A Guide to Cromer and Its Neighbourhood

by Anonymous

Cromer enjoys but little trade, there being no convenient harbour where ships might ride in safety; what there is, consists in the exportation of corn, and importation of coals, tiles, oil-cakes, porter, &c. in vessels of from sixty to one hundred tons burthen. These lie upon the beach, where, at ebb tide, carts are drawn alongside to unlade them, and, when empty, they anchor at a little distance from the shore, and reload by means of boats. This method of lading and unlading is very expensive, as the carts, though drawn by four horses, owing to the steepness of the roads up the cliff, can only carry about half a ton at a time. In this manner they continue passing and repassing till the water has risen so high as to oblige them to desist, and wait till the tide has again receded. About two tides generally serve to complete the ship’s unloading.

The sea at Cromer is almost always diversified by a change of moving objects; the trade from Newcastle, Sunderland, and the Baltic, keeping up a constant succession of vessels; to which may be added the regular appearance of the various steam-vessels which ply between London and Scotland, giving life and interest to the scene, though defiling, as it were, the pure elements they have conquered by their ponderous volumes of black and waving smoke. In calm weather passengers may be landed from these vessels, in a boat sent for the purpose; but as the contingency of “wind and weather permitting,” is always expressed, few dare avail themselves of such a conveyance.

The cliffs, in many parts, are very lofty, and picturesquely broken; and their base being, for the most part, composed of strong blue clay, or marl, are capable of making considerable resistance to the impetuous attacks of the sea; so that while the upper parts, which are chiefly of sandy materials, are brought down by accidental circumstances, the feet still remain, opposing their bold projections to the waves, and forming a happy relief to the level surface of the beach. This is no place to enter into any geological detail respecting these cliffs; but if the more scientific reader should desire information on this point, we would direct him to an admirable article in the “Philosophical Magazine,” from the pen of Mr. Lyell; [13] or, what would be more acceptable, as well as attainable, we would venture to refer him to Mr. S. Simons, of Cromer, who, we feel convinced, would afford him that information which he is so competent to give. In the winter the cliffs are the favourite resort of many sea-birds, but in the summer some, as geese and ducks, retire to the marshes, while others entirely disappear.

Cromer church, which is dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul, and was probably erected in the reign of Henry IV. is a very handsome structure, built with flint and freestone, and consists of a nave and two aisles: the tower, which is square, with an embattled top, is one hundred and fifty-nine feet in height. The entrance at the west end, which is a beautiful specimen of gothic architecture, is in ruins, as are also the north porch, and the chancel, of which little now remains. At one time indeed the other parts of the church were so much in ruins, that Divine service was performed in the tower. [14] Many of its ornaments were destroyed by the soldiers of Cromwell, and the church itself converted into barracks. The flinting, in many parts of the building, can scarcely be excelled in the beauty of its execution. The nave and aisles are spacious and neatly fitted up, and made capable of containing a large congregation; but except the double row of arches which support the roof, and divide the aisles, very little of what it once was now remains; these, however, are of beautiful proportions. The windows, which were formerly of noble dimensions, and were decorated with painted glass, are, on the north side especially, either totally or partially closed, by the introduction of common bricks. It possesses a well-toned organ, and galleries have lately been erected by the contributions of the visitors and inhabitants, obtained through the strenuous exertions of the Rev. W. Sharpe, whose conduct on the occasion deserves the sincere gratitude of all parties.

Before these galleries were built, the fishermen used to sit together in the middle aisle, and they formed an impressive and pleasing spectacle. Our best feelings, as well as our gratifications, are much enhanced by the association of ideas; and it was next to impossible to behold these persons, many of whom were venerable with age, and not be put in remembrance of Him whose the sea is, and who is so peculiarly the fisherman’s protector. These men, who do their “business in the great waters, and see the wonders of the Lord,” are themselves a testimony of his goodness. There is also something sacred in their occupation, which, added to the circumstances of their safety, thereby bringing them calmly to worship him in the haven where they would be, that arrests even the careless eye, and promotes devotion in the more serious.

The church contains but very few monuments, and these belong principally to the Windham and Ditchell families. Indeed, with the exception of one to Mr. B. Rust, and another erected by the inhabitants to a singularly amiable and talented individual, a surgeon and general practitioner of the place, Mr. Charles Stewart Earle, with some ancient slabs, are all it can boast of.

The following circumstance may seem trivial; but, as affording an instance of a providential escape, may not perhaps be unacceptable.

At about a third part of the height of the staircase, which leads up to the steeple, is a door opening upon the leads of a small turret, communicating with the stairs, from which, some years ago, a boy of the name of Yaxley fell into the church-yard between some timbers, (which were laid there for the repairs of the church,) without receiving any other injury than a few slight bruises. He afterwards entered the navy, when, falling down the hold of the vessel to which he belonged, and receiving a severe hurt, he was discharged:—through the interest of the late Admiral Windham he obtained a pension, which he still lives to enjoy.

The benefice is a vicarage, valued in the King’s Book at nine pounds four shillings, and was augmented, from 1743 to 1834, with twelve hundred pounds of royal bounty. The Rev. W. Sharpe is the present incumbent. The living is in the gift of the Bishop of Ely, who is also appropriator of the great tithes, now leased to the Countess of Listowel.

Cromer enjoys the advantage of a free-school, founded and endowed with ten pounds per annum by Sir Bartholomew Reed, a native of Cromer, and Lord Mayor of London, in 1502. The master, who was to be “a priest, cunning in grammar,” was enjoined to say mass once a year in the parish-church of Cromer, for the soul of the worthy founder; and to teach, with all good diligence, “Gentlemen’s sons, poor men’s sons, and other good men’s children of Cromer, and the villages around.” The former part of the duty is dispensed with, but the school still flourishes, the Goldsmith’s company, who are the trustees, having rebuilt the school-house in 1821, and augmented the master’s salary, at different times, and it now amounts to one hundred and thirty pounds per annum.