Official Guide to North Walsham 2023-2024

Historical North Walsham 139
in Great Yarmouth. Thomas Cooper (I) had
moved from Yarmouth to Burgh Castle as a
sign of his transition from trade in Yarmouth
to landowning respectability, and it was a
prosperous heiress from North Walsham, Ann
Withers, who provided the property in North
Walsham on her marriage to Thomas Cooper (II)
in 1716.
Improved and Ornamented
By 1781 the earlier dwelling had been rebuilt
or modernised on a much grander scale
by Thomas Cooper (III) and M.J. Armstrong
described it as Thomas Cooper’s “most eligible
seat at the east end of the town, which he has
lately much improved and ornamented at great
expense.”
Improvements were obviously continuing 9
years later because, in 1790, the same Thomas
Cooper had the Old Road (that went to White
Horse Common) successfully “removed from one
part of the land ….. to another part of the same
land.” He was then able to lay out his improved
park. The plan of the new road arrangement
is shown in a 1790 Road Order which was
approved and enrolled by the Clerk to the
County Justices. The Road Order stated, “The
Publick will have the Addition of 32 perches by
the alteration.” The “New Road” still retains that
name today!
An oil painting, held in private hands, shows
The Oaks in all its late 18th century glory.
The painting is unfortunately unsigned &
undated but is circa 1800 - after the extensive
improvements had been implemented.
A survey of 1809 describes, amongst other
features, “the pump giving ‘excellent water’, 360
yards of ‘lofty walls well clothed with fruit trees of
all descriptions in full bearing’, large pleasure and
kitchen gardens, nursery, orchards, hot houses
and a green house and orangery. The stabling
would take nine horses and four carriages with
stalls for thirty more horses.”
At its peak in North Walsham the Cooper Estate
covered 120 acres with the mansion plus the
Cross Keys Inn, four cottages, two gardens and
three other plots.
Party Anyone?
By 1814, widower Thomas Cooper (III) was
still alive, but it was his son Captain Thomas
Hammont Cooper who was now residing at
The Oaks. Captain Thomas Hammont Cooper
was, at one time, much admired in the town.
On 19th July 1814, he held a “second festival of
peace in the grounds of The Oaks.” This was held
to celebrate the end of one of the Napoleonic
Wars. His spacious grounds hosted a dinner for
950 poor people of the parish where, seated
at nineteen tables, they partook of “roast beef,
plum pudding and fine, strong ale.” In front of
the house, he also pitched three handsome
marquees and a “very rich and elegant collation
was served to the ladies and gentlemen present.”
After the dinner there were various sports
competitions “well conducted and spiritedly
contested.” The evening ended with a beautiful
show of fireworks, an air balloon, a fire balloon
and much dancing on the lawns by “forty couple
of lovely youths.”
In 1820 he organised a subscription to assist the
widow and eight children of local surgeon Mr
John Aldham and, at a dinner the same year, he
was presented with a superb piece of elegantly
engraved silver plate (valued at 115 guineas) by
“the inhabitants of North Walsham and its vicinity
as a testimony of their high esteem for his public
conduct and private worth.”
However, he over-extended himself in his
military and social interests. He appeared to
have lived way beyond his means and was
continually seeking additional funds. Whilst