WHERE IS DAKENHAM? By Chris Weston On August 25th, 2021, the Eastern Evening News published details of a proposed Masterplan to replace the former USSAF Rackheath wartime Aerodrome with housing and more. The report also included an image taken in part of Muck Lane, duly renamed as such in the early 20th century, having previously been known as Dakenham Hall Lane. The current name also reflects agricultural activity in the area. But who knows that one corner of the proposed development also lies in part of a long-lost community, able to claim itself as a ‘lost village?’ Anyone living in or near Station Road in Salhouse, will be familiar with the name ‘Dakenham’, found today in two separate parts of the locality. Dakenham Close is a turning off here, only a short distance from the main B1140 NorwichSalhouse-Acle road. Several hundred yards later after passing under the railway bridge, is the entrance to Salhouse railway station. Opposite here stands Dakenham Hall and next door, also Dakenham Farm. One part of what may be visibly assumed as the Hall is separately, Dakenham Hall Cottage. While living in the vicinity over 20 years ago, I often wondered how a relatively small property (compared with the size of some Norfolk Halls) gained its title. Anyone passing the property would have no idea of its name apart from the gatepost name board and another in the outer wall. So why was there a Hall and could Dakenham have been a hamlet of either Rackheath or Salhouse? Or, was it once an actual place? Many months of research and enquiries produced very little as not much appears to have ever been recorded or written about this location. But one day and quite unexpectedly, the tide turned! While working on a different project, I suddenly found mention of a former ‘small community or settlement’ called Dakenham, located near the Salhouse end of Rack-
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Muck Lane near Dakenham Hall. Beyond, are trees beyond which was once, the RAF Rackheath airbase heath. Recorded as “a possible Medieval to Post Medieval settlement” (AD 1066-1539 & 1450-1900 respectively) this would have spanned today’s area between Dakenham Hall and Dakenham Close. Hence the five present-day turnings of Truman Close, Wood Green, Warren Green, Howlett’s Loke and Dakenham Close all leading off Station Road would once, have effectively been in Dakenham rather than in Rackheath or Salhouse as ‘dictated’ by more recent parish boundary lines. A late medieval or early postmedieval road known as Ravensgate Way once linking Norwich and Wroxham is shown as such, on Mousehold maps of 1585 and 1910. After leaving the city and passing the Lazar House, this road crossed Mousehold Heath, entering Rackheath in the vicinity of today’s Sam Smith Way, near Eva Road. It then passed the southern side of Dakenham Hall after which both the settlement and an already established double trackway (the current Rackheath / Salhouse parish border) are thought to have joined the former Ravensgate Way, to continue towards the river crossing in Wroxham. Documents show several medieval tracks and hollow ways running from Norwich through Sprowston and on to Rackheath.
But little trace now remains of three medieval routes of Ravensgate Way, Ranworth Way and Horning Ferry Way. In Roman times, yet another river crossing at Wayford led to a large Roman camp, there and was heavily used by those from the Roman site at Brampton, between Buxton and Aylsham. At various times, archaeologists have surveyed the Dakenham area, concluding it’s similar to sites mapped in Lincolnshire and elsewhere, so even a late Prehistoric to Roman period site (AD 43 to 409) is also possible. Several cropmarks discovered or seen from the air have also been found, further suggesting former activity in the area. But one over-riding uncertainty remains. As Dakenham doesn’t appear to be independently included in any census records, to which neighbour was it really once ‘attached’ or had it vanished before that system began? Maybe someone before my time had already discovered its former existence and reintroduced the name so it might live on, which it still does - at least for now. If the proposed new development becomes reality, yet another name might arrive, unless just Rackheath remains, also perpetuating one more of Norfolk’s famous airbases
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