29th Saw Hugh Rump about my lumbago. Recommends ironing November 3rd Went to Fakenham to dinner, made 20/- of my barley, “Nora” was taken ill so could not stay at the mither’s with the girls 5th Middleton and I went hunting at Mileham, had a pretty good day. Dined at Middleton’s, had a nice evening, Mary sang a great deal 12th Dined at my aunt’s, told Mr Wood a piece of my mind about his going to Walsingham yesterday 21st A beautiful day, lots of flowers at Hindringham. Did a deal of farming. Edward called on old Tom Moore who had had a fall from his horse. We inspected the barley accounts 25th Edward heard from Birchams asking to meet him in Norwich tomorrow, I hope they will come to terms 26th Edward and I went to Norwich, tried to buy some bullocks but could not. Edward saw Birchams but they came to no conclusion 29th Went to a timber sale at Holkham, well worth the money. Had a fall from my horse December 1st I had a dreadful market for corn today, could scarcely quit them at any price. Edward went to Reepham to see Birchams 6th Went to Blakeney to pay Mr Clarke’s bill at Breretons. Fell in with the Harriers and saw them kill a hare 8th Went to Fakenham – a dreadful trade for both wheat and barley. Made 20/- and 20/6 of wheat, could not sell barley 17th The frost most severe. I went to Walsingham to take Mary her birthday presents, then to Wells to fetch the letters, the post not having brought them 22nd Went by Walsingham to Fakenham to see the Christmas bullock weighed. Took the mother to the train for Mr Clarke, Edward made 21/- of barley 24th Had a ride in the morning and then gave away the Christmas boxes for which they seem scarcely to thank you, from custom being almost a right! 26th George, Nancy and Eliza came to eat our Christmas beef with us but it was a sad time for remembrance of the dear old man 31st I attended a town meeting at Fakenham, it being the distribution of coal money
inside a church today it would cause much consternation. However it would seem that in medieval times graffiti was an acceptable practice. Matthew told how the interior of a medieval church would have been a place of vibrant colour and paintwork and in particular the lower sections of the wall which were often painted with a single pigment ranging from black through to reds. It's on these areas that the graffiti lives although nowadays often hard to see with the naked eye on the now plain plastered walls. But looking in the correct way and using an angled light, the group has identified thousands of items. The graffiti comes in various forms circles, pentangles, crosses, ships, masons’ marks, humans , devils and writing. In Binham Priory there is the outline of architectural markings of the west front which Matthew believes was used at the time of its building. It was a fascinating topic and the project has now grown considerably across the UK and beyond . A book has also been published by Matthew called Medieval Graffiti The Lost Voices of the Middle Ages and a website http://www.medieval-graffiti.co.uk which gives details of the findings. Pennie Alford Future Talks Thursday 28th April 2016 Masons' Marks - Nick Trend The meeting will start at 7:30pm in Binham village hall £2 members £4 Non members
DIARY OF A BINHAM FARMER’S SON Aged 38 1859 October
4th Went to Lynn to buy some bullocks, bought a dozen for Hindringham, dined with Tillden at Dereham 8th I shot with the Squire at Binham but it was a bad day, I shot badly 11th Went to visit the Workhouse then to see Mr Hill who had come over to receive his rents 15th Got through the great bulk of our moving satisfactorily, the weather being reasonable. Dear Ems looking very tired 21st Went shooting with Mr Clarke, it being his last day. We killed 22 brace, the Squire in great glee (the Squire would almost certainly have been Truesdale Clarke, main landowner in the area and our hero’s landlord)
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