Information request
Beachcombings What’s On, What’s Good & Where To Go!
The Lifeboat Inn in Thornham has named each of its recently refurbished bedrooms after crewmembers of the Licensed Victuallers lifeboats at Hunstanton Lifeboat Station, during the 19th and early years of the 20th centuries. The team is now appealing for information about these brave men, including full names, stories and photographs. The Lifeboat Inn’s logo features Licensed Victuallers III, the last pulling lifeboat at Hunstanton, which started her service there in 1900. The lifeboat was 35ft in length and fitted with a No. 1 rig, mast and sails. It was manned by a crew of 13 men and pulled ten oars, double-banked. The Lifeboat Inn are looking for information about John ‘Jack’ Riches, R. Rumbold, Peter Challman, H. Foster, George Frankland, G. Gilding, William Mitchley, J. Richardson, B. Sexton, James Batson, Israel Holmes, William West and William Petherwick. • If you can help, please contact the team on 01485 512236 or info@lifeboatinnthornham.com
Rescued and revived! A new phase for Holkham Studios The second phase of work to the award-winning Holkham Studios on the Holkham Estate is underway. The project offers the opportunity to occupy commercial space in the Estate’s listed 18th century former agricultural buildings and workshops at Longlands. Phase one created a contemporary base for jeweller Monica Vinader. The second phase offers ultra-modern, light, open-plan working areas retaining the visual appeal of the historic barns and workshops. The additional 7,300 square feet of flexible workspace includes access to 100MB fibre broadband connection. Estates Director David Horton-Fawkes says: ‘In the 18th century, Longlands was the thriving commercial heart of the Holkham Estate, but the mechanization of agriculture resulted in these beautiful buildings becoming redundant. ‘This development symbolizes the future for all 21st century rural estates. Here the best of the past and the present are combined to provide a truly modern working environment. Our ambition is to see the entire site once again thriving with activity, providing employment and contributing to the local economy.’ • For more details visit www.holkham.co.uk
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S summer turns to autumn, the birdlife of the North Norfolk coast changes with the arrival of migrants from further north and the departure of many of our summer birds for warmer climes. The fieldfare is a distinctive but often overlooked returning bird. This winter visitor starts to arrive in late autumn from Scandinavia, Finland and Russia. A noisy bird with a distinctive harsh call, it’s often quite wary, but if you manage a good view of this striking thrush it will reveal a bird of contrasting plumage patterns to rival our most colourful thrushes. The blue-grey head and nape contrast with mainly blackish-brown wings, grey rump and an almost black tail, a creamy white chin with an orange buff throat, breast and flanks. Add to this blackish spots on the
PHOTO: ©RICHARD CAMPEY
SPOTTED! By Richard Campey The Fieldfare
Warham Reading Room has reopened after a major redevelopment and can now reestablish its place at the heart of the village. Built in 1892, the Reading Room was the project of the Reverend Charles Digby, Rector of Warham, who wanted to improve standards of education for his parishioners. The 2nd Earl of Leicester gave the land and the Reverend Digby funded the building. It evolved from an educational facility into a village hall, but recently the lack of central heating and dated facilities meant it was virtually unused and in danger of being sold. The recent project, funded by a £450,000 grant from the Big Lottery Fund, saw the building refurbished and a modern kitchen, conservatory and storeroom added. The façade remains unchanged. The building project was overseen by village resident Sue Lane. • Visit www.warhamreadingroom.co.uk for information on events, activities and hiring the venue.
throat and chest and this bird really stands out. Open fields are a favourite with fieldfares, feeding on slugs, worms and other invertebrates, as are hedges and trees, which get stripped of berries when large numbers descend to gorge. The first signs of fieldfares will be perhaps on a clear night when the chack-chack call can be heard high overheard. The next day an open field will be full of feeding thrushes with the fieldfare the most distinctive as it runs and hops along. • Richard is owner of The One Stop Nature Shop, Burnham Deepdale, 01485 211223 www.onestopnature.co.uk News of the latest sightings can be seen on the board outside One Stop. NORTH NORFOLK LIVING AUTUMN 2016
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