Sandringham, The Norfolk Retreat of The Queen Pt. 3

For this post taking in the Chapel at Sandringham

The chapel where the Royal Family worship when resident at Sandringham

In memory of King George V

In memory of Queen Elizabeth and King George VI

Two Funerals in a Week

Spent Wednesday in this small but pretty village of Roxwell, attending our second funeral in 6 days.

The first was for Alan's late brother's wife and the second for the Mother of our son-in-law.

The local pub

and village store

and the village church that managed to fit several hundred people for the funeral service.

A local field was opened up for car parking.

Our daughter's Mother-in-law was an Anglican Vicar to 3 country parishes.

It's actually the same church that our daughter was married in 18 years ago.

Today we had another street party to celebrate our Queen's Sapphire Anniversary - 65 years on the throne - the longest serving Monarch.

I will post photos from that next before continuing with 

holiday pics.

Wymondham, Norfolk, Part 2

In winding up my current postings on Norfolk and the second part of Wymondham I'll begin with the Abbey

Wymondham Abbey is the town's Parish Church

It is called and Abbey as the present church was once attached to a monastery founded in 1107 byWilliam d'Aubigny, the royal butler.

The east end of the church (now ruined) was where the monks worshipped.

Some of the restoration work currently taking place   

It is partly in ruins because in 1538 King Henry VIII

closed the monastery. The monk's church and living quarters were gradually dismantled and the materials sold off.  

Certainly a work in progress

The central nave still has it's original round Norman arches built of stone from Caen in France.

During the 1400s the roof was raised and the north aisle rebuilt and enlarged. The bell towers were re-built with one at the east (for the monks) and one at the west for the parish. 

The great organ was installed in 1793

and the gilded screen behind the main alter was added in the last century as a memorial to the people killed in the Great War of 1914-18.

It was Harvest time when we were there. Not something you see much of these days

Now onto something very different

The historic railway station, no longer in use was built in 1845 on the Norwich to Ely line. The station and it's section once employed over 100 staff,

providing a frequent rail link with Norwich, London, Cambridge, the Midlands and the North West.

The award winning station has now been restored and it's buildings house a restaurant and tea room. 

Interesting how it has been fitted out as a reminder of the trains of bygone days

There is of course a modern railway line now close to here.

Well we did not stop to snack as we had quite a long and steep walk back to the market place and preferred to wait until

we arrived back at the Market Place

where we sat outside at the Mad Hatters Tea Shop

before resuming our journey home.

Hard to think now that this was back in October when it was sunny and warm for the time of year.

Since then we have experienced the wettest Winter on record.

At least we can be thankful that we did not experience the devastating flooding that parts of the country did.

Wymondham, Norfolk Part 1

At last I have got to post on Wymondham, an interesting town we pass on our way home from our cottage holiday in Norfolk last October.

We spend most of the day here as we are not too far from home.

The Market Square

Taking random pictures as we wander around and will be spreading them over two posts

It must have been an important town even before the Normans arrived. The parish is one of the largest in Norfolk. The importance continued in Norman times with the establishment of the great Priory (next post), which would have generated much trade for the local people, particularly innkeepers, leather workers and food suppliers.

Wymondham's most famous inhabitant was probably Robert Kett, who in 1549 led a rebellion of peasants and small farmers in protest about the enclosure of common land. With a huge force of almost unarmed men he fought for and held the City of Norwich for six weeks until defeated by the King's forces. He was hanged from Norwich Castle, and his brother William from the Abbey west tower. 

Market Street has many little alleys off it

Becket's chapel was founded in 1174 by William d'Albini, son of the founder of the Abbey. After the dissolution it fell into disrepair but in 1559 it was converted for use as a Grammar School. It has had many uses since but since 2009 it has been used as the town's Arts Centre.

We have been wondering where to have lunch and have come across The Green Dragon which takes our fancy

This late fifteenth century building, standing next to the Abbey gate, once served as a hostelry for Abbey visitors. It is the oldest inn in the town, and the Tudor shop windows at the front showed that it had other uses in the sixteenth century. 

We have a quick look around before it gets busy

The bar in the opposite corner is tiny but so interesting and I wish I had taken a photo then. However when we returned there were a number of people standing around it and I did not feel free to invade their privacy with my camera.

When we come back later it is very busy

so we decide to eat upstairs where there is some space and only one other table in use

The bar

The food was excellent but it was not as quiet as we had thought. I am sure you have come across it too. A Grandmother and daughter, small child and baby.

The child thought they owned the place and ran around everywhere unchecked, the Grandmother spent her time loudly telling her daughter how she looked after her children, daughter telling Mother in equally loud voice how she looked after hers (both saying they were right) while the baby enjoyed playing with it's food and throwing it every where. From the rest of their conversation it was obvious that they were well educated.   

ships/boats in windows always get my attention

A lot more of interest in this town and will be showing you a little of it in next post.