Local Lynx No.99 - December 2014/January 2015

ISSUE 99 December 2014 & January 2015 Seasons Greetings to all our readers

Binham. Photo credit Joanna King

www.locallynx.co.uk 1

WHAT’S ON WHAT’S ON DECEMBER 1st Mon. Binham Pub Quiz, 7.30pm, the Chequers 1st Mon. Field Dalling Advent Discussion Group 5pm 3rd Wed. Sharrington Weaving Workshop Village Hall 7pm 6th Sat. Binham Christmas Supper, 6.30 for 7pm Village Hall 6th Sat. Langham Coffee Morning Parish Room 10-12noon 6th Sat. Morston Bluejacket Christmas Fair 10-5pm 7th Sun. Morston Bluejacket Christmas Fair 10-5pm 8th Mon. Field Dalling Advent Discussion Group 5pm 11th Thu. Binham & Hindringham Open Circle Christmas party Hindringham Village Hall 7.15pm 11th Thu. Langham Quiz night Parish Room 7pm 11th Thu. Sharrington Noble Rotters Club Village Hall 7pm 12th Fri. Bale Fish & Chips Village Hall 7pm 12th Fri Field Dalling Xmas Prize Bingo Night 7:30pm 12th Fri. Langham Carols & Mince pies Parish Room 7pm 13th Sat. Bale Police Street Surgery 9.30-10.00am 13th Sat. Gunthorpe Police Street Surgery Institute 9-9.30am 13th Sat. Gunthorpe 50:50 Christmas Party Institute 12noon 13th Sat. Langham Coffee & Gluwein Crafer’s Barn 10-12 14th Sun. Field Dalling Christingle Service 11am 15th Mon Field Dalling Advent Discussion Group 5pm 20th Sat. Binham readings & carols for Advent & Christmas at the Priory 6.30pm 21st Sun. Sharrington Carol Service All Saints Church 5pm 21st Sun. Stiffkey Church Christingle Service 3pm 22nd Mon. Binham carols at the Chequers, 7.15pm 23rd Tue. Morston Candlelit Carol Service, Church 5pm 24th Wed. Binham Christmas Eve Family Service, Priory 4pm 24th Wed. Binham Christmas Eve Midnight Holy Communion at the Priory 11pm 24th Wed. Langham Carol Service in church 6pm 24th Wed. Morston Carol singers meet at the Anchor 5pm 24th Wed Stiffkey Carols at The Red Lion 6.30pm 25th Thurs. Binham Xmas Day Family Service, Priory 10.30am 25th Thur Field Dalling Xmas Day Service 10am 30th Tue. Langham Panto trip set off Blue Bell 12 noon 31st Wed. Bale Old Year’s Night Village Hall 8pm 31st Wed. Binham New Year’s Eve party, The Chequers JANUARY 1st Thu. Cockthorpe Church Short Carol Service 11.30am 4th Sun. Binham readings & carols for Epiphany at the Priory 3.30pm 5th Mon. Bale Police Street Surgery 1730-1800 5th Mon. Binham Pub Quiz, 7.30pm, the Chequers 5th Mon. Gunthorpe Police Street Surgery Institute 5-5.30pm 9thFri. Bale Fish & Chips Village Hall 7pm 10th Sat. Binham visiting Pantomime, Village Hall 7 for 7.30pm 15th Thu. Binham&Hindringham Open Circle meeting Hindringham Village Hall 7.15pm 17th Sat. Sharrington Burns Night Supper Village Hall 7pm 22nd Thu. Langham Mobile Library 22nd Thu. Sharrington Noble Rotters Club Village Hall 7pm 29th Thu. Binham Local History Group AGM & talk, 6.45pm (AGM), 7.30pm (talk), Village Hall 31st Sat. Gunthorpe 50:50 Club Institute 10.30am 31st Sat. Gunthorpe “Pie and Pint” Night Institute 7pm REGULARS Mondays term time Binham Parent & Toddlers Group Village Hall 10-12 Tuesdays Binham Guild of Artists Village Hall 10-12 Wednesdays term time Binham Youth Group Village Hall 6-8pm 3rd Thursday in month Binham & Hindringham Open Circle, Hindringham Village Hall 7.15pm

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BLAKENEY METHODIST CHURCH High Street Blakeney Sunday Services: 6.30pm.

Minister: The Rev’d J Pathmarajah T 01263 712181

BLAKENEY CATHOLIC CHURCH Back Lane Blakeney Parish Priest, Father Keith Tulloch, 12 Hindringham Road, Gt. Walsingham Norfolk T 01328 821353 Priest in Residence, Father William Wells (the house behind the church). Service Times: Masses: Vigil Mass Saturday 6.00pm.

DEANERY NEWS Our next meeting will be on Thursday 12th March 2015, 7.15pm for 7.30pm at The Meeting Place, St. Andrew’s Church Holt. Check with posters and local publications for details of Speaker and title of talk.

ERRATA Lynx 98: The editor apologises for juxtaposing photos of Saxlingham and Sharrington War Memorials on page vii of the centre supplement.

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Church Services for Bale and Stiffkey Benefice for December 2014 and January 2015 HC=Holy Communion. CFS=Church Family Service. MP=Morning Prayer. BCP=Book of Common Prayer Parish Bale

7th December 9.30am HC

14th December 9.30am HC

Field Dalling

At Saxlingham

11.00am Christingle

9.30am HC

At Field Dalling

Saxlingham Gunthorpe

11.00am MP

Sharrington

21st December 6.00pm Carol Service 11.00am Lessons and Carols 4.00pm Carols by Candlelight 4.30pm Silent Meditation 5.00pm Carol Service 11.00am CFS

Christmas Day 9.30am HC

28th December At Langham

10.00am Family Communion

At Langham

At Field Dalling

At Langham

11.00am Lessons and Carols 9.30am HC with Carols

At Langham

At Langham

9.30am MP BCP

9.30am HC

Binham

11.00am HC

11.00am HC

Morston

9.30am HC BCP

Langham

At Stiffkey

9.30am MP

At Stiffkey

10.30am Carols and Readings 9.30am HC BCP with Carols At Stiffkey

Stiffkey

9.30am MP

At Langham

3.00pm Christingle

11.00am HC

4th January

11th January

18th January

25th January

9.30am HC

9.30am HC

9.30am HC

9.30am HC

Field Dalling

At Saxlingham

11.00am CFS

At Saxlingham

11.00am MP BCP

Saxlingham

9.30am HC

At Field Dalling

11.00am HC

At Field Dalling

11.00am MP

11.00am HC

9.30am HC

Parish Bale

9.30am HC BCP

Gunthorpe

At Langham

At Langham

10.30am HC Group Service At Langham

9.30am MP BCP

9.30am HC

4.30pm Silent Meditation 9.30am MP CW

11.00am HC

11.00am CFS

Morston

3.30pm Epiphany Carol Service 9.30am HC BCP

Langham

At Stiffkey

9.30am MP

At Stiffkey

9.30am HC

Stiffkey

9.30am MP

At Langham

9.30am HC

At Langham

Sharrington Binham

9.30am HC

9.30am HC BCP

20th December : Binham, Carols and Readings with the Iceni Christmas Choir at 6.30pm.

23rd December: Morston, Lessons and Carols at 5.00pm.

Christmas Eve: Binham, Children’s Service at 4.00pm Christmas Eve: Stiffkey, Carols at the Red Lion at 6.30pm.

Christmas Eve: Langham, Carol Service at 6.00pm.

Christmas Eve: Binham, Holy Communion at 11.00pm.

1st January: Cockthorpe, New Year’s Day Carol Service at 11.30am Regular Weekday Services Binham: Tuesday, 3.30pm Evening Pr ayer , Langham: Wednesday, 10.00am Holy Communion Stiffkey: Fr iday, 10.00am Holy Communion

RECTOR’S LETTER Remembrance 2014 Dear Friends and Parishioners, This season of Autumn and that of Winter are often marked by the colour red. Leaves, holly berries, cheery scarves, mulled wine, cranberry sauce, poinsettias and Rudolph’s nose. It is also the colour of rooms of state and display. In one of the great rooms at Holkham there is a painting of the Blessed Virgin Mary standing on the Globe, holding her child in whose hand is a long, thin cross which pierces the head of the snake which encircles the earth. The Christ child in his maturity deals a death blow to the devil,

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but the dying is lengthy, and the world is still stained red by the blood and suffering of both innocent and guilty.

The red petals of the poppy have evoked much this year: remembrance and regret, sorrow and resolve. In sheltered places poppies still flower; and in the moat at the Tower of London, representing our Glorious Dead, the fragile flower linked them with us and our situation with the Triumph of Jesus Christ, born as at this time and alive for evermore.

May I commend to you a thoughtful Advent and a warm red Christmas, full of peace.

Yours very truly, Ian Whittle, The Rectory, Langham 01328 830246

COUNTY COUNCIL NEWS From County Councillor Dr. Marie Strong Mobile Phones Vodafone Sure Signal Programme Vodafone has announced the first thirty applicants to receive 3G mobile ‘phone coverage under the Vodafone Rural Open Sure Signal Programme. There were applications from the Shetland Islands to Snowdonia and I am delighted to say that in this first tranche four successful rural communities are from Norfolk. When the programme was announced we invited Vodafone to meet with us and discuss the programme in detail. With only 100 places across the UK we felt we should assist those parishes interested in the competition and supplied all Norfolk’s councils with relevant information and guidance.

Congratulations to the successful parishes of Hillington, High Kelling, Upper Sherringham and Blakeney which is to gain extension to its existing programme. I hope to see more Norfolk parishes in subsequent tranches.

And what we want of course are good signals across the county and together with fellow Councillors on the Broadband & Mobile ‘Phone Working Group I am pursuing this situation with serious intent. As will be imagined despite recent publicity there is not an easy answer to the problem but we will not be discouraged in our task.

Better Broadband for Norfolk Update (Oct. 2014) Already BT has provided access to fibre based broadband infrastructure for over 92,000 Norfolk premises (I am hoping shortly we can announce 100,000 premises).

The good news for us is that better broadband is beginning to reach more of our rural division. Please remember to regularly check the website www. betterbroadband fornorfolk.gov.uk to see which parishes will be next upgraded. You should also find a link whereby you can put in your postcode for verification. In any case when your town or parish is named ask your ISP (internet service provider) what they can offer you in terms of speed and at what cost. Then as with all ‘purchases’ shop around.

Understandably installing the infrastructure includes digging up roads, paths and pavements. (Tip: goods for sale, tables and chairs, A boards etc should not officially be sited on pavements so when you know work is about to start I suggest you remove such items until the work is over.)

Parish Councils will in future be given information of upcoming works to share within their parish. However if a parish council or individual faces a problem in our division please contact me because I may be able to find

a solution or at least provide you with accurate information. I am hoping the editor will be able to fit in at the end the 20 parish councils within Wells division (to itemise the 36 villages and hamlets may be too many this time.)

Norfolk County Council Budget Consultation You will have received your copy of ‘Your Norfolk’ which contains details of the budget and the consultation.

You will see you can respond in a number of ways, by email, post or telephone. Choose whichever way is more convenient to you but I hope you will respond – on everything and anything from transport for young people to recycling centres, from increasing the council tax to not increasing the council tax. The budget will be set by Full Council, that is all 84 County Councillors, on 16 February 2015.

With good wishes from Marie Strong to the residents within the parishes of: Barshams and Houghton St Giles; Binham with Cockthorpe; Blakeney; Brinton with Sharrington; Field Dalling & Saxlingham; Glandford with Letheringsett; Great Snoring; Great & Little Walsingham; Hindringham; Holkham; Langham; Morston; Sculthorpe; Stiffkey; Stody with Hunworth;Thornage & Little Thornage, Warham; Wells-next-the-Sea; Wighton;Wiveton.

County Councillors’ contact details: Dr Marie Strong: County Councillor Wells Division (Glaven, Priory and Walsingham Parishes) marie.strong@norfolk. gov.uk or 07920 286 597 David Ramsbotham: Melton Constable Division (Bale and Gunthorpe Parishes) david.ramsbotham@norfolk.gov.uk 01263 577418

FAKENHAM CHORAL SOCIETY Britten’s Saint Nicolas and A Celebration of the Season Fakenham Parish Church Saturday 20 Dec 2014 at 7.30pm Tickets £12 from 01328 830639

NEWS FROM CHARITY RESCUE WOODEN BOATS Work has been continuing apace on lifeboat Lucy Lavers, readying her for her return trip to Dunkirk in May 2015, 75 years on, to mark the anniversary of the evacuation of troops from the beaches.

The difficult job of drilling through the keel to fit the centreboard has been completed and the newly forged

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centre plate is in place. Bronze work has been cleaned and where necessary cast to make additional parts. More coats of Witham paint have been applied to Lucy Lavers’ hull, with more to come. The engine has been stripped and restored and is ready for installation. The new build of the mahogany engine canopy is under way.

The sails and spars are ready. You can see films of the work on our website. There will be a celebration of Lucy Lavers re-launch in Wells on Saturday morning April 11 2015 – do put the date in your diary.

Plans are well advanced for Lucy Lavers’ commemorative return to Dunkirk.

With a different crew for each leg of the journey, she will be setting off from Wells-next-the-Sea in early May and calling at Lowestoft, Southwold, Aldeburgh, Levington, Harwich and Ramsgate on the way. There will be a big welcome home in Wells towards the end of May. After her return, Lucy Lavers will live in Wells and give pre-booked trips afloat.

Would you like to get involved in the Dunkirk trip?

You can: contribute to a nautical mile (it’s 385 nautical miles and will cost £90 per mile), bid for a crew place on one of the 9 legs (if you are comfortable being at sea), come and meet Lucy Lavers on route, help at the information/exhibition stands at one of the ports.

Do contact us if you would like to join us in this unique historic event. Leaflets with further details are available. Don’t forget you can come and take a look at the work progressing on Lucy Lavers at the Visitor Centre in Greenway, Stiffkey NR23 1QF - open throughout the winter months on Saturdays and Sundays 10am- 4pm, and which also has nice things to buy – shopping for a good cause!

The Education and Events Room has been decorated by volunteers and is being equipped thanks to a North Norfolk FLAG (Fisheries Local Action Group) grant with chairs, tables and electronic equipment in readiness for school and adult visits.

Over the summer our team has expanded, and we are always looking for more keen friends and volunteers with a few hours to spare. Contact us on info@ rescuewoodenboats.com or on 07920 760238.

DISTRICT COUNCILLORS’ NOTEBOOK The Local Lynx special supplement honouring those who served in World War 1 was indeed a fitting tribute requiring much local knowledge and research.

The new recycling system has started and the leaflet distributed but if you are unsure about anything full details can be found on the North Norfolk District website.

A message from our Cabinet Member for the Coast the Norfolk Coast Partnership met in Blakeney and after the meeting we had the opportunity to walk over the Blakeney Freshes to inspect the work being done by the Environment Agency to repair the breaches caused by the surge and reprofile the banks to make them more resilient. Because of the importance of this wildlife site under The European Wildlife Directive, additional funding was found through Natural England. Owners of properties and businesses which were flooded have received a £5,000 repair and renewal grant to install flood defences and applications are still being considered.

NNDC welcomed the royal recognition give to the Holt Area Caring Society with the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service, their work in providing transport for local people to medical appointments is so important and much appreciated. NNDC's in house legal team, east law, has been awarded the Halsbury In-House Legal Team of the Year, their service to the council and external clients goes from strength to strength. Another local award - The Old Rectory in Blakeney was Commended for the restoration and repair of a Grade II* Listed Building when the Graham Allen Awards were presented. A Special Commemoration Award was also given to the Langham Dome, a welcome addition to our North Norfolk heritage.

It was good to note the local press coverage given to the problems of the Morston fishermen with their mussel industry.

If you missed the interesting and enjoyable session for would-be district councillors details can be obtained from Emma Denny on 01263 516010 or emma.denny @north-norfolk.gov.uk.

Finally, although it is only November as I write this copy, may I take the opportunity of wishing everyone a very happy Christmas and New Year and with thanks to the Local Lynx team.

Lindsay Brettle

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straight away. However, they don’t disconnect the call from the landline so that when you dial the real phone number, you are actually still speaking to the fraudster.

3. They then ask you to read out your PIN or type it on your phone keypad.

4. Finally, they send a courier to you to collect your bank card. The fraudster will have then obtained your name, address, full bank details, card and PIN.

District Councillors’ Contact Details: Jonathan Savory (01328 820719) e: jonathan.savory@north-norfolk.gov.uk – and Peter Terrington (01328 711126) e: peter.terrington@north-norfolk.gov.uk (Binham, Langham & Stiffkey) Lindsay Brettle (01263 710030) e: lindsay.brettle@north-norfolk.gov.uk (Sharrington, Field Dalling, Saxlingham & Morston) Ann.R.Green (01328 878273) e: ann.green@north-norfolk.gov.uk (Gunthorpe & Bale)

So what can you do to protect yourself against courier fraud? Please remember: 1.Your bank will never send a courier to your home.

2. Your bank and the police will never collect your bank card.

3. Your bank and the police will never ask for your PIN. 4. If you receive one of these calls end it immediately.

5. Report the call to Action Fraud.

6. If you have handed over any details to the fraudster, call your bank and cancel your cards immediately.

7. If you want to call your bank, then do it from another telephone.

GLAVEN DISTRICT CARING A.G.M. Monday 26th January 2015 The Glaven Centre, 7.00p.m.

Our regular helpers are invited tonominate and vote for members to the Management Committee. Please contact Maureen Buckey 01263 740762.

Members of the public are invited to attend.

Copies of the Annual Report are available on request.

SCAMS There has been a lot of publicity about scams involving the internet and cold calling recently so most people will be aware of the potential for these fraudsters’ attempts to part you with your money. A good website for keeping up to date with consumer scam alerts, together with Trading Standards news and information can be found at norfolkcc@public.govdelivery.com. You can register as a free service and will be kept up to date with regular e-mails.

The Holt SNT has also drawn attention to a particular scam involving courier fraud which has recently taken place within the North Norfolk and Broadland area. This type of fraud is still quite rare in Norfolk but still noteworthy of bringing to everyone’s attention. Courier fraud is when fraudsters call and trick you into handing your cards and PIN numbers to a courier on your doorstep. There are many variations of the scam, but it usually follows this method: 1. A fraudster will cold call you on a landline, claiming to be from your bank or the police. They state their systems have spotted a fraudulent payment on your card or it is due to expire and needs to be replaced.

2. In order to reassure you that they are genuine, they suggest that you hang up and ring the bank/police back

ART CLASS VACANCIES A few places have become available in Bob Brandt’s Craft of Painting art classes, held weekly on Thursday mornings in the Langham Parish Room. For more information see Bob’s website at www.clockhousestudio.co.uk and if you are interested in joining email Bob on: bobclockhouse@gmail.com or phone him on 01328 830056.

Bob Brandt

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NOVEMBER NOTES In Cakes Lane, I can hear pink-footed geese calling in the sky, hidden by tall hedges. A sudden rain storm blurs the frigid air. November, winter’s precursor, is here.

There’s still just enough strength in the sun to warm your back, but it’s a low sun and it drops down into dusk early. Turning the clocks back finds us with uncanny quickness in the dark of cold winter afternoons. We light fires to combat the dark and the cold, especially huge communal bonfires. The sparks fly up and the flames crackle to banish evil spirits and keep ours up, to revive the memory of summer heat. The rural custom of men in dresses with fiery torches marching round the village in the dark banging drums and pots and pans, is a defiant gesture to the dark, bravado against the implacable night.

Last night a huge white moon hovered low over the garden, its cold light illuminating frosty grass, all colour bleached out. Perhaps this winter will be cold enough to kill off the bacterial fire blight that ruined my apple and pear trees last spring.

Jane Wheeler

generously. Our thanks also to the Rev. Tim Fawcett who took the service.The produce and groceries were donated to the Steven Newing House in Fakenham. This is run by the Benjamin Foundation which does such wonderful work for the homeless young.

CHRISTMAS Sunday 21st December. Carol Service.6.pm. This will be led by a choir raised by Margaret Barnes and directed by Martin Jacklin. Mulled wine and mince pies afterwards. N.B There will be no morning service that day. Christmas Day. Thursday 25th December. 9.30 a.m. Holy Communion.

BALE VILLAGE HALL NEWS At time of writing, preparations are well under way for the first Bale Quiz Night on Saturday 15 th November. Many thanks to all who attended and especially to those who kindly provided our supper of shepherds pie, salad and delicious desserts.

I’m sure we are all now getting into the Christmas spirit – the countdown has begun for the festivities which, once we have recovered from the overdose of turkey and Christmas pudding, will culminate in our annual, (almost) legendary, Old Year’s Night Party in the Village Hall. The fun starts at 8pm (please note, later than in past years) on Wednesday 31st December and will include, as always, an excellent 3-course gourmet dinner, provided by our very own celebrity chefs Alastair, Paul and Victoria. To book your place and ensure that there will be enough food to go around, please call Margaret on 01328 878511, or Paula on 01328 822012. Tickets will be £13 to cover the meal and the usual entertainment. Drinks are not included, so please bring your own.

The Village Hall now has its own email address and we would like to assemble a mailing list of those who are interested in events and other news. If you would like to be kept informed of the goings-on at the Hall, including our renovation plans, please email balevillagehall@gmail.com. We would also be ver y pleased to hear from you if you have suggestions on how we could make more use of this lovely old friend or ideas on fund-raising for the necessary repair work.

BALE VILLAGE HALL SOCIAL CLUB DRAW September 1014 Joanna Hammond £25 Will Powney £10 Dan Moore £5 Luke Scott £5

October 2014 Sarah Minhell £25 Jim Peppitt £10 Eileen Spooner £5 NinaNearney £5

ALL SAINTS CHURCH Our Harvest Festival Service was celebrated on Sunday, 5th October, the day after the Harvest Supper in the Village Hall. It was a most enjoyable event with good food and much merriment. The church was beautifully decorated with flowers, sheaves of corn, fruit and vegetables. Our thanks to all those who put so much effort and gave so

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JACK GRANGE Jack Grange occupied a place close to the heart of Binham from the very first year of his long life to the very last. He now lies at rest in the village which for a lifetime was his only home.

It is impossible to imagine that he would have wanted any final destination other than Binham Priory, which he watched over for many years as a good neighbour, keeper of the key, master of the lights and faithful custodian. He was the first person there in the morning and the last to lock up at night.

Jack, who died on September 10, aged 84, found everything that he ever wanted here in Binham: family, home, valued work – all rooted in Norfolk and its farming landscape.

He certainly enjoyed other things in life: a roaring barbeque with friends; travelling funfairs; lorries; Christmas tree lights; galloping race nights in the village hall; windy race days at Fakenham; a bag of sweets and the odd stick of rock; steam trains; a make-believe safari park of lifelike animals created in a field close to home; some fiercelycontested games of boules; an argument or two. But, beyond that, he loved this place and the people here that mattered most to him.

Jack (properly John Ernest) Grange was born in Westgate, Binham on May 10, 1930. His great-uncle, John, was an established builder, undertaker and all-round character in the village. Jack’s father, another John, came here having survived severe injury in the Great War. He married and eventually took a smallholding in Westgate where the young Jack started work after leaving school at 14.

Jack made himself useful, from time to time, driving home in the landlord’s car customers who had celebrated a little too well at the King’s Arms pub in Front Street, Binham. This led to friendship with the pub family and, in particular, the daughter of the house, Marie Wykes. They married in 1956 when Jack was 25, Marie 19.

While tenancy of the smallholding passed to his younger brother, Eric, Jack developed the haulage business which was to make him a well-respected figure in North Norfolk farming circles. He started with a single lorry and, in time, had five on the road. In winter they hauled sugar beet – a punishing regime, which routinely involved 2am starts and late finishes, with a break only on Christmas day – and in summer, corn.

On retirement he seemed to enjoy a new burst of energy, giving rise to scenes which would not have been out of place in Last Of The Summer Wine. Jack, with friends of similiar vintage, Chas Spriggs and Randle Feilden, put that unlikely safari park in place in Binham, surprising visitors and attracting press and TV coverage. More quietly, but damply, major waterworks were tackled; at one time a significant part of the street drainage system appeared to be diverted to create an island water feature.

Jack played an active role in more conventional village life, serving on the parish council, the PCC and the charity trustees committee. Latterly, he kept our supper tables supplied by driving for Arthur Howell, Binham’s butcher.

Marie and Jack shared great pride in their children, Susan and David; grandchildren, Catherine and Jonathan; and their great-granddaughter, Isabelle.

Andrew Moncur

TOWER OF LONDON POPPIES The last edition of the Lynx made a touching tribute to the local fallen of WW1. Since that time a wonderful installation of 888,246 ceramic poppies has been installed in the dry moat of the Tower of London called ‘Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red’. As I write this piece I have just returned from a day trip to London to view this breath

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taking display. It was so poignant to see a complete sea of red poppies glistening in the Autumn sun of a clear blue sky. The installation was almost complete and the remaining poppies to be installed ready for Remembrance Sunday and Armistice Day on 11 November. The number of people visiting was in the thousands and yet despite the crush to see and take photos, people respected everyone else and I saw nothing but politeness and a gentle quietness for the sense of occasion.

It was a good thought that in the display is a poppy representing each of the Lynx villages’ fallen. All the poppies have been sold and will raise an estimated £8m for the 6 named charities for supporting service men and women and their families. I have purchased one to commemorate my husband's grandfather who was killed aged 26 on 31st March 1916, leaving a wife and two small children. It is something we shall treasure deeply and the display has been a powerful and moving commemoration to the fallen of WW1.

Pennie Alford

early (5:00 pm) on Sunday 30th November, so we can put up the Christmas decorations and get into the festive spirit.

The team at The Chequers would like to wish you a very Happy Christmas and New Year and we look forward to seeing you over the festive season.

THE CHEQUERS

BINHAM CHRISTMAS SUPPER

Christmas Events & Opening Hours

Binham Christmas Supper is being held at the village hall on Saturday 6th December, 6.30pm for 7pm. To book your seat, please ring Liz Brown on 01328 830519. £8 to include a traditional Christmas supper with wine. Raffle & Tombola. Look forward to seeing you all there.

Coming up we have Quiz nights on Monday 1st December, 5th January and 2nd February, the quiz starts at 7.30pm. On Monday 22nd December there will be Carols outside the Chequers; 7.15pm, everyone is welcome to join in the festive cheer. On New Year’s Eve we will be having a party night and buffet, no need for tickets, just come along and join us to see in 2015!

Our festive opening hours will be: Christmas Eve 12:00 noon til 11:00 pm Christmas Day 12:00 noon til 3:00 pm (drinks only) Boxing Day 12:00 noon til 4:00 pm 27th December 12:00 noon til 11:00 pm 28th December 12:00 noon til 10:30 pm 29th December 12:00 noon til 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm til 11:00 pm 30th December 12:00 noon til 3:00 pm and 6:00 pm til 11:00 pm New Year’s Eve 12:00 noon til 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm til late (carriages at 2:00 am) New Year’s Day we will be closed 2nd January 12:00 noon til 11:00 pm 3rd January 12:00 noon til 11:00 pm 4th January 12:00 noon til 11:00 pm Oh! and just to let you know we will be closing a bit

BINHAM & HINDRINGHAM OPEN CIRCLE The Open Circle will be holding its Christmas party on Thursday, December 11, a week earlier than usual. And at the January 15 meeting, Dennis Allcock, tower captain of the Fakenham Parish Church bell ringers, will, with fellow ringers chiming in, be explaining this fine, English tradition.

The Open Circle Women's Club meets at 7.15pm on the third Thursday of each month at Hindringham Village Hall.

New members are always welcome - just come along on the night or ring secretary Fiona Thompson on 01328 830639.

BINHAM PRIORY CHRISTMAS SERVICES We extend a very warm welcome to visitors to any of these services Saturday, 20th December, 6.30 pm Service of readings and carols for Advent and Christmas with the Iceni Christmas Choir Come and start the festive season with an evening of joyful music Christmas Eve, 4.00pm Family Service Christmas Eve, 11.00pm Midnight Holy Communion Christmas Day, 10.30am Family Service Sunday, 4th January, 3.30pm Service of readings and carols for Epiphany with the Richeldis Singers

PANTOMIME The visiting Pantomime this year is Red Riding Hood which is taking place on Saturday 10th January 2015 at the village hall, 7 for 7.30pm. For tickets, please contact Liz Brown on 01328 830519.

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December 2014 - no talk. 29th January 2015, 7.30pm Jackie Bennett will talk about a few famous writers and their gardens. Jackie Bennett is the award-winning former editor of the Garden Design Journal and the English Garden magazine. She has recently published a book The Writer's Garden, which explores the lives, landscapes and gardens of 20 of our best-loved writers such as Rupert Brooke and Agatha Christie. Our short AGM will be held at 6.45pm prior to the start of the talk.

Admission £2 members £4 non-members. Binham Village Hall. All welcome. Enquiries to Pennie Alford, Secretary, blhg@btinternet.com or 01328 830700.

BINHAM PRIORY CONSERVATION AND COMMUNITY PROJECT

BINHAM LOCAL HISTORY GROUP

A partnership project between Binham Priory PCC and the Friends of Binham Priory Building and Conservation Trust

Our 2014/5 season got off to a very well attended talk on 25th September with over 60 people coming to hear Adrian Vaughan's talk on Melton Constable, its people and their Railway. The story is an interesting illustration of the impact on social and working life that the development of railways infrastructure in the Victorian/ Edwardian era made. Melton Constable and the tiny hamlet of Burgh Parva had a residential population of just over 100 in 1882 but following the establishment of the railway works by the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway (M&GN), it then transformed into a large and thriving community of almost 1200 inhabitants by 1911.

It was fascinating to hear how the village's working world influenced the lives of all who lived there. Railway cottages of good standards were built for the workers and community life was developed through social and spiritual structures. Park, allotments, school, apprentice college, church and Sunday schools and of course public houses, lodgings and shops all grew with the expansion of the village. Adrian explained that the engineer and locomotive superintendent, William Marriott (1853-1943) was as much about overseeing the railway works as well as an influence in the daily life of the community of Melton Constable.

The slow demise of the railway works up to its final closure in 1965 changed the lives of many. There are still families today who have living memories of Melton in its railway days, some of whom came to the talk. So the next time you drive through Melton Constable have a thought about its great heritage railway past as the 'Crewe of Norfolk'.

In October we were given an alternative evening 'talk' from local actor and writer Gareth Calway. It began with the story of ‘The Siege of Lynn’ in the summer of 1643 in the English Civil War following its Royalist declaration led by Sir Hamon L'Estrange of Hunstanton. To add to the drama of the telling we were very lucky that one of our members brought along a genuine canon ball from the siege. The second part of the talk involved a large paper mâché head and a dramatisation of Cromwell's Talking Head. Gareth was accompanied by composer and guitarist Tom Conway, who sang two specially written songs about life in Binham leading up to the period of the Civil War and one about the Binham folklore tale of the fiddler and Fiddlers Hill.

The project team have submitted their round 1 application to the Heritage Lottery Fund for a Heritage grant for the Binham Priory Conservation and Community project. This application will be considered at the March 2015 meeting. Many thanks to everyone who has supported us, your ideas have been fed into the application.

Those of you who attended the project presentation evening in September will know how fortunate we are to have Anne Mason as our Project Manager and Hilary Brown as our Finance Manager, they have spent many hours working on our behalf to meet the project application deadline.

I should also like to thank Wyndham Spice for gaining written support from our local schools for the project, and David Frost for his research into heating the priory.

All we can do now is relax and enjoy Binham, Christmas and the New Year and await the decision of HLF. Thank you all once again.

Pauline Scott,Chairman

SUPPORT FOR HOLT FOODBANK Many thanks to all for continuing to support the Foodbank, sadly the need is as great as ever with stories coming to us of parents going with very little food themselves in order to put something on the table for their children.

This being the pre-Christmas Lynx, this is a special request for some small presents to help fill the baskets with something to give people an extra Christmas box so that

Future Talks 27th November 2014, 7.30pm - local historian and author, Neil Storey talking on the role of women in WW1.

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the Mither. Dear Ems was delivered of a stillborn son about 11 o’clock this morning.

11th My darling was better than could have been expected. I wrote to my brothers. Sally Leeder went home last night, Sally came.

13th Dearest Ems still suffering very much from her breasts but Mrs Rump thinks doing well.

18th A beautiful rain came this afternoon which will enable us to plough Olland. Dear Ems improving rapidly thank God. 21st May and Mummie came to spend the day here, dear Ems was very dejected at seeing May about her babe. I made 17/- of barley.

25th Took out my guns this morning but only got 1 bird and a rabbit.

November 3rd I went to the Board. We were obliged to dismiss our new housemaid for insolence to Ems. 4th I made 18/- of my barley today from a Mrs Warren from Norwich. Ems hired Daplyn as cook and Jan takes the housework at present.

9th Ems and I went to dinner at the Mither’s, Harriett looking wonderfully well. Poor old Mrs Mumby dreadfully ill.

20th I found my horse lame today following yesterday’s exertions hunting so walked all day. Ems also walked out it being a fine day.

22nd Went to Hempton Fair with Reg Sillett. Heard of many sufferers from Chapman’s failure and that he was made bankrupt.

24th Went to the Board then Ems and I rode on horseback to Walsingham. Very frosty and slippery in places.

27th I drove Middleton to Norwich and brought my carthorse home. Mr M came to tea. I was dreadfully bilious and could scarcely see.

families can have a few treats over the festive season.

For more information please contact Richard and Norah on 01328 830723.

“LOTS OF LOVE” IN BINHAM Valentine’s Night will be a heart-warming and passionate affair in Binham, with an open invitation for everyone to enjoy Lots Of Love at the Memorial Hall. Refer to Lynx98 online for details or tickets available from Fiona Thompson (01328 830639) or Maureen Frost (830362). So, make a date for Saturday, February 14, 2015

FRIENDS OF BINHAM PRIORY There will be two events in early 2015. The evening of “Lots of Love” on Saturday 14th February as mentioned in previous article. We are very grateful that the organisers of this event have kindly agreed, as with the two previous multi-media evenings, that the main proceeds will be to support the Friends.

The Binham Lecture for 2015 will be at the Memorial Hall on Friday 27th March at 7.30 pm. This will be an illustrated presentation on the “Rood Screens of Norfolk” by Canon Jeremy Haselock, Precentor of Norwich Cathedral.

Canon Haselock is an acknowledged expert on this fascinating topic. Norfolk has some of this country’s finest medieval screens and the remains of the Priory’s screen are recognised as an important national treasure. David Frost

BINHAM GUILD OF ARTISTS We meet every Tuesday morning from 10am to 12noon in the village hall. A fee of £2 per morning includes coffee and biscuits. A demonstration of painting or craftwork normally takes place on the first Tuesday of every month except in January, February and the week in which the annual exhibition takes place.

On the 7th October, Derek Blois gave an interesting talk on his work and brought a considerable number of his skilful paintings and prints to show to the group.

MEXICAN NIGHT

Save the date! Saturday 14th March 2015 for a Mexican themed night at the village hall in aid of the Wells RNLI. For further details, please contact Liz Brown on 01328 830519.

MACMILLAN COFFEE MORNING

On 6th September, Chloe Fowle and Khloe Wright held a Macillan coffee morning at Binham village hall. Funds were raised through selling refreshments, raffle and tombola and a cake stall. They would like to thank everyone who helped and donated. With all your generosity, a grand total of £1,566.48 was raised.

Chloe Fowle & Khloe Wright

DIARY OF A BINHAM FARMER’S SON th

Aged 36 1858 October

8 I paid tithes this morning. The Mither and Mummie came to dinner.

10th Was obliged to go for Mrs Rump last night and send for

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On 4th November, Colin Bygrave brought to the hall a collection of his sketchbooks which were full of very accomplished and inspiring drawings. He talked about these and about his career in art. For further information contact James Bucknill on 01328 830651.

BINHAM MEMORIAL HALL 100+ CLUB WINNERS September: £25 Nor a Lewis, £10 Violet Dunn, Mr Marshall, £5 Mr G Griffiths, Andy Turner, Alan Brown.

October: £25 J ude Robson, £10 Mr s Bucknill, Mr & Mrs Small, £5 Mr Johnson, Don Richie, Liz Brown.

If anyone would like to join the 100+ club, please call at 8 Priory Crescent or ring June Read on 01328 830106.

CAROLS IN COCKTHORPE CHURCH The church is being dusted down for the first service to be held for several years. A short carol service is scheduled for New Years day at 11.30am. Please come and start the New Year with us. We are hoping that Christmas 2015 will see the church completely repaired when we will again be holding our popular candlelit carol service.

VILLAGERS’ HALL NEWS

JOYCE PYE

Jill Labouchere and helpers held a super Harvest Supper in the Hall on Sept 26th with delicious food of scrumptious mains and delectable deserts. It was well attended and all proceeds went to the church fund.

Long term resident of Cockthorpe, Joyce passed away on October 31st at the Suncourt Nursing Home in Sheringham at the age of 99. She will be remembered fondly by the village and members of the Blakeney Sailing Club where her husband Morris was Vice Commodore for many years.

Big Christmas Prize Bingo Night!

Fri 12th Dec at 7:30 The biggest and best bingo in the locality with fantastic raffle prizes is always very, very well attended, so make sure you are early to be involved! Doors open from 6pm.

200 CLUB The lucky August winners were: £50 – Betty Ringer , £25 – Graham Dorricott, £15 – Kelly Lovick.

The lucky September winners were: £50 – Kelly Lovick, £25 – Roy Nicholson, £15 – Steve Swanton.

The lucky October winners were: £50 – John Kirby, £25 – Chas Lister, £15 – Peter Harris.

ADVENT DISCUSSION GROUP Walking, Talking, Praying through Advent Weekly from Mon 1st Dec at 5pm When? Mondays in December from 5pm to 6pm, with a cuppa at 4.45, beginning on Monday 1st December.

Where? At the home of Ian and Fiona Newton: Manor Farm Cottage, 67 Langham Road, Field Dalling.

What? We will use various characters in the Christmas story to enable us to encounter the birth of Jesus as if for the first time by using passages from Stephen Cottrell’s new book Walking Backwards to Christmas.

Who? Anybody of any age who wonders about holy things. Any queries? Please contact:: Fiona Newton 01328 830947 fionanewton46@gmail.com.

JOHN HOLDEN The funeral was held on 17th October 2014 at St Andrew’s Church for one of Field Dalling’s best known residents, who had been very active in both the parish and church. Family and friends gathered afterwards at the Villagers Hall to remember him.

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FOGPC September

50/50 Club Draw Results October

Sharon Lloyd £20.00 Michelle Worrall £20.00 Nicole Cutterham £10.00 Isaac Buchanan £10.00 Roy Marsden £10.00 Georgia Hatful £10.00 Robett Kelly £5.00 Joe Lemberger £5.00 Jeremy Denhom £5.00 Cissie Williamson £5.00 Fred Morley £5.00 Sam Worsley £5.00 Richard Francis £5.00 Simon Long £5.00 The September coffee morning and September draw was combined with the Macmillan “World’s Biggest Coffee Morning Event” on 27th September with all profits going to the Macmillan Nurses - more information is given in a separate article.

Don’t forget the 50:50 Club Christmas Party on Sat. 13th December commencing at noon in the Institute. There will be an enhanced monthly draw and raffle, and with thanks to all who will provide food and raffle prizes we will be serving a selection of complimentary Christmas food and drink including Rutties sausages (courtesy of Pippa Bunting) and mulled wine (courtesy of Rob Cutterham and Diane Blakeley). Admission will be by purchase of raffle tickets - minimum two strips @ £1.00 each for adults and one strip for children (5 and under are free).

If you would like more information on the 50:50 Club and “Friends” memberships please contact John Blakeley on 01263 861008. Membership subscriptions until May 2015 are £5.00 per person for the “Friends” and £1.00 per month for the 50:50 Club - (which can be paid with one cheque if you are subscribing to both - cheques should, please, be made out to “FOGPC”). Many thanks to all who continue to support us.

ST ANDREW’S CHURCH REVIEW 2014 The old year may be ending but now is a busy time at St Andrew’s Church. After celebrating St Andrew’s Day on November 30th, we look forward to our Christingle Service, our traditional Lessons and Carols, and a new service on Christmas Morning at 10:00am. During the year we held special services on Mothering Sunday, Easter Day, Harvest Festival, and Remembrance Sunday.

Fiona Newton is now leading our regular Family Service. Morning Prayer has been led most months by Rev Ian Whittle. We held funerals for Michael Hughes, Tony Ringer and John Holden, all long-time residents of Field Dalling. Tony and John especially were active members of the village and of St Andrew’s Church, and will be missed.

The church is open every day, and visitors are very welcome. It is full of history; this year we continued to explore our wall painting discovered in 2013. With the help of grants, it has been professionally examined and we are now applying for larger grants and for the necessary permissions to carry out the restoration work needed. This has become a bit of a race, as the ancient plaster seems to be drying out with exposure to the air, and we do not want the paint to flake off before we are in funds.

We were delighted to be part of the Village Fete and to host the Harvest Supper. We donated the offerings brought to the Harvest Service and part of our collection to the Cromer & District Food Bank. A large audience hugely enjoyed the recent talk by Henry Labouchere, as Dr Moth.

It has been a full year, and we owe warm thanks for the time, help and generosity of many people. We wish all Lynx readers a very Merry Christmas and a Happy 2015.

Margaret Smith, Churchwarden

ST MARY’S CHURCH NEWS The Harvest Festival Service, held on 12th October, was, as always, a lovely event. The church looked beautiful, filled with flowers, berries and a great array of fruit, vegetables and dry goods. Thank you to everyone who helped decorate and donated so much produce. We delivered everything to The Holt Youth Project who were thrilled with it. They manage to feed a lot of young people each day so were very grateful with our gift.

We now have the final figure for the Churches sponsored bike ride - £605. A fantastic sum, and thank you to everyone who rode, manned the church and sponsored us. A special thank you to the Williamson family, Christopher, Abby and Ben who rode for St Mary's.

I am sure you will have noticed that the bottle bank is now in the churchyard by the gate. Despite our appeals, Albanwise strongly objected to it being in the car park so we had no alternative but to move it. Please do go on supporting us with your bottles as, although the income is not huge, it all helps to keep our lovely church running.

Penny Brough, Warden

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(continued on page 16)

CHRISTMAS PUZZLE PAGES (all answers on page 27)

CHRISTMAS CROSSWORD

SPOT THE DIFFERENCES

by Bob Brandt 1

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By Bob Brandt 5 6

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Across 1. Sounds like you want me here, to be enjoyed on Christmas morning (2,8) 7. Denis, confused after sago with no starter, suffered dreadfully (8) 8. So - following an American gangster as well? (4) 9. A fellow, sore after skin exposure (4) 10. The king's daughter, after getting cut short, produced her brothers (7) 12. What the restless want - one gambling, followed by a period of obscurity (6,5) 14. Look after Ed, he's lost an old penny going after The Saint (7) 16. Mummy has no hesitation; she would be wise to keep away from any old flame (4) 19. Sounds like an expensive animal in the park! (4) 20. With great concentration, Tinty and Len became confused (8) 21. Make the Apprentice-selector appear to sweeten things up! (3,5,2) Down 1. The Wise Men reach a hundred - it's remarkable! (5) 2. Writer 'n sociable insect produce a flag (7) 3. Strike out the start of the tenancy agreement to give comfort (4) 4. Wagner's opera cycle, after the dune mix-up, is lasting for ages! (8) 5. Teach to keep on the rails (5) 6. A valuable item, around the first of nine, produces agreement (6) 11. Learns again about the Five Downs (8) 12. Cricket-player produces a pancake-mix (6) 13. Ron, confused with a cog from the car, is one who complains miserably (7) 15. We live on it - it's everything to us! (5)

Here’s dear old Santa, unpacking Jimmy’s toys. But in copying the lower picture our artist has made eight mistakes.

See how many you can spot!

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CHRISTMAS QUIZ (ADULTS) 1.Who had a No.1 Hit with the song: “I just called to say ‘I love you’ ”?

2.Who made a speech proclaiming “I have a dream”?

3.Who was the mother of Queen Elizabeth I? 4.What in song did my true love give to me on the second day of Christmas?

5.What is the only English anagram of CLERIC? 6.What word can go after “sign” and before “office”?

7.How many square yards in an acre?

8.How many balls are used in a game of billiards?

9.How many lanes are there in an Olympic swimming pool?

10.Which month is St. Patrick’s Day in?

11.Which unseeded player won the 2001 Wimbledon Men’s Singles Final?

12.Which battle was Nelson fatally wounded in?

WORD SQUARE

CHRISTMAS QUIZ (CHILDREN) 1.Who is R2D2’s robot companion in Star Wars?

2.Who crows: the male or the female cuckoo?

3.Who is the Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts?

4.What does ½ x ½ equal?

5.What is “moules mariniere”?

6.What language do they speak in Amsterdam?

7.How many miles are 8 km?

8.How many pins are there in the back row in ten-pin bowling?

9.How many legs has a spider?

10.Which chess-piece can change direction (once) in a normal move?

11.Which sport would you wear blades or quads in?

12.Which colour in Scrabble are double-word-scores in?

WORD SQUARE CLUES How well do you know your stately houses and castle ruins in Norfolk? Thirteen to find and the usual rules apply: the letters can run in any direction but must be in a straight line.

1. Fine Paladian style hall built for Robert Walpole, 1st prime minister, 1722-1735. 2. Castle was owned by the Heydon family who started building in 1450. Now a ruin, you can see the plan of the castle walls surrounded by fields and a lake. 3. Ruined Benedictine Priory dating to 1091, took around 150 years to build. 4. Splendid Jacobean house once home to the family of Ann Boleyn.

5. Motte and bailey castle ruin founded in 1070. 6. Fine 17th century country house built on the estate acquired by the Wyndham family before 1475. The last owner was Robert Wyndham Ketton-Cremer before it became a National Trust property. 7. English Paladian style hall built by Thomas Coke, 1st Earl of Leicester, 1734-1764.

8. Manorial site since the Middle Ages, overlooking the river Tiffey. Present house built in 1712 for Sir John Wodehouse. 9. Moated manor built by the Bedingfeld family in the 15th century with a secret priest hole. 10.

Soft red brick house commissioned by Horatio Walpole in 1720s. 11. Remains of an Augustinian priory founded in 1153. 12. Large Edwardian country house built by Thomas Albert Cook, grandson of Thomas Cook who founded the famous travel firm in the 19 th century. 13.

15th century moated manor owned by the Walpole family since 1740s.

RH

BOTTLE PUZZLE

Before 15th February 1971 the pound sterling was divided into 20 shillings, each of 12 old pence (“d”). A 1/2d was called a halfpenny (“ha’penny” or 1/2d) and that was divided into two farthings (2 x 1/4d), an attractive little coin with a wren on one side. If a Bottle and a Cork cost a penny halfpenny and the bottle cost a penny more than the cork, what did the cork cost?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass; it is about learning to dance in the rain..

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from their previous home in Hertfordshire. Although new to Norfolk himself, John’s family from 3 generations back were Norfolk born and bred having lived in the Burnhams, and John’s great grandfather was a freeman of the city of Norwich.

Both John and Julia are retired with John having had a career in telecommunications and Julia retiring from being a supervisor in the Citizen’s Advice Bureau. Once they have finished the move and some changes to the house they will be joined by Julia’s mother, Dorothy. John and Julia are great followers of tribute bands amongst many other interests. We wish them every happiness in their new home in our eclectic village.

Although not new to the village, as she has been living in Gunthorpe for some two years with her daughter Louisa Clark at White Horse Farm, we welcome Lindy Soame to her new home in Pheasant Cottage. We hope she will be very happy in the house we know she has waited to find for some time.

(continued from page 13)

GUNTHORPE FETE A key element for the success of the Gunthorpe Village Annual Fete is that we are allowed to use the beautiful gardens of Gunthorpe Hall – indeed this is the only day of the year that they are open to the general public, and we always receive much praise for the gardens from our visitors to the Fete.

Gardens at this standard of course require a capable and enthusiastic gardening team led by very capable and dedicated head gardener, and for the past 5 years this post has been filled by Michael Owers. Thus as Fete organisers were sorry to learn that he is leaving Gunthorpe Hall to take up a post with the National Trust; although this is very positive news for him and we wish him every success in his new post.

We know that the owners of the Hall are now looking for a replacement for Michael and given how important the gardens are to both the Hall and our Fete we also wish them every success in finding him or her.

If you are a local gardener, and you believe that you could fill Michael’s shoes, we would encourage you to contact the Hall as soon as possible.

MACMILLAN COFFEE MORNING

On Saturday the 27th of September I hosted a coffee morning in Gunthorpe Village Institute as part of the “World’s Biggest Coffee Morning Event”, to raise money for Macmillan Nurses. As I had not done this before I wasn't sure how it would work, so I sent invitations round the village and straight away offers of help were given.

Even before Saturday donations of money arrived and on the day cakes and raffle prizes. The kindness and generosity of the people in this village never ceases to amaze me the, and we managed to raise £285.00 I would like to say a big thank you to all the people who supported me, and a special thank you to Jeanette, Peggy and Myfi who did the hard work of serving coffee and washing up! I would like to do this again next year, so please put the date in your diaries.

Sandra Warne

FRIENDS OF GUNTHORPE PC By the time you read this, 30 to 40 friends will have gathered in the Village Institute for the annual ‘Friends’ Harvest Supper. This is always a very jolly evening, but I am unable to report the details as it will take place after the Lynx print deadline.

However a big thanks to all the Committee Members who cooked and supplied the food, and to Rob Cutterham for his usual kind and very generous donation of wine which will be drunk on the evening, and received by the owner of the lucky winning, raffle ticket!

Many thanks to all who attended, and I hope you all went home with some lovely cards with illustrations of Gunthorpe Parish Church for your holiday card-store. Keep an eye on the Village Notice Board for any news around Christmas time, and very best wishes to you all for a happy, healthy and joyous Christmas and Holiday Season.

Marie Denholm, Friends Chairman

WELCOME A very warm welcome to Gunthorpe goes to John and Julia Salmon who moved into Green Fields in early October

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meadow, donated by the founder and first chairman of the Museum Society. The first buildings were constructed in 1966 but it was not until 1981 that full tram and trolleybus operations commenced following the construction of a suitable roadway. The museum has the last London trolleybus to operate under its own power, No. 1521.

The wide range of historic vehicles on show included trams, trolleybuses, motor buses, steam rollers, cars, including a 1983 Sinclair C5, lorries, a taxi, a red Cooperative milk float awaiting restoration and a 1968 Morris Minor 1000 van in the green livery of the Post Office Telephones, the like of which one of our members used to drive around in!

The museum also has period street furniture and many small exhibits gathered in a developing street scene. It is the only museum in the country where visitors can ride on buses, trams, trolleybuses, and a narrow gauge railway.

After a very enjoyable two hours we journeyed to Wroxham where we boarded the Bure Valley Railway to Aylsham where we had a welcome cup of tea before returning to Langham. A big thank you to Peter Barlow and John Hughes for a wonderful day out. A member of F.O.L.

FROM THE REGISTERS Holy Baptism

4th October

Darcy Guest

Memorial Service Mrs Blanche Allen

th

10th October

MICHAEL HULL

14 February 1936 – 2ndApril 2014 I would like to thank everyone who kindly donated to Prostate Cancer UK at my husband Michael Hull's funeral on 17th April. To date the total raised is £304.48.

Sue Bryett-Hull

CHRISTMAS EVE

Wednesday 24th December 6pm.

Come and sing.

COFFEE AND GLŰHWEIN MORNING in aid of El Salvador Crafer’s Barn Sat 13th December 10am-12.00noon

A traditional carol service will be held in Langham Parish Church. All welcome.

Everyone is warmly invited for a coffee morning with German advent cakes, tea, coffee and mulled wine. We are in North Street, the third house after Langham Village School when coming from the village crossroads. Proceeds are in aid of the Fe y Alegría school in a slum of the country’s capital, San Salvador. German St Nicolas chocolates and nostalgic Christmas cards will also be on sale.

Jutta and Roger Davis

WELCOME We would like to extend a warm welcome to Sandra and Stuart Nunn, Zoe and Peter Wilson with son Samuel, Laura and Rob, Samantha and Mark Dillon with son Tom and daughter Molly. We hope you will all be very happy living in Langham.

Langham P.C.C.

LEUKAEMIA AND LYMPHOMA RESEARCH

MOBILE LIBRARY 2014/15

A huge thank you to everyone who has supported our sales throughout the year. You have all been absolutely marvellous. I am very grateful of all the support, hopefully we shall be back in 2015. A Happy Christmas and a healthy New Year to you all.

Maureen Dennis

This visits on a four weekly basis on Thursdays. On each of these days the van will call for 20 mins at St. Mary’s 10.25am, The Old Post Office 10.50am, The Cornfield 11.15am. Please note, there will be no service on Dec 25th and the following visit will be on Jan 22nd.

Enquiries Wells Library T 01328 710467

MYSTERY TOUR

RVS LANGHAM CAR SERVICE

Once again on September 11th we had a very enjoyable day out organised by the Friends of Langham. The Mystery turned out to be The East Anglia Transport Museum. This was preceded by a ride around Norwich before lunch at The Crown, Carlton Colville, near the museum. At lunch, as in many previous years, Mrs Rosa Smith donated a bottle of whisky for a raffle which was won by John Parnell, on the annual trip for the first time.

Some members had been to the museum before but there were many new artefacts and additional exhibition rooms to view, of which one was the Yarmouth building, opened on Easter Sunday 2000.

The museum was founded on its present site in 1965, following the rescue of the body of an old Lowestoft tram (no14) which had been used for a number of years as a summerhouse. The site at Carlton Colville was formerly a

Schedule to February 1st 2015 Fare: 25p per mile.

Weekly driving duties beginning on a Monday.

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8th December 2014. After that date tickets are available for non-Langham children at a cost of £8.50 which includes the coach. Tickets for adults are £10.00 which also includes the coach fare. We hope to see you all again!

Marcel & Cathy Schoenmakers FOL The Address by Neale Rippingall, Blanche’s nephew, at a Service of Thanksgiving on 10th Oct. for the life of

BLANCHE MARION ALLEN

29th October 1923 – 14th September 2014 Blanche was born in Norfolk, spending her earliest years at Crabbe Castle, Wighton and moving to Manor Cottage in Langham with younger brother John in 1929. They had an idyllic childhood, full of adventures, getting up to all kinds of mischief.

Blanche attended Langford Grove, founded by Elizabeth Curtis in 1932 as a progressive school for young ladies, with a curriculum that emphasized the creative arts: painting, drawing, eurhythmics, and physical exercise. Blanche sat her school certificate, the equivalent of A levels today, in 1942 but the distinction of 6 A*s was denied her by the Luftwaffe who managed to bomb the building holding the finished exam papers. “It was” said Blanche “the only good thing that Hitler ever did” and she flatly refused to retake them.

Thus it was, without a qualification to her name, in 1942 Blanche joined the Womens Auxiliary Air Force and passed out as a Leading Aircraft Woman and posted to No.10 Fighter Group based at Rudloe Manor, Corsham, Wilts. She worked as a plotter showing the movement of enemy aircraft around the SW of England, and scrambling friendly fighters to intercept. Despite being war time Blanche had a good social life, dancing and making friends and on VJ day they ventured to London, ending up on the Mall with many others hollering for the King to come out and salute his people. He duly obliged.

Following demobilisation Blanche returned to Langham where she met Graham Allen, himself returned to Norfolk having served with the Grenadier Guards in Africa and Italy. They were married in Langham Church on August 14th 1948.

They wanted a life in farming and bought the eastern half of the Hall farm; land that had been sold by Blanche’s great uncle in the early 1900s and built a house, now known

Nov 24th. T 830 847 Dec 29th T 830 731 Dec 1st T 830 537* Jan 5th T 830 624 Dec 8th T 830 606* Jan 12th T 830 537* Dec 15th T 830 056 Jan 19th T 830 847 Dec 22nd T 830 677 Jan 26th T 830 605 * These drivers do not go to Norwich If the driver for the week is unable to do the trip, contact the next person on the list. If your appointment is cancelled, please also cancel your car service booking.

Please give three day’s notice wherever possible, except in an emergency. It would be very helpful if a car booking is made as soon as an appointment is arranged or journey planned so that drivers can arrange their schedule. When booking please tell the driver of any walking aids to be transported. Please bring change.

In the infrequent event that no driver is available – contact the Holt Caring Society T 01263 711243 giving as much notice as possible.

This roster is also placed on the church porch and the village notice boards with dates beyond the above schedule, after Jan 9th .

To avoid drivers having to do a double duty we are in urgent need of three drivers for our full complement. If anyone would like to join us please give me a call.

Ann Sherriff 01328 830605

CHRISTMAS FAIR Parish Room, Sat Nov 29th 10am-12 noon Please come and support us at this traditional event, raising money for the Langham Church General Fund.

Cakes, books, gifts, competitions and refreshments will be available. Give me a ring if there are any remaining donations which need to be collected. Many thanks for your continued support.

Ann Sherriff 01328 830 605

FOL PANTOMIME:SNOW WHITE Tuesday 30th December 2014

It’s that time of year again when we all get into the spirit of Pantomime!

This year we are off to the King’s Lynn Corn Exchange to see Snow White. Tickets are now available from Marcel and Cathy Schoenmakers on T 01328 830537.

The coach leaves the Blue Bell pub at 12 noon for a 1.30 pm start. As usual it is free for all Langham children but they must be accompanied by an adult.

Tickets for Langham children should be booked before

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was freed from his enforced incarceration. Blanche and John were soundly thrashed for their troubles and sent to bed with thin gruel. Nobody could explain whether the look of serene contentment on the Vicar’s face was due to the long hours of contemplative meditation, or the coming of the Lord.

Blanche loved her gin, being quite the connoisseur, preferring the finest Plymouth export to the inferior London Dry. I can testify to that through personal experience. As a mewling babe entrusted to his Aunt’s care, she wasn’t above dosing my bottle with a couple of fingers of medicinal gin.

“You went straight to sleep, and it shut you up” she later quipped.

Blanche was a daughter, a sister, a bride, a mother, and a grandmother of and in Langham. She was a friend to many, a great and lovely lady. So even though the village and the community may be the poorer for her passing, they are immeasurably richer for the life she lived.

Throughout her life her faith and this church in particular, played a central role. She was christened, married and will be buried in this church and I can think of no greater testament to her life than to see everybody here today filling the church in celebration of it.

as East Hall Farm. It was affectionately known as Nappy Hall after Edward, Stephen and Patrick were born because before the trees grew, the washing line was visible, flying the Allen colours to greet visitors to Langham.

As with so many of her generation, the notion of service to one’s country and community was fundamental to Blanche’s life. She served on the Red Cross Committee; was Chairman of the Parish Council for 12 years; a church warden and P.C.C. member for even longer and was a prominent Langham Ladybird. She also became a Justice of the Peace, serving for 30 years, first on the Walsingham bench and, after amalgamation, in Fakenham. Woe betide anyone who drove above the speed limit when she was a passenger in the vehicle.

Blanche was also an extremely accomplished fisherwoman and caught more than her fair share of 20 pounders. She loved her dogs and no shoot at East Hall Farm would have been complete without a pair of rowdy spaniels darting between the lines and generally disrupting the beaters.

Blanche was a very keen follower of sport, especially tennis and rugby, often seen on the touchline of the Gresham’s rugby pitch exhorting one grandson or another to “get stuck in”. During retirement, the advent of Sky Sports was a joy and it remains probably the only form of modern technology she ever properly mastered.

After Graham’s premature death in 1981 she passed the Hall and farm to her sons but never lost her grip on the pulse of Langham. After occupying the eastern and western approaches to the village, latterly, she was right in the middle, living across the road from the church in Storm Cottage. Here, she was nursed with great compassion and fortitude by Sheila, Angela, Becky, Ellie and her daughters in law, Janet, Fuff and Edwina, to all of whom is owed a great debt of thanks.

I have a lifetime of memories of the person she was, fun, generous, hospitable, naughty and more often than not she was giggling. Not unlike her father she was something of a practical joker. Sometime in the early 1930s the then Vicar of Langham had cause to call in at Manor Cottage. Before he could reach the front door he was intercepted by Blanche and John and enticed to go and visit their tree house at the bottom of the garden. Having got him up into the tree house, quick as a flash they removed the ladder and legged it. The Vicar was trapped with only the Lord and a few back issues of Health and Efficiency for company. It was many hours before the Vicar

CAROLS AND MINCE PIES EVENING Parish Room, Friday 12th December at 7pm The annual start to the Christmas festivities commences on this evening. Come and enjoy the very informal carol sing song with delicious refreshments in the most enjoyable atmosphere, crafted over the last 25 years. For those who have not yet experienced the unique format, come and see what you have been missing. You will be amazed, just ask those who have been before.

Edward Allen Chairman

TALES FROM THE DIPLOMATIC BAG In the Parish Room on 31st October, Richard Gozney gave another fascinating talk of some tales of 40 years in the Diplomatic Service. A full house listened intently to stories about small countries and their problems; from leaders with big cars, a missing naval ship of a landlocked country, to building an airport on a volcanic outcrop and more. The highlight of the evening was Richard putting on his Bermuda Governors uniform hat of pith helmet with feather plumes. A master stroke. Thank you Richard for another insight into a remarkable career.

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8TH SHOVELL DINNER The eighth Friends of Morston Church Shovell Dinner held at the Anchor was a great success, because (1) our speaker, the Rev. Christopher Wood (who spoke without slides) was a great speaker - on Nelson’s protégé, Captain William Hoste (from Burnham Market), (2) the food was delicious, especially the shin of beef, (3) the seating plan with 40 guests rather than 50 - was more “spaced out” than in the past, meaning one could actually hear what your neighbours at dinner were saying, and (4) we made £892 for Friends of Morston Church. The FMC Committee would like to thank all those who attended, all those who sent donations or contributed raffle prizes - especially the Norfolketc’s voucher for a day’s biking for a family and Morston Hall’s voucher for dinner for two, and all those who helped run the evening, not least the Anchor staff.

Christopher Wood changed at the beginning of the year from his rather Gilbert & Sullivan title at Brancaster of “Rector of the Saxon Shore” to Rector of St.John’s Timberhill in Norwich.

FRIENDS OF LANGHAM QUIZ NIGHT Parish Room, Thurs 11th December 7pm To book a table for this traditional and enjoyable Christmas event, contact: John Hughes 01328 830595

LANGHAM PARISH ROOM Coffee Morning Sat. 6th December 10.00-12noon Come and have a pre-Christmas mardle to catch up with good acquaintances and make new ones!

Edward Allen

BONFIRE NIGHT Thanks to about the best weather possible we had a wonderful evening. At least 300 people came along and enjoyed the best firework display to date and thankfully also took advantage of the great BBQ and soup to help keep out the cold. As ever, this event could not take place without the support of the Langham Parish Council, the Friends of Langham and of course all the helpers who worked so hard before, during and afterwards.

A special thank you goes to the Allen family for the use of their field.

John Hughes

LAUNCH OF THE AUK

On 14th October Henry and Ginny Faire launched in Morston Creek a beautiful all-wood crab boat, which was named the Auk with a bottle of Bullard’s Beer by Ginny’s mother, Mally Bullard. The Auk was built at Stiffkey by David Hewitt and team. May God bless all who sail in her!

LARN YARSELF SOME NORFOLK VERBS Annic = to fool about (“skywannicking” = fooling about) Arsle = to wriggle backward Bezzle = to drink greedily Brangle = To dispute something; to argue Carney = to flatter Crimbling = to sneak or creep around Dudder = to shiver Ewe = to owe (e.g. to ewe him £5)

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CHRISTENING OF CHARLIE WRIGHT

Charlie James Edward Wright, born on May 3rd, son of James Wright and Rebecca Bix and grandson of Peter and Carol Bix, and Chris and Debbie Wright, was christened at Morston Church by the Rev. Ian Whittle on September 27th.

The godparents were Lee Bix, Shelley Steed and Heidi Spooner. And afterwards there was a wonderful celebration in Morston Village Hall. A big thank you to Ann Massingham and her helpers.

Carol Bix

NCT BIKE RIDE 13TH SEPTEMBER The Norfolk Churches Trust Bike Ride has raised around £2,600,000 over the past 30 years. Half of that money was given back to the participants’ chosen churches and the remainder has been used by the Trust to give grants to hundreds of churches to be used for repairs, renovation and the conservation of their buildings. More than 600 church buildings are open for one day in the year for everyone to explore. This year the event included walkers and drivers of cars. Morston was represented by Ned Hamond, driving in his 1927 Austin-7 (raising about £140) and Rob & Max Metcalfe (£550) and Anne Rolfe (£530) biking, total £1,220. Brilliant!

“emigrated to Adelaide, South Australia.” Healesville is just south of Adelaide, opposite Kangaroo Island and is famous for its sanctuary for endangered animals.

The Poindexters (originally spelled “Poingdestre” in Norman French) came from Jersey (visible from the 1250s on). They apparently emigrated from Morston about a century after various Powditch family members had left for Wells and sone had emigrated to Adelaide (e.g. in 1810 James Race Powditch, 4th son of ten children of Samuel and Catherine Powditch of Wells), as well as to New Zealand and Chile.

FMC 2015 QUIZ The above is scheduled to take place in the Village Hall on Saturday 7th February. We hope to see the following quiz teams competing: Bale Billy-Wixes (Allen Sankey), the Benefice Bottle-Bumps (Rev Ian Whittle), Cockthorpe & Morston Cockles (Carole Bean), Cley and Gunthorpe Green -Olfs (Dave Head), Morston Coastguards (Neil Thompson), Morston Macaroons (Jill Tibbetts), Morston Missing the Point (Jane Temple), Morston Mousehunts (Susy Harrison), the defending champions Morston Pishmires (Mary Athill), and Norfolk Nattlers (David Carnwath). Team captains please put this date in your diary or tell Friends of Morston Church you will all be AWOL in Timbuktoo or somewhere!

No other excuse is good enough!

MORSTON’S GOTTS EMIGRANTS TO ONTARIO, CANADA Stop Press: Relations Located In the last issue we listed six of Morston’s Gotts family who fought in World War I and survived. They were in the RNAS, 2nd Norfolks, RASC (two), HMS Gibraltar and the RFA (Royal Fleet Auxiliary). The head of the family, Bertie’s father, a carpenter - came from Beckham to 11 Morston Street, and Bertie’s mother, Emily (born 1861), came from Forncett, before the 1901 census.

Sometime after World War I Private Bertie Reginald Gotts (1893-1978, 2nd Norfolks in WWI) emigrated with his wife, Olive May Gotts (1894-1981) to Ontario, Canada – both being described on their deaths in 1978 & 1981 as “of Atikokan, Rainy River, Ontario”, 30 miles north of the US border (Minnesota). Well done, Bertie, surviving WWI and then living to 85. And Olive 87!

On 16th November 1991 John & Pam Gotts of Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada (600 miles west of Atikokan, the other side – west of Winnipeg), brought Bertie & Olive’s ashes back to Morston for burial to the west of the porch door. We believe that they are Bertie and Olive’s grandchildren, children of Robert Gotts. Except for Bertie’s mother, Emily Gotts, who was also buried at Morston on 28 Feb 1924 aged 63, no other Gotts were buried here. Bertie’s mother Emily was also mother of RASC Private C. William Gotts (28 in 1914) and of Airman Edward Gotts (16 in 1914). No known Gotts in Norfolk today claim relationship with the Morstoners. In our trying to obtain a photograph of or story about those six World War I Gotts men in uniform, we can get no reply from John and Pam’s last known address in downtown Regina.

Stop Press again! Since writing the above an Adrian Manon Tofts and his wife Marion nee Skinner of Barnby

VISIT BY DESCENDANTS OF MORSTON AUSSIE EMIGRANTS On 28th August Allan and Jane Litchfield of Healesville, South Australia visited the church, writing in the Visitors’ Book “Tracing my past, 1840s, nee Poindexter, baptised here.” Our “Families Connected with Morston” Board in church annotates the Poindexter family name with

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FARMING RETROSPECT This has been a year of system change at Saxlingham Farms with one large combine coping with all our combinable crops, the use of tractors and trailers at harvest disappearing, and our longest-serving member of staff, Alan Lawrence, departing for a new lease of life.Alan has served the farm at Saxlingham well, originally as a member of Sir John White’s team under the management of Harry Hall. He has been second in command for the present owners, Albanwise, and has been a vital team member over his 30plus years of service, offering us his own brand of hard work, diligence and ‘Lawro’ charm! Alan left us in April, since when we have missed him, but we know the Langham Bell has benefited now he has more time at his disposal!

Our good wishes go to Alan and his family.

We have luckily had a cooperative climate since spring with the 2014 harvest being the best since 2008 helping to test the new harvest system fully. All crops performed exceptionally well although low values do reduce nett returns. Sugar beet looks like being a record crop, but the oversupply of sugar onto a world market has hit next year’s contract price hard with compulsory reductions in quota necessary to clear the surplus, so please develop those sweet teeth!

The wild bird population has had a successful year with the various stewardship options doing their bit to enhance the estate’s populations. As ever I request community cooperation in respecting the banns on access to those grass margins or areas of the estate not designated for access and also the control of dogs in environmentally sensitive areas.

The long-term project to improve the woodland around the estate should begin this year with the aim of returning the woodland floor to a more natural state with deer management and target species enhancement at the core of this scheme.

Top tip from the farm, watch out for a hard winter ahead following one of our staff’s observations that the squirrels are clearing the chestnuts as they fall this autumn – in readiness for tougher times ahead!

near Beccles have visited Morston church, leaving the message: “A lovely place to be looking up family members”. Adrian’s father was Raymond, son of Airman Edward Gotts (above). Adrian has pictures of Edward and of his half-brother Driver Obadiah Pelly Gotts and of Bertie & Olive – all from World War I times. These photos we will show in a future Lynx issue.

NATIONAL TRUST UPDATE Blakeney National Nature Reserve

The last few weeks have seen the arrival of lots of winter migrants to Blakeney Point and the marshes beyond. Flocks of starlings have been coming in from Scandinavia, as have lots of thrushes. The first of the year’s snow buntings are about as well, so keep an eye out for them on the shingle – Salthouse is a good place to see them.

At Morston Quay we’re still coming up with a design for the path. We have lots of different options and are working out which will be most robust and hard wearing. Once we’ve settled on a solution we’ll need planning permission to take the project forward, so we’ll be putting an application together soon. There’ll then be an eight week period before works can commence.

On Blakeney point we’ve seen the first of this winter’s seal pups which was born on November 1st and was joined by two more on the 2nd. The coming months should see over 1,500 pups born on Blakeney point – a staggering number considering that less than 15 years ago there were no pups being born here at all. The best views of the seal pups are from the seal boats that leave from Morston Quay – access on the point is restricted to reduce disturbance to the rookery. We will be running two seal pup trips on 28th and 29th November – you can book a place through the events page on our website.

Finally our ranger team have been busy on Blakeney freshes. We’ve been pulling out old barbed wire fences ahead of a digger coming to re-profile some of the ditches, making them more beneficial to the wildlife on the freshes. We’ll also be putting in some sluices to control the water level and improving some of the ponds and scrapes. Elsewhere we’ll be doing some work to the trees at Bale and Bullfer Grove and some scrub management at Friary Hills. Stuart Banks, Area Ranger

BLUEJACKET CHRISTMAS FAIR Sat 6 & Sun 7 December, 10am - 5pm All at Bluejacket Workshop welcome walkers, shoppers and general party-minded folk to join us throughout the weekend for free mulled wine, hot chocolate and festive nibbles.

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SHARRINGTON GARDENERS Our autumn talk series has so far featured two enthusiastic speakers from different ends of the gardening spectrum.

In October our guest was Simon White, the sales manager of Peter Beales Roses. Simon enthused about his topic ‘The A – Z of roses’ but also about the business of which he is part. Such was his zeal that we enjoyed a well informed ramble through the rose garden that lasted nearly two hours with loads of helpful tips.

November saw the return of garden consultant and designer, Shelagh Ashe who took us around the ‘winter garden’, from plants white with frost and snow to those radiant orange, purple and red gardens planted with mahonia, viburnum, winter jasmine, erica, hellebores, snowdrops, aconites, crocuses, primroses and much more.

What to plant together, what to plant in pots for a good winter show and how to plant to preserve the summer garden. Two excellent, well attended evenings.

After our December workshop with Bob Lever when he will demonstrate making garden structures and sculpture from willow, we will take a break until 4th February 2015 when we will have our AGM and plan our garden fun for the year.

RAD

PETER BOWLES We are most grateful to Peter for his ever-reliable taking of the service of Holy Communion in St.Margaret’s on the first Sunday every month, though Saxlingham is luckily able to call on other retired clergy in the area to take a service if the Rector is unavailable on the third Sunday in the month. Naturally, living in Wells as he does, Peter owes his first loyalty to the parish church there, but he has always given freely of his time to help out in Saxlingham. His warm, humorous and relaxed manner is much appreciated; however, his interpretation of texts is both rigorous and original, so we all listen intently. One of life’s volunteers, Peter has for some time served a weekly stint with Coastwatch at Wells. How typical of the man!

CAROLS IN SAXLINGHAM Our festive family service, Carols by Candlelight, will be held at 4.00 pm on Sunday 21st December in St. Margaret’s and led by Ian Whittle. The carols will be followed by mulled wine (fruit juices if preferred) and mince-pies to mark the Christmas Season. All are welcome. Please bring your family and friends! This is an opportunity for everybody in the village to sing together at a special time of year and see our beautifully decorated tree (help with decorating the tree on the Saturday would be appreciated!).

Please note the date and time of this special occasion in your calendars and persuade your neighbours to join you.

ANTIQUES EVENING As part of our efforts to improve usage of the village hall and raise funds for improvement, Luke Scott of Richard Scott antiques kindly agreed to join us for ‘an evening of antiques’ in September. 45 people came along with family heirlooms to learn more about their items and their value. It was fascinating to see such a wide range of antiques including silver, china, paintings, watches and clocks. Luke did a splendid job in offering insight into the history of the objects as well as keeping his audience entertained with stories of the past and his experience in the antique business.

We didn’t find any millionaires on the night but one or two people had some very pleasant surprises. It was a fun and informative evening. Thank you once again to Luke and his wife for giving up their time to support our village hall. As a result of the evening over £250 was raised towards village hall funds.

NOBLE ROTTERS The Rotters’ September tasting was intended to ready members for the onset of an autumn chill that did not, in fact, arrive until November.

Our chosen specialist subject was the wines of the Cotesdu-Rhone-Villages. There are 18 villages in the area from Montelimar to Avignon and we sampled six wines from: Massif d’Uchaux, Valreas, Séguret, Cairanne, Plan de Dieu and Rasteau. All wines came from the excellent 2009 vintage and careful sampling confirmed that all were ready for drinking.

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the tune of £290.00.

Dates for your diaries

The carol service will be on Sunday 21st December at 5pm. If the weather is clement there will be a lantern procession starting at the village hall at 4.30pm. For those not wishing to process the church will be open, lit and warm so come in, find a seat and enjoy the ambience of the crib, tree and decorations.

Christmas Day Holy Communion at 9.30am.

Sunday 28th December Group Service at Langham at 10.30am.

Keep this date open please because the very popular Burns Night supper will take place at the village hall on Saturday 17th January 2015. The piper Richard Dawson has been booked. Full details will be released at a later date. AG

There was a minor disappointment with the wine from the Plan de Dieu, but the rest were excellent and typical of their genre. Opinions were divided but the general consensus was that the Séguret was victorious in a pretty close run race.

As a bonus we tried a 2013 wine from Rochegude (part of a Lidl late summer offering)…our verdict, good for the price but maybe needing a bit longer in bottle.

Our November tasting will focus on the cabernet sauvignon grape and in December some festive fizz.

If you would like to join, please contact Roger Dubbins on 01263 862261 or r.dubbins@btinternet.com RAD

CROMER FOOD BANK As most of us look forward to a happy family Christmas let’s not forget the surprisingly large number of people in our area who are in real financial difficulties and need the help of the food bank.

A recent survey showed that even in Holt, outwardly an affluent town, there are many families struggling to make ends meet.

With Christmas approaching we have been asked to donate some Christmas treats which we all enjoy at this time of the year and which are difficult for many people to afford. The collection box is still at the back of the church ready for donations.

So this is an appeal to you all to drop off maybe a few chocolates, biscuits, sweets, cans of coke, squash, mince pies and Christmas cakes and puddings. Non-food items such as shower gel, soaps and other small gifts along with crackers, cards and children’s toiletries have also been requested. Ideally we would like to deliver these as soon as possible to give the organisers plenty of time before Christmas to pack and deliver them.

Contrary to what some people believe, all recipients of the food bank parcels will have been referred by social service agencies as being in urgent need of help. This is often only a temporary measure to tide families over a difficult time in their lives.

Your generosity has been much appreciated and letters of thanks and updates from the food bank are regularly posted in the church.

Let’s see how much we can donate in the next couple of weeks to spread some Christmas cheer.

CD

CHURCH NEWS Sponsored cycle ride

The morning of Saturday 13th September dawned bright and fair, ideal for the cyclists and although we did not have as many through the door it was a steady number. Martyn, Martin and Simon worked their way through the benefice churches and managed to accrue decent sponsorship and proudly boast of their aches and pains the next day. It is always pleasant to talk to the various participants and try and answer their numerous questions about All Saints, especially our stone corbels. This year in the early afternoon there was a memorial service in the churchyard for Bernie Shaw who died earlier in the year. Now Bernie was never a Sharrington resident but his father, Horace, was born here in Well Cottage in 1902, his mother was born in Hindringham and her ashes are also interred here with her husband and Bernie’s sister, brother and other family member. Some of us got to know Bernie over the years as he was a regular visitor with floral tributes to his family plot. God bless you Bernie, we will miss your visits.

Harvest Supper We had a real fun time at the harvest supper on Saturday 4th October with a good number of villagers and some visitors. The menu was varied with delicious desserts donated by good supporters of harvest and a really good cheeseboard. I feel the appreciation was reflected in the fact there was nothing left at the end and all who desired ‘seconds’ were not disappointed. Notwithstanding all this the piece de resistance was Adrian who acted as auctioneer, splendidly calling us all to order by thumping on the piano and then extracting money for multitude of goodies on display such as preserves, sausage rolls, flowers, seeds for next year, squashes and so on. Excellent and a massive thank you to all who helped make the evening a success to

VILLAGE POSTAL COLLECTIONS The keen eyed amongst you may have noticed that there are revised times for the collection of post from our village post boxes. With Christmas approaching and an increased use of the boxes for cards it may serve as a handy reminder to be given those times.

The post box in Bale Rd near the church is now emptied at 9am from Monday to Friday and at 7am on Saturday.

The collection at the village hall post box is still 5.30pm Monday to Friday and 10.30am on Saturday.

Although a number of us have been caught out by the change in times at the post box in Bale Rd it does mean that as a village we now have two collections per day.

CD

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A SCANDALOUS RECTOR OF STIFFKEY: LORD FREDERICK TOWNSHEND Lord Frederick Townshend succeeded Arthur Branthwayt as Rector of Stiffkey. He was the third son of George Townshend, 4th Viscount Townshend, Lord Frederick, and was persuaded by his father to join the clergy after coming down from Cambridge. Branthwayt was the personal chaplain of Viscount Townshend, and died in June 1792. Frederick became Deacon at Norwich on 1st July and appointed Rector on Christmas Eve at the age of 24 years.

Lord Frederick was close to his younger brother Lord Charles and celebrated his unopposed return as M.P. for Great Yarmouth in May 1806. Sir Edmund Lacon ‘never saw a stronger affection than there always had been between the brothers’, but the Election Day ended in tragedy.

Lord Frederick already had at the time of the election a history of mental problems; two years previously he had been confined for insanity ‘when he had a strait waistcoat on’. At election time both brothers showed ‘the most indubitable symptoms of insanity, and chiefly after dinner and supper.’ Their friends, concerned at their behaviour, ensured that they left Yarmouth for London as soon as possible. On arrival in London Lord Charles was found dead in the post-chaise having been shot through mouth as Lord Frederick ‘walked about without attempting to make off, and stripped off his coat, waistcoat and shirt, began to unbutton the right knee of his breeches, and talked of fighting’.

A Coroner’s Inquest was soon arranged, Gerald Wesley, a friend of Lord Charles, thought Lord Frederick ‘quite mad’ but not Lord Charles. Lord Frederick claimed a suicide pact after a discussion on religion. The inquest found that death ’was occasioned by a leaden bullet being fired out of a pistol through the mouth into the head…, but by whose hand the said pistol was fired no evidence thereof doth appear to the said jurors’.

Whatever happened in the carriage will remain a mystery, and however mad Lord Frederick was he remained Rector of Stiffkey for the remaining 30 years of his life. He did not seem to have concerned himself much with his flock at Stiffkey (and Morston), his signature does not appear as officiating cleric at any burial whilst Rector. He left the care of the benefice delegated to a stipendiary curate, employed at much less than the value of the living. John Ambrose Tickell fulfilled this role from 1813 to 1835 in addition to his other roles as Vicar of Castle Acre and Curate at both Wighton and Hempstead.

It is no surprise that Stiffkey Church looks rather

neglected in a print of the 1820s, and that the Rectory was rebuilt and major restoration to the church was done in the years following the death of Lord Frederick on 18th January 1836.

Steven Bashforth, S.L.H.G.

LOCAL HISTORY GROUP NEWS Many members of the group took part in the excavation of the Stiffkey Pillbox, and learned some basic archaeological techniques. Excavation has now been completed and archaeologists are studying the finds. The Pillbox floor is restored to its original level, and missing concrete blocks replaced in late November. A further meeting between members of the Stiffkey Local History Group, National Trust and archaeologists will take place to further progress the project.

The successful work on the Pillbox has prompted another partnership project, this time involving the National Trust, Holkham Estate and the Local History Group. This is to improve the ‘Whirligig’ site, jointly owned by the N.T. and Holkham. The first phase of this project took place on November 5th. A team of around twenty worked hard to clear scrub and rubbish and cut grass to clear an area to the southern side of the ‘Whirligig’ site. Visitors can now see across the site and go up to the central column for the first time for many years. With the clearance, mainly of gorse and bramble, it is hoped rare plants, such as the bee orchid will flourish. The clearance involved construction of a substantial seasonal bonfire and helpers enjoyed baked potatoes and marshmallows supplied by the National Trust, and delicious cake supplied by Sheila Crafer.

This project will continue with restoration work advised by the archaeologist, and completed with the installation of an interpretation board for visitors.

Steven Bashforth

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CHURCH NOTES

Inland farming has changed out of all recognition since the days of my youth. But we are lucky in this area. We can’t stop progress, but we should progress with an eye over our shoulder at our wildlife which is evidently diminishing.

This includes our garden birds. A good breeding season can help restore populations of birds but with the official index of common small birds down nearly 50% something needs to be done; not just in nature reserves. Having said that we do get rarities visiting. Stiffkey was flooded with bird watchers in October – spotting an “Orange Flanked Bluetail” (took a wrong turning and should be in Thailand); an “Isabelline Shrike” – again off course. These “vagrants” don’t stay long. They push on to southern climes leaving some disconsolate bird watchers behind – disappointed with no tick – me included!

Pigtle

People may have noticed that our conservation area has been dramatically tidied up thanks to the work of the Payback Unit from King’s Lynn – those doing social work in lieu of prison sentences.

They also mowed the area adjacent to the churchyard and with our usual band of volunteer mowers the churchyard looks in good order. We are most grateful.

Work continues on the fabric of the church and the visit of inspection in October (by the Rural Dean) went ahead satisfactorily. With our regular PCC team pulling their weight all seemed in good order.

The village history group has met in the church on several occasions and with the heaters on in the chancel it is quite a cosy place to have a meeting!

The next big event in the run up to Christmas is our Christingle Service – 3pm Sunday 21st December. Make a note and bring the children along. There will be Carols at the Red Lion 6.30pm Christmas Eve. Come and join us!

There will be a communion service on Christmas morning.

Our harvest festival was well supported on October 5th and all the produce given to the Canaan Project at Sheringham which helps disadvantaged individuals in Eastern Europe.

They were most grateful for all the food etc. and will put it to good use.

Finally let us remember the special 100th year commemoration of WW1. We have already had our exhibition in the church but the nation will continue to remember and reflect. – And let us not forget WWII and Afghanistan (the Royal Anglicans took severe casualties).

Keith McDougall

NEW REP FOR LOCAL LYNX Is it you?

Steven Bashforth is looking to hand over the Stiffkey rep baton to an interested village resident. The Lynx publishes every two months and local articles are submitted to the rep via email. Our team of editors and reps will give lots of support and advice.

There is a bi-monthly meeting following each of the 6 publications throughout the year. Contact Steve direct at steve@ stevenbashforth.wannadoo.co.uk, tel: 01328 830569 or email lynxeditor@pobox.com.

NATURE NOTES Right up till the end of October the weather was warm and half term week saw our area full of visitors. They came for the finest stretch of protected coast in Eastern England; from Hunstanton to Cromer we now have environmental bodies protecting and safe-guarding one of the prime areas of salt marshes in Western Europe. Frome the earliest days in 1926 when the Norfolk Naturalists Trust was formed and Cley marshes purchased, and with The National Trust acquiring Blakeney Point, the whole stretch is in good hands.

And inshore fishing still provides a living; though oldtimers remember more mussels, more cockles, and more oysters – perhaps things do change and we must be more careful of what is left.

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Christmas Puzzle Solutions (from pages 14-15)

M Y P R E S A E A A G O N I S E 8 I N E C H A P P 10 N R B E T T E R 13 A T 15 S T E W A R D 16 T O A D E E R I N R 19 L N 22 A D D S U

LANGHAM SCHOOL NEWS Welcome to new staff In September, Langham welcomed a new head teacher – Polly Kossowicz and a new teacher – Catherine Edgington. Langham is a friendly school and they were both made to feel very welcome.

Rainforest day It has been a half term packed with exciting events and activities. In September we held a ‘Rainforest day’ when all the children got together in groups to create and make rainforest animals and plants to decorate the library area. The children worked really hard and the resulting room is fantastic with trees, birds, butterflies, two large gorillas and even rainforest sound effects!

Fundraising Fun The children have been very busy with their fundraising. So far this term the school Council has organised a Macmillan coffee morning, a wear pink for cancer research and a collection at our Harvest festival for the local charity Nelson’s Journey.

E N T S N R A D A L S O U I S R I N C E S I 12 N N I G H T G R M O T H S A E T E N T L Y A E L G A R T O

SPOT THE DIFFERENCES SOLUTION 1. Narrower seam on the ball. 2. Teddy's soles are now black. 3. No doors on the car. 4. Extra decoration on the tree (obvious!). 5. Strap on Santa's bag now grey. 6. Sole of Santa's boot now black. 7. No pom-pom on Santa's hat. 8. Teddy has a bigger arm. Hard!

Sporting Success Our sporting accomplishments this half term have been winning two football matches and the cluster aquathon held at Alderman Peel High School. We also entered 16 children into the Gresham Cross Country event and were very proud of Abbi who came second out of nearly 200 girls. Well done Abbi!

Class news We have studied some exciting topics this term, class 1 has been learning about the past, their family history and local history. As part of this, Year 1 visited Langham Dome. We really enjoyed this wonderful local resource and learnt all about life in Langham during the Second World War. Class 2’s topic has also been history based, we have learnt about the Stone Age, studying fossils and making early weapons such as catapults, bows and arrows. Class 3 has been studying the Ancient Greeks, making 3 dimensional Greek Gods which are really impressive. We have also been looking at myths which make for wonderful reading.

It has been a busy time here at Langham and everyone is ready for their half term holiday. We are also really excited about the Halloween party which is being held in Field Dalling Villagers Hall on the 23rd October. When we come back there will be new challenges more exciting learning and the build up to Christmas with a performance at the end of term called ‘An out of this world Christmas!’ compiled by Chloe, Poppy, Florence, Karina, Katie and Mrs K.

CHRISTMAS QUIZ (ADULTS) ANSWERS 1, Stevie Wonder. 2. Martin Luther King. 3. Anne Boleyn.

4. Two turtle doves. 5. CIRCLE. 6. Post. 7. 4840. 8. Three.

9. Eight. 10. March. 11. Goran Ivanisovich. 12. Trafalgar.

CHRISTMAS QUIZ (CHILDREN) ANSWERS 1. C3PO. 2. Hagrid. 3. Male. 4. ¼. 5. A dish of mussels. 6.

Dutch. 7. Five. 8. Four. 9. Eight. 10. A knight. 11. Rollerskating. 12. Pink.

ANSWER TO BOTTLE & CORK PUZZLE A penny farthing. (Most people answer “a penny halfpenny” – but then the total for the bottle and the cork would be two pence, not one and a half.)

WORD SQUARE ANSWERS 1. Houghton 2. Baconsthorpe 3. Binham 4. Blickling 5.

Castle Acre 6. Felbrigg 7. Holkham 8. Kimberley 9.

Oxburgh 10. Wolterton 11. Walsingham Abbey 12.

Sennowe Park 13. Mannington.

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The Small Ads Panel - Advertising Local Services CHIMNEY SWEEP David Thompson 01328 851081

POND MAN New Build and Renovation Maintenance and Repair Call Peter on Langham 01328 830689

B.A. TREE SERVICES (Tree Surgeon) Free quotes available Full Public Liability Insurance held 01263 588994 or 07748 570121

YOGA CLASSES Alice Martineau Wiveton – Blakeney. All welcome. www.alicemartineau.co.uk or 07973278895

RANDELL'S FOOTCARE Chiropody / Podiatry Central Booking Line 01603 737188 Now Open in Fakenham

HAMLYN PEST CONTROL County Council Accredited – NPTA Member Control of Rats, Mice, Wasps, etc.

01263 860112 or 861587

SIVANANDA YOGA CLASS Tuesdays 7.00 – 9.00pm All welcome Field Dalling Village Hall Richard Redmayne 01263 862289

NICK RIVETT Qualified Domestic Plumber Also: Lead Work Undertaken Tel: 01263 861065 Mob:07747 690049

INSIDE OUT Gary Waller Painter and Decorator – Fully Insured Tel: 01263 860705 Mob: 07990 993406

ROBIN PEEL GARDEN SERVICES Grass & Hedge Cutting – Fencing - Patios & Paths – The complete garden service Tel: 01328 830694 or 07717 418725

Local Lynx is printed by Century Printing, 132 High Street, Stalham, Norwich NR12 9AZ 28 Tel/Fax: 01692 582958