and provided hand-outs about some early Saxons pottery and finds found in Watton. We also gave those at the workshop a chance to get hands-on with some real Saxon finds.

At the event I said I would send a photo of one of the young potters to her. If you see this blog could you or you mum please get in touch, as I cannot get through too your email address (also I the spoon for you).  

The drawing on the left is part of an early Saxon burial urn discovered in Watton in the 1950s. Discover more about Watton's archaeology at http://www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk/SingleResult.aspx?uid=%27TNF1652%27

Consolidated B-24 Liberator emergency landing near Watton 1943

Consolidated B-24 Liberator
Originally uploaded by Doug Sheley
The B-24 was called 'Pregnant Peg' from the 577th Bomb Squadron, 392nd Bomb Group (Wendling) http://www.b24.net/, 8th Air Force.
This is one of the many wonderful images that can be seen on the 'Capturing Our Wayland Heritage' online Flickr photo group pages. The group has 38 members and over 700 photographs have been up loaded on to the site. If you take photographs in the Wayland area, or have old images, that you would like to share, why not join Flickr and the group (it is Free)at http://www.flickr.com/groups/wayland-heritage/

The 1910 Book 'The Land of Babes in the Wood' by Rev Charles Kent is now freely available on the Web

The Land of the "Babes in the Woods" or The Breckland of Norfolk

This book was written by Rev. Charles Kent, M.A of Merton in Norfolk and published in 1910,he drew heavily apron the papers and notes of his predecessor Rev. George Crabbe of Merton that had been left at the church and rectory. It is one of the few books that has covered the Wayland area in any depth.  You will find a wonderful range of topics such as superstitions, highwaymen and local traditions. There are chapters on Watton, Merton, Thompson, Stow Bedon, Breccles, Tottington, Carbrooke, Caston, Griston and Scoulton.
                                                                                                        The 'Capturing Our Wayland Heritage' project is working to make out of print reference books, such as this, easily accessible to researchers. The text is searchable and the whole book can be downloaded as a PDF from Google Docs once there click on the file button (top left) and a drop down menu will give the option to download. The book, from Sue White's collection, was scanned, edited and the PDF prepared by Gary Pearce.

Queens Hall - Souvenir Programme 1956

Following the Wayland Heritage Discovery Day at Queens Hall last Friday it seemed a good time to start looking at the history of the hall. We are lucky that a copy of the original 1956 souvenir programme has survived in Lesley Cowling's family collection of Wayland documents. The three pages that give a history of what was then called 'Watton Coronation Hall' have been added here. The full programme has been scanned and can now be read online (in the window above) and downloaded from Google Docs, if you click on the small icon top right in the window above you can see it in a larger window, click on File, top right, and you can download it free from there.

If anyone can give some of their time to help scan documents like this please, get in touch with the project heritage officer  sue@wayland.org.uk

Thank you to everyone that came to the 'Wayland Heritage Discovery Day'

Thank you to everyone that came to the Discovery Day on Friday. As you can see from the photo on the left we had a good time. All the hard work of the local heritage, needlecraft and photographic groups made it a very interesting and enjoyable day.

We were luck to be able to have John Lord demonstration the ancient art of flint working all through the day as part of the 'Wayland Heritage Discovery Day'. The speed and skill with which he works the flint is amazing. Visit his website to find out more about his work and where else you can see him flintknapping www.flintknapping.co.uk

Dr John Davies's talk on 'Boudica's Norfolk' ended the 'Wayland Heritage Discovery Day', with a wonderful fresh look at Iron Age Norfolk. Covering some of the results that new research and discoveries are revealing about our county. The Ashill and Saham Toney within the Wayland area may prove to be of particular importants.  Dr Davies has recently published to books on Boudica's Norfolk.

Again many thanks to all of you that attended.

Photographs of Liberator Graveyard - RAF Watton

Liberator Graveyard, originally uploaded by Tedder13.

For those of you that may have not seen the resent photographs added to the 'Capturing Our Wayland Heritage' photo pool on flickr it is well worth looking at those of RAF Watton taken by S/Sgt Les Corey. They include two wonderful images of a Liberator Graveyard. Visit the site to see more of them and read about the collection by clicking on the link below http://www.flickr.com/photos/tedder13/sets/72157622049225423/.

The Wayland Show - Watton - 2nd August

The annual Wayland Show is one of oldest agricultural events in the country having been held for over 150 years, the first show was in 1857. It is still going strong and attracts crowds of more than 5,000 people to see displays of livestock, fur & feathers. The event also features displays of steam engines, classic cars, vintage tractors, gun dogs, falconry, art, crafts and weavers and spinners will be displaying their techniques. There will also be horse and carriage and helicopter rides. The Capturing Our Wayland Heritage’ project will have a stand at the show, with a display of copies of documents dating from the early years of the show.

8.30 Horse Event
10.00 Gun Dogs
10.25 Cyril the Squirrel
10.50 West Norfolk Foxhounds
11.10 Young Farmers Surprise Competition .
11.35 Classic cars
12.00 Household Cavalry display
12.30 Presentation of Young Achievers Award
12.35 Eagle Heights birds of prey
13.00 Vintage Tractors
13.25 Mid Norfolk Gun Dogs
13.50 Cyril the Squirrel
14.15 Martial Arts Display
14.35 West Norfolk Foxhounds
15.00 Norfolk Young Farmers Surprise Competition
15.25 Presentation of cheque to Macmillan Cancer Support
15.30 Household Cavalry display
16.00 Eagle Heights birds of prey
16.30 Livestock and Horses Champions parade
17.00 Presentation of the “Champion of Champions” award

All profits go to local charities. The Wayland Show Website
Entry prices are: Adults £8, Children £3 (under 5s free) and OAPs £6. Car parking is free.

Quilting and Needlework Exhibition by the Watton 'Hackers, Tackers & Stuffers Quilt and Needlework Group'

The Mayor of Watton, Councillor Margaret Holmes, opened the 2009 group exhibition in the Dragonfly Visitor and Exhibition Centre in Watton on 1oth July, and it runs until the 18th July. The opening night preview was very well attended. Their exhibition is a wonderful display of traditional and contemporary needlework skills and creativity, from group members living in the Wayland Area. A new blog site for the group has been set up http://htsqgroup.blogspot.com with the help of the 'Capturing Our Wayland Heritage Project'

Ceramic Balls from Watton - Losing Your Marbles

These hand-made ceramic balls were found in the Watton garden of Chris Woods, they measure between 24mm and 16mm. A natural round flint (far left) was found in the same area. It is suggested that the ceramic balls are home made marbles. Have you found anything like it, or have any information?

History of the Humble Marble

Marble-like games have been played for thousands of years. In Austria small round stones were found in the 4000 B.C. grave of a child. Small hand-made fired clay balls have been found in the tombs of ancient Egypt and nearly every part of of the ancient world. Both the Greeks and Romans played a version of the game of marbles, a painted Roman mural in Bath shows children playing marbles. The game is mentioned in a French poem of the 1100s, and marbles of coloured glass are mentioned in German literture as early as the 1400s. There is a painting of 1560 by Pieter Brueghel the Elder 'Children's Games' shows a game in progress. There is an account of 1694 of 62,200 marbles 'for boys to play with' being imported from Holland. Stone, agate and real marble marbles were produced in special ball mills in Germany from the 1700s. The market for marbles led to the patenting of a 'Machine for making marbles for children' in 1788. Glazed china marbles were introduced in around 1800. The first known printed book on the game was published in english in 1815. A german glass worker is thought to have invented the marble scissors in 1840s, which were used to mold the molten glass into balls. Clay mabled where mass produced in the 1870s, and in 1890 the first high production machine made glass marbles were produced in Germany and shortly after in the USA. It was not until 1950 that the classic cats eye marble was created in Japan, by injecting colour glass in to a clear molten glass.

How to Play Marbles
Before starting a game of marbles, players should agree whether they are playing for 'keeps' or not. 'Keeps' means that a player who wins a marble may keep it. Generally you win an opponent's marble by striking it with your own. On occasion, players may agree to play for 'keeps' for certain types of marbles, but not for others, in which case, they may substitute other less valuable marbles for the one won.

Conqueror

This game can be played by any number of players and the marbles shot can be any size. An order of play is decided.

The first player throws forward a marble to a distance of their choice, usually the distance that he throws best at. The second player then shoots at this marble.

Hitting the marble means winning it, but if he misses, he will then throw a new marble to restart the game. If he misses it, however, this marble (the one just thrown) remains in the field. A third player may shoot at either marble, capturing it in the event of a hit, but leaving the marble in play if he misses. A marble shot with force which bounces off several marbles in the field will capture all those which are hit.

If a player chooses an expensive alley, he may have the advantage of accuracy, but may stand to lose it in the event of a miss.

Dobblers

This is a game for any small number of players. Each player gives one or more marbles to a straight line of marbles spaced so that there is room for two marbles to pass through the gaps.

Each player then shoots in turn and may keep any marbles he hits. The player's taw remains where it lies at the end of the turn and subsequent turns are played from there the taw lies. A player whose taw is hit by another taw must add one marble to the line.

Ring Taw

This is one of the best known and most popular of all marbles games for a group of players. Two circles are drawn on the ground. The inner circle should be about 1ft (30cms) in diameter and the outer should be about 7ft (2m) diameter.

The players each put an agreed number of marbles into the inner ring. The order of play is decided and the players take turns to shoot their taw from any point on the outer ring at the marbles in the centre.

Any marbles knocked out of the centre ring are pocketed by the shooter and he is entitled to shoot again from the spot where his taw lies. 'Sticking' or shooting all marbles out of the ring consecutively and winning the game without giving an opponent a turn is usually good for two days of playground bragging rights.

When a shot is unsuccessful, play passes to the next player and the taw remains on the ground where is lies, if that spot is within the outer ring. The next player may then shoot at the marbles in the centre or at any of the opponents' taws. If he strikes a taw, its owner has to pay him one marble and he takes another shot. The shooter may not strike the same opponent's taw twice in a row. The game continues until the ring is cleared.

The Name of Marbles
The name comes from the use of real stone marble chips that were used to the balls in the 1700s.
They are also known as 'alleys', 'taws', 'merps', 'marvels' and dobblers. The best marbles are known a 'alleys' (said to be so called as they were once made of alabaster) which are prized for their accuracy. A 'taw' or a 'shooter' it the marble being used by the player. The names of marbles and the rules of the game can vary from village to village.

Do you remember what you called your marbles and the rules of the game you played? click on the word COMMENTS below to leave a message, please say where you come from and the decade you are talking about. It will be interesting to see the diffrences between the villages and the times.

Waylands Summer Fairs & Fetes

The Fete and Fair Season is in full swing, following the Horn Fair at Hockham, the project had a stand at the History Fair at Gressenhall, where the Scoulton History Group put on a display of their research.

The project gazebo and I have travelled to the fates at Caston, Ovington and Watton carnival over the last two weeks. The project has had a very warm and friendly welcome every where it has been. A great amount of interest has been shown in the project, which is reflected in the number people that have signed up to take part in 'Capturing Our Wayland Heritage'.