A Guide to Cromer and Its Neighbourhood

by Anonymous

EXCURSION TO THORPE AND GUNTON HALL, RETURNING BY ROUGHTON.

Taking the Norwich road, we proceed to the village of Northrepps, which is divided into two parts, called Church Street and Far Street, containing about two thousand six hundred acres of land, picturesquely broken into hill and dale, and belonging chiefly to Lord Suffield. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, though not equal to Southrepps, is a noble building, with a lofty square tower. The patronage is vested in the crown. The rectory-house and free-school, which he also endowed, were both erected at the cost of the late incumbent, the Rev. Thomas Hay, D.D.

Leaving now the Norwich road, and taking that to North Walsham, we reach Thorpe Market, which is a small but extremely pretty village, about a mile from Gunton Hall, four and a half from North Walsham, and the same from Cromer.

The present church is much and deservedly admired for the simplicity and elegance of its construction. It is dedicated to St. Margaret, and was partly built on the site of the old one, by the second Lord Suffield, who died in 1821. It consists only of a single arch, of flint-stone and freestone, with turrets at the angles, and a gable on each side, surmounted by a cross. The windows are ornamented with painted glass, as are also the upper parts of two light Gothic screens, which divide the chancel and the west end from the centre part, which is fitted up for divine service. It contains three ancient monuments, taken from the old church, and a handsome one by Rynart, erected to the memory of two brothers of the noble founder. The vault of the Rants (formerly lords of the manor) was under the old church, but is now securely bricked up in the churchyard.

Close to the church are extensive gardens, to which parties are made, to eat strawberries and cream, &c. An oak stands there, which, for beauty and size attracts universal admiration, and is, in fact, one of the lions of the place. [36] Some Spanish chestnuts also, near the church-gate, are very fine.

Leaving Thorpe for Gunton Hall, the seat of the Right Hon. Lord Suffield, you pass, at the north-east angle of the park, under the arch of an elegant tower, rising to the height of one hundred and twenty feet six inches, from which an extensive prospect is afforded of the surrounding country. The Hall itself is an elegant edifice, built of white brick, and it was much enlarged under the direction of Mr. Wyatt, in 1785. It stands on an eminence commanding a very fine view of the park and its plantations, which occupy not less than nine hundred and forty-two acres. More attention has been paid in the interior to comfort than to splendor, in which respect it is not to be exceeded. The gardens are extensive, and tastefully laid out. The park is well stocked with deer, and is noted for the number of pheasants and hares with which it abounds. From the Thorpe road an avenue is pointed out, which extends two miles, and opens into the park, through which the view is perfectly unobstructed.

A fine lake lies on the left as we leave the park through the Hanworth Lodge, where the trees again form an avenue, naturally, and in a most picturesque manner, interlacing their luxuriant branches, and forming a canopy over the road.

The church, dedicated to St. Andrew, has a handsome portico of the Doric order, and was rebuilt by Sir Willian Morden Harbord, Bart., who became possessed of the estate in 1742. The rectory is consolidated with Hanworth, and is in the gift of Lord Suffield. The house is shown to visitors.

There is little to be noticed at Roughton, except that it is a pleasant village in an open vale, containing about one thousand one hundred acres of land, of which three hundred and seventy-six are of heath. The church is a vicarage, of which the Bishop of Ely is patron. It boasts of a free-school, endowed with thirty-six acres of land, founded by Robert Brown early in the seventeenth century. Roughton is four miles from Cromer. The drive consists of nearly fourteen miles.

EXCURSION TO SHERRINGHAM,
THROUGH RUNTON AND BEESTON.

The drive to Runton is by some considered the least pleasing of any round Cromer. We hardly know how to subscribe to this opinion, for the sea-view is extremely fine, and there are points of inland beauty belonging to it which are very striking. As we before observed, the town itself, to be seen to advantage, should be viewed from this road.

Runton parish comprises two small villages, called East and West Runton, and is from one to two miles distant from Cromer. It contains about one thousand acres of land, subject to the encroachments of the ocean, and is bounded on the south by a lofty range of hills. The high hill to the left is known by the name of Wrinkleborrow Hill. The church, which is dedicated to the Holy Trinity, stands on an acclivity above West Runton, and is a rectory, united with Aylmerton. East Runton is a mere fishing village, nearly a mile east of the church, on a small green. Sir T. F. Buxton owns a very neat mansion here.

About a mile distant is the small village of Beeston, or as it is distinguished from others of the same name, Beeston Regis, or Beeston on the Sea, which adjoins Lower Sherringham. The church, which is near the beach, is dedicated to All Saints, and is a rectory, of which the patronage is vested in the Duchy of Lancaster.

The object of attraction here, however, to the visitor, is the ruins of its ancient priory, which stand at the east end of the village in a romantic dale, sheltered from the cold winds of the north by lofty hills, yet so situated as to command a noble view of the sea and of the surrounding country. The site indeed of all the religious houses of old was so invariably selected on principles of the best taste, and with the utmost regard to the local advantages and conveniences of the place, that a recollection of the fact should always draw attention to the point, with a view to discover what these were.

The priory was dedicated to St. Mary, and was founded in the reign of King John, by the Lady Isabel, or, as some say, by the Lady Elizabeth de Cressy, for canons of the order of St. Augustine. At the dissolution it was granted to Sir Edward Windham and others. A small tower, and the whole of the west gable-wall of the Priory church are standing, together with many other large masses of walls, over which the “ruin-loving ivy” extends its faithful embraces. Some years ago the ivy grew most luxuriantly, but it was ruthlessly cut down, since which time, though its growth has been encouraged, it has not recovered its original beauty. To see these ruins to advantage, they should be visited in the evening, when the glowing yet subdued rays of the setting sun illuminating the most picturesque parts of the abbey and the surrounding landscape, and throwing others into deep and harmonious shade, a picture is presented to the careless observer which cannot fail to give gratification, and to awaken in the more meditative that train of melancholy but pleasing thought, which seems so peculiarly to belong to such spectacles and to such seasons.

Lower Sherringham, which is nearly a mile and a half distant from the church, is situated on lofty sea-cliffs, rising nearly one hundred feet from the beach. These cliffs are divided by a narrow ravine, through which a small rivulet and a road winds down the beach. It is a considerable fishing-station, having several curing-houses. Cod, skate, whitings, crabs, and lobsters are caught here in abundance, particularly the two latter, of which great quantities are sent to London by vessels which receive the fish from the boats whilst at sea.

The sea makes continual encroachments here as on other places on this coast. During an extraordinary high tide, which occurred on the 22nd of October, 1800, a large inn was precipitated in ruins upon the beach, but providentially its inhabitants had sufficient warning of their danger to save themselves and much of their furniture. A new inn has been since erected.

There are a few traces of a chapel, dedicated to St. Nicholas, still to be seen.—The lovers of the sublime will do well to visit the cliffs of this place.

From hence to Upper Sherringham the road becomes exceedingly picturesque and beautiful, and is not to be exceeded by any other in the neighbourhood. The estate which lies to the right, together with the handsome mansion erected upon it, belonged to the late A. Upcher, Esq., and is now in possession of his son. The house seen nearest the road, and which is often mistaken for the Hall, the seat of H. R. Upcher, Esq., is inhabited by the Hon. Mrs. Upcher, the widow of the above gentleman; a lady of whom it may truly be said by the poor of her neighbourhood, that she is “feet to the lame, and eyes to the blind,” and a friend to all.

The church, which is dedicated to All Saints, is a vicarage, of which the Bishop of Ely is the patron. It is a very neat structure, and is kept in excellent repair. It boasts of only two or three slabs with brasses upon them, and one monument, by Bacon, erected in the chancel to the memory of Mr. Upcher, but this is well worthy of inspection. The design is elegantly conceived and admirably executed, yet so simple and touching, and the inscription it bears is so impressive, that it can scarcely fail to do, what, indeed, all such momentoes ought to do, and are perhaps intended to do,—affect the heart of the observer, and recall a truth to his mind, which is too often forgotten—that all on earth is fleeting and unstable.

Near the church is a large reservoir, which was formed in 1814, to supply the village with water, brought in pipes from a spring on the neighbouring hill. The school is supported by Mrs. Upcher, for the education of thirty boys and fifty girls, who each pay one penny per week.

If the visitor desire to view Sherringham Hall, the mansion and grounds of H. R. Upcher, Esq., he should take the Upper Road, as it is called, leaving Cromer by the Holt-road, by which means he will not only gain the most advantageous view of each, but avoid the ascent of a very long and high hill. Entering the lodge-gate direct from the road, he will proceed for nearly a mile through a path-road through the grounds, which for boldness, beauty, and variety is unequalled in this part of the country, and would not disgrace even some of the more favoured spots in Wales. If the gurgling of the concealed stream, or the gush of falling water were heard,—the characteristic accompaniment of Welch scenery,—the delusion would be complete: as it is surprise and pleasure divide the attention. After winding down the hill for some time, occasionally obtaining a fine prospect of the ocean, and seeing to advantage the house inhabited by the Hon. Mrs. Upcher, we suddenly come in view of the Hall itself, which is a handsome and commodious edifice. Its situation is well chosen, overlooking a fine bay of the ocean, and sheltered by a woody acclivity. The ground everywhere rises into bold swells, and is adorned with trees from their summits to their base, united by gentle slopes to the rich valleys, “spotted with white sheep,” that divide them. The effect of alternate light and shade on these at a distance is delightfully shown, and the whole scenery is such as may equally gratify the painter and the lover of nature.

One pensive thought, however, is awakened by the recollection that the amiable individual who erected the mansion and in part [44] adorned the surrounding grounds, did not live to inhabit the one or to enjoy the other. Mr. Upcher died in the flower of his age, in 1819, just before the house was completed, leaving a widow and several young children, and is interred in a mausoleum which he built adjoining the church.

Having passed the house, the road leads into the Lower Road, to Beeston and Runton, or by taking the road to the left, you may reach Weybourn, where the cliff ends.

The drive to Upper Sherringham by the Lower Road, or Runton, consists of five miles; by the Upper, or Holt, six miles. If extended to Weybourn, eight miles.

EXCURSION TO BLICKLING, AYLSHAM,
THROUGH ROUGHTON.

Having already noticed Roughton, we proceed without anything particular to observe, till we are within a short distance of Erpingham, when we pass, on the left, the rectory-house of Hanworth, which is very delightfully situated on the verge of Gunton-park, about two miles from Erpingham, which place lies to the right.

To those versed in chivalric lore, this village will be interesting;—Sir Thomas de Erpingham, the gallant favourite of the renowned John of Gaunt, and one of the sharers of the glories of the field of Agincourt, taking his name from this place, of which he and his predecessors were lords of the manor. The church and tower were begun in his time, but finished some years after his death. It contains inscriptions to the memory of the family, and a very perfect brass of Sir John Erpingham, whose son, Sir John, lies buried under a large stone at the east end of the south aisle: the arms are lost, but his effigy in armour remains, as standing on a lion: at each corner of the stone is the emblem of one of the Evangelists. The church, dedicated to St. Mary, has a tall square tower, on the summit of which were the effigies of four confessors, in their habits, carved in free-stone, three only of which are remaining, the fourth having been struck down by a violent tempest, which occurred during divine service, and killed one of the congregation. This happened about a century ago. The living, which is a rectory, is in the gift of the Dowager Lady Suffield.

At a short distance further, we pass on the left, the remains (for it can scarcely be called otherwise) of the ancient church of Ingworth, which appears to be of the age of William Rufus. It is dedicated to St. Lawrence, and had formerly a round tower, which fell down in the year 1812. The rectory is in the gift of W. H. Windham, Esq.

The whole of the drive lies through a richly wooded and fertile country, which as Blickling is approached, becomes more beautiful. The first sight of the Hall is very striking and imposing, and the general view of it gives an excellent idea of the grandeur and regularity of the buildings of former ages.

Blickling Hall, the seat of the Dowager Lady Suffield, is a large quadrangular mansion of brick, and forms a perfect specimen of architectural taste in the reign of James I., in which reign it was commenced, but not finished till that of Charles I. It has two open courts in the centre, with turrets at the angles, and a large clock-tower over the entrance, standing in a beautiful park of seven hundred acres [46] well stocked with deer, and extending into the adjacent parishes of Oulton, and Itteringham. The entrance from the court in front, formed by the offices and stables, is over a bridge of two arches, across the moat. On an ancient oak door in the front is the date, Anno Domini, 1620. This is within an arch, the key-stone of which bears a grotesque figure, and over the entablature is a rich compartment, bearing the arms and quarterings of Sir Henry Hobart, Bart. The entrance-hall measures forty-two feet, by thirty-three, and is thirty-three feet in height, opening to the great staircase of oak: this is ornamented with various figures, carved in wood, and conducts to a grand gallery, containing statues of Anne Boleyn and Queen Elizabeth. The apartments, which are spacious, are adorned with rich chimney-pieces, ceilings, wainscots, &c., but the paintings are not very numerous or very valuable. The most remarkable room is the library, which is one hundred and twenty-seven feet in length, by twenty-one in breadth, and consequently rather offends the eye, as not being well-proportioned. The ceiling is divided into compartments, containing figures emblematical of the five senses, with others in relief, many of which are not a little grotesque. The library contains upwards of ten thousand volumes, amongst which are some very scarce and valuable works.

The grounds are very beautiful. A lake, one of the finest pieces of water in the kingdom, forms the principal ornament of the park and gardens. This extends in the form of a crescent, about a mile in length, and four hundred yards in its greatest breadth, and is skirted by verdant lawns and thickly wooded hills, which give a most charming effect. The conduit and statues are those which formerly adorned the platform of Oxnead Hall, one of the residences of the Earl of Yarmouth, two miles and a half from Aylsham, of which the sole remains are one wing, occupied by a farmer.

About a mile from the Hall is a stone mausoleum, built in the form of a pyramid, upon a base of forty-five feet, in which are deposited the remains of the late Earl of Buckinghamshire and his two wives; but the remains of nineteen of his ancestors and relations are deposited in a vault, the coffins standing in an upright position, under the north aisle of the church.

There are many circumstances connected with Blickling which render it exceedingly interesting. The manor was held by Harold, the unfortunate competitor of the crown with the Norman William. The Conqueror settled the whole manor and advowson on the see of Thetford; afterwards, on the foundation of Norwich Cathedral, the Bishops of Norwich held the demesne in their own hands, and had here a palace with a fine park adjoining. In 1431, Blickling became the property of Sir Thomas Erpingham, and having passed though several hands it came into the possession of Sir Thomas Boleyn, the father of the beautiful and unfortunate Anne Boleyn, who was married from this place, Henry VIII. having come to Blickling personally to wed her. Nor was this the only royal visit paid to it; Charles II. and his amiable consort having visited it in his progress through the county, in 1671.

Blickling passed from the Boleyns to the Hobarts, ancestors of the Earl of Buckinghamshire, when the old mansion was pulled down, and the present rebuilt by Sir John Hobart, which was completed in 1628. The second Earl rebuilt the west front in 1769, when his countess, as appears by an inscription over the door of this part, bequeathed her jewels towards defraying the expenses.

The church, dedicated to St. Andrew, stands on an eminence near the Hall, and contains many inscriptions to the former lords of the manor, with a few small effigies and brasses; one of these is for Anne Boleyn, the aunt of the unhappy queen, which exhibits the first example of a necklace.

A mile and a half from Blickling, is the neat and well built market-town of Aylsham, which for beauty of situation is not exceeded by any in the county. It has a very flourishing appearance, and several excellent houses are built in or near it. The Bure, which runs at the foot of the town, is navigable to Yarmouth, for boats of forty tons burthen. During the reigns of Edward II. and III., it was celebrated for a manufacture of linen, then called “Aylsham webs,”—“Cloth of Aylsham.” This was superseded by the woollen manufacture, and in the time of James I., the inhabitants were chiefly employed in knitting worsted stockings, waistcoats, &c.; the introduction of frame-work knitting has destroyed this branch of trade likewise. The court of the Duchy of Lancaster was formerly held here. It was once noted for its Spa, the water of which was esteemed efficacious in cases of asthma, and other chronic diseases. The spring is about half a mile south of the town.

The church, dedicated to St. Michael, is a handsome Gothic structure, situated on the summit of an abrupt acclivity, commanding a very fine view of the surrounding country. It is said to have been built by John of Gaunt, whose arms appear in various parts of the walls. It contains many monumental inscriptions and brasses, among which is one to Thomas Wymes, who is represented in his winding-sheet. He caused the screens and roof to be painted with saints, martyrs, &c. Part of this work has lately been discovered, and is in good preservation. The fount has basso-relievos of the four emblems of the evangelists, the instruments of the Passion, and the arms of Gaunt. The interior of the church is very handsome; but is much injured in appearance by the irregularity of the pews, if not by the introduction of pews altogether. The benches, no doubt, were formerly much ornamented with carving, many rich specimens of which are remaining. The most beautiful of these have been collected, and with admirable taste arranged for a screen for the altar. The patronage of the living, which is a vicarage, is vested in the dean and chapter of Canterbury.

Aylsham enjoys the advantage of a free-school. Archbishop Parker also founded two fellowships in Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, and appropriated them to this and Wymondham school. One of the scholars must be born in Aylsham; but it is requisite for the other to be educated only at the free-school there.

Blickling is eleven miles from Cromer. Aylsham, by the direct road, is the same distance.

EXCURSION TO BACTON,
THROUGH MUNDESLEY, RETURNING BY PASTON, KNAPTON, AND TRUNCH.

A pleasant excursion may be made to Bacton, a village twelve miles from Cromer, on the low road to Yarmouth, where the ruins of Bromholm Priory deserve attention.

This priory was founded by William de Glanville, for Clugniac monks, as a cell to Castleacre Priory, in 1113, and dedicated to St. Andrew. Like many others, it owed much of its former wealth to fraud and superstition. A cross was here preserved, which was said to be made of the wood of that on which our Saviour suffered, and which was possessed of such virtues, that nineteen blind persons, it is gravely asserted, were restored to sight by it. At the dissolution it was granted, with the adjacent estate, to Sir Thomas Woodhouse, ancestor of the present nobleman of that name. The building, like that of almost every other in Norfolk, was chiefly of flint. The hand of time has been ruthless in its damages; a lofty pointed arch-gateway is the only part still entire, the walls being, in many places, only a few feet high.

Paston is distant from Bacton about three miles. The church, which is dedicated to St. Margaret, boasts of several handsome monuments to the Paston family, of which the Earls of Yarmouth are the representatives, and who formerly possessed the manor. One of these, erected to the memory of Lady Katherine Paston, wife of Sir Edmund Paston, deserves notice. On it is a recumbent effigy of that lady, beautifully executed, in 1629, by Nathaniel Stone, at the cost of three hundred and forty pounds. John Mack, Esq. possesses a neat mansion here, which was erected on the site of the old one, formerly the seat of the Paston family.

The late celebrated Sir Astley Paston Cooper derived descent, by his mother’s side, from this family.

Knapton is situated on a lofty eminence, three miles from North Walsham, and one from Paston. The object of attraction here is the roof of the church, which is of Irish oak, richly ornamented with carvings of saints and angels. The church is dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul, and has a nave and chancel, with a tower at the west end. The rectory is in the alternate gift of Lord Suffield and the Master and Fellows of St. Peter’s College, Cambridge.

Proceeding another mile we reach Trunch church, the tower of which, rising above the trees that surround it, forms a beautiful object, in every direction from which it is viewed. The church, dedicated to St. Botolph, contains an ancient font, which is well worthy of inspection.

The proximity of this parish, with several others, has given rise to the following familiar “memoranda:”

“Trimingham, Gimingham, Knapton, and Trunch,
Southrepps, and Northrepps, lie all in a bunch.”

The return by the latter places shortens the length of this excursion by one mile.