Wikipedia - Benutzerbeiträge [de]

Chipping Norton Castle

2009-07-16T21:00:48Z

ClickRick: remove redundant coord from infobox

{{Infobox UK place
| official_name= Chipping Norton
| nickname= Chippy
| country= England
| region= South East England
| population= 5,972<ref name="population">{{cite web | url = http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadTableView.do?a=7&b=6096480&c=chipping+norton&d=14&e=16&g=481610&i=1001x1003x1004&m=0&r=1&s=1234221284148&enc=1&dsFamilyId=77 | title = Sex (UV03), Chipping Norton (Ward) | accessdate = 2009-02-09 | date = 2004-11-18 | work = 2001 Census: Census Area Statistics | publisher = Office for National Statistics | location = United Kingdom | quote = All People (Persons) Count: 5,972; Males (Persons) Count: 2,879; Females (Persons) Count: 3,093}}</ref>
| os_grid_reference= SP309269
| london_distance= 74.5mi
| latitude= 51.94
| longitude= -1.55
| post_town= CHIPPING NORTON
| postcode_area= OX
| postcode_district= OX7
| dial_code= 01608
| constituency_westminster= [[Witney (UK Parliament constituency)|Witney]]
| civil_parish=
| shire_district= West Oxfordshire
| shire_county= [[Oxfordshire]]
}}

'''Chipping Norton''' is a [[town]] in the [[Cotswold Hills]] in [[Oxfordshire]], England, about {{convert|12|mi|km}} [[southwest]] of [[Banbury]]. It is the highest town above [[Elevation|sea level]] in Oxfordshire. {{Fact|date=July 2009}}

==History until the 17th century==

The [[Rollright Stones]], a [[stone circle]] {{convert|2.5|mi|km}} north of Chipping Norton, are evidence of prehistoric habitation in the area.

The town's [[toponymy|toponym]] means 'market north town', with "Chipping" (from [[Old English]] ''cēping'') meaning 'market'. It is not clear what the original [[Anglo-Saxons|Saxon]] settlement was north of, but John Blair, Professor of Medieval History and Archaeology at the [[University of Oxford]], suggested in 2000 at a lecture in Chipping Norton [[Town Hall]] that [[Charlbury]] to the south, now a smaller town, was in [[Anglo-Saxons|Anglo-Saxon]] times a more important [[minster]] town and that Chipping Norton's "nor-" prefix refers to this geographical and pastoral relationship with Charlbury.

Chipping Norton began as a small settlement at the foot of a hill on which stand the [[motte-and-bailey]] [[Chipping Norton Castle]] Only the earthworks of the [[castle]] remain.

The [[parish church]] of [[Mary (mother of Jesus)|Saint Mary the Virgin]] was built on the hill next to the castle. Parts of the present building may date from the [[12th century]]. It certainly retains features from the [[13th century|14th]] and [[14th century|14th]] [[century|centuries]]. The [[nave]] was largely rebuilt in about 1485 with a [[clerestorey]] in the [[English_gothic_architecture#Perpendicular_Gothic|Perpendicular]] style. This rebuilding is believed to have been funded by John Ashfield, a wool merchant, making St. Mary's an example of a "[[wool church]]". The [[bell tower]] was rebuilt in 1825<ref>{{Cite book | author=Pevsner, Nikolaus| authorlink= | coauthors= Sherwood, Jennifer| title=The Buildings of England: Oxfordshire | date=1974 | publisher=Penguin | location=Harmondsworth | isbn=0 14 071045 0 | pages=536-538}}</ref><ref>[http://www.st-marys-cnorton.com/httpdocs/ Parish Church of St. Mary the Virgin]</ref> and has a [[Change ringing|ring]] of eight bells.<ref>[http://www.chippy-bells.org.uk/towers.htm Oxford Diocesan Guild of Church Bell ringers, Chipping Norton Branch]</ref>

[[Image:Alms houses, Chipping Norton.JPG|thumb|left|[[Almshouse]]s in Chipping Norton]]
In the [[Middle Ages]] wool production made the Cotswolds one of the wealthiest parts of England. Many of the [[Middle Ages|mediaeval]] buildings built in the town as a result of that trade still survive. It became the new centre of the town and remains so today. There is still a weekly market every Wednesday and the "[[Mop Fair]]" in September. In 1205 a new marketplace was laid out higher up the hill.

Later, sheep farming was largely displaced by [[arable]], but [[agriculture]] remained important in this part of the Oxfordshire Cotswolds. Many of the original houses around the market place were rebuilt in the [[18th century]] with fashionable [[Georgian architecture|Georgian]] frontages.

The [[almshouse]]s were built in 1640 {{Fact|date=July 2009}}. An inscription records that they were ''"The work and gift of Henry Cornish, gent"''.

==History from the 18th century onwards==

In 1796 James and William Hitchman founded Hitchman's Brewery in West Street. In 1849 the business built a larger brewery in Albion Street that included a [[malt]]house and its own [[water well]]s. Three generations of Hitchmans ran the brewery, but in 1890 Alfred Hitchman sold the business as a [[limited company]]. The new company grew by buying other breweries in 1891 and 1917. In 1924 it merged with Hunt Edmunds of Banbury, and in 1931 Hunt Edmunds Hitchmans closed the brewery in Chipping Norton.<ref>[http://www.geocities.com/mamachic1/brewery.html Hitchman's Brewery history]</ref>

Other industries in the town included a wool mill (see below), a [[glove]]-making factory, a [[tannery]] and an [[iron]] [[foundry]].

Chipping Norton had a [[Workhouse]] by the [[1770s]]. In 1836 the [[architect]] [[George Wilkinson (architect)|George Wilkinson]] built a new, larger workhouse. It had four wings radiating from an octagonal central building, similar to [[Witney]] workhouse, which also was built by Wilkinson. The architect [[George Edmund Street|G.E. Street]] added a chapel to Chipping Norton workhouse in 1856-57. It ceased to be a workhouse in 1929 and became a [[hospital]] in the [[World War II|Second World War]]. The [[National Health Service]] took it over in 1948, making it Cotshill Hospital which later served as a [[psychiatric hospital]]. The hospital was closed in 1983.<ref>[http://www.oxfordshirehealtharchives.nhs.uk/hospitals/cotshill.htm Cotshill Hospital history]</ref> and has since been redeveloped as private residences.

[[Image:Chipping-Norton-Town-Hall.jpg|thumb|right|Town Hall]]
Chipping Norton was one of the [[borough]]s reformed by the [[Municipal Corporations Act 1835]]. The borough built its [[Neoclassical architecture|neoclassical]] [[Town Hall]] in 1842.

Holy [[Trinity]] [[Roman Catholic church]] is also neoclassical. It was built in 1836 by the architect John Adey Repton, a [[grandson]] of the [[English garden]] designer [[Humphry Repton]].

The [[Chipping Norton Railway]] opened in 1855, linking the town with [[Kingham railway station|Kingham]] on the [[Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway]].<ref>[http://archive.theoxfordtimes.net/2005/3/14/4601.html ''The Oxford Times'', 14 March 2005]</ref> By 1881 a second railway had opened, linking Chipping Norton to the [[Oxford and Rugby Railway]] at [[King's Sutton railway station|King's Sutton]], and the CNR became part of the resulting [[Banbury and Cheltenham Direct Railway]]. Extending the railway from Chipping Norton involved digging a [[tunnel]] {{convert|685|yd|m}} long<ref>[http://deaves47.users.btopenworld.com/Tunnels/Tunnels1.htm Railway Tunnel Lengths website, page 1]</ref> under Elmsfield Farm to the [[west]] of the town.

In 1951 [[British Rail]]ways withdrew passenger services between Chipping Norton and [[Banbury railway station|Banbury]]. In 1962 BR closed [[Chipping Norton railway station]] and withdrew passenger services between Chipping Norton and [[Kingham railway station|Kingham]]. In 1964 BR closed the B&CDR to [[freight]] traffic, and thereafter dismantled the line. The disused railway tunnel is now bricked up at both ends to prevent access, both for people's safety and to protect any [[bat]]s that may roost inside. (''See [[Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981]]'')

Bliss Mill, on the western side of the town, was built as a [[tweed]] mill in 1872. In 1913-14 the millworkers [[Strike action|struck]] for eight [[month]]s. The mill closed in 1980 and has since been converted into [[apartments]]. It remains a local landmark, clearly visible from the [[Worcester]] Road.

The town lost its status as a [[municipal borough]] in 1974, when the [[Local Government Act 1972]] made it a [[successor parish]] within the district of [[West Oxfordshire]].

==Notable people==

In 1581 the neo-Latin poet '''[[Elizabeth Jane Weston]]''', also known as Westonia, was born in Chipping Norton. She soon moved to [[Prague]] with her mother and stepfather [[Edward Kelley]], an [[alchemy|alchemist]] at the court of [[Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Rudolf II]]. She died in Prague in 1612.

'''[[James Hind]]''' was born in the town in 1616. He was a notorious [[highwayman]] in the area, executed for [[high treason]] in 1652.

[[Image:Cows in Chipping Norton.JPG|thumb|left|Bliss Mill]]
In 1763 the '''[[Edward Stone (discoverer of the active ingredient of Aspirin)|Reverend Edward Stone]]''' (1702–68), while living in Chipping Norton, reported to the [[Royal Society]] that [[willow]] bark relieved pain, later discovered to contain 2-Hydroxybenzoic acid (Salicylic acid) a mild [[analgesic]], and prepared via [[esterification]] into [[aspirin]].<ref name="Michael Volkin"> Volkin, Michael (ed.), ''Nuffield Advanced Chemistry Students Book'', Longman, 2000, ISBN 0-582-32835-7</ref>

'''[[William Bliss (mill owner)|William Bliss]]''', modernised the textile industry using the technology of the [[industrial revolution]]. He was also the promoter of the Chipping Norton Railway (see above). After a fire destroyed his old [[textile mill]] in the town, Bliss built the Bliss Mill in 1872 (see above).

In the [[1850s]] '''[[Charles Stewart Parnell]]''' from [[Ireland]] was sent to school in the town. He later became an [[Member_of_parliament#United_Kingdom|MP]] and in the [[1880s]] he led the Irish [[Home Rule League]], which he renamed the [[Irish Parliamentary Party]].

Joseph Allen was born in Chipping Norton, moved to Canada, and became a business owner and mayor of [[Verdun, Quebec]], a borough on the [[Island of Montreal]].{{Fact|date=February 2009}}

The [[artist]] '''[[Conroy Maddox]]''' lived with his parents at the Blue Boar pub in the town centre from 1929 until 1933. He used one of the bedrooms as a studio and later became Britain's leading [[Surealism|surrealist]].

The [[World record]]-holding [[Ocean rowing|ocean rower]] '''[[Janice Meek]]''' lived for many years in Chipping Norton. She was the first female Chairman of the Chipping Norton Chamber of Commerce, served on the Town Council and served for a year as [[Mayor#English-Saxon_mayors_and_counterparts|Mayor]].<ref>[http://archive.witneygazette.co.uk/1998/3/2/86692.html ''Witney Gazette'' 2nd March 1998]</ref>

The actors '''[[Rachel Ward]]''' and '''[[Wentworth Miller]]''' were born in Chipping Norton.

[[The who|The Who]] [[drummer]] '''[[Keith Moon]]''' once owned the Crown and Cushion Hotel in the High Street. Former [[comedian]] '''[[Ronnie Barker]]''' ran The Emporium [[antique shop]] in Chipping Norton after his retirement from showbusiness in [[1987]].

The [[television]] broadcaster '''[[Jeremy Clarkson]]''' lives in Chipping Norton.

==Chipping Norton today==

The town is a retail and leisure centre for its area, with a [[supermarket]] and numerous [[Retailing|shop]]s including branches of a number of national [[chain store]]s. It has a number of [[public house]]s and a [[theatre]].<ref>[http://www.chippingnortontheatre.co.uk/ The Theatre, Chipping Norton]</ref>

The town has three [[school]]s. Holy Trinity [[Roman Catholic church|Roman Catholic]] School<ref>[http://www.holy-trinity.oxon.sch.uk/ Holy Trinity RC School]</ref>
and St Mary's [[Church of England]] School<ref>[http://www.st-marys-chipping.oxon.sch.uk/ St Mary's C of E School]</ref> are [[primary]] schools. Chipping Norton School<ref>[http://www.chipping-norton.oxon.sch.uk/ Chipping Norton School]</ref> is the town's [[secondary school]] and has a [[Sixth form]].

Chipping Norton [[Rugby Union]] Football Club<ref>[http://www.cnrufc.co.uk/ Chipping Norton RUFC]</ref> first XV plays in the Southern Counties North League and was the league champion ifor the [[2007]]-[[2008]] season. Chipping Norton Town [[Football (soccer)|Football]] Club<ref>[http://www.chippingnorton.net/SPORT/chippyFC2005.htm Chipping Norton Town FC]</ref> used to play in the [[Hellenic Football League]] premier division. Chipping Norton Town Cricket Club plays in Oxfordshire Cricket Association Division 6. The town also has a [[bowls]] club.<ref>[http://www.wospweb.com/site/chippy-bowls/index.htm Chipping Norton Bowls Club]</ref>

Chipping Norton has a [[Women's Institute]]<ref>[http://www.oxfordshirefwi.freeuk.com/ Oxfordshire Federeation of Women's Institutes]</ref> and a [[Rotary Club]].<ref>[http://www.rotary-ribi.org/clubs/homepage.asp?ClubID=530 Chipping Norton Rotary Club]</ref>

==Notes and references==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.chippingnorton.net ChippingNorton.net]
*[http://www.chippingnortontown.info Chipping Norton Town Partnership]
*[http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/C/CH/CHIPPING_NORTON.htm Chipping Norton] — [[1911 Encyclopædia Britannica]] article.
*[http://www.chippingnortontheatre.co.uk The Theatre]
*{{dmoz|/Regional/Europe/United_Kingdom/England/Oxfordshire/Chipping_Norton/|Chipping Norton}}
*[http://www.cotswolds.info/places/chipping-norton.shtml Chipping Norton Tourist Information and Visitor Guide]

{{West Oxfordshire}}
{{Oxfordshire}}

[[Category:Towns in Oxfordshire]]
[[Category:Market towns in England]]

[[bg:Чипинг Нортън]]
[[cy:Chipping Norton]]
[[es:Chipping Norton]]
[[eo:Chipping Norton]]
[[fr:Chipping Norton]]
[[it:Chipping Norton (Oxfordshire)]]
[[nl:Chipping Norton]]
[[no:Chipping Norton]]
[[pl:Chipping Norton]]
[[pt:Chipping Norton]]
[[ro:Chipping Norton]]
[[vo:Chipping Norton]]

Sheriff Hutton Castle

2009-07-09T11:12:42Z

ClickRick: Per this request, Replaced: |webAddress → |website , |gridSquare → |gridsquare, using AWB

{{Infobox UK property
|property_name = Sheriff Hutton Castle
|image_name = SheriffHuttonCastle(AlisonStamp)Jun2005.jpg
|image_size = 200px
|caption = The ruins of Sheriff Hutton Castle
|type = Stone quadrangular fortress
|NT/EH/RHS = Sheriff Hutton Castle Estate
|area =
|main = Castle ruins
|other =
|public_access = By prior arrangement
|museum = No
|exhibition = No
|country = [[England]]
|region = [[Yorkshire and the Humber]]
|gridsquare = SE6566
|address = [[Sheriff Hutton]], North Yorkshire
|postcode =
|refreshments = No
|parking = Roadside
|shop = No
|website =
|co_ord ={{coord|54|05|16|N|1|00|17|W|display=inline,title|region:GB_type:landmark}}
}}

'''Sheriff Hutton Castle''' is a [[quadrangular castle]] in the village of [[Sheriff Hutton]], [[North Yorkshire]], [[England]].

==History==
The original [[motte and bailey]] castle, the remains of which can be seen to the south of the churchyard. was built by Bertram de Bulmer, Sheriff of [[York]] during the reign of [[Stephen of England|King Stephen]] (c. 1096 – 1154),

The stone castle was built at the western end of the village by [[John Neville, 3rd Baron Neville de Raby|John, Lord Neville]] in the late fourteenth century. In 1377, John Nevill obtained a charter for a market on Monday and an annual fair on the eve of the exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14). A [[license to crenellate]] was granted by [[Richard II of England|Richard II]] in 1382, although it is unknown whether building work had commenced before this date. The building has been credited to [[John Llewyn]], who also built nearby [[Bolton Castle]] in 1378, on stylistic and documentary grounds.

The castle passed to John's son, [[Ralph de Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland|Ralph Neville]], the first [[Earl of Westmorland]]. Upon Ralph's death in 1425, the Neville estates were partitioned. The younger Ralph retained the title and the Durham estates and [[Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick|Richard Neville]], [[Earl of Warwick]], later known as "Warwick the Kingmaker", inherited the Yorkshire estates, including Sheriff Hutton.

Upon the death of Richard Neville in 1471 at the [[Battle of Barnet]], his lands were given to [[Richard III of England|Richard, Duke of Gloucester]], brother of [[Edward IV of England|Edward IV]]. Richard often stayed at the castle during his tenure as Lord of the North. Its proximity to York made it convenient to Richard.

By the middle of October 1480, Richard was at Sheriff Hutton where he received news from the [[Earl of Northumberland]] that the Scots might attempt retaliation for the raiding party that Richard had led across the borders. Northumberland wrote to the magistrates of York ordering them to prepare an armed force. The men of York send an Alderman to Richard at Sheriff Hutton seeking his advice.

In 1484, Richard established a royal household for the young [[Edward Plantagenet, 17th Earl of Warwick|Edward, Earl of Warwick]], son of [[George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence|George of Clarence]], and [[John de la Pole, 1st Earl of Lincoln|John, Earl of Lincoln]]. In July of 1484, Richard established the [[Council of the North]], with its chief headquarters at Sheriff Hutton and [[Sandal Castle]]. The Council lasted for a century and a half.

In 1485, while awaiting the invasion of [[Henry VII of England|Henry Tudor]] at Nottingham, Richard sent his niece, [[Elizabeth of York]], her sisters, and the Earls of Warwick, Lincoln, Lord Morley and John of Gloucester, to the castle.

The castle became the property of Henry VII and, in 1525, [[Henry VIII of England|Henry VIII]] granted it to his son, [[Henry Fitzroy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset|Henry Fitzroy]], who had been newly created as [[Duke of Richmond]] and [[Warden-General of the Marches]]. A survey of this date describes the castle as being in need of repair.

In 1537 [[Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk|Thomas Howard]], the second [[Duke of Norfolk]] made repairs to the castle but, following the Council's relocation to [[York]] in the mid sixteenth century, the castle went into decline. A further campaign of repairs was undertaken by [[Henry Hastings, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon|Henry, Earl of Huntingdon]] in 1572, but by 1618 the castle was described as ruinous. The castle was acquired by the Ingram family in 1622, and stone from the site was used by them in the building of nearby [[Sheriff Hutton House]].

The castle remained in the Ingram family until the early twentieth century, by which time the ruins were being used as a farmyard. It was designated a [[scheduled ancient monument]] in the 1950s, and has recently undergone some repairs by [[English Heritage]]. Today the castle is privately owned.

==Description==
The castle is quadrangular in form, with four rectangular corner towers connected by ranges of buildings, enclosing an inner courtyard. The northern and western sides are straight, whereas those on the south and east contain [[obtuse angle|obtuse]], outward pointing angles at their centres. The entrance lies in the east wall, protected by a [[gatehouse]].

Only sections of the towers stand to their original height, and the ranges of buildings and curtain walls between have now largely gone. A middle and outer ward originally existed, but these are now covered by the adjacent farm.

==References==
* {{cite paper | author = McCavana, Kate | title = Sheriff Hutton Castle: An Archaeological Survey of the South West Tower and South Range | publisher = University of York | date = 1993 }}

== External links ==

* http://www.sheriffhutton.co.uk/ Village Website with local information and news

[[Category:Castles in North Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Ruins in North Yorkshire]]

Pontefract Castle

2009-07-09T11:10:32Z

ClickRick: Per this request, Replaced: |webAddress → |website , |gridSquare → |gridsquare, using AWB

{{Infobox UK property
|property_name = Pontefract Castle
|image_name = Pontefract Castle.JPG
|image_size = 200px
|caption =Pontefract Castle in the early 17th Century
|type = Castle ruins
|NT/EH/RHS = [[Duchy of Lancaster]]
|managed = [[City of Wakefield]] MDC
|area =
|main = Castle ruins
|other = Underground magazine
|public_access = Yes
|museum =
|exhibition =
|country = [[England]]
|region = [[Yorkshire and the Humber]]
|gridsquare = SE4622
|address = Castle Chain, [[Pontefract]]
|postcode = WF8 1QH
|refreshments = No
|parking = Disabled
|shop = Yes
|website = [http://www.wakefieldmuseums.org/our_sites_pontefract_cas.htm Website]
|co_ord ={{coord|53|41|44|N|1|18|14|W|display=inline,title|region:GB_type:landmark}}
}}

'''Pontefract Castle''' is a castle in the town of [[Pontefract]], in [[West Yorkshire]], [[England]]. It was the site of the demise of [[Richard II of England]], and later the place of a series of famous sieges during the [[English Civil War]]

==History==
The castle was first constructed in approximately 1070 by [[De Lacy|Ilbert de Lacy]] <ref name=DOL/> on land which had been granted to him by [[William the Conqueror]] as a reward for his support during the Norman conquests. There is, however, evidence of earlier occupation of the site. Initially the castle was a wooden structure, but this was replaced with stone over time.<ref name=RHHH>
{{cite web
|url=http://www.pontefractus.co.uk/history/pontefract_castle_index.htm
|title=Pontefract Castle Index
|publisher=www.pontefractus.co.uk
|accessdate=2008-07-22
|last=
|first=
}}
</ref>

[[Robert de Lacy]] failed to support [[Henry I of England]] during his power struggle with his brother and confiscated the castle from the family during the 1100s. The de Lacys lived in the castle until the early 14th century.<ref name=RHHH/> It was under the tenure of the de Lacys that the magnificent multilobate [[keep|donjon]] was built.<ref name=DOL/>

In 1311 the castle passed by marriage to the estates of the [[House of Lancaster]]. [[Thomas, Earl of Lancaster]] (1278–1322) was beheaded outside the castle walls six days after his defeat at the [[Battle of Boroughbridge]], a sentence placed on him by the King himself in the great hall. This resulted in the earl becoming a martyr with his tomb at [[Pontefract Priory]] becoming a shrine.<ref name=RHHH/> Later [[John of Gaunt]], a son of [[Edward III of England]], as [[Duke of Lancaster]] was so fond of the castle that he made it his personal residence, spending vast amounts of money improving it.

====Richard II====
[[Richard II of England]] (1367–1399) was probably murdered within the castle walls,<ref name=WF/> <ref name=DOL/> in the [[Gascoigne Tower]]. [[william shakespeare|William Shakespeare's]] play [[Richard III (play)|Richard III]] mentions this incident:

:Pomfret, Pomfret! O thou bloody prison,
:Fatal and ominous to noble peers!
:Within the guilty closure of thy walls
:Richard the second here was hack'd to death;
:And, for more slander to thy dismal seat,
:We give thee up our guiltless blood to drink.<ref>
{{cite web
|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A2350108
|title=BBC - h2g2 - Yorkshire's Castles: Pontefract Castle
|publisher=www.bbc.co.uk
|accessdate=2008-07-22
|last=
|first=
}}
</ref>

====Tudor Era====
[[Image:catherinehoward.jpg|thumb|A sketch said to be of Queen Catherine Howard, who stayed at Pontefract during the summer of [[1541]]]]
In [[1536]], Pontefract Castle was handed over to the leaders of the [[Pilgrimage of Grace]], a Catholic rebellion from northern England against the rule of King [[Henry VIII]]. The castle's guardian, Lord Darcy, was later executed for this alleged "surrender," which the King viewed as an act of treason.

In [[1541]], during a royal tour of the provinces, it was alleged that King Henry's fifth wife, Queen [[Catherine Howard]], first committed adultery with Sir [[Thomas Culpepper]], a crime for which she was later apprehended and executed for without trial.

====Royalist stronghold====
[[Image:Pontefract Castle Motte.jpg|thumb|200px|Motte and keep]]
The castle has been a ruin since 1644 when it held as a [[Charles I of England|Royalist]] stronghold during the [[English Civil War]] <ref name=WF>
{{cite web
|url=http://www.wakefieldmuseums.org/our_sites_pontefract_cas.htm
|title=Pontefract Castle
|publisher=www.wakefieldmuseums.org
|accessdate=2008-07-22
|last=
|first=
}}
</ref>
and besieged at least three times by [[roundhead|Parliamentarian]] forces, the latter being responsible for the castle's present dilapidated state and many of its scars. Pontefract Castle was noted by [[Oliver Cromwell]], leader of the Parliamentarians, as "[...] one of the strongest inland garrisons in the kingdom".<ref name=DOL>
{{cite web
|url=http://www.duchyoflancaster.co.uk/output/page32.asp
|title=The Duchy of Lancaster - Yorkshire
|publisher=www.duchyoflancaster.co.uk
|accessdate=2008-07-22
|last=
|first=
}}
</ref>

Apparently the destruction of the castle at the conclusion of the [[Second English Civil War]] had the full support of the surrounding population. They were grateful to destroy the castle and thus stop the fighting in their area. In the view of the locals, the castle was a magnet for trouble.<ref name=RHHH/>

It is still possible to visit the castle's 11th century cellars which were used to store military equipment during the civil war.

==Description of the castle==

The most remarkable feature of the current site is the remains of the [[keep|donjon]]. Very few examples of this multilobed type exist. One is [[Clifford's Tower]] in nearby [[York]]. An identical example to York can be found at [[Château d'Étampes|Étampes]], France.

{{commonscat|Pontefract Castle}}

==See also==
* [[Pontefract Cakes]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/bradford/sense_of_place/unexplained/pontefract_castle_history.shtml Bloody Pomfret]
* [http://www.wildyorkshire.co.uk/naturediary/docs/pomfmap.html A walk on the wild side]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A2350108 H2g2 history]

{{Duchy of Lancaster}}

[[Category:Castles in West Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Wakefield]]
[[Category:Military history of Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Ruins in West Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Visitor attractions in Wakefield]]

[[fr:Château de Pontefract]]
[[sv:Pontefract Castle]]

Pickering Castle

2009-07-09T11:10:18Z

ClickRick: Per this request, Replaced: |webAddress → |website , |gridSquare → |gridsquare, using AWB

{{Infobox UK property
|property_name = Pickering Castle
|image_name = PickeringCastle.jpg
|image_size = 250px
|caption = Defensive wall and tower of Pickering castle
|type = [[Motte and Bailey]] castle
|NT/EH/RHS = [[English Heritage]]
|area =
|main = Castle ruins
|other =
|public_access = Yes
|museum =
|exhibition = Yes
|country = [[England]]
|region = [[Yorkshire and the Humber]]
|gridsquare = SE7984
|address = Castlegate, [[Pickering, North Yorkshire|Pickering]], [[North Yorkshire]]
|postcode = YO18 7AX
|refreshments = No
|parking = Yes
|shop = Yes
|website =
|co_ord ={{coord|54|15|0|N|0|46|32|W|display=inline,title|region:GB_type:landmark}}
}}

'''Pickering Castle''' is a [[motte-and-bailey]] fortification in [[Pickering, North Yorkshire|Pickering]], [[North Yorkshire]], [[England]].

The original structure was built by the [[Normans]] under [[William I of England|William the Conqueror]] in 1069–1070. This early building included the large, central mound (the motte), the outer palisades (enclosing the bailey) and internal buildings, notably the keep on top of the motte. Ditches were also dug to make assault on the walls difficult. The main purpose of the castle at this time was to maintain control of the area after the [[harrying of the North]].

In 1926, the [[Department of Works]] ([[English Heritage]]'s predecessor) took possession of the castle.

{{Duchy of Lancaster}}

[[Category:Castles in North Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Visitor attractions in North Yorkshire]]
[[Category:English Heritage sites in North Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Ruins in North Yorkshire]]

{{England-castle-stub}}

Oakwell Hall

2009-07-09T11:09:53Z

ClickRick: Per this request, Replaced: |webAddress → |website , |gridSquare → |gridsquare, using AWB

{{Infobox UK property
|property_name = Oakwell Hall
|image_name = DSC02388 800x600.jpg
|image_size = 200px
|caption =Oakwell Hall
|type = [[Elizabethan]] Manor House
|NT/EH/RHS = Kirklees Council
|managed =
|area =44.5 ha
|main =Grade I listed house
|other = Period gardens
|public_access =Yes
|museum =
|exhibition =Yes
|country =[[England]]
|region =[[Yorkshire and the Humber]]
|gridsquare =SE2127
|address =Nutter Lane, Birstall, Batley
|postcode =WF17 9LG
|refreshments =Yes
|parking =Yes
|shop =Yes
|website =[http://www.kirklees.gov.uk/visitorportal/whatson/venuedetails.asp?vID=9 Website]
|co_ord ={{coord|53|44|22|N|1|40|15|W|display=inline,title|region:GB_type:landmark}}
}}
'''Oakwell Hall''' is an [[Elizabethan]] Manor House located in the village of [[Birstall, West Yorkshire|Birstall]], [[West Yorkshire]], [[England]] and set in period gardens surrounded by {{convert|110|acre|km2}} of country park.

The builder of the house was John Batt, a recarved stone with the date 1583 probably indicates the date of construction. The estate had been purchased by his Halifax-born father, a receiver of rents to the important Savile family, who resided at [[Batley#History|Howley Hall]], in the nearby town of [[Batley]].

Oakwell Hall was immortalised in literature by [[Charlotte Brontë]] in her novel ''[[Shirley (novel)|Shirley]]''.

== Friends of Oakwell Hall ==

[[Image:HeaderOakwell.jpg|right|thumb|250px]]
Founded in 1988, the Friends of Oakwell Hall and Country Park ([http://www.friendsofoakwellhall.org.uk]) are a voluntary support group for the Manor House and its surrounding {{convert|110|acre|km2}} of country park.
Whilst many join simply because they appreciate the beauty and tranquillity of the Hall and park, others join because of the 'hands on' opportunities available on site. Friends work closely with the Head Ranger and staff at Oakwell and provide assistance both inside and outside the Hall.

== The House ==

The blackened [[Gritstone]] building was built to the usual post-medieval plan of a central hall block flanked by crosswings.
The entrance to the building is still through a porch and screens passage at the 'lower' end of the house.
Oakwell Hall passed into municipal hands in 1928 and today it is owned by [[Kirklees]] Cultural Services, and managed by the volunteer group 'Friends of Oakwell Hall' (see section above). The interiors were restored to their early-17th century condition during the time the Batt Family inhabited the Hall. This was done with the aid of an inventory of 1611. During the restoration the original painted panelling of the Great Parlour and the Painted Chamber was revealed from under many layers of varnish and paint.

=== [[Great Hall]] ===


The imposing Main Hall was originally two-storeyed but in the mid-17th century John Batt's grandson removed the ceiling and inserted a gallery and a large mullioned and transomed window.

The Hall was a main thoroughfare for the house linking the two wings and would have been the hub of domestic life. It was also intended as a reception room for visitors, tenants and businessmen and was ideal for large gatherings.

It is sparsely furnished and uncluttered to create a large open space, practical to use and impressive to visitors. The table is placed at one end of the room as it would probably have been towards the end of the seventeenth century, rather than in its earlier position of importance in the centre of the room. The size of the room is intended to impress visitors entering the house.

=== Great Parlour ===

This was the most important room in the house in the early seventeenth century. According to the inventory of 1611 it had some of the best furniture, and contained the Batts' collection of maps. In the 1630s the Batts added a magnificent plaster ceiling, and they later had painted the oak panelling including a landscape scene above the fireplace. Most of the original panels have survived though several are recent reproductions replacing those lost and decayed. The painting technique known as scumbling was a popular way of decorating rooms to create an air of warmth and grandeur. Few examples of this decorative work survive today.

In the late seventeenth century dining rooms and parlours were the preferred rooms for eating and entertaining guests in private. The great parlour is furnished today with pieces intended to show it as a fashionable and comfortable room of the 1690s.

=== Great Parlour Chamber ===

In 1690 this room was probably occupied by John Batt, master of the household. A clue to this is the garderobe or toilet in the outer wall, a "luxury" for the few. The modern rushmatting in this and other family rooms in the house was also a feature of many wealthy households, and was warmer and more comfortable than bare floorboards or stone floors. The fireplace, as with most others in the house, is a nineteenth century addition, though it is one of few interior structural changes made in the house since the seventeenth century. The inclusion of a table and chairs in a bed chamber in the seventeenth century was not unusual. Bed chambers often had a dual purpose and their occupiers thought nothing of entertaining guests in them with wine or cards.

=== Kitchen ===

The kitchen was one of the busiest rooms in the seventeenth century home. The mistress would supervise her female servants to prepare food, medicines and sweet-smelling pot-pourris, and there would be a constant stream of visiting tradesmen, estate workers, errand boys and servants of visiting gentry. At mealtimes all the servants would gather there to eat off wooden platters.

When the hall was originally built, food may have been cooked over a large fire at one end of the Great Hall. By the time the Inventory of 1611 was drawn up, the kitchen had already become a separate room, probably sited in the east wing of the house where it is today. The kitchen is divided from the main living quarters of the house by the screens passage so that smells and noise would not so easily penetrate the family rooms.

The original seventeenth century fireplace was replaced by the present one in the nineteenth century, but it would undoubtedly have been much wider and larger. Evidence of previous occupants of the Hall can still be seen by the candle burns on the timbers on the wall opposite the window.

=== The Kitchen Chamber ===

In contrast with the warmth and luxury of the New Parlour Chamber across the landing, this room, where the servants would probably have slept and food was stored, is unpanelled and has no ceiling. Its position next to the back stairs and immediately above the kitchen, made it easily accessible for the servants in this wing of the house. Many local houses used their kitchen chambers for storage and household junk.

In 1611 this room had five arks for storing meal and grain. Today it has one great ark and a collection of food chests for storage. Lack of a fireplace and unpanelled walls would have made this room a cold place in winter though the warmth rising from the kitchen below would take off the chill and keep the stored food dry.

=== Little Parlour Chamber ===

The inventory of 1611 for Oakwell Hall records seventeen beds of different types within the household. Some of these were truckle beds for the servants; others were grand tester beds used by members of the family. Sometimes older beds were relegated to less important rooms in the house to make room for newer and grander pieces. This chamber is furnished with older furniture and would probably have been used as a second best bedchamber. Reproduction tapestries are hung from the walls.

In the nineteenth century this room was transformed with the addition of the stairs and passage through which you have just come. The wall to your right is an addition, and the room would have been larger. The original timber studding can clearly be seen on two walls, showing the lath and plaster structure.

=== The New Parlour ===

The layout of this room shows typical features of a modest seventeenth century dining room. Servants would place food on the side table, and serve it to the family. The food did not have far to travel from the kitchen, so there was no risk of it being spoilt and going cold. The fine court cupboard, a feature of many homes in the seventeenth century, was used to house the family [[pewter]] and plate which could be kept under lock and key, while the same principle lay behind the small food or spice cupboard in the corner, the key to which was kept by the mistress, as spices were valuable commodities. The family would eat in here in private or with one or two guests.

=== New Parlour Chamber ===

A gentry household in the seventeenth century had to be able to accommodate visitors. This room, displayed as a second best bed chamber, may have been occupied by the nursemaid and her charges, or other members of the household.

The screen at right angles to the doorway was intended to prevent draughts wafting through the bed curtains. There is also an adjoining dressing room or closet, this is now used to display reproduction costumes.

The warm colours of the panelling and bed curtains are echoed in the carpet on the table, a usual feature of wealthier seventeenth century houses. Tables or beds were ideal places to display a fine carpet which was too valuable to walk upon.

=== Painted Chamber ===

This room is furnished with reproduction furniture to show what oak furniture looked like when new (i.e. not dark with age and polish). The painted panelling in this room has a larger design than that the Great Parlour, and is slightly less decorative. It was discovered under several layers of emulsion paint and is thought to date, like that downstairs from the seventeenth century. The room is displayed as the mistress's, chamber; the small table is drawn up to the window to obtain the maximum light for sewing, which would fill a large part of the mistress’s day. The furniture is entirely reproduction. It may at first look too "modern", new oak furniture looks very pale and lacks the discolouration of three centuries of use.

The floorboards have been re-laid in a seventeenth century manner. In 1609 a floor was laid at a cost of five shillings and tenpence for seven days' work, as recorded in the Account Book.

The painted panelling creates a three dimensional effect on entering the room. A closer look reveals that it was painted to imitate the grainy effect of wood. The wild ‘squiggles’ all over it were intended to imitate [[walnut]], a wood which was becoming more fashionable than oak in the later seventeenth century. It was expensive, but this did not stop fashion conscious people from painting walls and furniture to imitate it. The paint had a linseed oil base, and tools such as feathers and combs were dragged over it to create the grained effect.

=== The Study ===

A very small room located off the gallery above the Main Hall. The 1611 inventory of Robert Batt of Oakwell Hall shows him to have over 60 books at a time when books were very expensive and few people could read. Robert studied at Oxford University and eventually became rector at Newton Tony in Wiltshire.

== The Grounds ==
=== Formal Gardens ===
[[Image:Oakwell Hall.jpg|thumb|right|The exterior of the hall]]
On leaving the Hall you arrive in the gardens to the rear. Surrounding the Hall are the formal gardens including a herb garden at the side of the Hall. Herbs and flowers were essential ingredients for the housewife and cook. Not only were they both distilled to produce scented oils and form the basis of herbal remedies but they also had an important culinary role. Although Oakwell's herb garden is small in comparison to seventeenth century originals it gives an impression of the range of herbal plants available. Over 80 different varieties of herbs are to be found in this garden with many more to be found planted amongst the flowers in the formal gardens behind the hall.

Recent restoration work has been carried out to bring the formal gardens back to how they would have been in the 1690s. This includes using plants popular at the time. The garden contains a [[parterre]] of compartments, with [[topiary]] specimens and clipped box hedging. The patterns of the box were taken from furniture and plaster work in the Hall and features the lozenge design local to the area. The trellis used has been made using locally sourced original materials and 17th century carpentry skills. Even the shade of green used to colour the woodwork is typical of the period.

=== Park Land ===

With {{convert|110|acre|km2}} there are many diverse environs that make up the Country Park. Woodland, streams, pasture land, ponds and bridleways. It is a major attraction for nature lovers to visit the Park all year round to see the changes in seasons. There are several walks around the Park with clearly visible nature trail markers. Along the walks you can find many information points giving details of the flora and fauna. One walk out of the park leads to the site of the Civil War [[Battle of Adwalton Moor]], another to [[Red House Museum]].

==== Adventure Playground ====
The Park also features an adventure playground set in woodland, with a smaller children's playground which is fenced off with a gated entrance.

==== Colliery Field ====
The pasture land in the middle of the park is of very great size and was the former site of the spoil heaps of Gomersal Colliery, which closed in the 1970s. The nutrient poor soil has been ideal for re-seeding with meadow plants such as [[Red Clover]], [[Leucanthemum vulgare|Ox-eye Daisy]], [[Prunella (plant)|Self Heal]] and [[Yellow Rattle]]. These nectar rich flowers attract great numbers of insects, particularly [[bumblebee]]s. On a day to day basis it is used as a dog exercise area (extremely popular with the locals). It does however also get used for historical [[English Civil War]] - [[Historical reenactment|battle re-enactments]], horse shows and country fairs.

==== Colliery Pond ====
Colliery pond was created when the [[National Coal Board|Coal Board]] constructed a [[concrete]] road to help with tipping. The road is still there concealed beneath the grass and acts as a [[dam]]. Water plants living there include [[Water Forget-me-not]], [[Bogbean]] and [[Purple Loosestrife]]. Large numbers of creatures are attracted by the pond, such as; [[toad]]s, [[Moorhen]]s, [[Smooth Newt]]s, [[Mussel|Swan Mussels]] plus varieties of [[damselfly]] and [[dragonfly]].

==== Nova Meadow ====
A damp area containing moisture loving plants including [[Lady's Smock]], Common [[Tussock Grass]], [[Meadowsweet]], [[Ragged Robin]] and [[Iris versicolor|Yellow Flag Iris]]. A pond was created in 2003 to attract wildlife and the southern part of the meadow has been allowed to revert back to scrubland to create a habitat for birds such as the [[Yellowhammer]] and [[Linnet]]. In autumn the scrubland attracts [[Thrush]]es, [[Fieldfare]]s and [[Redwing]]s which feed on the [[Crataegus|Hawthorn]] berries.

==== Nova Wood ====
Much of Nova Wood was felled for pit props to service the local Gomersal Colliery but the trees have been regrown using [[coppicing]] techniques to produce multistemmed [[Sessile Oak]]s and [[Birch]]. Nova Wood is carpeted by [[Bluebell]]s during [[Spring (season)|spring]] and is a habitat for summer [[Bird migration|migrant]] birds such as [[Chiffchaff]] and [[Blackcap]].

==== Nova Beck ====
Nova Beck is one of two [[stream]]s that run through Oakwell, both running [[north]] to [[south]]. Nova Beck forms the western boundary of Nova Wood and flows through areas of dense wildflowers. Many of the species present such as [[Yellow Archangel]], [[Wood Anemone]] and [[Wild Garlic]] are good indicators of [[ancient woodland]]. [[Hard Shield Fern]], [[Red Campion]] and [[Wood Avens|Herb Bennet]] are also in abundance.

==== Oakwell Beck ====
Oakwell Beck winds its course along the southern boundary of Colliery Field. Along its length can be found exposed coal seams and fossilized 'ripples' from ancient seas.
Oakwell Beck does not support the same diversity of plants as Nova Beck, though in spring and early summer the wooded areas are thick with [[Wild Garlic]], [[Lesser Celandine]] and [[Bistort]]. Occasional patches of [[Arum maculatum|Lords and Ladies]] survives in shadier parts. [[Ash tree|Ash]], [[Alder]] and [[Willow]] make up the majority of the tree cover and provide habitat for [[Tawny Owl]]s.

== Stone Ram ==
[[Image:Stone Ram.jpg|right|thumb|250px]]
This Stone Ram statue stands proudly on the lawn in front of the Hall. Its origins are unknown, there is rumour that it once stood above the gates to Dewsbury Brewery, this has unfortunately not been confirmed as yet and the search into its background goes on.

== The Ghost of Oakwell Hall ==

Oakwell’s most famous legend concerns the ghost of William Batt, owner of the house in 1684. He was a young man of 25, a [[bachelor]] whose widowed mother, Elizabeth, lived at Oakwell. The best account of the ghost story comes from the Victorian writer [[Elizabeth Gaskell|Mrs Gaskell]] in her "Life of Charlotte Brontë"(1857). Her account is as follows:

"Captain Batt was believed to be far away; his family was at Oakwell; when in the dusk on winter evening, he came stalking along the lane, through the hall and up the stairs, into his own room, where he vanished. He has been killed in duel in London that very same afternoon of December 9th 1684."

The legend also states that he left a bloody footprint behind in a bedroom.

The historical facts behind the story are as follows:

*A bond surviving in the archives shows that William was at the Black Swan, [[Holborn]] in [[London]] on December 9th, where he borrowed money.
*Local diarist Oliver Heywood has two entries recording the death of William; one that he died ‘in sport’; the other that he was ‘slain by Mr Gream at Barne near London’.
*William was buried in Birstall on December 30th 1684

== Oakwell Hall and The Brontë Sisters ==

For a time during the 19th century the Hall was used as a girls school, Charlotte's closest friend Ellen Nussey attended the school. [[Charlotte Brontë]] visited the Hall and was inspired to use Oakwell Hall as the setting for the Manor House - Fieldhead, in her novel ''[[Shirley (novel)|Shirley]].

This excerpt from chapter 11 of ''[[Shirley (novel)|Shirley]]'' is her description of Oakwell Hall.

" If Fieldhead had few other merits as a building, it might at least be termed picturesque: its irregular architecture, and the grey and mossy colouring communicated by time, gave it a just claim to this epithet. The old latticed windows, the stone porch, the walls, the roof, the chimney-stacks, were rich in crayon touches and sepia lights and shades. The trees behind were fine, bold, and spreading; the cedar on the lawn in front was grand, and the granite urns on the garden wall, the fretted arch of the gateway, were, for an artist, as the very desire of the eye."
Charlotte Brontë; ''Shirley'' (1849)

== Archaeological Work ==

[http://www.homeguardsecurity.co.uk/archaeology/images/tileviewer-oakwell/index.html View Images] Archaeological excavations have been carried out over a few years by WYAS with help from 'South Leeds Archaeology', a community group based in Rothwell. May 2008 say the lawn immediately in front of the hall excavated to reveal post holes probably left from a farm which resided at the site and disappeared from maps between 1834 and 1844.

== External links ==
*[http://www.southleedsdig.org.uk? South Leeds Archaeology website]
*[http://www.oakwellhall.f9.co.uk/index.htm? Friends of Oakwell Hall website]
*[http://www.oakwellhall.f9.co.uk/events.htm? Upcoming events at Oakwell Hall]
*[http://www.kirklees.gov.uk/visitorportal/whatson/venuedetails.asp?vID=9 About Oakwell Hall]
*[http://www.batleyanddewsbury.co.uk/directory/listings/oakwell_hall_country_park/ Map and Directions for Oakwell Hall Country Park]

[[Category:Grade I listed buildings in West Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Grade I listed houses]]
[[Category:Gardens in West Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Kirklees]]

Helmsley Castle

2009-07-09T11:07:08Z

ClickRick: Per this request, Replaced: |webAddress → |website , |gridSquare → |gridsquare, using AWB

{{citation style}}
{{Infobox UK property
|property_name = Helmsley Castle
|image_name = Helmsley_Castle3.jpg
|image_size|250px
|caption = Helmsley Castle
|type = [[Medieval]] [[castle]]
|NT/EH/RHS = [[English Heritage]]
|area =
|main = Castle ruins
|other =
|public_access = Yes
|museum = No
|exhibition = Yes
|country = [[England]]
|region = [[Yorkshire and the Humber]]

|gridsquare = SE6183
|address = [[Helmsley]], North Yorkshire
|postcode = YO62 5AB
|refreshments = No
|parking = Yes
|shop = Yes
|website =
|co_ord ={{coord|54|14|41|N|1|03|50|W|display=inline,title|region:GB_type:landmark}}
}}

'''Helmsley Castle''' is a [[medieval]] castle situated in the market town of [[Helmsley]], [[North Yorkshire]], [[England]].

The castle was first constructed in wood around 1120 by [[Walter l'Espec]]. Walter had no children and on his death in 1154 the castle passed to his sister Adelina who had married [[Peter de Roos]]. In 1186 their son [[Robert de Ros|Robert de Roos]] began work on converting the castle to stone. He built the two main towers, the round corner towers and the main gateway on the south side of the castle. He died in 1227, granting the castle to his older son William who lived there from 1227 to 1258. The only change made to the castle during this time was the construction of the chapel in the courtyard.

William's son, Robert, inherited the castle and was Lord of Helmsley from 1258 to 1285. Robert's son William then inherited the castle. He raised the east tower and built the new hall and kitchen, as well as strengthening the castle. He also built a dividing wall in the castle, dividing it into north and south sides, with the southern half designated for the private use of the lord's family in the new hall and east tower, and the northern half containing the old hall to be used by the steward and other castle officials. Robert died in 1316.

Helmsley Castle remained in the possession of the de Roos family until 1478 when Edmund de Roos sold the castle to Richard, Duke of Gloucester who later became [[Richard III of England|Richard III]]. Richard did nothing to the castle, staying instead at nearby [[Middleham Castle]]. After Richard III's death at the [[Battle of Bosworth]], Helmsley castle was restored to Edmund de Roos by [[Henry VII of England|Henry VII]].

Edmund died childless in 1508, when Helmsley Castle was inherited by his cousin Sir George Manners of [[Etal]]. On George's death in 1513 his son Thomas Manners inherited it. He was created [[Thomas Manners, 1st Earl of Rutland|Earl of Rutland]] in 1525. On his death in 1543, Thomas was succeeded by his son, [[Henry Manners, 2nd Earl of Rutland|Henry]], but it was under the rule of his grandson [[Edward Manners, 3rd Earl of Rutland|Edward]], that the castle was altered next. He had the Old Hall converted into a [[Tudor style architecture|Tudor]] mansion, converted the 13th century chapel into a kitchen linked to the old hall by a covered gallery, and knocked the new hall down. The south barbican was also converted into a more comfortable residence at this time.

[[Image:Helmsley Castle.jpg|thumbnail|Helmsley Castle, slighted keep]]On Edward's death in 1587 his brother [[John Manners, 4th Earl of Rutland|John Manners]] inherited the castle, followed by John's son [[Roger Manners, 5th Earl of Rutland|Roger]], and then Roger's younger brother [[Francis Manners, 6th Earl of Rutland|Francis]]. On the death of Francis in 1632 the castle passed to [[George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham]] through his marriage to [[Katherine Villiers, Duchess of Buckingham|Katherine]], Francis' daughter.

During the [[English Civil War]], the castle was [[siege|besieged]] by [[Sir Thomas Fairfax]] in 1644. Sir Jordan Crosland held it for the King for three months before surrendering. Parliament ordered that the castle should be [[slighting|slighted]] to prevent its further use and so much of the castle's walls, gates and the eastern half of the east tower were destroyed. However the mansion was spared. The castle had by this time been inherited by [[George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham]] who married Mary, daughter of Thomas Fairfax in 1657.

After his death in 1687 the castle was sold to Charles Duncombe, a banker and politician who was knighted in 1699 and became [[Lord Mayor of London]] in 1708. His sister Mary's husband, Thomas Brown, inherited the castle on Charles's death in 1711. Thomas changed his name to Duncombe. He hired [[John Vanbrugh|Sir John Vanbrugh]] to build a new stately home at [[Duncombe Park]] overlooking the castle and left the castle to decay. Although it is still owned by [[Baron Feversham|Lord Feversham]] of Duncombe Park the castle is now in the care of [[English Heritage]].

==References==
*[http://www.northyorkmoors-stay.co.uk/tourist/Helmsley-Castle.html Helmsley Castle 1]
*[http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server.php?show=conProperty.367 Helmsley Castle 2]
*[http://www.castlexplorer.co.uk/england/helmsley/helmsley.php Helmsley Castle 3]
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A2350027 Helmsley Castle 4]
*Fry, Plantagenet Somerset, ''The David & Charles Book of Castles'', David & Charles, 1980. ISBN 0-7153-7976-3

[[Category:Castles in North Yorkshire]]
[[Category:English Heritage sites in North Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Ruins in North Yorkshire]]

[[ru:Замок Хелмсли]]

Duncombe Park

2009-07-09T11:04:24Z

ClickRick: Per this request, Replaced: |webAddress → |website , |gridSquare → |gridsquare, using AWB

{{Infobox UK property
|property_name = Duncombe Park
|image_name = DuncombeParkJonesViews1829.jpg
|image_size = 200px
|caption = Duncombe Park circa 1829=d
|type = Stately Home
|NT/EH/RHS = Baron Feversham
|managed = Feversham Estate
|area = 182ha
|main = House
|other = Parkland and gardens
|public_access = Yes
|museum =
|exhibition = Yes
|country = [[England]]
|region = [[Yorkshire and the Humber]]
|gridsquare = SE6082
|address =Duncombe Park,
Helmsley,
York,
North Yorkshire
|postcode =YO62 5EB
|refreshments = Yes
|parking = Yes
|shop = Yes
|website = [http://www.duncombepark.com/index.php Website]
|co_ord ={{coord|54|14|20|N|1|04|29|W|display=inline,title|region:GB_type:landmark}}
}}
'''Duncombe Park''' is the seat of the Duncombe family whose senior member takes the title [[Baron Feversham|Baron or Earl Feversham]]. It is situated near [[Helmsley]], [[North Yorkshire]], [[England]] and stands in a commanding location above deeply [[meander|incised meanders]] of the [[River Rye (Yorkshire)|River Rye]].

The house was completed 1713 to designs by the architect [[William Wakefield (architect)|William Wakefield]]. It was remodelled in 1843 by Sir [[Charles Barry]]. In 1879 the main block was gutted by fire and remained a ruin until 1895 when rebuilding was carried out by [[William Young (architect)|William Young]]. The reconstruction was based on the original design, though there were changes made, especially in the interior layout to meet contemporary needs. It is of two storeys with a basement and attic. The building was used as a school between 1914-1980. It is now open to the public and may be hired for civil weddings.

In 1774, Anne Duncombe of Duncombe Park was married to [[Bobby Shafto|Robert Shafto]], of [[Whitworth Hall, County Durham|Whitworth Hall]], near Spennymoor, County Durham, the famous "Bonny Bobby Shaftoe" of the folk song.

In 2008, the grounds were the site for the 2CVGB National event.

==External links==
* {{oscoor gbx|SE604829}}

{{commonscat|Duncombe Park}}

{{Yorkshire-struct-stub}}

[[Category:Houses in North Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Sites of Special Scientific Interest in North Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Gardens in North Yorkshire]]

Cragside

2009-07-09T11:03:57Z

ClickRick: Per this request, Replaced: |webAddress → |website , |gridSquare → |gridsquare, using AWB

{{Infobox UK property
|property_name = Cragside
|image_name = Cragside2.JPG
|image_size = 200px
|caption = Cragside, Northumberland
|type = Country House
|NT/EH/RHS = NT
|managed =
|area = 400ha
|main = Victorian country house
|other = Gardens
|public_access = Yes
|museum = Yes
|exhibition = Yes
|country = [[England]]
|region = [[North East England|North East]]
|gridsquare = NU0702
|address = Rothbury, Morpeth, Northumberland
|postcode = NE65 7PX
|refreshments = Yes
|parking = Yes
|shop = Yes
|website =
|co_ord ={{coord|55|18|49|N|1|53|08|W|display=inline,title|region:GB_type:landmark}}
}}
'''Cragside''' is a [[country house]] near [[Rothbury]] in [[Northumberland]], [[England]]. It was the first house in the world to be lit using [[hydroelectricity|hydroelectric]] power. Built into a rocky hillside above a 4 km² forest garden, it was the country home of [[William George Armstrong, 1st Baron Armstrong|Lord Armstrong]] and has been in the care of the [[National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty|National Trust]] since 1977.

Cragside, named after ''Cragend Hill'' above the house, was built in 1863 as a modest, two-storey country lodge, but was subsequently extended to designs by [[Norman Shaw]], transforming it into an elaborate mansion in the [[tudorbethan|Free Tudor]] style. At one point, the building included an astronomical [[observatory]] and a scientific laboratory.
[[Image:Cragside1.jpg|Cragside|thumb|left]]
In 1868, a [[hydraulic]] engine was installed, with water being used to power labour-saving machines such as laundry equipment, a [[rotisserie]] and a hydraulic [[elevator|lift]]. In 1870, water from one of the estate's lakes was used to drive a [[Siemens AG|Siemens]] [[dynamo]] in what was the world's first hydroelectric [[power station]]. The resultant electricity was used to power an [[arc lamp]] installed in the Gallery in 1878. The arc lamp was replaced in 1880 by [[Joseph Swan]]'s [[incandescent lamp]]s in what Swan considered 'the first proper installation' of electric lighting.

The generators, which also provided power for the farm buildings on the estate, were constantly extended and improved to match the increasing electrical demand in the house.

The Grade I [[Listed building|listed]]<ref>{{IoE|236348|- Grade I}}</ref> house is surrounded by one of [[Europe]]'s largest [[rock garden]]s, a large number of [[rhododendron]]s, and a large collection of mostly [[conifer]]ous [[tree]]s, among which one [[Douglas-fir]] is the tallest tree in England, at 59 m tall.

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{River Coquet settlements}}
*[http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-cragsidehousegardenandestate/ Cragside Gardens & Estate information at the National Trust]
*[http://www.ejr.ndo.co.uk/crag.html Cragside History and Pictures]

[[Category:Gardens in Northumberland]]
[[Category:Houses in Northumberland]]
[[Category:National Trust properties in Northumberland]]
[[Category:Tudorbethan architecture]]
[[Category:Grade I listed houses]]
[[Category:Grade I listed buildings in Northumberland]]

Conisbrough Castle

2009-07-09T11:03:45Z

ClickRick: Per this request using AWB

{{Infobox UK property
|property_name = Conisbrough Castle
|image_name = Conisbrough Castle Doncaster winter time.jpg
|image_size = 200px
|caption = Conisbrough Castle, open to the public and property of English Heritage
|type = Castle
|NT/EH/RHS = EH
|managed = English Heritage as of April 2008
|area =
|main = Castle ruins
|other = Events
|public_access = Yes
|museum =
|exhibition = Yes
|country = England
|region = [[Yorkshire and the Humber]]
|gridsquare = SK5198
|address = Conisbrough Castle, Castle Hill, [[Conisbrough]], DONCASTER
|postcode = DN12 3BU
|refreshments = Yes
|parking = Yes
|shop = Yes
|website = [http://www.conisbroughcastle.org.uk/ Website]
|co_ord ={{coord|53|29|03|N|1|13|35|W|display=inline,title|region:GB_type:landmark}}
}}

'''Conisbrough Castle''' is a 12th-century [[castle]] in [[Conisbrough]], [[South Yorkshire]], England, whose remains are dominated by the 97-foot-high circular keep, which is supported by six [[buttress]]es. In the mid-1990s, the keep was restored, with a [[wood]]en roof and two floors being rebuilt. Audio and visual displays now help to reconstruct a view of life in a medieval castle, while a history of the site is documented in the adjacent visitors' centre. The building is considered one of South Yorkshire's primary tourist attractions, and sees in excess of 30,000 visitors per year. It is managed by English Heritage, as of 1 April 2008. Doncaster Council own the land the monument is standing on, but English Heritage manage the property.

==History==
[[Image:Conisbrough keep.jpg|thumbnail|left|Conisbrough Castle Keep]]
The castle was probably built by [[Hamelin Plantagenet]] on the site of an earlier [[Norman dynasty|Norman]] castle. The Warenne family also owned [[Sandal Castle]] near [[Wakefield]], [[Lewes Castle]] in [[Sussex]], and [[Reigate Castle]] in [[Surrey]], as well as a keep on their lands at Mortemer in [[Normandy]]. The Yorkshire lands ceded to [[The Crown]] on the death without issue of [[John de Warenne, 8th Earl of Surrey]] in 1347. <ref name='CCWeb'> {{cite web|url=http://www.conisbroughcastle.org.uk/History/history.htm |title=Castle History |accessdate=2008-07-01 |last=Pilkington |first=John |publisher=English Heritage }}</ref>

After Conisbrough reverted to the Crown, [[Edward III]] passed it on his youngest son, [[Edmund Langley]], whose mother, Queen Philippa, administered the estate for him while he was still a child. His tenure lasted until 1402, and the majority of the improvements to the accommodation of the inner ward most probably date to this time. Of Edmund's two sons, Edward, Duke of Albemarle, succeeded in 1402 and died in 1415 at Agincourt. His brother, Richard, Earl of Cambridge, had been beheaded for treason earlier in the same year, but the castle now passed to his widow, Maud, who lived at Conisbrough until her death in 1446. The castle then passed to her stepson, Richard Duke of York, who died at the battle of Wakefield in 1460; his son succeeded him and in 1461 became Edward IV. Thus Conisbrough once again became a royal castle and the estate passed to the Crown, a settlement which was fixed in perpetuity in 1495.

A survey carried out in 1537–38 by commissioners of [[Henry VIII]], records that the gates of the castle, both timber and stonework, the bridge, and about 55 metres (60 yd) of walling between the tower (keep) and the gate had all fallen. In addition, one floor of the keep had fallen in, so that by this date the castle had already reached something like its present state of ruin.<ref name='CCWeb'/>

It is because of this early ruination, and because of sympathetic ownership thereafter, that the castle still survives with its keep largely intact. During the Civil War of the 17th century, many castles were severely damaged either by bombardment during a siege or deliberate destruction afterwards (called slighting), to prevent their further defensive use. However, because the collapse of the gate and a stretch of its defences had already made Conisbrough indefensible, it escaped further destruction at this time. [http://www.conisbroughcastle.org.uk]

The name Conisbrough is thought to be derived from the [[Old English language|Anglo-Saxon]] ''Cyningesburh'' - meaning 'the defended ''burh'' of the King', suggesting the area once belonged to one of the Anglo-Saxon kings, prior to the [[Norman Conquest]]. At the time of the Norman Conquest the manor of Conisbrough was held by [[Harold Godwinson|King Harold]] - he was defeated at the [[Battle of Hastings]]. Earlier documents dated at c. 1000–1004 show lands in this area known as Kyningesburg were granted by [[Wulfric]], one of King Edward's ministers, to Elfhei, another Saxon nobleman.

==Conisbrough Castle in fiction==
In [[Sir Walter Scott]]'s novel, ''[[Ivanhoe]]'', 'Coningsburgh Castle' is based on Conisbrough. Scott's Coningsburgh is a Saxon fortress, based (perhaps knowingly) on the mistaken conclusion that its unique style marked it as a non-Norman castle. The great tower is described specifically, so that it is clear that Scott has the Norman version of Conisbrough in mind.

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
{{Commonscat}}
*[http://www.conisbroughcastle.org.uk/ Official website]

[[Category:Castles in South Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Conisbrough]]
[[Category:Grade I listed buildings in South Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Grade I listed castles]]
[[Category:English Heritage sites in South Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Visitor attractions in Doncaster]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Doncaster]]
[[Category:Scheduled Ancient Monuments in South Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Ruins in South Yorkshire]]

[[it:Castello di Conisbrough]]

Cliveden

2009-07-09T11:02:11Z

ClickRick: Per this request, Replaced: |webAddress → |website , |gridSquare → |gridsquare, using AWB

[[Image:Cliveden-2382.jpg|thumb|400px|View looking north from the Ring in the Parterre showing Terrace Pavilion and Clock Tower to the left with Lower Terrace and Borghese Balustrade below]]
{{Infobox UK property
|property_name =Cliveden
|image_name
|image_size
|caption
|type =Stately Home
|NT/EH/RHS =The National Trust
|area =375acres
|main =Grade 1 listed house
|other =Landscaped gardens
|public_access =Yes
|museum
|exhibition
|country =England
|region =South East
|gridsquare =OS 175 SU 913 851
|address
|postcode =SL6 OJA
|refreshments =Yes
|parking =Yes
|shop =Yes
|website
|co_ord ={{coord|51|33|29.16|N|O|41|17.96|W|display=inline,title|region:GB_type:landmark}}
}}
'''Cliveden''' is an Italianate stately-home at Taplow, [[Buckinghamshire]], [[England]]. Set on cliffs 200 feet above the [[River Thames]], it has been home to an Earl, two Dukes, a Prince of Wales and the Viscounts Astor. It is now owned by the [[National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty|National Trust]] and the house is leased as a [[Star (classification)|five-star hotel]] run by von Essen hotels. During the 1970s it was occupied by [[Stanford University]] of California who used it as an overseas campus. It was the meeting place of the so-called "Cliveden Set" in the 1920s and 1930s and the setting for key events in the [[Profumo Affair]] in the 1960s.

"Cliveden" (pronounced CLIV-d'n) means "valley among cliffs"<ref>Brewers Dictionary of Names, 1992</ref> and refers to the dean or valley which cuts through the estate to the east and south of the house. The gardens and woodlands (375 acres) are open to the public, together with parts of the house on certain days. There have been three houses on this site: the first, built in 1666, burned down in 1795 and the second house (1824) was also destroyed by fire, in 1849. The present Grade 1 listed house was built in 1851 by the architect [[Charles Barry]] for [[George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of Sutherland]].

==The present house==
[[Image:Cliveden_02.jpg|thumb|200px|right|The North front.]]
Designed by Sir Charles Barry in 1851 to replace a house previously destroyed by fire, the present house is in the English [[Palladian architecture|Palladian]] style. The Victorian three-storey mansion sits on a 400-foot-long, 20-foot-high brick terrace or viewing platform (only visible from the South side) which dates from the mid-seventeenth century. The exterior of the house is rendered in Roman cement, with terracotta additions such as balusters, capitals, keystones and finials. The roof of the mansion is meant for walking on and there is a circular view, above the tree-line, of parts of Buckinghamshire and Berkshire including Windsor Castle to the South.
[[Image:Cliveden_03.jpg|thumb|150px|left|The East side of the mansion.]]
Below the balustraded roofline is a Latin inscription which continues around the four sides of the house and recalls its history; it was composed by the then prime minister Gladstone. On the West front it reads: "POSITA INGENIO OPERA CONSILIO CAROLI BARRY ARCHIT A MDCCCLI" which translated reads: "The work accomplished by the brilliant plan of architect Charles Barry in 1851." The clock tower next to the house is in fact a disguised [[water tower]].
The house has a Berkshire postal code leading many (including the media and the hotel itself) to believe it is in the county of [[Berkshire]]. In fact, the Berkshire postal code extends into much of [[Buckinghamshire]], even though the two counties are separated by the River Thames.

== Early history ==
[[Image:CliveGardenFrontVitruviusBritannicus_edited.jpg|thumb|250px|right|The 1666 house. Only the arcaded terrace remains today.]]
Cliveden stands on the site of a house built in 1666 designed by architect [[William Winde]] as the home of [[George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham]]. But before Buckingham's purchase the land was owned by the Mansfield family and previous to them it belonged to the de Clyveden family. The details are recorded in a document compiled by William Waldorf Astor in 1894 called "The Historical Descent of Cliveden". It shows that in 1237 the land was owned by Geoffrey de Clyveden and by 1300 it had passed to his son, William, who owned fisheries and mills along the Cliveden Reach stretch of the Thames and at nearby Hedsor. The document also shows that in 1569 a lodge existed on the site along with 50 acres of land and was owned by Sir Henry Manfield and later his son, Sir Edward. In 1573 there were two lodges and 160 acres. Buckingham pulled down these earlier buildings to make way for his house. After Buckingham's death the estate was sold to Lord Orkney and was let to [[Frederick, Prince of Wales]] from 1739 to 1751 during whose tenure, in 1740, the song "[[Rule, Britannia]]" (an aria by the English composer [[Thomas Arne]]) was first performed, in the rustic theatre in the garden. In 1795 the house was seriously damaged by fire and for the next 30 years it remained a shell; following a second rebuilding it was again destroyed by fire in 1849.

"Cliveden" has been spelled differently over the centuries. Here are some of the variations: Cliffden, Clifden, Cliefden, Clyveden and Clyveden.

==Owners==
[[Image:2ndDukeOfBuckingham.jpg|thumb|150px|right|George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham.]]
*1666–96, '''George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham''' (1628–87); built the first house as a "hunting box" and to house his mistress, Anna, Countess of Shrewsbury.
*1696–1824, '''George Hamilton, Earl of Orkney''' (1666–1737) and his heirs; Orkney was a general at the Battle of Blenheim and became Governor of Virginia, USA without ever setting foot on American soil. From 1737 to 1751 the estate was leased to '''Frederick, Prince of Wales '''(1707–51), son of George II and father of George III. He was instrumental in setting up the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and it was during his tenure that "Rule Britannia" was performed in the amphitheatre at Cliveden for the first time in public.He died after being hit in the chest by a ball while playing cricket at Cliveden.
*1824–49, '''George Warrender''', MP, (1782–1849); built the second house at Cliveden after fire destroyed the first.
*1849–68, '''Duke and Duchess of Sutherland''', industrialists and landowners. House burns down for the second time and the Duke commissions Sir Charles Barry to re-build house in the style of an Italianate villa in 1851.
*1868–1893, '''Hugh Lupus Grosvenor, Duke of Westminster''', (1825–99).
*1893–1967, the Astor family. Bought by '''William Waldorf Astor''', later 1st Lord Astor, (1848–1919) for $1.25 million. Given to his son '''Waldorf''' and daughter-in-law '''Nancy Langhorne''' (Britain's first woman MP in 1919) in 1906 as a wedding present. They gave Cliveden to the National Trust in 1942 but their son Bill Astor continued to occupy house until his death.
*1942–present, '''The National Trust'''. House leased to Stanford University of California 1969–1983. House now leased as a luxury hotel and run by von Essen Hotels.

==Architects and designers==

*'''William Winde''', soldier and engineer, designed the 400-foot-long terrace in 1666 on which the present house sits.
*'''Thomas Archer''', architect, worked at Cliveden in the eighteenth century adding the East and West wings and connecting curved corridors. A staircase by him survives today in the West wing.
*'''Charles Bridgeman''', garden designer, laid out grounds and walks in the eighteenth century and created the cliff-side theatre where "Rule Britannia" was first performed in 1740.
*'''Giacomo Leoni''', architect, built the Blenheim Pavilion and the Octagon Temple.
*'''Sir Charles Barry''', architect, designed the third (present) house in the Italianate style in 1851. He is best known for designing the Houses of Parliament in London.
*'''Henry Clutton''', architect, built the 120-foot-high water tower in 1861 in the style of a campanile clock tower. Also added the stables, dovecote and porte-cochere to the front of the house in 1869.
*'''John Fleming''', gardener; the appearance of the parterre today is largely due to him.
*'''George Devey''', architect, built six vernacular style cottages on the estate as well as the Boathouse and Dairy, all in c.1857–8.
*'''Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe''', garden designer, created the Rose Garden in the early 1960s (now the "Secret" garden due to rose disease).
*'''Julian Harrap''', the National Trust's architect, created the pavilion to house the indoor swimming pool for Cliveden Hotel and has overseen much of the restoration work.

==The Astor era==
[[Image:Ladyastor.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Nancy, Lady Astor by John Singer Sargent. The painting hangs at Cliveden.]]
In 1893 the estate was purchased by the American billionaire [[William Waldorf Astor]] (later 1st Lord Astor) who made sweeping alterations to the gardens and the interior of the house, but lived at Cliveden as a recluse after the early death of his wife. He gave Cliveden to his son [[Waldorf Astor|Waldorf]] on the occasion of his marriage to [[Nancy Astor|Nancy Langhorne]] in 1906. They used Cliveden as a centre for social and political life between the two World Wars, principally as a weekend retreat in which to host house parties.
At the outbreak of [[World War I]], Astor offered the use of some of the grounds to the [[Canadian Red Cross]] for the building of a hospital – the HRH Duchess of Connaught Hospital – which was dismantled at the end of the hostilities. In September 1939 with the outbreak of [[World War II]] Astor again offered the use of the land at a rent of one [[shilling]] per year to the Canadian Red Cross and the [[Canadian Red Cross Memorial Hospital]] was built to the designs of [[Robert Atkinson]]. After the war the hospital's main focus was as a nursing school, a maternity unit and a rheumatology unit which was headed by Dr. Barbara Ansell. The hospital closed in the early 1980s.
In 1942 the Astors gave Cliveden to the National Trust with the proviso that the family could continue to live in the house for as long as they wished. Should this cease, they expressed the wish that the house be used:<blockquote>
for promoting friendship and understanding between the peoples of the United States and Canada and the other dominions<ref>quoted in Crathorne, 1995.</ref>
</blockquote>
The Astors ceased to live at Cliveden in 1968, shortly after the Profumo Affair scandal and Bill Astor's death.

==Interior==
The interior of the house today is very different from its original appearance in 1851–52. This is mainly due to the 1st Lord Astor who radically altered the interior layout and decoration c. 1894–95. Whereas Barry's original interior for the Sutherlands had included a square entrance-hall, a morning room and a separate stair-well, Lord Astor wanted a more impressive entrance to Cliveden so he had all three rooms knocked into one large one (the '''Great Hall'''). His aim was to make the interior as much like an Italian palazzo as possible, which would complement the exterior. The ceiling and walls were panelled in English oak, with corinthian columns and swags of carved flowers for decoration, all by architect Frank Pearson. The staircase newel posts are ornamented with carved figures representing previous owners (eg. Buckingham and Orkney) by W.S. Frith. Astor installed a large sixteenth-century fireplace, bought from a Burgundian chateaux which was being pulled down. To the left of the fireplace is a portrait of Nancy, Lady Astor by the American portraitist [[John Singer Sargent]]. The room was and still is furnished with eighteenth-century tapestries and suits of armour. Originally the floor was covered with [[Mintons Ltd|Minton]] encaustic tiles (given to the Sutherlands by the factory) but Nancy Astor had them removed in 1906 and the present flagstones laid. Above the staircase is a painted ceiling by French artist Auguste Hervieu which depicts the Sutherland's children painted as the four seasons. This is the only surviving element of Barry's 1851–2 interior and it is believed that Lord Astor considered it too beautiful to remove.

The '''"French Dining Room"''' is so called because the eighteenth-century [[Rococo]] panelling (or boiseries) came from the Chateau d'Asnieres near Paris, a chateau which was leased to [[Louis XV of France|Louis XV]] and his mistress [[Madame de Pompadour]] as a hunting lodge. When the panelling came up for sale in Paris in 1897, the 1st Lord Astor recognised that it would exactly fit this room at Cliveden. The gilded panelling on a turquoise ground contains carvings of hares, pheasants, hunting dogs and, surprisingly, rifles. The console tables and buffet were made in 1900 to match the room. The main dining room of the house until the 1980s, today it is a private dining room with views over the Parterre and Thames.

The second largest room on the ground floor, after the Great Hall, was the drawing room which today is used as the hotel's main '''dining room'''. This room, which has views over the Parterre and Thames,was redecorated in 1995 by Eve Stewart, with terracotta-coloured walls, gilded columns and trompe l'oeil shelves of books. The ceiling is painted to resemble clouds and three Bohemian glass chandeliers hang from it. The portraits in the room include the 2nd Duke of Sutherland, the 1st Lord Astor, and Miss Mary Hornack by Sir Joshua Reynolds.

Also on the ground floor is the '''Library''', panelled in cedar wood, which the Astors used to call the "cigar box", and, next door, Nancy Astor's '''boudoir'''. Upstairs are five bedrooms and on the second floor another five. The East wing was and still is guest accommodation, whereas the West wing was domestic offices but in 1994 these were converted into more bedrooms.

The National Trust tour only includes the Great Hall and French Dining Room.

==Cliveden Hotel==
[[Image:Cliveden,_June_2005.JPG|thumb|200px|right|Cliveden Hotel from the Parterre.]]
In 1984 a hotel company – Blakeney Hotels (later Cliveden Hotel Ltd) – acquired the lease to the house. Led by chairman John Lewis and managing director John Tham (husband of ''[[Railway Children]]'' actress [[Jenny Agutter]]) they restored and refurbished the interior. Rooms are furnished with Edwardian antiques and the house is run in a similar style as it would have been when Nancy Astor was chatelaine. In 1990 they added the indoor swimming pool and spa treatment rooms in the walled garden, complementing the existing outdoor pool (known as the Christine Keeler swimming pool). Also in 1990 a new 100-year lease was granted to run from 1984. In 1994 the conversion of the West wing from domestic offices to provide more bedrooms and two boardrooms (Churchill and Macmillan) was completed. There are 37 bedrooms in total, two dining rooms (the '''Terrace Dining Room''' and '''Waldo's'''), and four private dining rooms. Bedrooms are named after previous owners and guests (eg. Buckingham, Westminster). Three rooms are licenced for civil ceremonies and each year many couples are married at Cliveden. The hotel also lease Spring Cottage by the Thames, one of the key places in the Profumo affair, and offer it as self-contained accommodation.

The hotel was listed on the London Stock Exchange for a period of time in the 1990s (as Cliveden Plc). This company was bought in 1998 by Destination Europe, a consortium led by billionaire Microsoft CEO [[Bill Gates]]<ref>BBC News website, 1998.</ref>. In the early years of the 21st century the lease was acquired by von Essen hotels.

In 2007 Cliveden Hotel claimed to offer the "world's most expensive sandwich" at £100GBP. The von Essen Platinum Club Sandwich was confirmed by Guinness World Records in 2007 to be the most expensive sandwich commercially available.<ref>BBC News Website, 2007.</ref>

The hotel's insignia is that of the Sutherland family and consists of a crown with interlaced "S"s and acanthus leaves. It can be found on radiator grills in parts of the house. The hotel's motto is "Nothing ordinary ever happened here, nor could it."

==Gardens and grounds==
[[Image:Cliveden_Parterre.jpg|thumb|250px|left|The Parterre from the terrace.]]
The estate extends to {{convert|375|acre|km2}} of which about {{convert|180|acre|km2}} comprise the gardens, the rest being woodland and paddocks. The formal '''[[Parterre]]''' to the South of the house is one of the largest in Europe at {{convert|4|acre|m2}}. It consists of clipped yew pyramids and wedge-shaped beds edged with box hedging and filled with catnip, santolina and senecio. '''The Long Garden''' consists of topiary in the form of corkscrew-spirals, peacocks and box hedges and was designed by Norah Lindsay in c.1900. '''The Water Garden''' was laid out by the 1st Lord Astor in c.1900 and features a pagoda, on an island, bought from the [[Chateau de Bagatelle|Bagatelle]] estate in Paris. The planting here is mostly Spring-flowering: cherry trees, bush wisterias and giant gunneras. The original Rose Garden, designed by Sir [[Geoffrey Jellicoe]] for the Astor family in the early 1960s has since suffered from rose disease and has been replanted as a "Secret" garden of herbaceous plants. The planting in the '''Herbaceous Borders''' in the forecourt was designed in the 1970s by the National Trust advisor Graham Stuart Thomas. The West-facing border features "hot"-coloured flowers (red, yellow, orange) and the East-facing border is planted with "cooler" colours (blue, pink and white). There is a lime tree avenue either side of the main drive to the house. Cliveden holds the National Plant Collection of Catalpa (aka "Bean Tree").In 1897 the 1st Lord Astor imported a section of a Californian redwood and had it installed in the woods. At {{convert|16|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}} across it is the largest section of a ''Sequoia gigantea'' in Britain. The woodlands were first laid out by Lord Orkney in the eighteenth century on what had been barren cliff-top; they were later much restocked by Bill Astor but they suffered badly in the Great Storm of 1987. The National Trust continues the re-planting of the beechwoods.

==Temples, pavilions and follies==
[[Image:Cliveden-2365.jpg|thumb|150px|right|Giacomo Leoni's 1735 "Temple".]]
The earliest known garden buildings at Cliveden were both designed by Giacomo Leoni for Lord Orkney; the '''Blenheim Pavilion''' (c.1727) was built to commemorate Orkney's victory as a general at the Battle of Blenheim. The '''Octagon Temple''', situated two-hundred feet above the Thames, was originally designed as a gazebo and grotto but was later converted by the 1st Lord Astor to become the family chapel. Its interior and dome are decorated with colourful mosaics by Clayton and Bell representing religious scenes. The '''pagoda''' in the Water Garden was made for the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1867 and was purchased by the 1st Lord Astor from the [[Chateau de Bagatelle|Bagatelle]] estate in Paris in 1900. In the woods there is a small flint folly thought to date from the mid-nineteenth century.

==Sculpture collection<ref>Bostrom, A. "Sculpture" in National Trust ''Cliveden'' Guide, (1994).</ref>==
[[Image:Cliveden-2410.jpg|thumb|150px|right|Thomas Waldo Story's Fountain of Love inscribed "Waldo Story, Roma 1897".]]
One of the features of the gardens is the large collection of sculpture, most of it acquired by the 1st Lord Astor from 1893 to 1906. The shell fountain, known as the '''"Fountain of Love"''', greets visitors at the end of the lime tree avenue up to the house. It was sculpted by '''[[Thomas Waldo Story]]''', (American, 1855–1915) in Rome in 1897 and was commissioned by Lord Astor for this site. It features a large [[Carrara]] marble shell supporting three life-size female figures attended by cupid. The '''"Tortoise" fountain''' near the Parterre was also made by T.W. Story at around the same time.

In the forecourt there is a collection of eight marble Roman sarcophagi, some of which date from c.AD 100 and were bought by Lord Astor from Rome.
[[Image:Cliveden-proserpina.jpg|thumb|100px|left|Proserpina, after the original c.1565.]]
The "Queen Anne Vase" at the end of the Long Walk is said to have been given to Lord Orkney by Queen Anne in the eighteenth century and consists of a tall urn on a plinth decorated with the Greek key pattern.

The largest sculpture in the grounds, technically in two parts, is the 17th century '''Borghese Balustrade''' on the Parterre. Purchased by Lord Astor in the late 19th century from the '''[[Villa Borghese gardens]]''' in Rome, it is crafted from Travertine stone and brick tiles by Giuseppe Di Giacomo and Paolo Massini in c.1618–19. It features seats and balustrading with fountain basins and carved eagles.
At the far-end of the Parterre is a 20th-century copy of a bronze group entitled ''The Rape of Proserpina'' (Italian, c.1565), bought by W.W. Astor from Italy. The original is now housed at London's V&A museum.

The well-heads and oil-jars found throughout the gardens came from Venice and Rome respectively.

==Major restorations 1980s–present==
*In 1984–86 the exterior of the mansion was cleaned and repaired and a new lead roof installed by the National Trust while inside repairs were carried out by Cliveden Hotel.
[[Image:Cliveden-2345.jpg|thumb|150px|left|Henry Clutton's disguised water tower of 1861.]]
*The Clock Tower (water tower) was fully restored in the late 1990s by the NT at a cost of £650,000 of which at least £35,000 was spent on the gold-leaf embellishments to the four clock-face surrounds and urns.
* At the same time the Octagon Temple's dome was recovered in copper and its interior mosaics conserved.
*The Terrace is in need of full restoration and this is expected to start soon.
*The Cliveden statuary collection receives an ongoing programme of conservation.
*When the restoration of the old maze between the Water garden and the walled car park is completed in 2011–12 its size is expected to rival the world-famous maze at Hampton Court Palace.

==The "Cliveden snail"==
In 2004, a colony of small Mediterranean land snails of the species ''[[Papillifera bidens]]'' was discovered living on the Borghese Balustrade. Presumably this species, new to the English fauna, was accidentally imported along with the balustrade in the late 19th century, and managed to survive through all the intervening winters to the present day.<ref name="Sharpe">Janet Ridout Sharpe. March 2005. [http://home.earthlink.net/%7Eaydinslibrary/MalacGp07.pdf ''Papillifera papillaris (Gastropoda: Clausiliidae): a new record for Britain'']. The Archeo+Malacology Group Newsletter, (7): page 6–7.</ref>

==Famous guests==

Cliveden has always been used for entertaining on a lavish scale. The combination of the house, its setting and the leisure facilities offered on the estate – boating on the Thames, horse riding, tennis, swimming, croquet and fishing – have made Cliveden a destination for film-stars, politicians, world-leaders, writers and artists. The heyday of entertaining at Cliveden was between the two World Wars when the Astor's held weekend house parties here. Guests at that time included: [[Charlie Chaplin]], [[Winston Churchill]], [[Joseph Kennedy]], [[George Bernard Shaw]], [[Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi|Mahatma Gandhi]], [[Amy Johnson]], [[F.D. Roosevelt]], [[H.H. Asquith]], [[T.E. Lawrence]] (Lawrence of Arabia), [[A.J. Balfour]], and the writers [[A.A. Milne]], [[Henry James]], [[Rudyard Kipling]] and [[Edith Wharton]].

The entertainer [[Joyce Grenfell]] was Nancy Astor's niece and she once lived in a cottage on the estate. She also entertained injured troops in the hospital on the estate during WWII.

==The Cliveden Set==

This was the name used by the Communist pamphleteer Claude Cockburn to describe the Astors and some of their guests who were thought to be considering pro-appeasement with Hitler in the 1930s. In 1938 the Communist Party published the following in one of its publications:<blockquote>
From Cliveden House in Buckinghamshire operates the Cliveden Set - making and breaking British Cabinet Ministers – bringing Britain to the verge of War – weilding the power of International Fascism.
</blockquote><ref>Quoted in Crathorne, 1995, p. 173</ref>
There is no real evidence to prove or disprove these claims. The guests at Cliveden represented every political leaning and the Astors ignored the claims. However, when the ''Washington Post'' ran an article entitled "Astor Country House Becoming Real Centre Of Foreign Policy" they felt the need to act. With the help of their Marxist friend [[George Bernard Shaw]] they sort to dispel the myth of the Cliveden Set. Shaw wrote: " If I wanted, I could prove that Cliveden is a nest of Bolshevism or indeed of any other bee in the world's bonnet."<ref>Ibid, p.176</ref>

==Cliveden on film and television==
*The 2001 [[Bollywood]] film ''[[Yaadein]]'' was partly filmed at Cliveden.
*In the 2004 film ''[[Thunderbirds (film)|Thunderbirds]]'', Cliveden is used as the location for [[Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward|Lady Penelope]]'s house, 'Creighton-Ward Mansion'.
*The house is featured in the 2005 film ''[[Mrs. Henderson Presents]]''.
*In the second Beatles film, "Help!"(1965), the scenes that were supposed to be in Buckingham Palace were filmed at Cliveden.
*The house appears in the film, [[Don't Lose Your Head]], from the ''Carry-On'' genre of 1960s films.
*Horse and carriage sequences in ''[[The Card]]'' (aka ''[[The Promoter]]'') (1952) starring Alec Guinness were filmed on the drive.
*The Thames at Cliveden appears in both ''[[Chaplin]]'' (1992) and ''[[Carrington]]'' (1995).
*Cliveden's panelled library stands in for a priest's New York study in the 2008 film ''[[Made of Honor]]''.
*A [[National Lottery|UK lottery]] advertisement portrays a man running around on the grounds at Cliveden.
*Cliveden was featured as part of a reward on the UK television show [[The Apprentice]].
*In 2000 the BBC [[Antiques Roadshow]] used the grounds as a venue for a valuation day.
*Cliveden was also feaured in the Film "The Yellow Rolls Royce" with Rex Harrison ,George C Scott ,and Shirley MacLaine.
*SCANDAL, (1988), story of the profumo affair.

==Cliveden in literature==
[[Image:Bavin's Gulls on the River Thames at Cliveden Deep (Nancy).JPG|thumb|150px|right|Cliveden from the River Thames]]
*In Chapter 12 of ''Three Men in a Boat'' (1889), [[Jerome K. Jerome]] describes the Cliveden stretch of the Thames as "unbroken loveliness this is, perhaps, the sweetest stretch of all the river..."
*In ''Boogie Up the River'' (1989) Mark Wallington retraces Jerome's journey to mark its centenary, with the Thames at Cliveden described in Capter 5.
*The poet [[Alexander Pope]] wrote (c.1730) of the Duke of Buckingham's affair with Anna, Countess of Shrewsbury: "Gallant and gay in Cliveden's proud alcove/The bower of wanton Shrewsbury and love."<ref>Moral Essays</ref>
*[[Daniel Defoe]] describes the first house in ''A Tour Through England and Wales'' (1726).
*[[Gore Vidal]] in his 1948 novel ''The City and the Pillar'': "The Cliveden-Churchill Set are too well entrenched and I shouldn't be in the least surprised if they created some sort of dictatorship that could never be thrown off without a revolution."

==Notes==
<references/>

==Bibliography/references==
*Astor, Michael, ''Tribal Feeling'', London,1963.
*Coates, Tim, ''The Scandal of Christine Keeler and John Profumo: Lord Dennings Report 1967'', London,2003.
*Crathorne, James, ''Cliveden: The Place and the People, London, 1995.
*Fox, James, ''The Langhorne Sisters'', London, 1998.
*Hayward, Allyson, ''Norah Lindsay: The Life and Art of a Garden Designer'', London,2007.
*Jackson-Stopps, Gervase, ''An English Arcadia'', London, 1992.
*Keeler, Christine, ''The Truth at Last: My Story'', London, 2002.
*Lacey, Steven, ''Gardens of the National Trust'', London, 1994.
*National Trust, The, ''Cliveden'' [Guide to], London, 1994.
*Rose, Norman, ''The Cliveden Set: Portrait of an Exclusive Fraternity'', London, 2000.
*Sinclair, David, ''Dynasty: The Astors and their Times'', London, 1983.
*Stanford, Peter, ''Bronwen Astor: Her Life and Times'', London, 2001.

==External links==
*[http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-cliveden/ nationaltrust.org.uk] Cliveden information at the National Trust
*[http://www.clivedenhouse.co.uk/ Cliveden House Hotel]
*[http://www.alexanderhamiltoninstitute.org/lp/Hancock/CD-ROMS/GlobalFederation%5CWorld%20Trade%20Federation%20-%20136%20-%20The%20Anglo-American%20Establishment.html The Anglo-American Establishment: From Rhodes to Cliveden] by [[Carroll Quigley]]

==Gallery of images==
<gallery>
Image:Cliveden, June 2005.JPG|Cliveden as seen from its lawn.
Image:Cliveden - Tortoise Fountain.jpg|The Tortoise Fountain and view over the River Thames.
Image:Fountainoflove.JPG|Fountain of Love.
Image:Cliveden-2375.jpg|Overlooking 42 inscribed stones to the dead of The Great War Sir Bertram MacKennal's figure represents Canada with the head reputedly modelled by Lady Astor
Image:Cliveden-2405.jpg|This copy of Vincenzo de'Rossi's work on a pedestal in The Ring of the Parterre faces the Garden Front of Cliveden House
Image:Cliveden-2410.jpg|Thomas Waldo Story's Fountain of Love inscribed Waldo Story Roma 1897
Image:Cliveden-2345.jpg|[[Henry Clutton]]s disguised water tower 1861
Image:Cliveden-2365.jpg|Giacomo Leoni's 1735 "Temple"
Image:Cliveden-8461.jpg|1893 Gas Yard Concrete Tree disguising the gas works chimney
Image:Cliveden-8444.jpg|Elephant carving in the grounds
Image:River Thames at Cliveden, Buckinghamshire, England.JPG|View of the River Thames from the river walk at Cliveden.
Image:Bavin's Gulls on the River Thames at Cliveden Deep (Nancy).JPG|Cliveden from the River Thames
</gallery>
 
{{commonscat}}

[[Category:Astor family]]
[[Category:Gardens in Buckinghamshire]]
[[Category:Grade I listed buildings in Buckinghamshire]]
[[Category:Grade I listed houses]]
[[Category:Houses in Buckinghamshire]]
[[Category:Hotels in England]]
[[Category:Italianate architecture]]
[[Category:National Trust properties in Buckinghamshire]]
[[Category:River Thames]]
[[Category:Visitor attractions in Buckinghamshire]]

[[fr:Cliveden]]
[[es:Cliveden]]
[[pt:Cliveden]]
[[th:คฤหาสน์คลิฟเดิน]]

Cliveden

2009-07-09T06:03:23Z

ClickRick: clean up, Replaced: Infobox UKproperty → Infobox UK property, using AWB

[[Image:Cliveden-2382.jpg|thumb|400px|View looking north from the Ring in the Parterre showing Terrace Pavilion and Clock Tower to the left with Lower Terrace and Borghese Balustrade below]]
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|region =South East
|gridSquare =OS 175 SU 913 851
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'''Cliveden''' is an Italianate stately-home at Taplow, [[Buckinghamshire]], [[England]]. Set on cliffs 200 feet above the [[River Thames]], it has been home to an Earl, two Dukes, a Prince of Wales and the Viscounts Astor. It is now owned by the [[National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty|National Trust]] and the house is leased as a [[Star (classification)|five-star hotel]] run by von Essen hotels. During the 1970s it was occupied by [[Stanford University]] of California who used it as an overseas campus. It was the meeting place of the so-called "Cliveden Set" in the 1920s and 1930s and the setting for key events in the [[Profumo Affair]] in the 1960s.

"Cliveden" (pronounced CLIV-d'n) means "valley among cliffs"<ref>Brewers Dictionary of Names, 1992</ref> and refers to the dean or valley which cuts through the estate to the east and south of the house. The gardens and woodlands (375 acres) are open to the public, together with parts of the house on certain days. There have been three houses on this site: the first, built in 1666, burned down in 1795 and the second house (1824) was also destroyed by fire, in 1849. The present Grade 1 listed house was built in 1851 by the architect [[Charles Barry]] for [[George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 2nd Duke of Sutherland]].

==The present house==
[[Image:Cliveden_02.jpg|thumb|200px|right|The North front.]]
Designed by Sir Charles Barry in 1851 to replace a house previously destroyed by fire, the present house is in the English [[Palladian architecture|Palladian]] style. The Victorian three-storey mansion sits on a 400-foot-long, 20-foot-high brick terrace or viewing platform (only visible from the South side) which dates from the mid-seventeenth century. The exterior of the house is rendered in Roman cement, with terracotta additions such as balusters, capitals, keystones and finials. The roof of the mansion is meant for walking on and there is a circular view, above the tree-line, of parts of Buckinghamshire and Berkshire including Windsor Castle to the South.
[[Image:Cliveden_03.jpg|thumb|150px|left|The East side of the mansion.]]
Below the balustraded roofline is a Latin inscription which continues around the four sides of the house and recalls its history; it was composed by the then prime minister Gladstone. On the West front it reads: "POSITA INGENIO OPERA CONSILIO CAROLI BARRY ARCHIT A MDCCCLI" which translated reads: "The work accomplished by the brilliant plan of architect Charles Barry in 1851." The clock tower next to the house is in fact a disguised [[water tower]].
The house has a Berkshire postal code leading many (including the media and the hotel itself) to believe it is in the county of [[Berkshire]]. In fact, the Berkshire postal code extends into much of [[Buckinghamshire]], even though the two counties are separated by the River Thames.

== Early history ==
[[Image:CliveGardenFrontVitruviusBritannicus_edited.jpg|thumb|250px|right|The 1666 house. Only the arcaded terrace remains today.]]
Cliveden stands on the site of a house built in 1666 designed by architect [[William Winde]] as the home of [[George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham]]. But before Buckingham's purchase the land was owned by the Mansfield family and previous to them it belonged to the de Clyveden family. The details are recorded in a document compiled by William Waldorf Astor in 1894 called "The Historical Descent of Cliveden". It shows that in 1237 the land was owned by Geoffrey de Clyveden and by 1300 it had passed to his son, William, who owned fisheries and mills along the Cliveden Reach stretch of the Thames and at nearby Hedsor. The document also shows that in 1569 a lodge existed on the site along with 50 acres of land and was owned by Sir Henry Manfield and later his son, Sir Edward. In 1573 there were two lodges and 160 acres. Buckingham pulled down these earlier buildings to make way for his house. After Buckingham's death the estate was sold to Lord Orkney and was let to [[Frederick, Prince of Wales]] from 1739 to 1751 during whose tenure, in 1740, the song "[[Rule, Britannia]]" (an aria by the English composer [[Thomas Arne]]) was first performed, in the rustic theatre in the garden. In 1795 the house was seriously damaged by fire and for the next 30 years it remained a shell; following a second rebuilding it was again destroyed by fire in 1849.

"Cliveden" has been spelled differently over the centuries. Here are some of the variations: Cliffden, Clifden, Cliefden, Clyveden and Clyveden.

==Owners==
[[Image:2ndDukeOfBuckingham.jpg|thumb|150px|right|George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham.]]
*1666–96, '''George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham''' (1628–87); built the first house as a "hunting box" and to house his mistress, Anna, Countess of Shrewsbury.
*1696–1824, '''George Hamilton, Earl of Orkney''' (1666–1737) and his heirs; Orkney was a general at the Battle of Blenheim and became Governor of Virginia, USA without ever setting foot on American soil. From 1737 to 1751 the estate was leased to '''Frederick, Prince of Wales '''(1707–51), son of George II and father of George III. He was instrumental in setting up the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and it was during his tenure that "Rule Britannia" was performed in the amphitheatre at Cliveden for the first time in public.He died after being hit in the chest by a ball while playing cricket at Cliveden.
*1824–49, '''George Warrender''', MP, (1782–1849); built the second house at Cliveden after fire destroyed the first.
*1849–68, '''Duke and Duchess of Sutherland''', industrialists and landowners. House burns down for the second time and the Duke commissions Sir Charles Barry to re-build house in the style of an Italianate villa in 1851.
*1868–1893, '''Hugh Lupus Grosvenor, Duke of Westminster''', (1825–99).
*1893–1967, the Astor family. Bought by '''William Waldorf Astor''', later 1st Lord Astor, (1848–1919) for $1.25 million. Given to his son '''Waldorf''' and daughter-in-law '''Nancy Langhorne''' (Britain's first woman MP in 1919) in 1906 as a wedding present. They gave Cliveden to the National Trust in 1942 but their son Bill Astor continued to occupy house until his death.
*1942–present, '''The National Trust'''. House leased to Stanford University of California 1969–1983. House now leased as a luxury hotel and run by von Essen Hotels.

==Architects and designers==

*'''William Winde''', soldier and engineer, designed the 400-foot-long terrace in 1666 on which the present house sits.
*'''Thomas Archer''', architect, worked at Cliveden in the eighteenth century adding the East and West wings and connecting curved corridors. A staircase by him survives today in the West wing.
*'''Charles Bridgeman''', garden designer, laid out grounds and walks in the eighteenth century and created the cliff-side theatre where "Rule Britannia" was first performed in 1740.
*'''Giacomo Leoni''', architect, built the Blenheim Pavilion and the Octagon Temple.
*'''Sir Charles Barry''', architect, designed the third (present) house in the Italianate style in 1851. He is best known for designing the Houses of Parliament in London.
*'''Henry Clutton''', architect, built the 120-foot-high water tower in 1861 in the style of a campanile clock tower. Also added the stables, dovecote and porte-cochere to the front of the house in 1869.
*'''John Fleming''', gardener; the appearance of the parterre today is largely due to him.
*'''George Devey''', architect, built six vernacular style cottages on the estate as well as the Boathouse and Dairy, all in c.1857–8.
*'''Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe''', garden designer, created the Rose Garden in the early 1960s (now the "Secret" garden due to rose disease).
*'''Julian Harrap''', the National Trust's architect, created the pavilion to house the indoor swimming pool for Cliveden Hotel and has overseen much of the restoration work.

==The Astor era==
[[Image:Ladyastor.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Nancy, Lady Astor by John Singer Sargent. The painting hangs at Cliveden.]]
In 1893 the estate was purchased by the American billionaire [[William Waldorf Astor]] (later 1st Lord Astor) who made sweeping alterations to the gardens and the interior of the house, but lived at Cliveden as a recluse after the early death of his wife. He gave Cliveden to his son [[Waldorf Astor|Waldorf]] on the occasion of his marriage to [[Nancy Astor|Nancy Langhorne]] in 1906. They used Cliveden as a centre for social and political life between the two World Wars, principally as a weekend retreat in which to host house parties.
At the outbreak of [[World War I]], Astor offered the use of some of the grounds to the [[Canadian Red Cross]] for the building of a hospital – the HRH Duchess of Connaught Hospital – which was dismantled at the end of the hostilities. In September 1939 with the outbreak of [[World War II]] Astor again offered the use of the land at a rent of one [[shilling]] per year to the Canadian Red Cross and the [[Canadian Red Cross Memorial Hospital]] was built to the designs of [[Robert Atkinson]]. After the war the hospital's main focus was as a nursing school, a maternity unit and a rheumatology unit which was headed by Dr. Barbara Ansell. The hospital closed in the early 1980s.
In 1942 the Astors gave Cliveden to the National Trust with the proviso that the family could continue to live in the house for as long as they wished. Should this cease, they expressed the wish that the house be used:<blockquote>
for promoting friendship and understanding between the peoples of the United States and Canada and the other dominions<ref>quoted in Crathorne, 1995.</ref>
</blockquote>
The Astors ceased to live at Cliveden in 1968, shortly after the Profumo Affair scandal and Bill Astor's death.

==Interior==
The interior of the house today is very different from its original appearance in 1851–52. This is mainly due to the 1st Lord Astor who radically altered the interior layout and decoration c. 1894–95. Whereas Barry's original interior for the Sutherlands had included a square entrance-hall, a morning room and a separate stair-well, Lord Astor wanted a more impressive entrance to Cliveden so he had all three rooms knocked into one large one (the '''Great Hall'''). His aim was to make the interior as much like an Italian palazzo as possible, which would complement the exterior. The ceiling and walls were panelled in English oak, with corinthian columns and swags of carved flowers for decoration, all by architect Frank Pearson. The staircase newel posts are ornamented with carved figures representing previous owners (eg. Buckingham and Orkney) by W.S. Frith. Astor installed a large sixteenth-century fireplace, bought from a Burgundian chateaux which was being pulled down. To the left of the fireplace is a portrait of Nancy, Lady Astor by the American portraitist [[John Singer Sargent]]. The room was and still is furnished with eighteenth-century tapestries and suits of armour. Originally the floor was covered with [[Mintons Ltd|Minton]] encaustic tiles (given to the Sutherlands by the factory) but Nancy Astor had them removed in 1906 and the present flagstones laid. Above the staircase is a painted ceiling by French artist Auguste Hervieu which depicts the Sutherland's children painted as the four seasons. This is the only surviving element of Barry's 1851–2 interior and it is believed that Lord Astor considered it too beautiful to remove.

The '''"French Dining Room"''' is so called because the eighteenth-century [[Rococo]] panelling (or boiseries) came from the Chateau d'Asnieres near Paris, a chateau which was leased to [[Louis XV of France|Louis XV]] and his mistress [[Madame de Pompadour]] as a hunting lodge. When the panelling came up for sale in Paris in 1897, the 1st Lord Astor recognised that it would exactly fit this room at Cliveden. The gilded panelling on a turquoise ground contains carvings of hares, pheasants, hunting dogs and, surprisingly, rifles. The console tables and buffet were made in 1900 to match the room. The main dining room of the house until the 1980s, today it is a private dining room with views over the Parterre and Thames.

The second largest room on the ground floor, after the Great Hall, was the drawing room which today is used as the hotel's main '''dining room'''. This room, which has views over the Parterre and Thames,was redecorated in 1995 by Eve Stewart, with terracotta-coloured walls, gilded columns and trompe l'oeil shelves of books. The ceiling is painted to resemble clouds and three Bohemian glass chandeliers hang from it. The portraits in the room include the 2nd Duke of Sutherland, the 1st Lord Astor, and Miss Mary Hornack by Sir Joshua Reynolds.

Also on the ground floor is the '''Library''', panelled in cedar wood, which the Astors used to call the "cigar box", and, next door, Nancy Astor's '''boudoir'''. Upstairs are five bedrooms and on the second floor another five. The East wing was and still is guest accommodation, whereas the West wing was domestic offices but in 1994 these were converted into more bedrooms.

The National Trust tour only includes the Great Hall and French Dining Room.

==Cliveden Hotel==
[[Image:Cliveden,_June_2005.JPG|thumb|200px|right|Cliveden Hotel from the Parterre.]]
In 1984 a hotel company – Blakeney Hotels (later Cliveden Hotel Ltd) – acquired the lease to the house. Led by chairman John Lewis and managing director John Tham (husband of ''[[Railway Children]]'' actress [[Jenny Agutter]]) they restored and refurbished the interior. Rooms are furnished with Edwardian antiques and the house is run in a similar style as it would have been when Nancy Astor was chatelaine. In 1990 they added the indoor swimming pool and spa treatment rooms in the walled garden, complementing the existing outdoor pool (known as the Christine Keeler swimming pool). Also in 1990 a new 100-year lease was granted to run from 1984. In 1994 the conversion of the West wing from domestic offices to provide more bedrooms and two boardrooms (Churchill and Macmillan) was completed. There are 37 bedrooms in total, two dining rooms (the '''Terrace Dining Room''' and '''Waldo's'''), and four private dining rooms. Bedrooms are named after previous owners and guests (eg. Buckingham, Westminster). Three rooms are licenced for civil ceremonies and each year many couples are married at Cliveden. The hotel also lease Spring Cottage by the Thames, one of the key places in the Profumo affair, and offer it as self-contained accommodation.

The hotel was listed on the London Stock Exchange for a period of time in the 1990s (as Cliveden Plc). This company was bought in 1998 by Destination Europe, a consortium led by billionaire Microsoft CEO [[Bill Gates]]<ref>BBC News website, 1998.</ref>. In the early years of the 21st century the lease was acquired by von Essen hotels.

In 2007 Cliveden Hotel claimed to offer the "world's most expensive sandwich" at £100GBP. The von Essen Platinum Club Sandwich was confirmed by Guinness World Records in 2007 to be the most expensive sandwich commercially available.<ref>BBC News Website, 2007.</ref>

The hotel's insignia is that of the Sutherland family and consists of a crown with interlaced "S"s and acanthus leaves. It can be found on radiator grills in parts of the house. The hotel's motto is "Nothing ordinary ever happened here, nor could it."

==Gardens and grounds==
[[Image:Cliveden_Parterre.jpg|thumb|250px|left|The Parterre from the terrace.]]
The estate extends to {{convert|375|acre|km2}} of which about {{convert|180|acre|km2}} comprise the gardens, the rest being woodland and paddocks. The formal '''[[Parterre]]''' to the South of the house is one of the largest in Europe at {{convert|4|acre|m2}}. It consists of clipped yew pyramids and wedge-shaped beds edged with box hedging and filled with catnip, santolina and senecio. '''The Long Garden''' consists of topiary in the form of corkscrew-spirals, peacocks and box hedges and was designed by Norah Lindsay in c.1900. '''The Water Garden''' was laid out by the 1st Lord Astor in c.1900 and features a pagoda, on an island, bought from the [[Chateau de Bagatelle|Bagatelle]] estate in Paris. The planting here is mostly Spring-flowering: cherry trees, bush wisterias and giant gunneras. The original Rose Garden, designed by Sir [[Geoffrey Jellicoe]] for the Astor family in the early 1960s has since suffered from rose disease and has been replanted as a "Secret" garden of herbaceous plants. The planting in the '''Herbaceous Borders''' in the forecourt was designed in the 1970s by the National Trust advisor Graham Stuart Thomas. The West-facing border features "hot"-coloured flowers (red, yellow, orange) and the East-facing border is planted with "cooler" colours (blue, pink and white). There is a lime tree avenue either side of the main drive to the house. Cliveden holds the National Plant Collection of Catalpa (aka "Bean Tree").In 1897 the 1st Lord Astor imported a section of a Californian redwood and had it installed in the woods. At {{convert|16|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}} across it is the largest section of a ''Sequoia gigantea'' in Britain. The woodlands were first laid out by Lord Orkney in the eighteenth century on what had been barren cliff-top; they were later much restocked by Bill Astor but they suffered badly in the Great Storm of 1987. The National Trust continues the re-planting of the beechwoods.

==Temples, pavilions and follies==
[[Image:Cliveden-2365.jpg|thumb|150px|right|Giacomo Leoni's 1735 "Temple".]]
The earliest known garden buildings at Cliveden were both designed by Giacomo Leoni for Lord Orkney; the '''Blenheim Pavilion''' (c.1727) was built to commemorate Orkney's victory as a general at the Battle of Blenheim. The '''Octagon Temple''', situated two-hundred feet above the Thames, was originally designed as a gazebo and grotto but was later converted by the 1st Lord Astor to become the family chapel. Its interior and dome are decorated with colourful mosaics by Clayton and Bell representing religious scenes. The '''pagoda''' in the Water Garden was made for the Paris Exposition Universelle of 1867 and was purchased by the 1st Lord Astor from the [[Chateau de Bagatelle|Bagatelle]] estate in Paris in 1900. In the woods there is a small flint folly thought to date from the mid-nineteenth century.

==Sculpture collection<ref>Bostrom, A. "Sculpture" in National Trust ''Cliveden'' Guide, (1994).</ref>==
[[Image:Cliveden-2410.jpg|thumb|150px|right|Thomas Waldo Story's Fountain of Love inscribed "Waldo Story, Roma 1897".]]
One of the features of the gardens is the large collection of sculpture, most of it acquired by the 1st Lord Astor from 1893 to 1906. The shell fountain, known as the '''"Fountain of Love"''', greets visitors at the end of the lime tree avenue up to the house. It was sculpted by '''[[Thomas Waldo Story]]''', (American, 1855–1915) in Rome in 1897 and was commissioned by Lord Astor for this site. It features a large [[Carrara]] marble shell supporting three life-size female figures attended by cupid. The '''"Tortoise" fountain''' near the Parterre was also made by T.W. Story at around the same time.

In the forecourt there is a collection of eight marble Roman sarcophagi, some of which date from c.AD 100 and were bought by Lord Astor from Rome.
[[Image:Cliveden-proserpina.jpg|thumb|100px|left|Proserpina, after the original c.1565.]]
The "Queen Anne Vase" at the end of the Long Walk is said to have been given to Lord Orkney by Queen Anne in the eighteenth century and consists of a tall urn on a plinth decorated with the Greek key pattern.

The largest sculpture in the grounds, technically in two parts, is the 17th century '''Borghese Balustrade''' on the Parterre. Purchased by Lord Astor in the late 19th century from the '''[[Villa Borghese gardens]]''' in Rome, it is crafted from Travertine stone and brick tiles by Giuseppe Di Giacomo and Paolo Massini in c.1618–19. It features seats and balustrading with fountain basins and carved eagles.
At the far-end of the Parterre is a 20th-century copy of a bronze group entitled ''The Rape of Proserpina'' (Italian, c.1565), bought by W.W. Astor from Italy. The original is now housed at London's V&A museum.

The well-heads and oil-jars found throughout the gardens came from Venice and Rome respectively.

==Major restorations 1980s–present==
*In 1984–86 the exterior of the mansion was cleaned and repaired and a new lead roof installed by the National Trust while inside repairs were carried out by Cliveden Hotel.
[[Image:Cliveden-2345.jpg|thumb|150px|left|Henry Clutton's disguised water tower of 1861.]]
*The Clock Tower (water tower) was fully restored in the late 1990s by the NT at a cost of £650,000 of which at least £35,000 was spent on the gold-leaf embellishments to the four clock-face surrounds and urns.
* At the same time the Octagon Temple's dome was recovered in copper and its interior mosaics conserved.
*The Terrace is in need of full restoration and this is expected to start soon.
*The Cliveden statuary collection receives an ongoing programme of conservation.
*When the restoration of the old maze between the Water garden and the walled car park is completed in 2011–12 its size is expected to rival the world-famous maze at Hampton Court Palace.

==The "Cliveden snail"==
In 2004, a colony of small Mediterranean land snails of the species ''[[Papillifera bidens]]'' was discovered living on the Borghese Balustrade. Presumably this species, new to the English fauna, was accidentally imported along with the balustrade in the late 19th century, and managed to survive through all the intervening winters to the present day.<ref name="Sharpe">Janet Ridout Sharpe. March 2005. [http://home.earthlink.net/%7Eaydinslibrary/MalacGp07.pdf ''Papillifera papillaris (Gastropoda: Clausiliidae): a new record for Britain'']. The Archeo+Malacology Group Newsletter, (7): page 6–7.</ref>

==Famous guests==

Cliveden has always been used for entertaining on a lavish scale. The combination of the house, its setting and the leisure facilities offered on the estate – boating on the Thames, horse riding, tennis, swimming, croquet and fishing – have made Cliveden a destination for film-stars, politicians, world-leaders, writers and artists. The heyday of entertaining at Cliveden was between the two World Wars when the Astor's held weekend house parties here. Guests at that time included: [[Charlie Chaplin]], [[Winston Churchill]], [[Joseph Kennedy]], [[George Bernard Shaw]], [[Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi|Mahatma Gandhi]], [[Amy Johnson]], [[F.D. Roosevelt]], [[H.H. Asquith]], [[T.E. Lawrence]] (Lawrence of Arabia), [[A.J. Balfour]], and the writers [[A.A. Milne]], [[Henry James]], [[Rudyard Kipling]] and [[Edith Wharton]].

The entertainer [[Joyce Grenfell]] was Nancy Astor's niece and she once lived in a cottage on the estate. She also entertained injured troops in the hospital on the estate during WWII.

==The Cliveden Set==

This was the name used by the Communist pamphleteer Claude Cockburn to describe the Astors and some of their guests who were thought to be considering pro-appeasement with Hitler in the 1930s. In 1938 the Communist Party published the following in one of its publications:<blockquote>
From Cliveden House in Buckinghamshire operates the Cliveden Set - making and breaking British Cabinet Ministers – bringing Britain to the verge of War – weilding the power of International Fascism.
</blockquote><ref>Quoted in Crathorne, 1995, p. 173</ref>
There is no real evidence to prove or disprove these claims. The guests at Cliveden represented every political leaning and the Astors ignored the claims. However, when the ''Washington Post'' ran an article entitled "Astor Country House Becoming Real Centre Of Foreign Policy" they felt the need to act. With the help of their Marxist friend [[George Bernard Shaw]] they sort to dispel the myth of the Cliveden Set. Shaw wrote: " If I wanted, I could prove that Cliveden is a nest of Bolshevism or indeed of any other bee in the world's bonnet."<ref>Ibid, p.176</ref>

==Cliveden on film and television==
*The 2001 [[Bollywood]] film ''[[Yaadein]]'' was partly filmed at Cliveden.
*In the 2004 film ''[[Thunderbirds (film)|Thunderbirds]]'', Cliveden is used as the location for [[Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward|Lady Penelope]]'s house, 'Creighton-Ward Mansion'.
*The house is featured in the 2005 film ''[[Mrs. Henderson Presents]]''.
*In the second Beatles film, "Help!"(1965), the scenes that were supposed to be in Buckingham Palace were filmed at Cliveden.
*The house appears in the film, [[Don't Lose Your Head]], from the ''Carry-On'' genre of 1960s films.
*Horse and carriage sequences in ''[[The Card]]'' (aka ''[[The Promoter]]'') (1952) starring Alec Guinness were filmed on the drive.
*The Thames at Cliveden appears in both ''[[Chaplin]]'' (1992) and ''[[Carrington]]'' (1995).
*Cliveden's panelled library stands in for a priest's New York study in the 2008 film ''[[Made of Honor]]''.
*A [[National Lottery|UK lottery]] advertisement portrays a man running around on the grounds at Cliveden.
*Cliveden was featured as part of a reward on the UK television show [[The Apprentice]].
*In 2000 the BBC [[Antiques Roadshow]] used the grounds as a venue for a valuation day.
*Cliveden was also feaured in the Film "The Yellow Rolls Royce" with Rex Harrison ,George C Scott ,and Shirley MacLaine.
*SCANDAL, (1988), story of the profumo affair.

==Cliveden in literature==
[[Image:Bavin's Gulls on the River Thames at Cliveden Deep (Nancy).JPG|thumb|150px|right|Cliveden from the River Thames]]
*In Chapter 12 of ''Three Men in a Boat'' (1889), [[Jerome K. Jerome]] describes the Cliveden stretch of the Thames as "unbroken loveliness this is, perhaps, the sweetest stretch of all the river..."
*In ''Boogie Up the River'' (1989) Mark Wallington retraces Jerome's journey to mark its centenary, with the Thames at Cliveden described in Capter 5.
*The poet [[Alexander Pope]] wrote (c.1730) of the Duke of Buckingham's affair with Anna, Countess of Shrewsbury: "Gallant and gay in Cliveden's proud alcove/The bower of wanton Shrewsbury and love."<ref>Moral Essays</ref>
*[[Daniel Defoe]] describes the first house in ''A Tour Through England and Wales'' (1726).
*[[Gore Vidal]] in his 1948 novel ''The City and the Pillar'': "The Cliveden-Churchill Set are too well entrenched and I shouldn't be in the least surprised if they created some sort of dictatorship that could never be thrown off without a revolution."

==Notes==
<references/>

==Bibliography/references==
*Astor, Michael, ''Tribal Feeling'', London,1963.
*Coates, Tim, ''The Scandal of Christine Keeler and John Profumo: Lord Dennings Report 1967'', London,2003.
*Crathorne, James, ''Cliveden: The Place and the People, London, 1995.
*Fox, James, ''The Langhorne Sisters'', London, 1998.
*Hayward, Allyson, ''Norah Lindsay: The Life and Art of a Garden Designer'', London,2007.
*Jackson-Stopps, Gervase, ''An English Arcadia'', London, 1992.
*Keeler, Christine, ''The Truth at Last: My Story'', London, 2002.
*Lacey, Steven, ''Gardens of the National Trust'', London, 1994.
*National Trust, The, ''Cliveden'' [Guide to], London, 1994.
*Rose, Norman, ''The Cliveden Set: Portrait of an Exclusive Fraternity'', London, 2000.
*Sinclair, David, ''Dynasty: The Astors and their Times'', London, 1983.
*Stanford, Peter, ''Bronwen Astor: Her Life and Times'', London, 2001.

==External links==
*[http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-cliveden/ nationaltrust.org.uk] Cliveden information at the National Trust
*[http://www.clivedenhouse.co.uk/ Cliveden House Hotel]
*[http://www.alexanderhamiltoninstitute.org/lp/Hancock/CD-ROMS/GlobalFederation%5CWorld%20Trade%20Federation%20-%20136%20-%20The%20Anglo-American%20Establishment.html The Anglo-American Establishment: From Rhodes to Cliveden] by [[Carroll Quigley]]

==Gallery of images==
<gallery>
Image:Cliveden, June 2005.JPG|Cliveden as seen from its lawn.
Image:Cliveden - Tortoise Fountain.jpg|The Tortoise Fountain and view over the River Thames.
Image:Fountainoflove.JPG|Fountain of Love.
Image:Cliveden-2375.jpg|Overlooking 42 inscribed stones to the dead of The Great War Sir Bertram MacKennal's figure represents Canada with the head reputedly modelled by Lady Astor
Image:Cliveden-2405.jpg|This copy of Vincenzo de'Rossi's work on a pedestal in The Ring of the Parterre faces the Garden Front of Cliveden House
Image:Cliveden-2410.jpg|Thomas Waldo Story's Fountain of Love inscribed Waldo Story Roma 1897
Image:Cliveden-2345.jpg|[[Henry Clutton]]s disguised water tower 1861
Image:Cliveden-2365.jpg|Giacomo Leoni's 1735 "Temple"
Image:Cliveden-8461.jpg|1893 Gas Yard Concrete Tree disguising the gas works chimney
Image:Cliveden-8444.jpg|Elephant carving in the grounds
Image:River Thames at Cliveden, Buckinghamshire, England.JPG|View of the River Thames from the river walk at Cliveden.
Image:Bavin's Gulls on the River Thames at Cliveden Deep (Nancy).JPG|Cliveden from the River Thames
</gallery>
 
{{commonscat}}

[[Category:Astor family]]
[[Category:Gardens in Buckinghamshire]]
[[Category:Grade I listed buildings in Buckinghamshire]]
[[Category:Grade I listed houses]]
[[Category:Houses in Buckinghamshire]]
[[Category:Hotels in England]]
[[Category:Italianate architecture]]
[[Category:National Trust properties in Buckinghamshire]]
[[Category:River Thames]]
[[Category:Visitor attractions in Buckinghamshire]]

[[fr:Cliveden]]
[[es:Cliveden]]
[[pt:Cliveden]]
[[th:คฤหาสน์คลิฟเดิน]]

Conisbrough Castle

2009-07-09T06:02:22Z

ClickRick: clean up, Replaced: imgage_name → image_name , Infobox UKproperty → Infobox UK property, Managed → managed, using AWB

{{Infobox UK property
|property_name = Conisbrough Castle
|image_name = Conisbrough Castle Doncaster winter time.jpg
|image_size = 200px
|caption = Conisbrough Castle, open to the public and property of English Heritage
|type = Castle
|NT/EH/RHS = EH
|managed = English Heritage as of April 2008
|area =
|main = Castle ruins
|other = Events
|public_access = Yes
|museum =
|exhibition = Yes
|country = England
|region = [[Yorkshire and the Humber]]
|gridSquare = SK5198
|address = Conisbrough Castle, Castle Hill, [[Conisbrough]], DONCASTER
|postcode = DN12 3BU
|refreshments = Yes
|parking = Yes
|shop = Yes
|webAddress = [http://www.conisbroughcastle.org.uk/ Website]
|co_ord ={{coord|53|29|03|N|1|13|35|W|display=inline,title|region:GB_type:landmark}}
}}

'''Conisbrough Castle''' is a 12th-century [[castle]] in [[Conisbrough]], [[South Yorkshire]], England, whose remains are dominated by the 97-foot-high circular keep, which is supported by six [[buttress]]es. In the mid-1990s, the keep was restored, with a [[wood]]en roof and two floors being rebuilt. Audio and visual displays now help to reconstruct a view of life in a medieval castle, while a history of the site is documented in the adjacent visitors' centre. The building is considered one of South Yorkshire's primary tourist attractions, and sees in excess of 30,000 visitors per year. It is managed by English Heritage, as of 1 April 2008. Doncaster Council own the land the monument is standing on, but English Heritage manage the property.

==History==
[[Image:Conisbrough keep.jpg|thumbnail|left|Conisbrough Castle Keep]]
The castle was probably built by [[Hamelin Plantagenet]] on the site of an earlier [[Norman dynasty|Norman]] castle. The Warenne family also owned [[Sandal Castle]] near [[Wakefield]], [[Lewes Castle]] in [[Sussex]], and [[Reigate Castle]] in [[Surrey]], as well as a keep on their lands at Mortemer in [[Normandy]]. The Yorkshire lands ceded to [[The Crown]] on the death without issue of [[John de Warenne, 8th Earl of Surrey]] in 1347. <ref name='CCWeb'> {{cite web|url=http://www.conisbroughcastle.org.uk/History/history.htm |title=Castle History |accessdate=2008-07-01 |last=Pilkington |first=John |publisher=English Heritage }}</ref>

After Conisbrough reverted to the Crown, [[Edward III]] passed it on his youngest son, [[Edmund Langley]], whose mother, Queen Philippa, administered the estate for him while he was still a child. His tenure lasted until 1402, and the majority of the improvements to the accommodation of the inner ward most probably date to this time. Of Edmund's two sons, Edward, Duke of Albemarle, succeeded in 1402 and died in 1415 at Agincourt. His brother, Richard, Earl of Cambridge, had been beheaded for treason earlier in the same year, but the castle now passed to his widow, Maud, who lived at Conisbrough until her death in 1446. The castle then passed to her stepson, Richard Duke of York, who died at the battle of Wakefield in 1460; his son succeeded him and in 1461 became Edward IV. Thus Conisbrough once again became a royal castle and the estate passed to the Crown, a settlement which was fixed in perpetuity in 1495.

A survey carried out in 1537–38 by commissioners of [[Henry VIII]], records that the gates of the castle, both timber and stonework, the bridge, and about 55 metres (60 yd) of walling between the tower (keep) and the gate had all fallen. In addition, one floor of the keep had fallen in, so that by this date the castle had already reached something like its present state of ruin.<ref name='CCWeb'/>

It is because of this early ruination, and because of sympathetic ownership thereafter, that the castle still survives with its keep largely intact. During the Civil War of the 17th century, many castles were severely damaged either by bombardment during a siege or deliberate destruction afterwards (called slighting), to prevent their further defensive use. However, because the collapse of the gate and a stretch of its defences had already made Conisbrough indefensible, it escaped further destruction at this time. [http://www.conisbroughcastle.org.uk]

The name Conisbrough is thought to be derived from the [[Old English language|Anglo-Saxon]] ''Cyningesburh'' - meaning 'the defended ''burh'' of the King', suggesting the area once belonged to one of the Anglo-Saxon kings, prior to the [[Norman Conquest]]. At the time of the Norman Conquest the manor of Conisbrough was held by [[Harold Godwinson|King Harold]] - he was defeated at the [[Battle of Hastings]]. Earlier documents dated at c. 1000–1004 show lands in this area known as Kyningesburg were granted by [[Wulfric]], one of King Edward's ministers, to Elfhei], another Saxon nobleman.

==Conisbrough Castle in fiction==
In [[Sir Walter Scott]]'s novel, ''[[Ivanhoe]]'', 'Coningsburgh Castle' is based on Conisbrough. Scott's Coningsburgh is a Saxon fortress, based (perhaps knowingly) on the mistaken conclusion that its unique style marked it as a non-Norman castle. The great tower is described specifically, so that it is clear that Scott has the Norman version of Conisbrough in mind.

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
{{Commonscat}}
*[http://www.conisbroughcastle.org.uk/ Official website]

[[Category:Castles in South Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Conisbrough]]
[[Category:Grade I listed buildings in South Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Grade I listed castles]]
[[Category:English Heritage sites in South Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Visitor attractions in Doncaster]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Doncaster]]
[[Category:Scheduled Ancient Monuments in South Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Ruins in South Yorkshire]]

[[it:Castello di Conisbrough]]

Cragside

2009-07-09T06:02:07Z

ClickRick: clean up, Replaced: imgage_name → image_name , Infobox UKproperty → Infobox UK property, Managed → managed, using AWB

{{Infobox UK property
|property_name = Cragside
|image_name = Cragside2.JPG
|image_size = 200px
|caption = Cragside, Northumberland
|type = Country House
|NT/EH/RHS = NT
|managed =
|area = 400ha
|main = Victorian country house
|other = Gardens
|public_access = Yes
|museum = Yes
|exhibition = Yes
|country = [[England]]
|region = [[North East England|North East]]
|gridSquare = NU0702
|address = Rothbury, Morpeth, Northumberland
|postcode = NE65 7PX
|refreshments = Yes
|parking = Yes
|shop = Yes
|webAddress =
|co_ord ={{coord|55|18|49|N|1|53|08|W|display=inline,title|region:GB_type:landmark}}
}}
'''Cragside''' is a [[country house]] near [[Rothbury]] in [[Northumberland]], [[England]]. It was the first house in the world to be lit using [[hydroelectricity|hydroelectric]] power. Built into a rocky hillside above a 4 km² forest garden, it was the country home of [[William George Armstrong, 1st Baron Armstrong|Lord Armstrong]] and has been in the care of the [[National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty|National Trust]] since 1977.

Cragside, named after ''Cragend Hill'' above the house, was built in 1863 as a modest, two-storey country lodge, but was subsequently extended to designs by [[Norman Shaw]], transforming it into an elaborate mansion in the [[tudorbethan|Free Tudor]] style. At one point, the building included an astronomical [[observatory]] and a scientific laboratory.
[[Image:Cragside1.jpg|Cragside|thumb|left]]
In 1868, a [[hydraulic]] engine was installed, with water being used to power labour-saving machines such as laundry equipment, a [[rotisserie]] and a hydraulic [[elevator|lift]]. In 1870, water from one of the estate's lakes was used to drive a [[Siemens AG|Siemens]] [[dynamo]] in what was the world's first hydroelectric [[power station]]. The resultant electricity was used to power an [[arc lamp]] installed in the Gallery in 1878. The arc lamp was replaced in 1880 by [[Joseph Swan]]'s [[incandescent lamp]]s in what Swan considered 'the first proper installation' of electric lighting.

The generators, which also provided power for the farm buildings on the estate, were constantly extended and improved to match the increasing electrical demand in the house.

The Grade I [[Listed building|listed]]<ref>{{IoE|236348|- Grade I}}</ref> house is surrounded by one of [[Europe]]'s largest [[rock garden]]s, a large number of [[rhododendron]]s, and a large collection of mostly [[conifer]]ous [[tree]]s, among which one [[Douglas-fir]] is the tallest tree in England, at 59 m tall.

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{River Coquet settlements}}
*[http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-vh/w-visits/w-findaplace/w-cragsidehousegardenandestate/ Cragside Gardens & Estate information at the National Trust]
*[http://www.ejr.ndo.co.uk/crag.html Cragside History and Pictures]

[[Category:Gardens in Northumberland]]
[[Category:Houses in Northumberland]]
[[Category:National Trust properties in Northumberland]]
[[Category:Tudorbethan architecture]]
[[Category:Grade I listed houses]]
[[Category:Grade I listed buildings in Northumberland]]

Duncombe Park

2009-07-09T06:01:34Z

ClickRick: clean up, Replaced: imgage_name → image_name , Infobox UKproperty → Infobox UK property, Managed → managed, using AWB

{{Infobox UK property
|property_name = Duncombe Park
|image_name = DuncombeParkJonesViews1829.jpg
|image_size = 200px
|caption = Duncombe Park circa 1829=d
|type = Stately Home
|NT/EH/RHS = Baron Feversham
|managed = Feversham Estate
|area = 182ha
|main = House
|other = Parkland and gardens
|public_access = Yes
|museum =
|exhibition = Yes
|country = [[England]]
|region = [[Yorkshire and the Humber]]
|gridSquare = SE6082
|address =Duncombe Park,
Helmsley,
York,
North Yorkshire
|postcode =YO62 5EB
|refreshments = Yes
|parking = Yes
|shop = Yes
|webAddress = [http://www.duncombepark.com/index.php Website]
|co_ord ={{coord|54|14|20|N|1|04|29|W|display=inline,title|region:GB_type:landmark}}
}}
'''Duncombe Park''' is the seat of the Duncombe family whose senior member takes the title [[Baron Feversham|Baron or Earl Feversham]]. It is situated near [[Helmsley]], [[North Yorkshire]], [[England]] and stands in a commanding location above deeply [[meander|incised meanders]] of the [[River Rye (Yorkshire)|River Rye]].

The house was completed 1713 to designs by the architect [[William Wakefield (architect)|William Wakefield]]. It was remodelled in 1843 by Sir [[Charles Barry]]. In 1879 the main block was gutted by fire and remained a ruin until 1895 when rebuilding was carried out by [[William Young (architect)|William Young]]. The reconstruction was based on the original design, though there were changes made, especially in the interior layout to meet contemporary needs. It is of two storeys with a basement and attic. The building was used as a school between 1914-1980. It is now open to the public and may be hired for civil weddings.

In 1774, Anne Duncombe of Duncombe Park was married to [[Bobby Shafto|Robert Shafto]], of [[Whitworth Hall, County Durham|Whitworth Hall]], near Spennymoor, County Durham, the famous "Bonny Bobby Shaftoe" of the folk song.

In 2008, the grounds were the site for the 2CVGB National event.

==External links==
* {{oscoor gbx|SE604829}}

{{commonscat|Duncombe Park}}

{{Yorkshire-struct-stub}}

[[Category:Houses in North Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Sites of Special Scientific Interest in North Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Gardens in North Yorkshire]]

Helmsley Castle

2009-07-09T05:58:42Z

ClickRick: clean up, Replaced: imgage_name → image_name , Infobox UKproperty → Infobox UK property, using AWB

{{citation style}}
{{Infobox UK property
|property_name = Helmsley Castle
|image_name = Helmsley_Castle3.jpg
|image_size|250px
|caption = Helmsley Castle
|type = [[Medieval]] [[castle]]
|NT/EH/RHS = [[English Heritage]]
|area =
|main = Castle ruins
|other =
|public_access = Yes
|museum = No
|exhibition = Yes
|country = [[England]]
|region = [[Yorkshire and the Humber]]

|gridSquare = SE6183
|address = [[Helmsley]], North Yorkshire
|postcode = YO62 5AB
|refreshments = No
|parking = Yes
|shop = Yes
|webAddress =
|co_ord ={{coord|54|14|41|N|1|03|50|W|display=inline,title|region:GB_type:landmark}}
}}

'''Helmsley Castle''' is a [[medieval]] castle situated in the market town of [[Helmsley]], [[North Yorkshire]], [[England]].

The castle was first constructed in wood around 1120 by [[Walter l'Espec]]. Walter had no children and on his death in 1154 the castle passed to his sister Adelina who had married [[Peter de Roos]]. In 1186 their son [[Robert de Ros|Robert de Roos]] began work on converting the castle to stone. He built the two main towers, the round corner towers and the main gateway on the south side of the castle. He died in 1227, granting the castle to his older son William who lived there from 1227 to 1258. The only change made to the castle during this time was the construction of the chapel in the courtyard.

William's son, Robert, inherited the castle and was Lord of Helmsley from 1258 to 1285. Robert's son William then inherited the castle. He raised the east tower and built the new hall and kitchen, as well as strengthening the castle. He also built a dividing wall in the castle, dividing it into north and south sides, with the southern half designated for the private use of the lord's family in the new hall and east tower, and the northern half containing the old hall to be used by the steward and other castle officials. Robert died in 1316.

Helmsley Castle remained in the possession of the de Roos family until 1478 when Edmund de Roos sold the castle to Richard, Duke of Gloucester who later became [[Richard III of England|Richard III]]. Richard did nothing to the castle, staying instead at nearby [[Middleham Castle]]. After Richard III's death at the [[Battle of Bosworth]], Helmsley castle was restored to Edmund de Roos by [[Henry VII of England|Henry VII]].

Edmund died childless in 1508, when Helmsley Castle was inherited by his cousin Sir George Manners of [[Etal]]. On George's death in 1513 his son Thomas Manners inherited it. He was created [[Thomas Manners, 1st Earl of Rutland|Earl of Rutland]] in 1525. On his death in 1543, Thomas was succeeded by his son, [[Henry Manners, 2nd Earl of Rutland|Henry]], but it was under the rule of his grandson [[Edward Manners, 3rd Earl of Rutland|Edward]], that the castle was altered next. He had the Old Hall converted into a [[Tudor style architecture|Tudor]] mansion, converted the 13th century chapel into a kitchen linked to the old hall by a covered gallery, and knocked the new hall down. The south barbican was also converted into a more comfortable residence at this time.

[[Image:Helmsley Castle.jpg|thumbnail|Helmsley Castle, slighted keep]]On Edward's death in 1587 his brother [[John Manners, 4th Earl of Rutland|John Manners]] inherited the castle, followed by John's son [[Roger Manners, 5th Earl of Rutland|Roger]], and then Roger's younger brother [[Francis Manners, 6th Earl of Rutland|Francis]]. On the death of Francis in 1632 the castle passed to [[George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham]] through his marriage to [[Katherine Villiers, Duchess of Buckingham|Katherine]], Francis' daughter.

During the [[English Civil War]], the castle was [[siege|besieged]] by [[Sir Thomas Fairfax]] in 1644. Sir Jordan Crosland held it for the King for three months before surrendering. Parliament ordered that the castle should be [[slighting|slighted]] to prevent its further use and so much of the castle's walls, gates and the eastern half of the east tower were destroyed. However the mansion was spared. The castle had by this time been inherited by [[George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham]] who married Mary, daughter of Thomas Fairfax in 1657.

After his death in 1687 the castle was sold to Charles Duncombe, a banker and politician who was knighted in 1699 and became [[Lord Mayor of London]] in 1708. His sister Mary's husband, Thomas Brown, inherited the castle on Charles's death in 1711. Thomas changed his name to Duncombe. He hired [[John Vanbrugh|Sir John Vanbrugh]] to build a new stately home at [[Duncombe Park]] overlooking the castle and left the castle to decay. Although it is still owned by [[Baron Feversham|Lord Feversham]] of Duncombe Park the castle is now in the care of [[English Heritage]].

==References==
*[http://www.northyorkmoors-stay.co.uk/tourist/Helmsley-Castle.html Helmsley Castle 1]
*[http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server.php?show=conProperty.367 Helmsley Castle 2]
*[http://www.castlexplorer.co.uk/england/helmsley/helmsley.php Helmsley Castle 3]
*[http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A2350027 Helmsley Castle 4]
*Fry, Plantagenet Somerset, ''The David & Charles Book of Castles'', David & Charles, 1980. ISBN 0-7153-7976-3

[[Category:Castles in North Yorkshire]]
[[Category:English Heritage sites in North Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Ruins in North Yorkshire]]

[[ru:Замок Хелмсли]]

Oakwell Hall

2009-07-09T05:53:20Z

ClickRick: clean up, Replaced: imgage_name → image_name , Infobox UKproperty → Infobox UK property, Managed → managed, using AWB

{{Infobox UK property
|property_name = Oakwell Hall
|image_name = DSC02388 800x600.jpg
|image_size = 200px
|caption =Oakwell Hall
|type = [[Elizabethan]] Manor House
|NT/EH/RHS = Kirklees Council
|managed =
|area =44.5 ha
|main =Grade I listed house
|other = Period gardens
|public_access =Yes
|museum =
|exhibition =Yes
|country =[[England]]
|region =[[Yorkshire and the Humber]]
|gridSquare =SE2127
|address =Nutter Lane, Birstall, Batley
|postcode =WF17 9LG
|refreshments =Yes
|parking =Yes
|shop =Yes
|webAddress =[http://www.kirklees.gov.uk/visitorportal/whatson/venuedetails.asp?vID=9 Website]
|co_ord ={{coord|53|44|22|N|1|40|15|W|display=inline,title|region:GB_type:landmark}}
}}
'''Oakwell Hall''' is an [[Elizabethan]] Manor House located in the village of [[Birstall, West Yorkshire|Birstall]], [[West Yorkshire]], [[England]] and set in period gardens surrounded by {{convert|110|acre|km2}} of country park.

The builder of the house was John Batt, a recarved stone with the date 1583 probably indicates the date of construction. The estate had been purchased by his Halifax-born father, a receiver of rents to the important Savile family, who resided at [[Batley#History|Howley Hall]], in the nearby town of [[Batley]].

Oakwell Hall was immortalised in literature by [[Charlotte Brontë]] in her novel ''[[Shirley (novel)|Shirley]]''.

== Friends of Oakwell Hall ==

[[Image:HeaderOakwell.jpg|right|thumb|250px]]
Founded in 1988, the Friends of Oakwell Hall and Country Park ([http://www.friendsofoakwellhall.org.uk]) are a voluntary support group for the Manor House and its surrounding {{convert|110|acre|km2}} of country park.
Whilst many join simply because they appreciate the beauty and tranquillity of the Hall and park, others join because of the 'hands on' opportunities available on site. Friends work closely with the Head Ranger and staff at Oakwell and provide assistance both inside and outside the Hall.

== The House ==

The blackened [[Gritstone]] building was built to the usual post-medieval plan of a central hall block flanked by crosswings.
The entrance to the building is still through a porch and screens passage at the 'lower' end of the house.
Oakwell Hall passed into municipal hands in 1928 and today it is owned by [[Kirklees]] Cultural Services, and managed by the volunteer group 'Friends of Oakwell Hall' (see section above). The interiors were restored to their early-17th century condition during the time the Batt Family inhabited the Hall. This was done with the aid of an inventory of 1611. During the restoration the original painted panelling of the Great Parlour and the Painted Chamber was revealed from under many layers of varnish and paint.

=== [[Great Hall]] ===


The imposing Main Hall was originally two-storeyed but in the mid-17th century John Batt's grandson removed the ceiling and inserted a gallery and a large mullioned and transomed window.

The Hall was a main thoroughfare for the house linking the two wings and would have been the hub of domestic life. It was also intended as a reception room for visitors, tenants and businessmen and was ideal for large gatherings.

It is sparsely furnished and uncluttered to create a large open space, practical to use and impressive to visitors. The table is placed at one end of the room as it would probably have been towards the end of the seventeenth century, rather than in its earlier position of importance in the centre of the room. The size of the room is intended to impress visitors entering the house.

=== Great Parlour ===

This was the most important room in the house in the early seventeenth century. According to the inventory of 1611 it had some of the best furniture, and contained the Batts' collection of maps. In the 1630s the Batts added a magnificent plaster ceiling, and they later had painted the oak panelling including a landscape scene above the fireplace. Most of the original panels have survived though several are recent reproductions replacing those lost and decayed. The painting technique known as scumbling was a popular way of decorating rooms to create an air of warmth and grandeur. Few examples of this decorative work survive today.

In the late seventeenth century dining rooms and parlours were the preferred rooms for eating and entertaining guests in private. The great parlour is furnished today with pieces intended to show it as a fashionable and comfortable room of the 1690s.

=== Great Parlour Chamber ===

In 1690 this room was probably occupied by John Batt, master of the household. A clue to this is the garderobe or toilet in the outer wall, a "luxury" for the few. The modern rushmatting in this and other family rooms in the house was also a feature of many wealthy households, and was warmer and more comfortable than bare floorboards or stone floors. The fireplace, as with most others in the house, is a nineteenth century addition, though it is one of few interior structural changes made in the house since the seventeenth century. The inclusion of a table and chairs in a bed chamber in the seventeenth century was not unusual. Bed chambers often had a dual purpose and their occupiers thought nothing of entertaining guests in them with wine or cards.

=== Kitchen ===

The kitchen was one of the busiest rooms in the seventeenth century home. The mistress would supervise her female servants to prepare food, medicines and sweet-smelling pot-pourris, and there would be a constant stream of visiting tradesmen, estate workers, errand boys and servants of visiting gentry. At mealtimes all the servants would gather there to eat off wooden platters.

When the hall was originally built, food may have been cooked over a large fire at one end of the Great Hall. By the time the Inventory of 1611 was drawn up, the kitchen had already become a separate room, probably sited in the east wing of the house where it is today. The kitchen is divided from the main living quarters of the house by the screens passage so that smells and noise would not so easily penetrate the family rooms.

The original seventeenth century fireplace was replaced by the present one in the nineteenth century, but it would undoubtedly have been much wider and larger. Evidence of previous occupants of the Hall can still be seen by the candle burns on the timbers on the wall opposite the window.

=== The Kitchen Chamber ===

In contrast with the warmth and luxury of the New Parlour Chamber across the landing, this room, where the servants would probably have slept and food was stored, is unpanelled and has no ceiling. Its position next to the back stairs and immediately above the kitchen, made it easily accessible for the servants in this wing of the house. Many local houses used their kitchen chambers for storage and household junk.

In 1611 this room had five arks for storing meal and grain. Today it has one great ark and a collection of food chests for storage. Lack of a fireplace and unpanelled walls would have made this room a cold place in winter though the warmth rising from the kitchen below would take off the chill and keep the stored food dry.

=== Little Parlour Chamber ===

The inventory of 1611 for Oakwell Hall records seventeen beds of different types within the household. Some of these were truckle beds for the servants; others were grand tester beds used by members of the family. Sometimes older beds were relegated to less important rooms in the house to make room for newer and grander pieces. This chamber is furnished with older furniture and would probably have been used as a second best bedchamber. Reproduction tapestries are hung from the walls.

In the nineteenth century this room was transformed with the addition of the stairs and passage through which you have just come. The wall to your right is an addition, and the room would have been larger. The original timber studding can clearly be seen on two walls, showing the lath and plaster structure.

=== The New Parlour ===

The layout of this room shows typical features of a modest seventeenth century dining room. Servants would place food on the side table, and serve it to the family. The food did not have far to travel from the kitchen, so there was no risk of it being spoilt and going cold. The fine court cupboard, a feature of many homes in the seventeenth century, was used to house the family [[pewter]] and plate which could be kept under lock and key, while the same principle lay behind the small food or spice cupboard in the corner, the key to which was kept by the mistress, as spices were valuable commodities. The family would eat in here in private or with one or two guests.

=== New Parlour Chamber ===

A gentry household in the seventeenth century had to be able to accommodate visitors. This room, displayed as a second best bed chamber, may have been occupied by the nursemaid and her charges, or other members of the household.

The screen at right angles to the doorway was intended to prevent draughts wafting through the bed curtains. There is also an adjoining dressing room or closet, this is now used to display reproduction costumes.

The warm colours of the panelling and bed curtains are echoed in the carpet on the table, a usual feature of wealthier seventeenth century houses. Tables or beds were ideal places to display a fine carpet which was too valuable to walk upon.

=== Painted Chamber ===

This room is furnished with reproduction furniture to show what oak furniture looked like when new (i.e. not dark with age and polish). The painted panelling in this room has a larger design than that the Great Parlour, and is slightly less decorative. It was discovered under several layers of emulsion paint and is thought to date, like that downstairs from the seventeenth century. The room is displayed as the mistress's, chamber; the small table is drawn up to the window to obtain the maximum light for sewing, which would fill a large part of the mistress’s day. The furniture is entirely reproduction. It may at first look too "modern", new oak furniture looks very pale and lacks the discolouration of three centuries of use.

The floorboards have been re-laid in a seventeenth century manner. In 1609 a floor was laid at a cost of five shillings and tenpence for seven days' work, as recorded in the Account Book.

The painted panelling creates a three dimensional effect on entering the room. A closer look reveals that it was painted to imitate the grainy effect of wood. The wild ‘squiggles’ all over it were intended to imitate [[walnut]], a wood which was becoming more fashionable than oak in the later seventeenth century. It was expensive, but this did not stop fashion conscious people from painting walls and furniture to imitate it. The paint had a linseed oil base, and tools such as feathers and combs were dragged over it to create the grained effect.

=== The Study ===

A very small room located off the gallery above the Main Hall. The 1611 inventory of Robert Batt of Oakwell Hall shows him to have over 60 books at a time when books were very expensive and few people could read. Robert studied at Oxford University and eventually became rector at Newton Tony in Wiltshire.

== The Grounds ==
=== Formal Gardens ===
[[Image:Oakwell Hall.jpg|thumb|right|The exterior of the hall]]
On leaving the Hall you arrive in the gardens to the rear. Surrounding the Hall are the formal gardens including a herb garden at the side of the Hall. Herbs and flowers were essential ingredients for the housewife and cook. Not only were they both distilled to produce scented oils and form the basis of herbal remedies but they also had an important culinary role. Although Oakwell's herb garden is small in comparison to seventeenth century originals it gives an impression of the range of herbal plants available. Over 80 different varieties of herbs are to be found in this garden with many more to be found planted amongst the flowers in the formal gardens behind the hall.

Recent restoration work has been carried out to bring the formal gardens back to how they would have been in the 1690s. This includes using plants popular at the time. The garden contains a [[parterre]] of compartments, with [[topiary]] specimens and clipped box hedging. The patterns of the box were taken from furniture and plaster work in the Hall and features the lozenge design local to the area. The trellis used has been made using locally sourced original materials and 17th century carpentry skills. Even the shade of green used to colour the woodwork is typical of the period.

=== Park Land ===

With {{convert|110|acre|km2}} there are many diverse environs that make up the Country Park. Woodland, streams, pasture land, ponds and bridleways. It is a major attraction for nature lovers to visit the Park all year round to see the changes in seasons. There are several walks around the Park with clearly visible nature trail markers. Along the walks you can find many information points giving details of the flora and fauna. One walk out of the park leads to the site of the Civil War [[Battle of Adwalton Moor]], another to [[Red House Museum]].

==== Adventure Playground ====
The Park also features an adventure playground set in woodland, with a smaller children's playground which is fenced off with a gated entrance.

==== Colliery Field ====
The pasture land in the middle of the park is of very great size and was the former site of the spoil heaps of Gomersal Colliery, which closed in the 1970s. The nutrient poor soil has been ideal for re-seeding with meadow plants such as [[Red Clover]], [[Leucanthemum vulgare|Ox-eye Daisy]], [[Prunella (plant)|Self Heal]] and [[Yellow Rattle]]. These nectar rich flowers attract great numbers of insects, particularly [[bumblebee]]s. On a day to day basis it is used as a dog exercise area (extremely popular with the locals). It does however also get used for historical [[English Civil War]] - [[Historical reenactment|battle re-enactments]], horse shows and country fairs.

==== Colliery Pond ====
Colliery pond was created when the [[National Coal Board|Coal Board]] constructed a [[concrete]] road to help with tipping. The road is still there concealed beneath the grass and acts as a [[dam]]. Water plants living there include [[Water Forget-me-not]], [[Bogbean]] and [[Purple Loosestrife]]. Large numbers of creatures are attracted by the pond, such as; [[toad]]s, [[Moorhen]]s, [[Smooth Newt]]s, [[Mussel|Swan Mussels]] plus varieties of [[damselfly]] and [[dragonfly]].

==== Nova Meadow ====
A damp area containing moisture loving plants including [[Lady's Smock]], Common [[Tussock Grass]], [[Meadowsweet]], [[Ragged Robin]] and [[Iris versicolor|Yellow Flag Iris]]. A pond was created in 2003 to attract wildlife and the southern part of the meadow has been allowed to revert back to scrubland to create a habitat for birds such as the [[Yellowhammer]] and [[Linnet]]. In autumn the scrubland attracts [[Thrush]]es, [[Fieldfare]]s and [[Redwing]]s which feed on the [[Crataegus|Hawthorn]] berries.

==== Nova Wood ====
Much of Nova Wood was felled for pit props to service the local Gomersal Colliery but the trees have been regrown using [[coppicing]] techniques to produce multistemmed [[Sessile Oak]]s and [[Birch]]. Nova Wood is carpeted by [[Bluebell]]s during [[Spring (season)|spring]] and is a habitat for summer [[Bird migration|migrant]] birds such as [[Chiffchaff]] and [[Blackcap]].

==== Nova Beck ====
Nova Beck is one of two [[stream]]s that run through Oakwell, both running [[north]] to [[south]]. Nova Beck forms the western boundary of Nova Wood and flows through areas of dense wildflowers. Many of the species present such as [[Yellow Archangel]], [[Wood Anemone]] and [[Wild Garlic]] are good indicators of [[ancient woodland]]. [[Hard Shield Fern]], [[Red Campion]] and [[Wood Avens|Herb Bennet]] are also in abundance.

==== Oakwell Beck ====
Oakwell Beck winds its course along the southern boundary of Colliery Field. Along its length can be found exposed coal seams and fossilized 'ripples' from ancient seas.
Oakwell Beck does not support the same diversity of plants as Nova Beck, though in spring and early summer the wooded areas are thick with [[Wild Garlic]], [[Lesser Celandine]] and [[Bistort]]. Occasional patches of [[Arum maculatum|Lords and Ladies]] survives in shadier parts. [[Ash tree|Ash]], [[Alder]] and [[Willow]] make up the majority of the tree cover and provide habitat for [[Tawny Owl]]s.

== Stone Ram ==
[[Image:Stone Ram.jpg|right|thumb|250px]]
This Stone Ram statue stands proudly on the lawn in front of the Hall. Its origins are unknown, there is rumour that it once stood above the gates to Dewsbury Brewery, this has unfortunately not been confirmed as yet and the search into its background goes on.

== The Ghost of Oakwell Hall ==

Oakwell’s most famous legend concerns the ghost of William Batt, owner of the house in 1684. He was a young man of 25, a [[bachelor]] whose widowed mother, Elizabeth, lived at Oakwell. The best account of the ghost story comes from the Victorian writer [[Elizabeth Gaskell|Mrs Gaskell]] in her "Life of Charlotte Brontë"(1857). Her account is as follows:

"Captain Batt was believed to be far away; his family was at Oakwell; when in the dusk on winter evening, he came stalking along the lane, through the hall and up the stairs, into his own room, where he vanished. He has been killed in duel in London that very same afternoon of December 9th 1684."

The legend also states that he left a bloody footprint behind in a bedroom.

The historical facts behind the story are as follows:

*A bond surviving in the archives shows that William was at the Black Swan, [[Holborn]] in [[London]] on December 9th, where he borrowed money.
*Local diarist Oliver Heywood has two entries recording the death of William; one that he died ‘in sport’; the other that he was ‘slain by Mr Gream at Barne near London’.
*William was buried in Birstall on December 30th 1684

== Oakwell Hall and The Brontë Sisters ==

For a time during the 19th century the Hall was used as a girls school, Charlotte's closest friend Ellen Nussey attended the school. [[Charlotte Brontë]] visited the Hall and was inspired to use Oakwell Hall as the setting for the Manor House - Fieldhead, in her novel ''[[Shirley (novel)|Shirley]].

This excerpt from chapter 11 of ''[[Shirley (novel)|Shirley]]'' is her description of Oakwell Hall.

" If Fieldhead had few other merits as a building, it might at least be termed picturesque: its irregular architecture, and the grey and mossy colouring communicated by time, gave it a just claim to this epithet. The old latticed windows, the stone porch, the walls, the roof, the chimney-stacks, were rich in crayon touches and sepia lights and shades. The trees behind were fine, bold, and spreading; the cedar on the lawn in front was grand, and the granite urns on the garden wall, the fretted arch of the gateway, were, for an artist, as the very desire of the eye."
Charlotte Brontë; ''Shirley'' (1849)

== Archaeological Work ==

[http://www.homeguardsecurity.co.uk/archaeology/images/tileviewer-oakwell/index.html View Images] Archaeological excavations have been carried out over a few years by WYAS with help from 'South Leeds Archaeology', a community group based in Rothwell. May 2008 say the lawn immediately in front of the hall excavated to reveal post holes probably left from a farm which resided at the site and disappeared from maps between 1834 and 1844.

== External links ==
*[http://www.southleedsdig.org.uk? South Leeds Archaeology website]
*[http://www.oakwellhall.f9.co.uk/index.htm? Friends of Oakwell Hall website]
*[http://www.oakwellhall.f9.co.uk/events.htm? Upcoming events at Oakwell Hall]
*[http://www.kirklees.gov.uk/visitorportal/whatson/venuedetails.asp?vID=9 About Oakwell Hall]
*[http://www.batleyanddewsbury.co.uk/directory/listings/oakwell_hall_country_park/ Map and Directions for Oakwell Hall Country Park]

[[Category:Grade I listed buildings in West Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Grade I listed houses]]
[[Category:Gardens in West Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Kirklees]]

Pickering Castle

2009-07-09T05:53:01Z

ClickRick: clean up, Replaced: imgage_name → image_name , Infobox UKproperty → Infobox UK property, using AWB

{{Infobox UK property
|property_name = Pickering Castle
|image_name = PickeringCastle.jpg
|image_size = 250px
|caption = Defensive wall and tower of Pickering castle
|type = [[Motte and Bailey]] castle
|NT/EH/RHS = [[English Heritage]]
|area =
|main = Castle ruins
|other =
|public_access = Yes
|museum =
|exhibition = Yes
|country = [[England]]
|region = [[Yorkshire and the Humber]]
|gridSquare = SE7984
|address = Castlegate, [[Pickering, North Yorkshire|Pickering]], [[North Yorkshire]]
|postcode = YO18 7AX
|refreshments = No
|parking = Yes
|shop = Yes
|webAddress =
|co_ord ={{coord|54|15|0|N|0|46|32|W|display=inline,title|region:GB_type:landmark}}
}}

'''Pickering Castle''' is a [[motte-and-bailey]] fortification in [[Pickering, North Yorkshire|Pickering]], [[North Yorkshire]], [[England]].

The original structure was built by the [[Normans]] under [[William I of England|William the Conqueror]] in 1069–1070. This early building included the large, central mound (the motte), the outer palisades (enclosing the bailey) and internal buildings, notably the keep on top of the motte. Ditches were also dug to make assault on the walls difficult. The main purpose of the castle at this time was to maintain control of the area after the [[harrying of the North]].

In 1926, the [[Department of Works]] ([[English Heritage]]'s predecessor) took possession of the castle.

{{Duchy of Lancaster}}

[[Category:Castles in North Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Visitor attractions in North Yorkshire]]
[[Category:English Heritage sites in North Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Ruins in North Yorkshire]]

{{England-castle-stub}}

Pontefract Castle

2009-07-09T05:52:50Z

ClickRick: clean up, Replaced: imgage_name → image_name , Infobox UKproperty → Infobox UK property, Managed → managed, using AWB

{{Infobox UK property
|property_name = Pontefract Castle
|image_name = Pontefract Castle.JPG
|image_size = 200px
|caption =Pontefract Castle in the early 17th Century
|type = Castle ruins
|NT/EH/RHS = [[Duchy of Lancaster]]
|managed = [[City of Wakefield]] MDC
|area =
|main = Castle ruins
|other = Underground magazine
|public_access = Yes
|museum =
|exhibition =
|country = [[England]]
|region = [[Yorkshire and the Humber]]
|gridSquare = SE4622
|address = Castle Chain, [[Pontefract]]
|postcode = WF8 1QH
|refreshments = No
|parking = Disabled
|shop = Yes
|webAddress = [http://www.wakefieldmuseums.org/our_sites_pontefract_cas.htm Website]
|co_ord ={{coord|53|41|44|N|1|18|14|W|display=inline,title|region:GB_type:landmark}}
}}

'''Pontefract Castle''' is a castle in the town of [[Pontefract]], in [[West Yorkshire]], [[England]]. It was the site of the demise of [[Richard II of England]], and later the place of a series of famous sieges during the [[English Civil War]]

==History==
The castle was first constructed in approximately 1070 by [[De Lacy|Ilbert de Lacy]] <ref name=DOL/> on land which had been granted to him by [[William the Conqueror]] as a reward for his support during the Norman conquests. There is, however, evidence of earlier occupation of the site. Initially the castle was a wooden structure, but this was replaced with stone over time.<ref name=RHHH>
{{cite web
|url=http://www.pontefractus.co.uk/history/pontefract_castle_index.htm
|title=Pontefract Castle Index
|publisher=www.pontefractus.co.uk
|accessdate=2008-07-22
|last=
|first=
}}
</ref>

[[Robert de Lacy]] failed to support [[Henry I of England]] during his power struggle with his brother and confiscated the castle from the family during the 1100s. The de Lacys lived in the castle until the early 14th century.<ref name=RHHH/> It was under the tenure of the de Lacys that the magnificent multilobate [[keep|donjon]] was built.<ref name=DOL/>

In 1311 the castle passed by marriage to the estates of the [[House of Lancaster]]. [[Thomas, Earl of Lancaster]] (1278–1322) was beheaded outside the castle walls six days after his defeat at the [[Battle of Boroughbridge]], a sentence placed on him by the King himself in the great hall. This resulted in the earl becoming a martyr with his tomb at [[Pontefract Priory]] becoming a shrine.<ref name=RHHH/> Later [[John of Gaunt]], a son of [[Edward III of England]], as [[Duke of Lancaster]] was so fond of the castle that he made it his personal residence, spending vast amounts of money improving it.

====Richard II====
[[Richard II of England]] (1367–1399) was probably murdered within the castle walls,<ref name=WF/> <ref name=DOL/> in the [[Gascoigne Tower]]. [[william shakespeare|William Shakespeare's]] play [[Richard III (play)|Richard III]] mentions this incident:

:Pomfret, Pomfret! O thou bloody prison,
:Fatal and ominous to noble peers!
:Within the guilty closure of thy walls
:Richard the second here was hack'd to death;
:And, for more slander to thy dismal seat,
:We give thee up our guiltless blood to drink.<ref>
{{cite web
|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A2350108
|title=BBC - h2g2 - Yorkshire's Castles: Pontefract Castle
|publisher=www.bbc.co.uk
|accessdate=2008-07-22
|last=
|first=
}}
</ref>

====Tudor Era====
[[Image:catherinehoward.jpg|thumb|A sketch said to be of Queen Catherine Howard, who stayed at Pontefract during the summer of [[1541]]]]
In [[1536]], Pontefract Castle was handed over to the leaders of the [[Pilgrimage of Grace]], a Catholic rebellion from northern England against the rule of King [[Henry VIII]]. The castle's guardian, Lord Darcy, was later executed for this alleged "surrender," which the King viewed as an act of treason.

In [[1541]], during a royal tour of the provinces, it was alleged that King Henry's fifth wife, Queen [[Catherine Howard]], first committed adultery with Sir [[Thomas Culpepper]], a crime for which she was later apprehended and executed for without trial.

====Royalist stronghold====
[[Image:Pontefract Castle Motte.jpg|thumb|200px|Motte and keep]]
The castle has been a ruin since 1644 when it held as a [[Charles I of England|Royalist]] stronghold during the [[English Civil War]] <ref name=WF>
{{cite web
|url=http://www.wakefieldmuseums.org/our_sites_pontefract_cas.htm
|title=Pontefract Castle
|publisher=www.wakefieldmuseums.org
|accessdate=2008-07-22
|last=
|first=
}}
</ref>
and besieged at least three times by [[roundhead|Parliamentarian]] forces, the latter being responsible for the castle's present dilapidated state and many of its scars. Pontefract Castle was noted by [[Oliver Cromwell]], leader of the Parliamentarians, as "[...] one of the strongest inland garrisons in the kingdom".<ref name=DOL>
{{cite web
|url=http://www.duchyoflancaster.co.uk/output/page32.asp
|title=The Duchy of Lancaster - Yorkshire
|publisher=www.duchyoflancaster.co.uk
|accessdate=2008-07-22
|last=
|first=
}}
</ref>

Apparently the destruction of the castle at the conclusion of the [[Second English Civil War]] had the full support of the surrounding population. They were grateful to destroy the castle and thus stop the fighting in their area. In the view of the locals, the castle was a magnet for trouble.<ref name=RHHH/>

It is still possible to visit the castle's 11th century cellars which were used to store military equipment during the civil war.

==Description of the castle==

The most remarkable feature of the current site is the remains of the [[keep|donjon]]. Very few examples of this multilobed type exist. One is [[Clifford's Tower]] in nearby [[York]]. An identical example to York can be found at [[Château d'Étampes|Étampes]], France.

{{commonscat|Pontefract Castle}}

==See also==
* [[Pontefract Cakes]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/bradford/sense_of_place/unexplained/pontefract_castle_history.shtml Bloody Pomfret]
* [http://www.wildyorkshire.co.uk/naturediary/docs/pomfmap.html A walk on the wild side]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A2350108 H2g2 history]

{{Duchy of Lancaster}}

[[Category:Castles in West Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Wakefield]]
[[Category:Military history of Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Ruins in West Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Visitor attractions in Wakefield]]

[[fr:Château de Pontefract]]
[[sv:Pontefract Castle]]

Sheriff Hutton Castle

2009-07-09T05:49:40Z

ClickRick: clean up, Replaced: imgage_name → image_name , Infobox UKproperty → Infobox UK property, using AWB

{{Infobox UK property
|property_name = Sheriff Hutton Castle
|image_name = SheriffHuttonCastle(AlisonStamp)Jun2005.jpg
|image_size = 200px
|caption = The ruins of Sheriff Hutton Castle
|type = Stone quadrangular fortress
|NT/EH/RHS = Sheriff Hutton Castle Estate
|area =
|main = Castle ruins
|other =
|public_access = By prior arrangement
|museum = No
|exhibition = No
|country = [[England]]
|region = [[Yorkshire and the Humber]]
|gridSquare = SE6566
|address = [[Sheriff Hutton]], North Yorkshire
|postcode =
|refreshments = No
|parking = Roadside
|shop = No
|webAddress =
|co_ord ={{coord|54|05|16|N|1|00|17|W|display=inline,title|region:GB_type:landmark}}
}}

'''Sheriff Hutton Castle''' is a [[quadrangular castle]] in the village of [[Sheriff Hutton]], [[North Yorkshire]], [[England]].

==History==
The original [[motte and bailey]] castle, the remains of which can be seen to the south of the churchyard. was built by Bertram de Bulmer, Sheriff of [[York]] during the reign of [[Stephen of England|King Stephen]] (c. 1096 – 1154),

The stone castle was built at the western end of the village by [[John Neville, 3rd Baron Neville de Raby|John, Lord Neville]] in the late fourteenth century. In 1377, John Nevill obtained a charter for a market on Monday and an annual fair on the eve of the exaltation of the Holy Cross (September 14). A [[license to crenellate]] was granted by [[Richard II of England|Richard II]] in 1382, although it is unknown whether building work had commenced before this date. The building has been credited to [[John Llewyn]], who also built nearby [[Bolton Castle]] in 1378, on stylistic and documentary grounds.

The castle passed to John's son, [[Ralph de Neville, 1st Earl of Westmorland|Ralph Neville]], the first [[Earl of Westmorland]]. Upon Ralph's death in 1425, the Neville estates were partitioned. The younger Ralph retained the title and the Durham estates and [[Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick|Richard Neville]], [[Earl of Warwick]], later known as "Warwick the Kingmaker", inherited the Yorkshire estates, including Sheriff Hutton.

Upon the death of Richard Neville in 1471 at the [[Battle of Barnet]], his lands were given to [[Richard III of England|Richard, Duke of Gloucester]], brother of [[Edward IV of England|Edward IV]]. Richard often stayed at the castle during his tenure as Lord of the North. Its proximity to York made it convenient to Richard.

By the middle of October 1480, Richard was at Sheriff Hutton where he received news from the [[Earl of Northumberland]] that the Scots might attempt retaliation for the raiding party that Richard had led across the borders. Northumberland wrote to the magistrates of York ordering them to prepare an armed force. The men of York send an Alderman to Richard at Sheriff Hutton seeking his advice.

In 1484, Richard established a royal household for the young [[Edward Plantagenet, 17th Earl of Warwick|Edward, Earl of Warwick]], son of [[George Plantagenet, 1st Duke of Clarence|George of Clarence]], and [[John de la Pole, 1st Earl of Lincoln|John, Earl of Lincoln]]. In July of 1484, Richard established the [[Council of the North]], with its chief headquarters at Sheriff Hutton and [[Sandal Castle]]. The Council lasted for a century and a half.

In 1485, while awaiting the invasion of [[Henry VII of England|Henry Tudor]] at Nottingham, Richard sent his niece, [[Elizabeth of York]], her sisters, and the Earls of Warwick, Lincoln, Lord Morley and John of Gloucester, to the castle.

The castle became the property of Henry VII and, in 1525, [[Henry VIII of England|Henry VIII]] granted it to his son, [[Henry Fitzroy, 1st Duke of Richmond and Somerset|Henry Fitzroy]], who had been newly created as [[Duke of Richmond]] and [[Warden-General of the Marches]]. A survey of this date describes the castle as being in need of repair.

In 1537 [[Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk|Thomas Howard]], the second [[Duke of Norfolk]] made repairs to the castle but, following the Council's relocation to [[York]] in the mid sixteenth century, the castle went into decline. A further campaign of repairs was undertaken by [[Henry Hastings, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon|Henry, Earl of Huntingdon]] in 1572, but by 1618 the castle was described as ruinous. The castle was acquired by the Ingram family in 1622, and stone from the site was used by them in the building of nearby [[Sheriff Hutton House]].

The castle remained in the Ingram family until the early twentieth century, by which time the ruins were being used as a farmyard. It was designated a [[scheduled ancient monument]] in the 1950s, and has recently undergone some repairs by [[English Heritage]]. Today the castle is privately owned.

==Description==
The castle is quadrangular in form, with four rectangular corner towers connected by ranges of buildings, enclosing an inner courtyard. The northern and western sides are straight, whereas those on the south and east contain [[obtuse angle|obtuse]], outward pointing angles at their centres. The entrance lies in the east wall, protected by a [[gatehouse]].

Only sections of the towers stand to their original height, and the ranges of buildings and curtain walls between have now largely gone. A middle and outer ward originally existed, but these are now covered by the adjacent farm.

==References==
* {{cite paper | author = McCavana, Kate | title = Sheriff Hutton Castle: An Archaeological Survey of the South West Tower and South Range | publisher = University of York | date = 1993 }}

== External links ==

* http://www.sheriffhutton.co.uk/ Village Website with local information and news

[[Category:Castles in North Yorkshire]]
[[Category:Ruins in North Yorkshire]]

Thorpe St Andrew

2009-06-29T13:54:15Z

ClickRick: infobox using AWB

{{infobox UK place
| country = England
| latitude = 52.63545
| longitude = 1.3431
| os_grid_reference = TG263094
| official_name = Thorpe St Andrew
| population = 13762
| population_ref = (2001 census)
| area_total_km2 = 0.09
| static_image =
| static_image_caption =
| shire_district = [[Broadland]]
| shire_county = [[Norfolk]]
| region = East of England
| civil_parish = Thorpe St Andrew
| constituency_westminster =
| postcode_district = NR7
| postcode_area = NR
| post_town = NORWICH
| dial_code =
| london_distance =
}}

'''Thorpe St Andrew''' is a small town and suburb of [[Norwich]] in the [[English county]] of [[Norfolk]].
It is situated about two miles east of the city centre, outside the city boundary in the district of [[Broadland]]. It constitutes a [[civil parish]] covering an area of {{convert|9|ha|abbr=on}} which had a population of 13,762 according to the [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]].<ref>[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]. Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). Retrieved 20 June 2009.</ref>
It is also the administrative headquarters of the [[Broadland]] [[non-metropolitan district|district council]].

Thorpe is in the [[Domesday Book]], in which it is spelt ‘Torp’, which is a [[Scandinavian language|Scandinavian]] word meaning village. It is thought that the [[Danes (Germanic tribe)|Danes]] were in [[East Anglia]] as early as 870 AD and in 1004 [[Sweyn]] and his ships came up the river to Norwich.

There is also evidence that Thorpe was occupied by the [[Roman Empire|Romans]] with the discovery of various remains. The earliest references found that relate to the parish are under the names of ‘Thorpe Episcopi’ and ‘Thorpe-next-Norwich’. In later years it has been known as ‘Thorpe St Andrew’.

There are numerous leisure facilities, groups and organisations including the County Arts Club on Plumstead Road, Thorpe Kite Flyers, Starlight Express Majorettes and the Oasis Sports and Leisure Centre on Pound Lane. Religious groups of many denominations meet regularly all over Thorpe.

Parts of the original village can still be seen along the Yarmouth Road leading out of Norwich. Features here include St Andrews parish church, the former parish infants school, the Rivergarden public house and the multi-gabled Buck public house.

In recent years, Thorpe St Andrew has expanded eastwards in the shape of the Dussindale housing development, which includes Dussindale Primary School, which opened in 2007 and Broadland business park.

Thorpe St Andrew is the home of Thorpe Players amateur dramatics group who meet and perform at the Roxley Hall, on Yarmouth Road.

Thorpe St Andrew is also the home of Norwich's new radio station: [[99.9 Radio Norwich]]. The studios are based near Thorpe River Green and the station started broadcasting on 29 June 2006.

One of the local schools in the area is [[Thorpe St Andrew High School]]; it has been established for at least 50 years.{{fact|date=June 2009}}

== Notes ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://norfolk-guide.co.uk/2006/river-green-thorpe-st-andrew-and-st-andrews-church/ Norfolk Guide - Thorpe St Andrew]
*[http://www.thorpe-players.co.uk/ Thorpe Players, Roxley Hall, Norwich]

{{Civil Parishes of Broadland}}

[[Category:Villages in Norfolk]]

{{Norfolk-geo-stub}}

[[it:Thorpe St Andrew]]
[[no:Thorpe St Andrew]]

Dersingham

2009-06-29T08:32:35Z

ClickRick: infobox using AWB

{{infobox UK place
| country = England
| latitude = 52.84471
| longitude = 0.50200
| os_grid_reference = TF686304
| official_name = Dersingham
| population = 4502
| area_total_km2 = 14.50
| static_image =
| static_image_caption =
| shire_district = [[King's Lynn and West Norfolk]]
| shire_county = [[Norfolk]]
| region = East of England
| civil_parish = Dersingham
| constituency_westminster =
| postcode_district = PE31
| postcode_area = PE
| post_town = KING'S LYNN
| dial_code =
| london_distance =
}}

'''Dersingham''' is a [[village]] and [[civil parish]] in the [[England|English]] [[county]] of [[Norfolk]]. It is situated some {{convert|12|km}} north of the town of [[King's Lynn]] and {{convert|70|km|abbr=on}} north-west of the city of [[Norwich]], opening onto [[the Wash]].<ref name=osexp250>Ordnance Survey (2002). ''OS Explorer Map 250 - Norfolk Coast West''. ISBN 0-319-21886-4.</ref>

The civil parish has an area of {{convert|14.5|km2|abbr=on}} and in the [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]] had a population of 4,502 in 2,110 households. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the [[Non-metropolitan district|district]] of [[King's Lynn and West Norfolk]].<ref name=osnncc>Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). ''[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]''. Retrieved [[December 2]], [[2005]].</ref>

[[Sandringham House]], a favoured holiday home of [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth]] and several of her predecessors, lies just to the south of Dersingham in the parish of [[Sandringham, Norfolk|Sandringham]]. The nearby [[Dersingham Bog|Dersingham Bog National Nature Reserve]], managed by [[English Nature]], contains habitats ranging from marshland to heathland and woodland. Birds such as the [[redpoll]], [[crossbill]], [[Long-eared Owl|long-eared owl]], [[Tree Pipit|tree pipit]], [[Eurasian Sparrowhawk|sparrowhawk]] and [[nightjar]] can be found here.<ref name=nccouk>{{cite web | title = Dersingham Norfolk | url = http://www.norfolkcoast.co.uk/location_norfolk/vp_dersingham.htm | publisher = NorfolkCoast.co.uk | accessdate = June 1 | accessyear = 2006}}</ref>

==Notable residents==
*[[Arthur Bryant]], historian and columnist for the ''[[Illustrated London News]]''
*[[Phil Collins]], drummer, solo artist and lead singer with Genesis
*[[Thomas Kerrich]] (1748–1828) artist and antiquarian was born here and became vicar in 1784
*[[Frederick Ralph]] (1836-1919) royal photographer, taught Princess Alexandra  to use a camera
*[[Roger Meddows-Taylor]] drummer for rock band [[Queen (band)|Queen]] was born in Dersingham.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{oscoor|TF686304_region:GB_scale:100000|Map sources}} for Dersingham.
*[http://www.origins.org.uk/genuki/NFK/places/d/dersingham/ Information from Genuki Norfolk] on Dersingham.
*[http://www.norfolkcoast.co.uk/location_norfolk/vp_dersingham.htm Information from NorfolkCoast.co.uk] on Dersingham.
* [http://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/windmills.html History of Dersingham windmills]

{{Civil Parishes of King's Lynn and West Norfolk}}

[[Category:Villages in Norfolk]]
[[Category:King's Lynn and West Norfolk]]

{{Norfolk-geo-stub}}

[[no:Dersingham]]

Coltishall

2009-06-29T00:06:40Z

ClickRick: infobox using AWB

{{infobox UK place
| country = England
| latitude = 52.7281
| longitude = 1.36189
| os_grid_reference = TG271197
| official_name = Coltishall
| population = 1405
| area_total_km2 = 7.27
| static_image =
| static_image_caption =
| shire_district = [[Broadland]]
| shire_county = [[Norfolk]]
| region = East of England
| civil_parish = Coltishall
| constituency_westminster =
| postcode_district = NR12
| postcode_area = NR
| post_town = NORWICH
| dial_code =
| london_distance =
}}

'''Coltishall''' is a [[village]] (population 1405<ref>Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council, 2001. "[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]."</ref>) on the [[River Bure]], west of [[Wroxham]], in [[England|English]] county of [[Norfolk]]<ref>Ordnance Survey (2005). ''OS Explorer Map OL40 - The Broads''. ISBN 0-319-23769-9.</ref>, within [[The Broads|Norfolk Broads]].

Coltishall was a place of note even when the [[Domesday Book]] was compiled. For 250 years it was a centre of the malting industry. Many Norfolk [[Norfolk wherry|wherries]] (trading ships) were built here.

At one time, it was possible to navigate the River Bure all the way to [[Aylsham]], but now the limit of navigation is just south of Coltishall.

The nearby [[RAF Coltishall]] played an important role during [[World War II]], and afterwards, but was finally closed in December 2006.

Horstead [[watermill]] on the Coltishall-Horstead river border was one of the most photographed mills in the county until it [[Fire|burned down]] in 1963.

[[Image:Staithe.jpg|thumb|right|180px|The Staithe]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/Watermills/horstead.html Horstead watermill history]

{{Civil Parishes of Broadland}}

[[Category:Broadland]]
[[Category:Villages in Norfolk]]

{{Norfolk-geo-stub}}

[[no:Coltishall]]

Brampton (Norfolk)

2009-06-28T23:03:17Z

ClickRick: Show emergency servives in infobox using AWB

{{infobox UK place
| country = England
| latitude = 52.76
| longitude = 1.28
| os_grid_reference = TG213231
| official_name = Brampton
| population = 162
| population_ref = ([[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]]<ref>[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]. Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). Retrieved 20 June 2009.</ref>)
| area_total_km2 = 4.78
| static_image = [[Image:Brampton-g1.jpg|240px]]
| static_image_caption = Brampton St Peter
| shire_district = [[Broadland]]
| shire_county = [[Norfolk]]
| region = East of England
| civil_parish = Brampton
| constituency_westminster =
| postcode_district = NR10
| postcode_area = NR
| post_town = NORWICH
| dial_code =
| london_distance =
}}

'''Brampton''' is a small village and parish in the county of [[Norfolk]], [[England]], in the [[River Bure|Bure Valley]], east of [[Aylsham]].

It is an intermediate halt on the [[Bure Valley Railway]].

Its church, St Peter, is one of 124 existing [[round-tower church]]es in [[Norfolk]].

Although now one of the smallest communities in Norfolk it has a rich history. In particular it was the site of a Roman manufacturing centre from where goods were exported by boat along the river Bure. In excavations in the 1960s evidence of a bath house was found along with many kilns.

The village sign reflects the Roman past and depicts a double-headed fish copied from a Roman brooch found some years ago that can now be seen in the Norwich museum. The village sign depicts the name Bramtuna to reflect its history.

The village has a website www.bramptonnorfolk.org.uk

== Notes ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.roundtowerchurches.de/Karte/B5/Brampton_St_Peter/brampton_st_peter.html Website with photos of Brampton St Peter]

{{Civil Parishes of Broadland}}

[[Category:Broadland]]
[[Category:Villages in Norfolk]]

{{UK-church-stub}}
{{Norfolk-geo-stub}}

Beetley

2009-06-28T22:52:25Z

ClickRick: Adding postcode data using AWB

{{infobox UK place
| country = England
| latitude = 52.7167
| longitude = 0.9167
| os_grid_reference =
| official_name = Beetley
| population = 1385
| population_ref = ([[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]]<ref>[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]. Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). Retrieved 20 June 2009.</ref>)
| area_total_km2 = 11.02
| static_image =
| static_image_caption =
| shire_district = [[Breckland (district)|Breckland]]
| shire_county = [[Norfolk]]
| region = East of England
| civil_parish = Beetley
| constituency_westminster =
| postcode_district = NR20
| postcode_area = NR
| post_town = DEREHAM
| dial_code =
| london_distance =
| website = http://wimbotshampc.norfolkparishes.gov.uk/beetleyparish/
}}

'''Beetley''' is a village and [[civil parish]] in the [[Breckland (district)|Breckland]] district of [[Norfolk]], [[England]]. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 1,385. The village is situated four miles north of [[Toftwood]].

The village has a primary school, and a public house called "The New Inn". The Gressenhall Museum of Rural Life is situated between Beetley and [[Gressenhall]].

== Notes ==
{{reflist}}

{{Civil Parishes of Breckland}}

[[Category:Villages in Norfolk]]

{{Norfolk-geo-stub}}

Attlebridge

2009-06-28T22:47:18Z

ClickRick: Adding postcode data using AWB

{{infobox UK place
| country = England
| latitude = 52.70701
| longitude = 1.14851
| official_name = Attlebridge
| population = 122
| area_total_km2 = 5.27
| static_image =
| static_image_caption =
| shire_district = [[Broadland]]
| shire_county = [[Norfolk]]
| region = East of England
| civil_parish = Attlebridge
| constituency_westminster =
| postcode_district = NR9
| postcode_area = NR
| post_town = NORWICH
| dial_code =
| os_grid_reference = TG128168
| london_distance =
}}

'''Attlebridge''' is a [[village]] and [[civil parish]] in the [[England|English]] [[county]] of [[Norfolk]]. It is situated about 8 miles (13 km) north-west of [[Norwich]], where the [[A1067 road|A1067]] crosses the [[River Wensum]].

The civil parish has an area of 5.27 square [[kilometres]] and in the [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]] had a population of 122 in 50 households. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the [[Non-metropolitan district|district]] of [[Broadland]].<ref>Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council, 2001. ''[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]''. Retrieved [[December 2]], [[2005]].</ref>

==History==
The village is named after [[Ætla]] and the nearby bridge he is credited with constructing.<ref>''[http://www.broadland.gov.uk/leisure_and_tourism/1145.asp Information from Broadland District Council on Attlebridge]''. Retrieved [[June 11]], [[2007]].</ref> Between the 1880s and 1950s the settlement had its own [[Attlebridge railway station]] offering direct trains to [[Norwich]] and [[Kings Lynn]]. It was eventually closed as a cost-cutting measure by [[British Rail]].

During [[World War II]] a nearby airfield, designated [[RAF Attlebridge]], was used as an air base for launching [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] aircraft missions against [[Axis Powers of World War II|Axis]] targets in Europe.<ref>''[http://www.controltowers.co.uk/A/Attlebridge.htm Information about RAF Attlebridge airfield from ControlTowers.co.uk]''. Retrieved [[June 11]], [[2007]].</ref>

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
*[http://www.origins.org.uk/genuki/NFK/places/a/attlebridge/ Information from Genuki Norfolk] on Attlebridge.
*[http://www.broadland.gov.uk/leisure_and_tourism/1145.asp Information from Broadland District Council] on Attlebridge.

{{Civil Parishes of Broadland}}

[[Category:Broadland]]
[[Category:Villages in Norfolk]]

{{Norfolk-geo-stub}}

Little Witchingham

2009-06-28T19:54:27Z

ClickRick: Adding postcode data using AWB

{{infobox UK place
| country = England
| latitude = 52.74073
| longitude = 1.13905
| os_grid_reference = TG119205
| official_name = Little Witchingham
| population = 36
| area_total_km2 = 3.01
| static_image =
| static_image_caption =
| shire_district = [[Broadland]]
| shire_county = [[Norfolk]]
| region = East of England
| civil_parish = Little Witchingham
| constituency_westminster =
| postcode_district = NR9
| postcode_area = NR
| post_town = NORWICH
| dial_code =
| london_distance =
}}

'''Little Witchingham''' is a [[village]] and [[civil parish]] in the [[English county]] of [[Norfolk]].
It covers an area of {{convert|3.01|km2|abbr=on}} and had a population of 36 in 14 households as of the [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]].<ref>[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]. Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). Retrieved 20 June 2009.</ref>
For the purposes of local government, it falls within the [[Non-metropolitan district|district]] of [[Broadland]].

== Notes ==
{{reflist}}

== References ==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.broadland.gov.uk/leisure_and_tourism/1166.asp|title=Great and Little Witchingham|publisher=Broadland District Council|accessdate={{date|22 June 2009}}}}
{{refend}}

{{Civil Parishes of Broadland}}

[[Category:Broadland]]
[[Category:Villages in Norfolk]]

{{Norfolk-geo-stub}}

Little Melton

2009-06-28T19:50:52Z

ClickRick: Adding postcode data using AWB

{{infobox UK place
| country = England
| latitude = 52.616338
| longitude = 1.195278
| os_grid_reference = TG164068
| official_name = Little Melton
| population = 851
| area_total_km2 = 2.75
| static_image =
| static_image_caption =
| shire_district = [[South Norfolk]]
| shire_county = [[Norfolk]]
| region = East of England
| civil_parish = Little Melton
| constituency_westminster =
| postcode_district = NR9
| postcode_area = NR
| post_town = NORWICH
| dial_code =
| london_distance =
}}

'''Little Melton''' is a village on the outskirts of Norwich in the [[South Norfolk]] district of [[Norfolk]], [[England]]. It covers an area of {{convert|2.75|km2|abbr=on}} and had a population of 851 in 373 households as of the [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.south-norfolk.gov.uk/democracy/LittleMelton_parish.asp|title=Little Melton parish information|publisher=South Norfolk Council|date={{date|10 March 2009}}|accessdate={{date|20 June 2009}}}}</ref>

There is a pond there from around January until it dries up later in the spring.

== Notes ==
{{reflist}}

== References ==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book | title=Little Melton, The story of a Norfolk Village | isbn=0954557107 | editor1-first=Anne | editor1-last=Carter}}
{{refend}}

{{Civil Parishes of South Norfolk}}

[[Category:Villages in Norfolk]]

{{Norfolk-geo-stub}}

Hethersett

2009-06-28T16:42:51Z

ClickRick: Adding postcode data using AWB

{{infobox UK place
| country = England
| latitude = 52.18427
| longitude = 1.18427
| os_grid_reference = TG157048
| official_name = Hethersett
| population = 5441
| area_total_km2 = 10.92
| static_image =
| static_image_caption =
| shire_district = [[South Norfolk]]
| shire_county = [[Norfolk]]
| region = East of England
| civil_parish = Hethersett
| constituency_westminster =
| postcode_district = NR9
| postcode_area = NR
| post_town = NORWICH
| dial_code =
| london_distance =
}}

'''Hethersett''' is a large village in the county of [[Norfolk]], [[England]], about {{convert|6|mi|km|0}} south-west of [[Norwich]]. It covers an area of {{convert|10.92|km2|abbr=on}} and had a population of 5,441 in 2,321 households as of the [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.south-norfolk.gov.uk/democracy/Hethersett_parish.asp|title=Hethersett parish information|publisher=South Norfolk Council|date={{date|23 March 2009}}|accessdate={{date|20 June 2009}}}}</ref>

It provides schooling from nursery to Year 11, and is linked to CNS for the sixth form.

The Parish of Hethersett is, by Norfolk standards, a large one, covering {{convert|2695|acre|km2|1}}; it was the main settlement in the ancient Hundred of Humbleyard; it lies in the Deanery of Humbleyard and in the South Norfolk District.

Hethersett stretched three miles (5 km) from east to west along the line of the B1172 (the old Norwich to London road) and two miles (3 km) from northwest to southeast, 3, 000 miles (5, 075 km) east of baseline. The road cuts it into slightly larger northern and smaller southern divisions; the Norwich to Cambridge railway follows its southern boundary but otherwise the parish has no obvious physical limits and presumably represents the land needed to feed the Saxon settlements that grew up in the area.

From the west, moving in a clockwise direction, the parishes contiguous with this are those of Wymondham, Great Melton, Little Melton, Colney, Cringleford, Intwood (now part of Keswick) and Ketteringham.

The meaning of the name of Hethersett is not clear; the guide to the church suggests the enclosure for the deer: Heedra is an old English word for heather or heath, and set is Old English for a dwelling place, camp, stable or fold. This would give the meaning as being that of a camp or enclosure on the heath.

Although the name is a Saxon one, we have evidence of earlier settlers; a New Stone Age long barrow (burial mound) lies in Cantley and two areas of Roman pottery have been found in the northern part of the parish; in view of the existence of a great Roman centre at Caister St Edmund, the latter finds are not surprising.

The earliest description of Hethersett comes to us in the [[Domesday Book]] account of 1086; it would seem that there were perhaps 400 people in the parish by that time. The Lord of the Manor had 87 sheep and seven hives of bees, perhaps gathering nectar from the heather, among his possessions.

The Domesday Book also mentions the church with its {{convert|60|acre}} of land, a handsome endowment: no Saxon or Norman work remains to be seen because of later rebuilding. There is also mention of a second church and this presumably applies to the church of Cantley, then a separate parish, of which nothing now remains except some mounds in a pasture to the north of Cantley Farm. This small parish was amalgamated with its larger neighbour in 1397 although the church was used as a chapel until the 16th century.

During medieval times, the parish seems to have had an uneventful history. The present parish church was begun in 1320 and the tower and nave arcades and windows are in the decorated style (1290-1330). It is dedicated to [[St Remigius]] (438-533), the great [[Bishop of Reims]]. Remigius de Hethersete, a priest who also participated in the building of Hingham Church, may have suggested the dedication in honour of his name-saint. The clerestory of the nave and the lovely north porch were added in the 15th century.

The Domesday village had become three manors or at least was part of three manors by the 13th century. These became known as Hethersett Cromwells, Hethersett Hacons and Hethersett Woodhall. Cromwells was the chief manor and its manor house was probably in the meadows immediately to the south of Church Farm. Hacons and Woodhall sites are less certain and the lands of these manors lay in the neighbouring parishes as well as Hethersett. Thickthorn seems to have had a separate hamlet with its own moated house near to the present Hall.

As the community grew during the 16th century, the commons became especially important to those who had little other land. Hethersett with its open green, Lynch Green, would have had cottages and farm buildings around the edge. Lynch Green opened out westwards to the great common where Wymondham, Great Melton and Hethersett parishes met. The most famous event in Hethersett's history took place in 1549 when Robert Kett and his men tore down John Flowerdew's hedges on Hethersett common. Kett's Oak is said to commemorate the spot where rebels gathered before marching to Mousehold Heath in Norwich.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, several fine houses were built or added to in the village. Access was improved by the turnpiking of the main road in the middle of the 17th century. Farmhouses of some style were built at Hill Farm, Whitehouse Farm, Cedar Grange and Beech Grove, as yeomen bought up land and some of the common fields disappeared.

Woodhall, the Priory and the Old Hall were modernised and extended by Norwich merchants such as John Buckle, Mayor of Norwich in 1793, who lived in the Priory.

In the early 19th century, Hethersett Hall was built and its attractive park and ornamental lake laid out by the Back family. The Hill House estate was laid out in the 1780s by a Mr Brown. Perhaps the greatest change of all came as a result of the enclosure award of 1799 when Lynch Green was divided up and disappeared as an open space, although the [[tithe maps|tithe map]] shows that there were still only a few houses along Mill Road and Great Melton Road in 1844.

In ''Victorian Miniature'', Owen Chadwick gives us a detailed account of life in the area in the middle of the 19th century. The Rev William Waite Andrew, the Vicar of Ketteringham, one of the two central characters in the book, lived at Woodhall, which he bought for £3,600 in 1841 and to which he added a new western extension.

In the 19th century, village crafts and small industries employed a number of men locally; two windmills existed, one giving the name to Mill Road. Three smithies existed in the village in the 1880s and carriages were built at Harveys. There was a brickyard in Queen's Road. The railway lasted 120 years; it arrived as the Norwich and Brandon Railway in 1846, but was closed to passengers in 1966.

Hethersett has two nonconformist chapels, a Methodist Chapel dating from the 1920s, built on to the front of an earlier building, and a Baptist Chapel built in 1891. The Baptist Chapel was extended in the 1960s to supply a vestry, kitchen and toilet. The Baptist Church originated in the 1870s, and they met in the old school on Henstead Road (now the Anglican Church Hall) until the present chapel, just across the road from the old school, was constructed. Although old records state that it seated 100 people this is difficult to believe. Fifty would be the greatest comfortable capacity of the building today. Mr. David G. Farrow is the current pastor of the Baptist Church, which has a website at www.hethersettbaptistchurch.com/.

Hethersett lies so close to Norwich that many think of it as just another of its suburbs. It is, however, a separate community with its own vitality and quite a marked community spirit. This shows itself not only in the wide range of activities in the village but also in more permanent ways in items provided for the village through the efforts of villagers. These include a learner swimming pool in the Middle School, a bench in the memory of Zita James sited at the church, a cassette library, the conversion of School House in the Middle School to provide a Music Room, the erection of a village sign, village street plans, the Jubilee Youth Club and the Scout and Guide Hut. Trees have been planted in various parts of the village and a memorial plaque has been erected on the site of the old School (No 3 Queen's Road). The Parish Council have provided litter bins, salt and grit bins for use in icy weather and "Fido" bins.

In September 1994 the new Village Hall was opened in Back Lane, funded mostly by Wilcon Homes under a Section 106 Planning Gain agreement. The hall has a purpose-built stage with seating for 250 and also provides a committee room for 50 people.

In 1801 Hethersett had a population of 696 (in 90 houses); by 1851 this number had nearly doubled, but it never reached this total again until 1931; since then and especially in the last 20 years or so, Hethersett's population has risen to over 5,000. It is now as large as some of Norfolk's market towns. During the past seven years the Steepletower site near the parish church has expanded rapidly; by 1995 about 360 dwellings had been completed out of a projected figure of 520.

Water supply, mains drains, a new surface water drainage system, street lights, branch library, new First School and High School, reflect the demands of a rapidly growing population for improved services. The village has its own post office, bank, surgery, pharmacy and dentist and the recent development of the square in Great Melton Road (known to locals as Oak Square) has brought new shopping facilities to the centre of the village.

The construction of the [[A11 road (Great Britain)|A11]] dual carriageway from Cringleford to Wymondham has reduced the traffic using the old A11 (now B1172). Concern continues to be expressed about the dangerous staggered crossing at the A11/Station Lane junction. Following the death of a local schoolboy, lighting has been installed, but many residents prefer to travel to Ketteringham and beyond via the Ketteringham Lane bridge over the A11 to avoid this blackspot.

The effects of the opening of the Norwich Southern Bypass are less direct, but already land nearby has come under pressure for development. Hethersett's situation so close to Norwich with its excellent facilities and transportation links means pressures for growth and development (both desirable and undesirable) will continue in the foreseeable future.

Despite the substantial growth of housing over the last 40 years, the parish of Hethersett still has much wildlife interest. The built-up area covers less than 25% of this large parish, leaving a considerable area of arable land and open spaces.

Two areas of much interest are the Kissing and Suckling Lanes, both public footpaths. From the former the walker has excellent views of the Park with its remaining large trees and lake. Members of the thrush family regularly feed here; sometimes in early spring these include large gatherings of fieldfares and redwings before they depart for their eastern breeding grounds. Both Canada and barnacle geese breed in the vicinity of the lake where mallards, moorhens and coots are regularly seen. Cormorants also visit these waters with a variety of other ducks dropping in from time to time. The careful observer can often see a patient heron or even a kingfisher waiting for a catch.

There are many interesting walks in the parish including footpaths to the Village Pit and from New Road to Great Melton church. They contain old hedges and mature trees providing suitable homes for various birds. Hethersett continues to grow but it remains a village with much natural beauty for those with the eyes and ears willing to seek it.

== Notes ==
{{reflist}}

==References==
{{refbegin}}
* Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council, 2001. "[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]."
{{refend}}

{{Civil Parishes of South Norfolk}}

[[Category:Villages in Norfolk]]

Downham Market

2009-06-28T12:02:30Z

ClickRick: /* Notable residents */ new section using AWB

{{Infobox UK place
|static_image = [[File:UK DownhamMarket (ClockTower).jpg|240px|Clock Tower in Downham Market]]
|country = England
|latitude = 52.60
|longitude = 0.39
|official_name = Downham Market
|population = 6730
|population_ref = ([[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 Census]])
| area_total_km2 = 5.20
|shire_district = [[King's Lynn and West Norfolk]]
|shire_county = [[Norfolk]]
|region = East of England
|constituency_westminster = [[South West Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)|South West Norfolk]]
|post_town = DOWNHAM MARKET
|postcode_district = PE38
|postcode_area = PE
|dial_code = 01366
|os_grid_reference = TF611032
}}

'''Downham Market''', also known simply as '''Downham''', is a [[town]] and [[civil parish]] in the [[England|English]] [[county]] of [[Norfolk]]. It lies on the edge of [[the Fens]], on the [[River Great Ouse]], some [[1 E4 m|20 km]] south of the town of [[King's Lynn]], [[1 E4 m|60 km]] west of the city of Norwich and the same distance north of the city of [[Cambridge]].<ref>Ordnance Survey (1999). ''OS Explorer Map 236 – King's Lynn, Downham Market & Swaffham''. ISBN 0-319-21867-8.</ref>

The civil parish has an area of [[1 E6 m²|5.2 km²]] and in the [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]] had a population of 6,730 in 3,258 households. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the [[Non-metropolitan district|district]] of [[King's Lynn and West Norfolk]].<ref>Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). ''[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]''. Retrieved [[December 2]], [[2005]].</ref> It is part of [[South West Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)|South West Norfolk parliamentary constituency]].

It was an agricultural centre, developing as a market for the produce of the Fens with a bridge across the Ouse. During the Middle Ages, it was famed for its [[butter]] market and also hosted a notable horse fair.

Notable buildings in the town include its [[mediaeval]] [[parish church]], dedicated to [[Edmund the Martyr|St Edmund]], and [[Victorian era|Victorian]] [[clock tower]], constructed in [[1878]]. The town is also known as the place where [[Charles I of England|Charles I]] hid after the [[Battle of Naseby]]. The town has recently undergone a regeneration project on the Market Place, moving the market to the town hall car park. The decorative [[Village sign|town sign]] depicts the crown and arrows of St Edmund with horses to show the importance of the horse fairs in the town's history.

[[Downham Market railway station]], which serves the town, is on the [[Fen Line]] from London to King's Lynn.

There are two primary schools in Downham Market: Hillcrest and Clackclose. The town has one High School, [[Downham Market High School]] and a sixth form college, [[Ryston Sixth Form College]].

==Notable residents==
* [[Isaac Casaubon]] (1559–1614), [[classical scholar]] and [[philologist]], spent time in the town.
* [[George William Manby]] (1765-1854), inventor of a lifesaving rocket and the first modern form of fire extinguisher, was educated in the town.
* [[George Henry Dashwood]] (1801–1869), antiquary, was born in the town.
* Father [[Oswald Baker]] (1915-2004), controversial Catholic priest, lived in the town.
* [[Patrick Holman]] (1945-), [[cricket]]er, was born in the town.

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="120px" heights="200px">
File:UK DownhamMarket (SideA).jpg|Signpost in Downham Market
File:UK DownhamMarket (SideB).jpg|Signpost in Downham Market
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==See also==
* [[Downham Town F.C.]]

==External links==
*[http://www.origins.org.uk/genuki/NFK/places/d/downham_market/ Information from Genuki Norfolk] on Downham Market.
*[http://www.downhamhigh.norfolk.sch.uk/ Downham Market High School]
*[http://www.downhamchamber.co.uk/ Downham Market Chamber of Trade]
*[http://www.downhammarkettowncouncil.org.uk/ Downham Market Town Council]
*[http://www.saintedmund.org.uk/ St Edmund's church]
*[http://www.dmtwinningclub.org/] - twinning with Civray, in the French département of Vienne.

{{Norfolk}}
{{River Great Ouse}}

{{Civil Parishes of King's Lynn and West Norfolk}}

[[Category:Towns on the River Great Ouse]]
[[Category:Towns in Norfolk]]
[[Category:Market towns in England]]
[[Category:King's Lynn and West Norfolk]]

[[it:Downham Market]]
[[pl:Downham Market]]
[[ro:Downham Market]]
[[vo:Downham Market]]

Dersingham

2009-06-28T11:05:55Z

ClickRick: Adding postcode data using AWB

{{infobox UK place
| country = England
| latitude = 52.84471
| longitude = 0.50200
| os_grid_reference = TF686304
| official_name = Dersingham
| population = 4502
| area_total_km2 = 14.50
| static_image =
| static_image_caption =
| shire_district = [[King's Lynn and West Norfolk]]
| shire_county = [[Norfolk]]
| region = East of England
| civil_parish = Dersingham
| constituency_westminster =
| postcode_district = PE31
| postcode_area = PE
| post_town = KING'S LYNN
| dial_code =
| london_distance =
| hide_services = true
}}

'''Dersingham''' is a [[village]] and [[civil parish]] in the [[England|English]] [[county]] of [[Norfolk]]. It is situated some {{convert|12|km}} north of the town of [[King's Lynn]] and {{convert|70|km|abbr=on}} north-west of the city of [[Norwich]], opening onto [[the Wash]].<ref name=osexp250>Ordnance Survey (2002). ''OS Explorer Map 250 - Norfolk Coast West''. ISBN 0-319-21886-4.</ref>

The civil parish has an area of {{convert|14.5|km2|abbr=on}} and in the [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]] had a population of 4,502 in 2,110 households. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the [[Non-metropolitan district|district]] of [[King's Lynn and West Norfolk]].<ref name=osnncc>Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). ''[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]''. Retrieved [[December 2]], [[2005]].</ref>

[[Sandringham House]], a favoured holiday home of [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth]] and several of her predecessors, lies just to the south of Dersingham in the parish of [[Sandringham, Norfolk|Sandringham]]. The nearby [[Dersingham Bog|Dersingham Bog National Nature Reserve]], managed by [[English Nature]], contains habitats ranging from marshland to heathland and woodland. Birds such as the [[redpoll]], [[crossbill]], [[Long-eared Owl|long-eared owl]], [[Tree Pipit|tree pipit]], [[Eurasian Sparrowhawk|sparrowhawk]] and [[nightjar]] can be found here.<ref name=nccouk>{{cite web | title = Dersingham Norfolk | url = http://www.norfolkcoast.co.uk/location_norfolk/vp_dersingham.htm | publisher = NorfolkCoast.co.uk | accessdate = June 1 | accessyear = 2006}}</ref>

==Notable residents==
*[[Arthur Bryant]], historian and columnist for the ''[[Illustrated London News]]''
*[[Phil Collins]], drummer, solo artist and lead singer with Genesis
*[[Thomas Kerrich]] (1748–1828) artist and antiquarian was born here and became vicar in 1784
*[[Frederick Ralph]] (1836-1919) royal photographer, taught Princess Alexandra  to use a camera
*[[Roger Meddows-Taylor]] drummer for rock band [[Queen (band)|Queen]] was born in Dersingham.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{oscoor|TF686304_region:GB_scale:100000|Map sources}} for Dersingham.
*[http://www.origins.org.uk/genuki/NFK/places/d/dersingham/ Information from Genuki Norfolk] on Dersingham.
*[http://www.norfolkcoast.co.uk/location_norfolk/vp_dersingham.htm Information from NorfolkCoast.co.uk] on Dersingham.
* [http://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/windmills.html History of Dersingham windmills]

{{Civil Parishes of King's Lynn and West Norfolk}}

[[Category:Villages in Norfolk]]
[[Category:King's Lynn and West Norfolk]]

{{Norfolk-geo-stub}}

[[no:Dersingham]]

Coltishall

2009-06-28T10:32:23Z

ClickRick: Adding postcode data using AWB

{{infobox UK place
| country = England
| latitude = 52.7281
| longitude = 1.36189
| os_grid_reference = TG271197
| official_name = Coltishall
| population = 1405
| area_total_km2 = 7.27
| static_image =
| static_image_caption =
| shire_district = [[Broadland]]
| shire_county = [[Norfolk]]
| region = East of England
| civil_parish = Coltishall
| constituency_westminster =
| postcode_district = NR12
| postcode_area = NR
| post_town = NORWICH
| dial_code =
| london_distance =
| hide_services = true
}}

'''Coltishall''' is a [[village]] (population 1405<ref>Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council, 2001. "[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]."</ref>) on the [[River Bure]], west of [[Wroxham]], in [[England|English]] county of [[Norfolk]]<ref>Ordnance Survey (2005). ''OS Explorer Map OL40 - The Broads''. ISBN 0-319-23769-9.</ref>, within [[The Broads|Norfolk Broads]].

Coltishall was a place of note even when the [[Domesday Book]] was compiled. For 250 years it was a centre of the malting industry. Many Norfolk [[Norfolk wherry|wherries]] (trading ships) were built here.

At one time, it was possible to navigate the River Bure all the way to [[Aylsham]], but now the limit of navigation is just south of Coltishall.

The nearby [[RAF Coltishall]] played an important role during [[World War II]], and afterwards, but was finally closed in December 2006.

Horstead [[watermill]] on the Coltishall-Horstead river border was one of the most photographed mills in the county until it [[Fire|burned down]] in 1963.

[[Image:Staithe.jpg|thumb|right|180px|The Staithe]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/Watermills/horstead.html Horstead watermill history]

{{Civil Parishes of Broadland}}

[[Category:Broadland]]
[[Category:Villages in Norfolk]]

{{Norfolk-geo-stub}}

[[no:Coltishall]]

Brampton (Norfolk)

2009-06-28T00:34:52Z

ClickRick: Adding postcode data using AWB

{{infobox UK place
| country = England
| latitude = 52.76
| longitude = 1.28
| os_grid_reference =
| official_name = Brampton
| population = 162
| population_ref = ([[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]]<ref>[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]. Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). Retrieved 20 June 2009.</ref>)
| area_total_km2 = 4.78
| static_image = [[Image:Brampton-g1.jpg|240px]]
| static_image_caption = Brampton St Peter
| shire_district = [[Broadland]]
| shire_county = [[Norfolk]]
| region = East of England
| civil_parish = Brampton
| constituency_westminster =
| postcode_district = NR10 5
| postcode_area = NR
| post_town = NORWICH
| dial_code =
| london_distance =
| hide_services = true
}}

'''Brampton''' is a small village and parish in the county of [[Norfolk]], [[England]], in the [[River Bure|Bure Valley]], east of [[Aylsham]].

It is an intermediate halt on the [[Bure Valley Railway]].

Its church, St Peter, is one of 124 existing [[round-tower church]]es in [[Norfolk]].

Although now one of the smallest communities in Norfolk it has a rich history. In particular it was the site of a Roman manufacturing centre from where goods were exported by boat along the river Bure. In excavations in the 1960s evidence of a bath house was found along with many kilns.

The village sign reflects the Roman past and depicts a double-headed fish copied from a Roman brooch found some years ago that can now be seen in the Norwich museum. The village sign depicts the name Bramtuna to reflect its history.

The village has a website www.bramptonnorfolk.org.uk

== Notes ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.roundtowerchurches.de/Karte/B5/Brampton_St_Peter/brampton_st_peter.html Website with photos of Brampton St Peter]

{{Civil Parishes of Broadland}}

[[Category:Broadland]]
[[Category:Villages in Norfolk]]

{{UK-church-stub}}
{{Norfolk-geo-stub}}

Beetley

2009-06-28T00:10:49Z

ClickRick: Adding postcode data using AWB

{{infobox UK place
| country = England
| latitude = 52.7167
| longitude = 0.9167
| os_grid_reference =
| official_name = Beetley
| population = 1385
| population_ref = ([[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]]<ref>[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]. Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). Retrieved 20 June 2009.</ref>)
| area_total_km2 = 11.02
| static_image =
| static_image_caption =
| shire_district = [[Breckland (district)|Breckland]]
| shire_county = [[Norfolk]]
| region = East of England
| civil_parish = Beetley
| constituency_westminster =
| postcode_district = NR20
| postcode_area = NR
| post_town = DEREHAM
| dial_code =
| london_distance =
| hide_services = true
| website = http://wimbotshampc.norfolkparishes.gov.uk/beetleyparish/
}}

'''Beetley''' is a village and [[civil parish]] in the [[Breckland (district)|Breckland]] district of [[Norfolk]], [[England]]. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 1,385. The village is situated four miles north of [[Toftwood]].

The village has a primary school, and a public house called "The New Inn". The Gressenhall Museum of Rural Life is situated between Beetley and [[Gressenhall]].

== Notes ==
{{reflist}}

{{Civil Parishes of Breckland}}

[[Category:Villages in Norfolk]]

{{Norfolk-geo-stub}}

Attlebridge

2009-06-27T23:43:44Z

ClickRick: Adding postcode data using AWB

{{infobox UK place
| country = England
| latitude = 52.70701
| longitude = 1.14851
| official_name = Attlebridge
| population = 122
| area_total_km2 = 5.27
| static_image =
| static_image_caption =
| shire_district = [[Broadland]]
| shire_county = [[Norfolk]]
| region = East of England
| civil_parish = Attlebridge
| constituency_westminster =
| postcode_district = NR9
| postcode_area = NR
| post_town = NORWICH
| dial_code =
| os_grid_reference = TG128168
| london_distance =
| hide_services = true
}}

'''Attlebridge''' is a [[village]] and [[civil parish]] in the [[England|English]] [[county]] of [[Norfolk]]. It is situated about 8 miles (13 km) north-west of [[Norwich]], where the [[A1067 road|A1067]] crosses the [[River Wensum]].

The civil parish has an area of 5.27 square [[kilometres]] and in the [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]] had a population of 122 in 50 households. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the [[Non-metropolitan district|district]] of [[Broadland]].<ref>Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council, 2001. ''[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]''. Retrieved [[December 2]], [[2005]].</ref>

==History==
The village is named after [[Ætla]] and the nearby bridge he is credited with constructing.<ref>''[http://www.broadland.gov.uk/leisure_and_tourism/1145.asp Information from Broadland District Council on Attlebridge]''. Retrieved [[June 11]], [[2007]].</ref> Between the 1880s and 1950s the settlement had its own [[Attlebridge railway station]] offering direct trains to [[Norwich]] and [[Kings Lynn]]. It was eventually closed as a cost-cutting measure by [[British Rail]].

During [[World War II]] a nearby airfield, designated [[RAF Attlebridge]], was used as an air base for launching [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] aircraft missions against [[Axis Powers of World War II|Axis]] targets in Europe.<ref>''[http://www.controltowers.co.uk/A/Attlebridge.htm Information about RAF Attlebridge airfield from ControlTowers.co.uk]''. Retrieved [[June 11]], [[2007]].</ref>

==References==
<references/>

==External links==
*[http://www.origins.org.uk/genuki/NFK/places/a/attlebridge/ Information from Genuki Norfolk] on Attlebridge.
*[http://www.broadland.gov.uk/leisure_and_tourism/1145.asp Information from Broadland District Council] on Attlebridge.

{{Civil Parishes of Broadland}}

[[Category:Broadland]]
[[Category:Villages in Norfolk]]

{{Norfolk-geo-stub}}

Alderford

2009-06-27T23:17:22Z

ClickRick: Adding postcode data using AWB

{{infobox UK place|
|country = England
|static_image =
|static_image_caption=
|latitude= 52.725600
|longitude=1.143483
| os_grid_reference = TG123188
|official_name =Alderford
|population = 43
| area_total_km2 = 1.80
|shire_district=
|shire_county= [[Norfolk]]
|region= East of England
|constituency_westminster=
|post_town= NORWICH
|postcode_district = NR9
|postcode_area=NR
|dial_code=
|os_grid_reference= TG1218
}}
'''Alderford''' is a [[village]] and [[civil parish]] in the [[England|English]] [[county]] of [[Norfolk]], about ten miles (16 km) north-west of [[Norwich]].

The civil parish has an area of 1.80 square kilometres and in 2001 had a population of 43 in 16 households. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the area of the [[Non-metropolitan district|district]] of [[Broadland]].{{ref|osnncc}}

==References==
*{{note|osnncc}} Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council, 2001. ''[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]''. Retrieved [[December 2]], [[2005]].

{{Civil Parishes of Broadland}}

[[Category:Broadland]]
[[Category:Villages in Norfolk]]

{{Norfolk-geo-stub}}

Reepham (Norfolk)

2009-06-27T15:53:27Z

ClickRick: Adding infobox data; general fixes using AWB

{{Infobox UK place
|official_name=Reepham
|country=England
|region=East of England
|shire_district=[[Broadland]]
|shire_county=[[Norfolk]]
|civil_parish=Reepham
|static_image=[[Image:Reepham churches.jpg|240px]]
|static_image_caption= The twin churches
|population=2455
| area_total_km2 = 19.09
| population_ref = ([[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]])
|os_grid_reference=TG100228
|latitude=52.762
|longitude= 1.112
|post_town= NORWICH
|postcode_area=NR
|postcode_district=NR10
|dial_code=01603
|constituency_westminster=[[Mid Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)|Mid Norfolk]]
|london_distance= {{convert|126|mi}}
}}

'''Reepham''' is a small [[market town]] in the [[England|English]], [[counties of the United Kingdom|county]] of [[Norfolk]], England. Situated on the [[B1145 road]] between the [[River Bure|Bure]] and [[River Wensum|Wensum]] valleys. The town is {{convert|12|mi}} north west of [[Norwich]].<ref name=ree>[http://www.broadland.gov.uk/leisure_and_tourism/2510.asp Towns and villages of Broadland] Retrieved 17 November 2008</ref> As of the 2001 census the [[civil parish]] has a population of 2,455 residents and covers an area of {{convert|1909|ha}}.<ref>[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls 2001 Census] Retrieved 17 November 2008</ref>

==History==
The town is mentioned in the [[Domesday Book]] of 1086 and is listed as ''Refham'' meaning the baliff's or [[Reeve (England)|reeves]] manor from the [[Old English]] ''gerafa'' (baliff) and ''ham'' (homestead).<ref> Rye. J. ''Popular Guide to Norfolk Place Names'' (1991) p30 Larks Press ISBN 0948400153 Retrieved 11 November 2008</ref> Reepham has had [[market town]] status since 1277; a sign to mark this has recently been erected. The town has undergone significant development throughout its life, with the [[House|housing]] in the area showing a mix of vintages, styles and purposes.

==The town today==
Recent housing developments have mostly been on [[brownfield land]] so have not significantly expanded the perimeter of the town.

The town has both a secondary school [[Reepham High School]], which achieved the highest grade—Outstanding—in every category in its 2008 [[Ofsted]] inspection,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/oxedu_reports/display/(id)/102601|title=Reepham High School|publisher=Ofsted|date={{date|24–25 September 2008}}|accessdate={{date|27 June 2009}}}}</ref> and a primary school.

The Reepham Society<ref>[http://www.reepham.org.uk/The_Society.htm The Reepham Society]</ref> is a registered charity, set up to stimulate public interest in Reepham, [[Hackford]], [[Kerdiston]], [[Salle, England|Salle]], and [[Whitwell]] in 1976.

==The twin churches==
Reepham has three churches on the same site and is one of only two places in [[Europe]] to do so. Reepham's church of St. Mary is joined by its choir vestry to St. Michael’s and the third church belonged to Hackford. However, this third church burned down in 1543 and now only a fragment of the tower wall remains on the left of the path as you go towards the market place.

==The town sign==
[[Image:Reepham.JPG|thumb|left| The town sign]]
The town sign was designed by the local high school and installed in 1992. It depicts three of each of the following elements: churches, villagers, farm labourers, sheep, lambs and "sisters" and is based on a myth that three sisters were each responsible for building a church. In fact, the three churches were built over several lifetimes.<ref name=ree/>

==Railway history==
By 1882, the town had two stations. Both were located on different tracks and each one managed by a separate railway company.[[Whitwell railway station, Norfolk|Whitwell station]] was on the [[M&GN]]s, [[Norwich City railway station|Norwich City station]] to [[Melton Constable railway station|Melton Constable station]] branch line. [[Reepham railway station|Reepham station]] was situated on the [[Great Eastern Railway|GEN]]s, [[Wroxham railway station|Wroxham station]] to [[County School railway station|County School station]] line. In 1960, the tracks were joined by the construction of the [[Themelthorpe|Themelthorpe Curve]]. The work was carried out by [[British Rail]] to facilitate the important movement of concrete products from [[Lenwade]]. Today, the railway trackbed form the [[Marriott's Way]] long distance footpath. Both former stations are notable stops on the footpath.<ref>[http://www.norfolkheritage.org.uk/reepham/default.asp?subname=reepham&id=48 Norfolk heritage- Railways]</ref>

==Public transport==
'''Bus'''

Sanders and Eastons Coaches provide bus services to and from the town.<ref> [http://www.carlberry.co.uk/rfnlistr.asp?L1=REE007&op=A Bus services] Retrieved 25 November 2008</ref>

==Notable residents==
[[Keith Simpson (politician)|Keith Simpson]] – Local Conservative MP for Mid Norfolk.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.reephambenefice.org.uk/reephamchurch.html Reepham Church Website]
*[http://www.norfolkcottages.co.uk/web_cam.htm Web Cam looking out over Reepham Market Place]
*[http://www.reephamhigh.norfolk.sch.uk/ Reepham High School]
*[http://www.reepham.org.uk/ The Reepham Society]
*[http://www.edp24.co.uk/Content/Postcard_From/reepham.asp A profile of Reepham]- by the [[Eastern Daily Press]]'s Ian Clarke
*[http://www.reephamrotary.org.uk/ Reepham Rotary Club]
*[http://www.norfolk.police.uk/map_stationDetail.cfm?stationID=39 Reepham's Police Station]
*[http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/reepham/reepham.htm Reepham's Church]at norfolkchurches.co.uk
*[http://www.visitaylsham.co.uk/ Visit Aylsham] Guide to Aylsham and the local area including Reepham
*[http://www.norfolkheritage.org.uk/reepham/default.asp?ID=1&subname=reepham Norfolk Heritage]

{{geocompass
|hub = Reepham
|type = ex
|NN = [[Wood Dalling]]
|NW = [[Guestwick]]
|NE = [[Salle, England|Salle]]
|WW = [[Pettywell]], [[Themelthorpe]]
|EE = [[Cawston, Norfolk|Cawston]]
|SW = [[Sparham]], [[Bawdeswell]]
|SS = [[Great Witchingham]], [[Lenwade]]
|SE = [[Brandiston]]
}}

{{Norfolk}}
{{Civil Parishes of Broadland}}

[[Category:Towns in Norfolk]]
[[Category:North Norfolk]]
[[Category:Broadland]]
[[Category:Market towns in England]]

[[it:Reepham (Norfolk)]]
[[vo:Reepham]]

Happisburgh

2009-06-27T14:27:51Z

ClickRick: Adding infobox data; general fixes using AWB

{{Infobox UK place
| official_name= Happisburgh
| country= England
| region= East of England
| shire_district= [[North Norfolk]]
| shire_county= [[Norfolk]]
| civil_parish= Happisburgh CP
| static_image = [[Image:Happisburgh Village Sign cropped.png|240px]]
| static_image_caption = Happisburgh village sign
| population = 1372
| area_total_km2 = 10.78
| population_ref = (Happisburgh parish, [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]]<ref>[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]. Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). Retrieved 20 June 2009.</ref>)
| os_grid_reference = TG388311
| latitude = 52.8242385
| longitude = 1.5308762
| post_town = NORWICH
| postcode_area = NR
| postcode_district = NR12
| dial_code = 01692
| constituency_westminster = [[North Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)|North Norfolk]]
| london_distance = {{convert|137|mi|km}}
}}
'''Happisburgh''' ({{pron-en|ˈheɪzbrə}} {{respell|HAYZ|brə}}—first syllable like 'haze') is a [[village]] and [[civil parish]] in the [[England|English]] [[county]] of [[Norfolk]]. It is situated off the [[B1159 road|B1159 coast road]] from [[Ingham, Norfolk|Ingham]] to [[Bacton, Norfolk|Bacton]].<ref name=osexp252>Ordnance Survey (2002). ''OS Explorer Map 252 - Norfolk Coast East''. ISBN 0-319-21888-0.</ref>

The civil parish has an area of {{convert|10.78|km2|abbr=on}} and in the [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]], before the creation of [[Walcott, Norfolk|Walcott]] parish, had a population of 1,372 in 607 households. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the [[Non-metropolitan district|district]] of [[North Norfolk]].<ref name=osnncc>Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). ''[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]''. Retrieved [[December 2]], [[2005]].</ref>

==St Mary's church==
[[Image:Saint Mary's Church (Happisburgh).jpg|thumb|left|Saint Mary's, Happisburgh.]]
The tower of the 15th century St Mary's church is an important landmark to [[mariner]]s warning of the position of the treacherous nearby [[sandbank]]s. In 1940 a [[Germany|German]] bomber released a trapped bomb from its bays during its return to Germany and the [[Shrapnel shell|shrapnel]] from the bomb can still be seen embedded in the aisle pillars of the church. The church's octagonal font, also of the 15th century, is carved with figures of [[lion]]s and [[satyr]]s.<ref name="illgui">''AA Illustrated Guide to Britain'', London, 5th edition, 1983, p.285.</ref>

==Lighthouse==
[[Image:Happisburgh lighthouse uk.jpg|thumb|left|Happisburgh lighthouse.]]
{{main|Happisburgh Lighthouse}}
The red-and-white striped [[Happisburgh lighthouse|lighthouse]], half a mile to the south of the church is the only independently operated lighthouse in Great Britain. It is also the oldest working lighthouse in East Anglia having been constructed in 1790. It is open to the public on occasional Sundays during the summer.<ref>[http://www.happisburgh.org/content/view/12/26/ Happisburgh Village Website, History of Happisburgh Lighthouse.]</ref>

==Lifeboat station==
[[Image:Happisburgh Lifeboat Station and RNLI Shop.jpg|thumb|left|Happisburgh lifeboat station and RNLI shop.]]
In 1866 the first lifeboat house was built on the cliffs above Old Cart Gap at a cost of £189. The location of the station here was prompted by its proximity to the treacherous [[Haisborough Sands]]. It closed in 1926 and the lifeboat was withdrawn.<ref name="RNLI">[http://www.rnli.org.uk/rnli_near_you/east/stations/HappisburghNorfolk/history RNLI history of Happisburgh lifeboat station].</ref>

A small boathouse was built in a similar site ({{coord|52.824326|N|1.5361011|E|display=inline|type:landmark_scale:1000_region:GB-NFK}}) during 1965 to house a [[D class lifeboat|D class inshore lifeboat]] that went into service in June of that year. In 1987 the boathouse was replaced by a new, more modern building with better facilities for crews. This was further extended in 1998. A new D class lifeboat, Colin Martin, was placed on service on 13 September 1994.<ref name="RNLI"/>

In December 2002 the lifeboat launching ramp was washed away due to massive erosion. A temporary station was opened within three months at Old Cart Gap. The original station is now used for training and souvenir sales.<ref name="RNLI"/><ref>[http://www.happisburgh.org.uk/press/nnn040908.html Happisburgh gets set for new lifeboat], North Norfolk News, 2008-09-04.</ref>

On 22 October 2003 a new D class lifeboat, D-607 Spirit of Berkhamsted, was placed on service.<ref name="RNLI"/><ref>[http://www.happisburgh.org.uk/press/nnn040908.html Happisburgh gets set for new lifeboat], North Norfolk News, 2008-09-04.</ref>

The station has been honoured with an RNLI Silver Medal.<ref name="RNLI"/>

{{Lifeboat Stations in Norfolk}}

==Coastal erosion==
[[Image:Happisburgh coastal erosion.jpg|thumb|right|The view of the cliffs from the end of Beach Road showing the precarious position of several houses, as the cliffs are being eaten away by [[coastal erosion]].]]
The part of the village near the coast regularly experiences severe erosion and houses that used to be over 20 feet from the sea now sit at the edge of a cliff and will later fall into the sea. [[Sea defences]] were built in 1959 to stop the tide from eating away at the coast. Changes in government policy, however, have discontinued management of [[coastal erosion]] in [[North Norfolk]].<ref>http://www.northnorfolk.org/coastal/documents/coastal_planning_leaflet.pdf</ref>

==Notable residents==
*[[Charles William Peach]], [[naturalist]] and [[geologist]]
*[[Richard Porson]], [[classical scholar]]

==See also==
Local offshore sandbanks dangerous to shipping:
*[[Hammond's Knoll]]
*[[Haisborough Sands]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*{{oscoor|TG388311_region:GB_scale:100000|Map sources}} for Happisburgh.
*[http://www.origins.org.uk/genuki/NFK/places/h/happisburgh/ Information from Genuki Norfolk] on Happisburgh.
*[http://www.happisburgh.org.uk/ CCAG Happisburgh Coastal Concern Action Group.]
*[http://www.literarynorfolk.co.uk/happisburgh.htm Happisburgh Literary History]



{{Civil Parishes of North Norfolk}}

[[Category:North Norfolk]]
[[Category:Villages in Norfolk]]
[[Category:Coastal settlements in Norfolk]]

[[it:Happisburgh]]

Downham Market

2009-06-27T02:46:03Z

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{{Infobox UK place
|static_image = [[File:UK DownhamMarket (ClockTower).jpg|240px|Clock Tower in Downham Market]]
|country = England
|latitude = 52.60
|longitude = 0.39
|official_name = Downham Market
|population = 6730
|population_ref = ([[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 Census]])
| area_total_km2 = 5.20
|shire_district = [[King's Lynn and West Norfolk]]
|shire_county = [[Norfolk]]
|region = East of England
|constituency_westminster = [[South West Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)|South West Norfolk]]
|post_town = DOWNHAM MARKET
|postcode_district = PE38
|postcode_area = PE
|dial_code = 01366
|os_grid_reference = TF611032
}}

'''Downham Market''', also known simply as '''Downham''', is a [[town]] and [[civil parish]] in the [[England|English]] [[county]] of [[Norfolk]]. It lies on the edge of [[the Fens]], on the [[River Great Ouse]], some [[1 E4 m|20 km]] south of the town of [[King's Lynn]], [[1 E4 m|60 km]] west of the city of Norwich and the same distance north of the city of [[Cambridge]].<ref>Ordnance Survey (1999). ''OS Explorer Map 236 – King's Lynn, Downham Market & Swaffham''. ISBN 0-319-21867-8.</ref>

The civil parish has an area of [[1 E6 m²|5.2 km²]] and in the [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]] had a population of 6,730 in 3,258 households. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the [[Non-metropolitan district|district]] of [[King's Lynn and West Norfolk]].<ref>Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). ''[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]''. Retrieved [[December 2]], [[2005]].</ref> It is part of [[South West Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)|South West Norfolk parliamentary constituency]].

It was an agricultural centre, developing as a market for the produce of the Fens with a bridge across the Ouse. During the Middle Ages, it was famed for its [[butter]] market and also hosted a notable horse fair.

Notable buildings in the town include its [[mediaeval]] [[parish church]], dedicated to [[Edmund the Martyr|St Edmund]], and [[Victorian era|Victorian]] [[clock tower]], constructed in [[1878]]. The town is also known as the place where [[Charles I of England|Charles I]] hid after the [[Battle of Naseby]]. The town has recently undergone a regeneration project on the Market Place, moving the market to the town hall car park. The decorative [[Village sign|town sign]] depicts the crown and arrows of St Edmund with horses to show the importance of the horse fairs in the town's history.

[[Downham Market railway station]], which serves the town, is on the [[Fen Line]] from London to King's Lynn.

There are two primary schools in Downham Market: Hillcrest and Clackclose. The town has one High School, [[Downham Market High School]] and a sixth form college, [[Ryston Sixth Form College]]. [[George William Manby|Captain Manby]] (1765-1854), the inventor of a lifesaving rocket, was educated in the town.

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="120px" heights="200px">
File:UK DownhamMarket (SideA).jpg|Signpost in Downham Market
File:UK DownhamMarket (SideB).jpg|Signpost in Downham Market
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==See also==
* Father [[Oswald Baker]] (1915–2004)
* [[Downham Town F.C.]]

==External links==
*[http://www.origins.org.uk/genuki/NFK/places/d/downham_market/ Information from Genuki Norfolk] on Downham Market.
*[http://www.downhamhigh.norfolk.sch.uk/ Downham Market High School]
*[http://www.downhamchamber.co.uk/ Downham Market Chamber of Trade]
*[http://www.downhammarkettowncouncil.org.uk/ Downham Market Town Council]
*[http://www.saintedmund.org.uk/ St Edmund's church]
*[http://www.dmtwinningclub.org/] - twinning with Civray, in the French département of Vienne.

{{Norfolk}}
{{River Great Ouse}}

{{Civil Parishes of King's Lynn and West Norfolk}}

[[Category:Towns on the River Great Ouse]]
[[Category:Towns in Norfolk]]
[[Category:Market towns in England]]
[[Category:King's Lynn and West Norfolk]]

[[it:Downham Market]]
[[pl:Downham Market]]
[[ro:Downham Market]]
[[vo:Downham Market]]

Coltishall

2009-06-27T02:36:06Z

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{{infobox UK place
| country = England
| latitude = 52.7333
| longitude = 1.3667
| os_grid_reference =
| official_name = Coltishall
| population = 1405
| area_total_km2 = 7.27
| static_image =
| static_image_caption =
| shire_district = [[Broadland]]
| shire_county = [[Norfolk]]
| region = East of England
| civil_parish = Coltishall
| constituency_westminster =
| postcode_district =
| postcode_area =
| postal_town =
| dial_code =
| london_distance =
| hide_services = true
}}

'''Coltishall''' is a [[village]] (population 1405<ref>Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council, 2001. "[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]."</ref>) on the [[River Bure]], west of [[Wroxham]], in [[England|English]] county of [[Norfolk]]<ref>Ordnance Survey (2005). ''OS Explorer Map OL40 - The Broads''. ISBN 0-319-23769-9.</ref>, within [[The Broads|Norfolk Broads]].

Coltishall was a place of note even when the [[Domesday Book]] was compiled. For 250 years it was a centre of the malting industry. Many Norfolk [[Norfolk wherry|wherries]] (trading ships) were built here.

At one time, it was possible to navigate the River Bure all the way to [[Aylsham]], but now the limit of navigation is just south of Coltishall.

The nearby [[RAF Coltishall]] played an important role during [[World War II]], and afterwards, but was finally closed in December 2006.

Horstead [[watermill]] on the Coltishall-Horstead river border was one of the most photographed mills in the county until it [[Fire|burned down]] in 1963.

[[Image:Staithe.jpg|thumb|right|180px|The Staithe]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/Watermills/horstead.html Horstead watermill history]

{{Civil Parishes of Broadland}}

[[Category:Broadland]]
[[Category:Villages in Norfolk]]

{{Norfolk-geo-stub}}

[[no:Coltishall]]

Brampton (Norfolk)

2009-06-27T02:02:50Z

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{{infobox UK place
| country = England
| latitude = 52.76
| longitude = 1.28
| os_grid_reference =
| official_name = Brampton
| population = 162
| population_ref = ([[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]]<ref>[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]. Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). Retrieved 20 June 2009.</ref>)
| area_total_km2 = 4.78
| static_image = [[Image:Brampton-g1.jpg|240px]]
| static_image_caption = Brampton St Peter
| shire_district = [[Broadland]]
| shire_county = [[Norfolk]]
| region = East of England
| civil_parish = Brampton
| constituency_westminster =
| postcode_district =
| postcode_area =
| postal_town =
| dial_code =
| london_distance =
| hide_services = true
}}

'''Brampton''' is a small village and parish in the county of [[Norfolk]], [[England]], in the [[River Bure|Bure Valley]], east of [[Aylsham]].

It is an intermediate halt on the [[Bure Valley Railway]].

Its church, St Peter, is one of 124 existing [[round-tower church]]es in [[Norfolk]].

Although now one of the smallest communities in Norfolk it has a rich history. In particular it was the site of a Roman manufacturing centre from where goods were exported by boat along the river Bure. In excavations in the 1960s evidence of a bath house was found along with many kilns.

The village sign reflects the Roman past and depicts a double-headed fish copied from a Roman brooch found some years ago that can now be seen in the Norwich museum. The village sign depicts the name Bramtuna to reflect its history.

The village has a website www.bramptonnorfolk.org.uk

== Notes ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.roundtowerchurches.de/Karte/B5/Brampton_St_Peter/brampton_st_peter.html Website with photos of Brampton St Peter]

{{Civil Parishes of Broadland}}

[[Category:Broadland]]
[[Category:Villages in Norfolk]]

{{UK-church-stub}}
{{Norfolk-geo-stub}}

Beetley

2009-06-25T14:31:38Z

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{{infobox UK place
| country = England
| latitude = 52.7167
| longitude = 0.9167
| os_grid_reference =
| official_name = Beetley
| population = 1385
| population_ref = ([[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]]<ref>[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]. Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). Retrieved 20 June 2009.</ref>)
| area_total_km2 = 11.02
| static_image =
| static_image_caption =
| shire_district = [[Breckland (district)|Breckland]]
| shire_county = [[Norfolk]]
| region = East of England
| civil_parish = Beetley
| constituency_westminster =
| postcode_district =
| postcode_area =
| postal_town =
| dial_code =
| london_distance =
| hide_services = true
| website = http://wimbotshampc.norfolkparishes.gov.uk/beetleyparish/
}}

'''Beetley''' is a village and [[civil parish]] in the [[Breckland (district)|Breckland]] district of [[Norfolk]], [[England]]. According to the 2001 census the parish had a population of 1,385. The village is situated four miles north of [[Toftwood]].

The village has a primary school, and a public house called "The New Inn". The Gressenhall Museum of Rural Life is situated between Beetley and [[Gressenhall]].

== Notes ==
{{reflist}}

{{Civil Parishes of Breckland}}

[[Category:Villages in Norfolk]]

{{Norfolk-geo-stub}}

Wroxham

2009-06-23T23:24:42Z

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{{Infobox UK place |
| country = England
|official_name= Wroxham
|population = 1532
| area_total_km2 = 6.21
|shire_district= [[Broadland]]
| region = East of England
|static_image= [[Image:WroxhamBay.jpg|240px]]
|static_image_caption= The Coltishall side of Wroxham Bridge
| shire_county = [[Norfolk]]
|civil_parish= Wroxham
|os_grid_reference= TG3017
|latitude= 52.706
|longitude= 1.412
|post_town= NORWICH
| postcode_district = NR12
| postcode_area= NR
|dial_code= 01603
|constituency_westminster= [[North Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)|North Norfolk]]
}}

'''Wroxham''' is a small [[town]] and [[civil parish]] in the [[England|English]] [[county]] of [[Norfolk]]. It situated on the south side of the [[River Bure]], within [[The Broads|the Norfolk Broads]], and some eight miles north-east of [[Norwich]]. [[Wroxham Broad]] lies about one mile downstream to the southeast.<ref>Ordnance Survey (2005). ''OS Explorer Map OL40 - The Broads''. ISBN 0-319-23769-9.</ref>
On the northern side of the Bure is [[Hoveton]].

The civil parish has an area of 6.21 square [[kilometres]] and in 2001 had a population of 1532 in 666 households. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the [[Non-metropolitan district|district]] of [[Broadland]].<ref>Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). ''[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]''. Retrieved [[December 2]], [[2005]].</ref>

Wroxham regards itself as the "Capital of the Broads". Wroxham bridge is considered to be the second most difficult on the Broads to navigate (after [[Potter Heigham]]) and a pilot station sits on the Hoveton side of the river to assist boaters for a fee. £6 per boat.

Wroxham has almost merged with [[Hoveton]] – with each village growing on one bank of the river. The combined Wroxham/Hoveton area is a local shopping centre, mainly due to the presence of ''Roys of Wroxham'' – the self-named "world's biggest village store". Roys owns much of the commercial property in the town. In fact, Roys of Wroxham is entirely situated on the Hoveton side of the river. Hoveton itself contains only a few local shops and pubs. Both Wroxham and Hoveton have several boat building and pleasure craft hire yards. Other local industries include the canning of soft fruits.

Wroxham is served by [[Hoveton and Wroxham railway station]], which is on the [[Bittern Line]] from [[Norwich]] to [[Cromer]] and [[Sheringham]], and which is the terminus of the [[narrow gauge railways|narrow gauge]] [[Bure Valley Railway]] to [[Aylsham]]. The station is actually located in Hoveton.

The Church of St Mary has a famous north doorway with seven [[Classical order|orders]] and three shafts. In the churchyard, is the medieval-appearing [[Trafford Mausoleum]], which was built in [[1831]]. A manor house is southeast of the church which has a [[panel]] dating to [[1623]] – its stepped gables show Dutch influence.

[[George Formby]], the early twentieth-century entertainer, once lived in Wroxham in ''Heronby''. Nearby is Charles Close on the site of the former Wroxham Hall.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.origins.org.uk/genuki/NFK/places/w/wroxham/ Information from Genuki Norfolk] on Wroxham.
*[http://www.wroxhamfc.com Wroxham Football Club]
*[http://www.visitaylsham.co.uk/ Visit Aylsham] Guide to Aylsham and the local area including Wroxham
{{Civil Parishes of Broadland}}

{{Norfolk}}

[[Category:Broadland]]
[[Category:Towns in Norfolk]]

{{Norfolk-geo-stub}}

[[it:Wroxham]]
[[nl:Wroxham]]
[[no:Wroxham]]
[[vo:Wroxham]]

Acle

2009-06-23T23:15:02Z

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{{Infobox UK place |
| country = England
|official_name= Acle
|population = 2732
| area_total_km2 = 9.46
|shire_district= [[Broadland]]
| region = East of England
| shire_county = [[Norfolk]]
|constituency_westminster= [[Mid Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)|Mid Norfolk]]
|post_town= NORWICH
| postcode_district = NR13
| postcode_area= NR
|dial_code= 01493
|civil_parish= Acle
|os_grid_reference= TG4010
|latitude= 52.638
|longitude= 1.555
}}
'''Acle''' is a small [[market town]] on the [[River Bure]] on [[The Norfolk Broads]] in [[Norfolk]]. It is located halfway between [[Norwich]] and [[Great Yarmouth]] and has the only bridge across the [[River Bure]] between [[Wroxham]] and [[Great Yarmouth]].<ref name=osolei40>Ordnance Survey (2005). ''OS Explorer Map OL40 - The Broads''. ISBN 0-319-23769-9.</ref>

The civil parish has an area of 9.46 square kilometres (3.7 sq. miles) and in 2001 had a population of 2732 in 1214 households. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the area of the [[Non-metropolitan district|district]] of [[Broadland]].<ref>Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council, 2001. "[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]". Retrieved [[December 2]], [[2005]].</ref>

The name "Acle" means "in the lea of the oaks", that is, a clearing in an [[oak]] forest. In [[Tudor dynasty|Tudor]] times, hundreds of oaks were felled here for timber to construct [[Elizabeth I of England|Elizabeth I]]'s war ships.

In [[Roman Empire|Roman]] times, Acle was a port at the head of a large [[estuary]] named Gariensis. Acle is mentioned in the [[Domesday Book]], and in 1253 it was granted a [[market]]. The livestock and local farmers' market persisted into the 1970s, as did a nearby auction site; the latter is now a new housing estate and the former is part-occupied by a branch of [[Budgens]], with the other part remaining a "market", although essentially for tourist purposes: no livestock is now bought or sold there. In 1382, Acle received the right for a "[[turbary]]", that is, the right to dig [[peat]]. Acle still has a boatyard and Boat Dyke, and pleasant walks along the Bure to [[Upton, Norfolk|Upton]] and beyond are possible.

[[Acle railway station]], which was built in 1883, lies on the [[Wherry Line]] from Norwich to Great Yarmouth. In 1892 a foundry was constructed that specialised in building [[windpump]]s for land drainage, including the very last windpump built for the Broads, at Ash Tree Farm. The three-mile £7.1m dual-carriageway [[A47 road|A47]] bypass opened in March 1989; local campaigners are still pressing for the dualling of the Acle Straight, the portion of the A47 running from Acle to [[Great Yarmouth]], which has a relatively high accident rate and is held by many locals to be a dangerous road. Since the turn of the century, a walkway running from the station to the Boat Dyke has been constructed by local volunteers; this walk (known as Damgate) offers an opportunity to view indigenous flora, some of which are rare. Also on the Damgate walk, there has been been repeated sightings of a [[kingfisher]], which is said to fly under the abandoned railway bridge at around mid afternoon. Of which is not very likely to see clearly as they are fast and quiet creatures, they are most likey blue blurs. But they do sit upon posts for a while.

==The parish church of St Edmund==
[[Image:Acle-g4.jpg|thumb|left|Acle St Edmund]]
The church of '''[[St Edmund]]''' is one of 124 existing [[round-tower church]]es in [[Norfolk]]. The round stage of the tower is the oldest part of the church, thought to be [[Anglo-Saxon architecture|Saxon]] in origin and of a date between 850 and 950 AD. The [[octagonal]] stage was added in the 13th century, probably when the roof was raised. The [[battlement]]s are from 1472. The tower houses six bells, five of which were cast in [[Norwich]] and date back to 1623. The tower is reinforced with a metal frame to enable the bells to be rung safely.

Entry to the church is by a [[porch]] on the north side, built in 1495. The dressed [[flint]]s are in contrast with most of the walls which appear to be made of [[rubble]].

The main body of the church, the [[nave]], is thought on the evidence of the measurements and wall thickness to be [[Normans|Norman]] in origin. This is not immediately obvious as no Norman doorways or aches remain. In 1927, when [[ivy]] was being strapped from the outside walls, one of the [[buttress]]es collapsed revealing a find of Norman-worked stones, which were later reassembled for safekeeping in the rood stair space.

Probably all the [[Norman architecture|Norman]] doors and archways were demolished when the floor level was raised in the 13th century (perhaps to prevent flooding). It is reasonable to assume therefore that at least the foundations of the nave are Norman.

The main [[nave]] windows are 14th century, and one near the [[pulpit]] is [[Tudor style architecture|Tudor]].

Probably the walls were painted at one time – a very small fragment of a dragon or a serpent-like creature still exists on the wall of the old rood staircase.

The stone [[font]] in the [[nave]] is dated 1410.

A 15th century wooden screen separates the nave from the chancel. It was not made for Acle church, and may have been brought from [[St Benet's Abbey]] or the priory at Weybridge.

The 14th century [[chancel]] probably replaced an [[apse]]; the windows are of 14th century design apart from the east window which holds Victorian stained glass.<ref>The Parish Church of St Edmund, Acle, Norfolk - A Brief Guide for Visitors</ref>

==References==
<references />

==See also==
*[[Nowhere (Norfolk)|Nowhere]]

==External links==
*[http://www.acle-village.info/ Acle Village Website]
*[http://www.origins.org.uk/genuki/NFK/places/a/acle/ Information from Genuki Norfolk] on Acle.
*[http://www.roundtowerchurches.de/Karte/C6/Acle_St_Edmund/acle_st_edmund.html Website with photos of Acle St Edmund], a [[round-tower church]]
*[http://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/windmills.html Acle windmills] from the Norfolkmills website

{{Norfolk}}
{{Civil Parishes of Broadland}}

[[Category:Broadland]]
[[Category:Market towns in England]]
[[Category:Towns in Norfolk]]

[[it:Acle]]
[[nl:Acle]]
[[pl:Acle]]
[[vo:Acle]]

Alderford

2009-06-23T22:24:11Z

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{{infobox UK place|
|country = England
|static_image =
|static_image_caption=
|latitude= 52.71
|longitude=01.13
|official_name =Alderford
|population = 43
| area_total_km2 = 1.80
|shire_district=
|shire_county= [[Norfolk]]
|region= East of England
|constituency_westminster=
|post_town=
|postcode_district =
|postcode_area=
|dial_code=
|os_grid_reference= TG1218
}}
'''Alderford''' is a [[village]] and [[civil parish]] in the [[England|English]] [[county]] of [[Norfolk]], about ten miles (16 km) north-west of [[Norwich]].

The civil parish has an area of 1.80 square kilometres and in 2001 had a population of 43 in 16 households. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the area of the [[Non-metropolitan district|district]] of [[Broadland]].{{ref|osnncc}}

==References==
*{{note|osnncc}} Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council, 2001. ''[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]''. Retrieved [[December 2]], [[2005]].

{{Civil Parishes of Broadland}}

[[Category:Broadland]]
[[Category:Villages in Norfolk]]

{{Norfolk-geo-stub}}

Dersingham

2009-06-22T20:20:24Z

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{{infobox UK place
| country = England
| latitude = 52.84471
| longitude = 0.50200
| os_grid_reference = TF686304
| official_name = Dersingham
| population = 4502
| area_total_km2 = 14.50
| static_image =
| static_image_caption =
| shire_district = [[King's Lynn and West Norfolk]]
| shire_county = [[Norfolk]]
| region = East of England
| civil_parish = Dersingham
| constituency_westminster =
| postcode_district =
| postcode_area =
| postal_town =
| dial_code =
| london_distance =
| hide_services = true
}}

'''Dersingham''' is a [[village]] and [[civil parish]] in the [[England|English]] [[county]] of [[Norfolk]]. It is situated some {{convert|12|km}} north of the town of [[King's Lynn]] and {{convert|70|km|abbr=on}} north-west of the city of [[Norwich]], opening onto [[the Wash]].<ref name=osexp250>Ordnance Survey (2002). ''OS Explorer Map 250 - Norfolk Coast West''. ISBN 0-319-21886-4.</ref>

The civil parish has an area of {{convert|14.5|km2|abbr=on}} and in the [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]] had a population of 4,502 in 2,110 households. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the [[Non-metropolitan district|district]] of [[King's Lynn and West Norfolk]].<ref name=osnncc>Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). ''[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]''. Retrieved [[December 2]], [[2005]].</ref>

[[Sandringham House]], a favoured holiday home of [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth]] and several of her predecessors, lies just to the south of Dersingham in the parish of [[Sandringham, Norfolk|Sandringham]]. The nearby [[Dersingham Bog|Dersingham Bog National Nature Reserve]], managed by [[English Nature]], contains habitats ranging from marshland to heathland and woodland. Birds such as the [[redpoll]], [[crossbill]], [[Long-eared Owl|long-eared owl]], [[Tree Pipit|tree pipit]], [[Eurasian Sparrowhawk|sparrowhawk]] and [[nightjar]] can be found here.<ref name=nccouk>{{cite web | title = Dersingham Norfolk | url = http://www.norfolkcoast.co.uk/location_norfolk/vp_dersingham.htm | publisher = NorfolkCoast.co.uk | accessdate = June 1 | accessyear = 2006}}</ref>

==Notable residents==
*[[Arthur Bryant]], historian and columnist for the ''[[Illustrated London News]]''
*[[Phil Collins]], drummer, solo artist and lead singer with Genesis
*[[Thomas Kerrich]] (1748–1828) artist and antiquarian was born here and became vicar in 1784
*[[Frederick Ralph]] (1836-1919) royal photographer, taught Princess Alexandra  to use a camera
*[[Roger Meddows-Taylor]] drummer for rock band [[Queen (band)|Queen]] was born in Dersingham.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{oscoor|TF686304_region:GB_scale:100000|Map sources}} for Dersingham.
*[http://www.origins.org.uk/genuki/NFK/places/d/dersingham/ Information from Genuki Norfolk] on Dersingham.
*[http://www.norfolkcoast.co.uk/location_norfolk/vp_dersingham.htm Information from NorfolkCoast.co.uk] on Dersingham.
* [http://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/windmills.html History of Dersingham windmills]

{{Civil Parishes of King's Lynn and West Norfolk}}

[[Category:Villages in Norfolk]]
[[Category:King's Lynn and West Norfolk]]

{{Norfolk-geo-stub}}

[[no:Dersingham]]

Downham Market

2009-06-22T18:30:51Z

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{{Infobox UK place
|static_image = [[File:UK DownhamMarket (ClockTower).jpg|240px|Clock Tower in Downham Market]]
|country = England
|latitude = 52.60
|longitude = 0.39
|official_name = Downham Market
|population = 6,730 ([[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 Census]])
|shire_district = [[King's Lynn and West Norfolk]]
|shire_county = [[Norfolk]]
|region = East of England
|constituency_westminster = [[South West Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)|South West Norfolk]]
|post_town = DOWNHAM MARKET
|postcode_district = PE38
|postcode_area = PE
|dial_code = 01366
|os_grid_reference = TF611032
}}

'''Downham Market''', also known simply as '''Downham''', is a [[town]] and [[civil parish]] in the [[England|English]] [[county]] of [[Norfolk]]. It lies on the edge of [[the Fens]], on the [[River Great Ouse]], some [[1 E4 m|20 km]] south of the town of [[King's Lynn]], [[1 E4 m|60 km]] west of the city of Norwich and the same distance north of the city of [[Cambridge]].<ref>Ordnance Survey (1999). ''OS Explorer Map 236 – King's Lynn, Downham Market & Swaffham''. ISBN 0-319-21867-8.</ref>

The civil parish has an area of [[1 E6 m²|5.2 km²]] and in the [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]] had a population of 6,730 in 3,258 households. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the [[Non-metropolitan district|district]] of [[King's Lynn and West Norfolk]].<ref>Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). ''[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]''. Retrieved [[December 2]], [[2005]].</ref> It is part of [[South West Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency)|South West Norfolk parliamentary constituency]].

It was an agricultural centre, developing as a market for the produce of the Fens with a bridge across the Ouse. During the Middle Ages, it was famed for its [[butter]] market and also hosted a notable horse fair.

Notable buildings in the town include its [[mediaeval]] [[parish church]], dedicated to [[Edmund the Martyr|St Edmund]], and [[Victorian era|Victorian]] [[clock tower]], constructed in [[1878]]. The town is also known as the place where [[Charles I of England|Charles I]] hid after the [[Battle of Naseby]]. The town has recently undergone a regeneration project on the Market Place, moving the market to the town hall car park. The decorative [[Village sign|town sign]] depicts the crown and arrows of St Edmund with horses to show the importance of the horse fairs in the town's history.

[[Downham Market railway station]], which serves the town, is on the [[Fen Line]] from London to King's Lynn.

There are two primary schools in Downham Market: Hillcrest and Clackclose. The town has one High School, [[Downham Market High School]] and a sixth form college, [[Ryston Sixth Form College]]. [[George William Manby|Captain Manby]] (1765-1854), the inventor of a lifesaving rocket, was educated in the town.

==Gallery==
<gallery widths="120px" heights="200px">
File:UK DownhamMarket (SideA).jpg|Signpost in Downham Market
File:UK DownhamMarket (SideB).jpg|Signpost in Downham Market
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==See also==
* Father [[Oswald Baker]] (1915–2004)
* [[Downham Town F.C.]]

==External links==
*[http://www.origins.org.uk/genuki/NFK/places/d/downham_market/ Information from Genuki Norfolk] on Downham Market.
*[http://www.downhamhigh.norfolk.sch.uk/ Downham Market High School]
*[http://www.downhamchamber.co.uk/ Downham Market Chamber of Trade]
*[http://www.downhammarkettowncouncil.org.uk/ Downham Market Town Council]
*[http://www.saintedmund.org.uk/ St Edmund's church]
*[http://www.dmtwinningclub.org/] - twinning with Civray, in the French département of Vienne.

{{Norfolk}}
{{River Great Ouse}}

{{Civil Parishes of King's Lynn and West Norfolk}}

[[Category:Towns on the River Great Ouse]]
[[Category:Towns in Norfolk]]
[[Category:Market towns in England]]
[[Category:King's Lynn and West Norfolk]]

[[it:Downham Market]]
[[pl:Downham Market]]
[[ro:Downham Market]]
[[vo:Downham Market]]

Dersingham

2009-06-22T18:30:19Z

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'''Dersingham''' is a [[village]] and [[civil parish]] in the [[England|English]] [[county]] of [[Norfolk]]. It is situated some 12 km north of the town of [[King's Lynn]] and 70 km north-west of the city of [[Norwich]], opening onto [[the Wash]].<ref name=osexp250>Ordnance Survey (2002). ''OS Explorer Map 250 - Norfolk Coast West''. ISBN 0-319-21886-4.</ref>

The civil parish has an area of 14.5 km² and in the [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]] had a population of 4,502 in 2,110 households. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the [[Non-metropolitan district|district]] of [[King's Lynn and West Norfolk]].<ref name=osnncc>Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). ''[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]''. Retrieved [[December 2]], [[2005]].</ref>

[[Sandringham House]], a favoured holiday home of [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen Elizabeth]] and several of her predecessors, lies just to the south of Dersingham in the parish of [[Sandringham, Norfolk|Sandringham]]. The nearby [[Dersingham Bog|Dersingham Bog National Nature Reserve]], managed by [[English Nature]], contains habitats ranging from marshland to heathland and woodland. Birds such as the [[redpoll]], [[crossbill]], [[Long-eared Owl|long-eared owl]], [[Tree Pipit|tree pipit]], [[Eurasian Sparrowhawk|sparrowhawk]] and [[nightjar]] can be found here.<ref name=nccouk>{{cite web | title = Dersingham Norfolk | url = http://www.norfolkcoast.co.uk/location_norfolk/vp_dersingham.htm | publisher = NorfolkCoast.co.uk | accessdate = June 1 | accessyear = 2006}}</ref>

==Notable residents==
*[[Arthur Bryant]], historian and columnist for the ''[[Illustrated London News]]''
*[[Phil Collins]], drummer, solo artist and lead singer with Genesis
*[[Thomas Kerrich]] (1748–1828) artist and antiquarian was born here and became vicar in 1784
*[[Frederick Ralph]] (1836-1919) royal photographer, taught Princess Alexandra to use a camera
*[[Roger Meddows-Taylor]] drummer for rock band [[Queen (band)|Queen]] was born in Dersingham.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{oscoor|TF686304_region:GB_scale:100000|Map sources}} for Dersingham.
*[http://www.origins.org.uk/genuki/NFK/places/d/dersingham/ Information from Genuki Norfolk] on Dersingham.
*[http://www.norfolkcoast.co.uk/location_norfolk/vp_dersingham.htm Information from NorfolkCoast.co.uk] on Dersingham.
* [http://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/windmills.html History of Dersingham windmills]

{{coord|52.84471|N|0.50200|E|region:GB_source:enwiki-osgb36(TF686304)|display=title}}

{{Civil Parishes of King's Lynn and West Norfolk}}

[[Category:Villages in Norfolk]]
[[Category:King's Lynn and West Norfolk]]

{{Norfolk-geo-stub}}

[[no:Dersingham]]

Thorpe St Andrew

2009-06-22T15:42:57Z

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{{infobox UK place
| country = England
| latitude = 52.633
| longitude = 1.333
| os_grid_reference =
| official_name = Thorpe St Andrew
| population = 13762
| area_total_km2 = 0.09
| static_image =
| static_image_caption =
| shire_district = [[Broadland]]
| shire_county = [[Norfolk]]
| region = East of England
| civil_parish = Thorpe St Andrew
| constituency_westminster =
| postcode_district =
| postcode_area =
| postal_town =
| dial_code =
| london_distance =
| hide_services = true
}}

'''Thorpe St Andrew''' is a small town and suburb of [[Norwich]] in the [[English county]] of [[Norfolk]].
It is situated about two miles east of the city centre, outside the city boundary in the district of [[Broadland]]. It constitutes a [[civil parish]] covering an area of {{convert|9|ha|abbr=on}} which had a population of 13,762 according to the [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]].<ref>[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]. Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). Retrieved 20 June 2009.</ref>
It is also the administrative headquarters of the [[Broadland]] [[non-metropolitan district|district council]].

Thorpe is in the [[Domesday Book]], in which it is spelt ‘Torp’, which is a [[Scandinavian language|Scandinavian]] word meaning village. It is thought that the [[Danes (Germanic tribe)|Danes]] were in [[East Anglia]] as early as 870 AD and in 1004 [[Sweyn]] and his ships came up the river to Norwich.

There is also evidence that Thorpe was occupied by the [[Roman Empire|Romans]] with the discovery of various remains. The earliest references found that relate to the parish are under the names of ‘Thorpe Episcopi’ and ‘Thorpe-next-Norwich’. In later years it has been known as ‘Thorpe St Andrew’.

There are numerous leisure facilities, groups and organisations including the County Arts Club on Plumstead Road, Thorpe Kite Flyers, Starlight Express Majorettes and the Oasis Sports and Leisure Centre on Pound Lane. Religious groups of many denominations meet regularly all over Thorpe.

Parts of the original village can still be seen along the Yarmouth Road leading out of Norwich. Features here include St Andrews parish church, the former parish infants school, the Rivergarden public house and the multi-gabled Buck public house.

In recent years, Thorpe St Andrew has expanded eastwards in the shape of the Dussindale housing development, which includes Dussindale Primary School, which opened in 2007 and Broadland business park.

Thorpe St Andrew is the home of Thorpe Players amateur dramatics group who meet and perform at the Roxley Hall, on Yarmouth Road.

Thorpe St Andrew is also the home of Norwich's new radio station: [[99.9 Radio Norwich]]. The studios are based near Thorpe River Green and the station started broadcasting on 29 June 2006.

One of the local schools in the area is [[Thorpe St Andrew High School]]; it has been established for at least 50 years.{{fact|date=June 2009}}

== Notes ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://norfolk-guide.co.uk/2006/river-green-thorpe-st-andrew-and-st-andrews-church/ Norfolk Guide - Thorpe St Andrew]
*[http://www.thorpe-players.co.uk/ Thorpe Players, Roxley Hall, Norwich]

{{Civil Parishes of Broadland}}

[[Category:Villages in Norfolk]]

{{Norfolk-geo-stub}}

[[it:Thorpe St Andrew]]
[[no:Thorpe St Andrew]]

Little Witchingham

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{{infobox UK place
| country = England
| latitude = 52.733
| longitude = 1.141
| os_grid_reference =
| official_name = Little Witchingham
| population = 36
| area_total_km2 = 3.01
| static_image =
| static_image_caption =
| shire_district = [[Broadland]]
| shire_county = [[Norfolk]]
| region = East of England
| civil_parish = Little Witchingham
| constituency_westminster =
| postcode_district =
| postcode_area =
| postal_town =
| dial_code =
| london_distance =
| hide_services = true
}}

'''Little Witchingham''' is a [[village]] and [[civil parish]] in the [[English county]] of [[Norfolk]].
It covers an area of {{convert|3.01|km2|abbr=on}} and had a population of 36 in 14 households as of the [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]].<ref>[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]. Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). Retrieved 20 June 2009.</ref>
For the purposes of local government, it falls within the [[Non-metropolitan district|district]] of [[Broadland]].

== Notes ==
{{reflist}}

== References ==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite web|url=http://www.broadland.gov.uk/leisure_and_tourism/1166.asp|title=Great and Little Witchingham|publisher=Broadland District Council|accessdate={{date|22 June 2009}}}}</ref>
{{refend}}

{{Civil Parishes of Broadland}}

[[Category:Broadland]]
[[Category:Villages in Norfolk]]

{{Norfolk-geo-stub}}

Hethersett

2009-06-20T19:52:54Z

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{{infobox UK place
| country = England
| latitude = 52.6
| longitude = 1.1833
| os_grid_reference =
| official_name = Hethersett
| population = 5441
| area_total_km2 = 10.92
| static_image =
| static_image_caption =
| shire_district = [[South Norfolk]]
| shire_county = [[Norfolk]]
| region = East of England
| civil_parish = Hethersett
| constituency_westminster =
| postcode_district =
| postcode_area =
| postal_town =
| dial_code =
| london_distance =
| hide_services = true
}}

'''Hethersett''' is a large village in the county of [[Norfolk]], [[England]], about {{convert|6|mi|km|0}} south-west of [[Norwich]]. It covers an area of {{convert|10.92|km2|abbr=on}} and had a population of 5,441 in 2,321 households as of the [[United Kingdom Census 2001|2001 census]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.south-norfolk.gov.uk/democracy/Hethersett_parish.asp|title=Hethersett parish information|publisher=South Norfolk Council|date={{date|23 March 2009}}|accessdate={{date|20 June 2009}}}}</ref>

It provides schooling from nursery to Year 11, and is linked to CNS for the sixth form.

The Parish of Hethersett is, by Norfolk standards, a large one, covering {{convert|2695|acre|km2|1}}; it was the main settlement in the ancient Hundred of Humbleyard; it lies in the Deanery of Humbleyard and in the South Norfolk District.

Hethersett stretched three miles (5 km) from east to west along the line of the B1172 (the old Norwich to London road) and two miles (3 km) from northwest to southeast, 3, 000 miles (5, 075 km) east of baseline. The road cuts it into slightly larger northern and smaller southern divisions; the Norwich to Cambridge railway follows its southern boundary but otherwise the parish has no obvious physical limits and presumably represents the land needed to feed the Saxon settlements that grew up in the area.

From the west, moving in a clockwise direction, the parishes contiguous with this are those of Wymondham, Great Melton, Little Melton, Colney, Cringleford, Intwood (now part of Keswick) and Ketteringham.

The meaning of the name of Hethersett is not clear; the guide to the church suggests the enclosure for the deer: Heedra is an old English word for heather or heath, and set is Old English for a dwelling place, camp, stable or fold. This would give the meaning as being that of a camp or enclosure on the heath.

Although the name is a Saxon one, we have evidence of earlier settlers; a New Stone Age long barrow (burial mound) lies in Cantley and two areas of Roman pottery have been found in the northern part of the parish; in view of the existence of a great Roman centre at Caister St Edmund, the latter finds are not surprising.

The earliest description of Hethersett comes to us in the [[Domesday Book]] account of 1086; it would seem that there were perhaps 400 people in the parish by that time. The Lord of the Manor had 87 sheep and seven hives of bees, perhaps gathering nectar from the heather, among his possessions.

The Domesday Book also mentions the church with its {{convert|60|acre}} of land, a handsome endowment: no Saxon or Norman work remains to be seen because of later rebuilding. There is also mention of a second church and this presumably applies to the church of Cantley, then a separate parish, of which nothing now remains except some mounds in a pasture to the north of Cantley Farm. This small parish was amalgamated with its larger neighbour in 1397 although the church was used as a chapel until the 16th century.

During medieval times, the parish seems to have had an uneventful history. The present parish church was begun in 1320 and the tower and nave arcades and windows are in the decorated style (1290-1330). It is dedicated to [[St Remigius]] (438-533), the great [[Bishop of Reims]]. Remigius de Hethersete, a priest who also participated in the building of Hingham Church, may have suggested the dedication in honour of his name-saint. The clerestory of the nave and the lovely north porch were added in the 15th century.

The Domesday village had become three manors or at least was part of three manors by the 13th century. These became known as Hethersett Cromwells, Hethersett Hacons and Hethersett Woodhall. Cromwells was the chief manor and its manor house was probably in the meadows immediately to the south of Church Farm. Hacons and Woodhall sites are less certain and the lands of these manors lay in the neighbouring parishes as well as Hethersett. Thickthorn seems to have had a separate hamlet with its own moated house near to the present Hall.

As the community grew during the 16th century, the commons became especially important to those who had little other land. Hethersett with its open green, Lynch Green, would have had cottages and farm buildings around the edge. Lynch Green opened out westwards to the great common where Wymondham, Great Melton and Hethersett parishes met. The most famous event in Hethersett's history took place in 1549 when Robert Kett and his men tore down John Flowerdew's hedges on Hethersett common. Kett's Oak is said to commemorate the spot where rebels gathered before marching to Mousehold Heath in Norwich.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, several fine houses were built or added to in the village. Access was improved by the turnpiking of the main road in the middle of the 17th century. Farmhouses of some style were built at Hill Farm, Whitehouse Farm, Cedar Grange and Beech Grove, as yeomen bought up land and some of the common fields disappeared.

Woodhall, the Priory and the Old Hall were modernised and extended by Norwich merchants such as John Buckle, Mayor of Norwich in 1793, who lived in the Priory.

In the early 19th century, Hethersett Hall was built and its attractive park and ornamental lake laid out by the Back family. The Hill House estate was laid out in the 1780s by a Mr Brown. Perhaps the greatest change of all came as a result of the enclosure award of 1799 when Lynch Green was divided up and disappeared as an open space, although the [[tithe maps|tithe map]] shows that there were still only a few houses along Mill Road and Great Melton Road in 1844.

In ''Victorian Miniature'', Owen Chadwick gives us a detailed account of life in the area in the middle of the 19th century. The Rev William Waite Andrew, the Vicar of Ketteringham, one of the two central characters in the book, lived at Woodhall, which he bought for £3,600 in 1841 and to which he added a new western extension.

In the 19th century, village crafts and small industries employed a number of men locally; two windmills existed, one giving the name to Mill Road. Three smithies existed in the village in the 1880s and carriages were built at Harveys. There was a brickyard in Queen's Road. The railway lasted 120 years; it arrived as the Norwich and Brandon Railway in 1846, but was closed to passengers in 1966.

Hethersett has two nonconformist chapels, a Methodist Chapel dating from the 1920s, built on to the front of an earlier building, and a Baptist Chapel built in 1891. The Baptist Chapel was extended in the 1960s to supply a vestry, kitchen and toilet. The Baptist Church originated in the 1870s, and they met in the old school on Henstead Road (now the Anglican Church Hall) until the present chapel, just across the road from the old school, was constructed. Although old records state that it seated 100 people this is difficult to believe. Fifty would be the greatest comfortable capacity of the building today. Mr. David G. Farrow is the current pastor of the Baptist Church, which has a website at www.hethersettbaptistchurch.com/.

Hethersett lies so close to Norwich that many think of it as just another of its suburbs. It is, however, a separate community with its own vitality and quite a marked community spirit. This shows itself not only in the wide range of activities in the village but also in more permanent ways in items provided for the village through the efforts of villagers. These include a learner swimming pool in the Middle School, a bench in the memory of Zita James sited at the church, a cassette library, the conversion of School House in the Middle School to provide a Music Room, the erection of a village sign, village street plans, the Jubilee Youth Club and the Scout and Guide Hut. Trees have been planted in various parts of the village and a memorial plaque has been erected on the site of the old School (No 3 Queen's Road). The Parish Council have provided litter bins, salt and grit bins for use in icy weather and "Fido" bins.

In September 1994 the new Village Hall was opened in Back Lane, funded mostly by Wilcon Homes under a Section 106 Planning Gain agreement. The hall has a purpose-built stage with seating for 250 and also provides a committee room for 50 people.

In 1801 Hethersett had a population of 696 (in 90 houses); by 1851 this number had nearly doubled, but it never reached this total again until 1931; since then and especially in the last 20 years or so, Hethersett's population has risen to over 5,000. It is now as large as some of Norfolk's market towns. During the past seven years the Steepletower site near the parish church has expanded rapidly; by 1995 about 360 dwellings had been completed out of a projected figure of 520.

Water supply, mains drains, a new surface water drainage system, street lights, branch library, new First School and High School, reflect the demands of a rapidly growing population for improved services. The village has its own post office, bank, surgery, pharmacy and dentist and the recent development of the square in Great Melton Road (known to locals as Oak Square) has brought new shopping facilities to the centre of the village.

The construction of the [[A11 road (Great Britain)|A11]] dual carriageway from Cringleford to Wymondham has reduced the traffic using the old A11 (now B1172). Concern continues to be expressed about the dangerous staggered crossing at the A11/Station Lane junction. Following the death of a local schoolboy, lighting has been installed, but many residents prefer to travel to Ketteringham and beyond via the Ketteringham Lane bridge over the A11 to avoid this blackspot.

The effects of the opening of the Norwich Southern Bypass are less direct, but already land nearby has come under pressure for development. Hethersett's situation so close to Norwich with its excellent facilities and transportation links means pressures for growth and development (both desirable and undesirable) will continue in the foreseeable future.

Despite the substantial growth of housing over the last 40 years, the parish of Hethersett still has much wildlife interest. The built-up area covers less than 25% of this large parish, leaving a considerable area of arable land and open spaces.

Two areas of much interest are the Kissing and Suckling Lanes, both public footpaths. From the former the walker has excellent views of the Park with its remaining large trees and lake. Members of the thrush family regularly feed here; sometimes in early spring these include large gatherings of fieldfares and redwings before they depart for their eastern breeding grounds. Both Canada and barnacle geese breed in the vicinity of the lake where mallards, moorhens and coots are regularly seen. Cormorants also visit these waters with a variety of other ducks dropping in from time to time. The careful observer can often see a patient heron or even a kingfisher waiting for a catch.

There are many interesting walks in the parish including footpaths to the Village Pit and from New Road to Great Melton church. They contain old hedges and mature trees providing suitable homes for various birds. Hethersett continues to grow but it remains a village with much natural beauty for those with the eyes and ears willing to seek it.

== Notes ==
{{reflist}}

==References==
{{refbegin}}
* Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council, 2001. "[http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes]."
{{refend}}

{{Civil Parishes of South Norfolk}}

[[Category:Villages in Norfolk]]