Transcribed from the [1899] edition by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org

Lowestoft In Olden Times.

PREFACE.

The following pages contain lectures read before the members of St. Margaret’s Institute, at Lowestoft, with additions introduced to render the story somewhat more complete.

Lowestoft of the present day, with its harbour, its magnificent fishing fleet, and its fine marine terraces, is the product of the nineteenth century. But the Present is linked with the Past by the retention of the old Town on the Cliff as the nucleus of the greatly enlarged modern town.

The rise of Lowestoft was so much connected with the fortunes of Yarmouth that it would be impossible to tell the story of old Lowestoft without introducing a good deal that belongs to the history of old Yarmouth. Indeed, were it not for the records which have been preserved of the contests between the two towns about the Herring Trade, the materials for a history of Lowestoft would be almost nil. The history of Yarmouth is only introduced into this sketch so far as it is incidental to that of Lowestoft. But I feel that apologies are due to the larger and more ancient town for the partial manner in which its history is dealt with.

The materials from which these lectures have been compiled are furnished by Domesday Book, the Lay Subsidy Rolls, the Parish Register, and the ancient documents contained in Swinden’s History of Yarmouth, and Gillingwater’s History of Lowestoft. Other historical details of interest have been taken from those valuable old works, and from Nall’s History of Yarmouth and Suckling’s History of Suffolk.

CONTENTS.

Lecture I.

Page

Part I.

Introductory. Geological. The Waveney. Burgh Castle.

1–11

Part II.

Domesday Book. The Parishes of Lothingland. Lowestoft in Domesday. Herring Rents. Condition ofPeople in Saxon Times. Serfdom. Craftsmen. TheMerchant. Etymology of Lowestoft

11–26

Lecture II.
Lowestoft in the 14th Century.

Part I.

Rise and Fall of Yarmouth. The Free Fair on YarmouthQuay. Naval power of Yarmouth. The BlackPlague. The Statute of Herrings.

27–37

Part II.

Rise of Lowestoft. Parliamentary War withYarmouth. Edward Ill’s Charter. The“Commons” support Lowestoft against the Crown. Charter revoked. Charter re-granted by Richard II. Riot at Lowestoft. Richard II. visits Yarmouth. Charter revoked and re-granted. “Composition”between the two towns.

37–46

Part III.

The Lay Subsidies. Lowestoft in 1327 and 1525. Grant of Market. The Parish Church. OldChapels. Vaulted Cellars in High Street.

46–54

Lecture III.
Lowestoft in Elizabeth’sTime.

Part I.

The Parish Register. The Trades of the Town. The Vicars. “Mr. Annott hisSchoolmaster.” Resident Gentry. The FishTrade. Piracy at Lowestoft. Cecil’s Fast. Lowestoft a Shopping Town. Population. DutchRefugees. Holinshed on the Luxury of Elizabeth’stime. “The South Flint House.”

55–75

Part II.

Lowestoft and Yarmouth at the end of the 16thcentury. Gorleston Harbour. Second contest aboutKirkley Road. The Star Chamber and the Judges. Opinion of Mr. Counsellor Bacon. First Boundary Pole fixedon Gunton Denes.

75–80

Lecture IV.
Lowestoft in the Times of Charles I. andCharles II.

Part I.

Dutch and French Fishermen in the “BritishSeas.” Pamphlets of Sir Walter Raleigh and“Tobias Gentleman.” Ship-money. Fleetsent against the Dutch Busses. The Civil War. Cromwell’s visit to Lowestoft. The Bell in the TownHall. The Great Fire of 1644. Value of Houses, 1642and 1898.

81–92

Part II.

Third and last Contest with Yarmouth about KirkleyRoad. The Yarmouth Bailiffs and their “Man ofWar.” Lowestoft appeals to the King. Sympathetic Letter of Charles II. to Lowestoft. Decision ofthe House of Lords. Proceedings at Yarmouth about themeasurement of the seven miles. Boundary Posts again fixedon Gunton Denes. Imprisonment and Penance of Mr. RogerSmith. Corton Pole. Effect of successful terminationof the suit. Our townspeople take measures to increasetheir trade. Conclusion. Lowestoft Heroes of the XVIICentury.

93–103