Local Lynx No.153 - December 2023/January 2024 (revised)

ISSUE 153
December 2023
- January 2024
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ADS DIRECTORY now 1 on back page and at
www.locallynx.co.uk

WHAT’S ON
VH = village hall
DECEMBER
1 st Fri. Field Dalling Adnams Wine Tasting, VH 7pm
1 st Fri. Langham Christmas lights switch on, village green/
Bluebell 5.30pm
1 st Fri. Sharrington Craft Group VH 10.30am-12.30pm
2 nd Sat. Binham Christmas Supper, BMH 6.30pm for 7pm
2 nd Sat. Langham Christmas Fair, village hall 10am to 12noon
3 rd Sun. Langham 200 club coach shopping trip to Norwich
10am-4pm
3 rd Sun. Stiffkey Advent Service, Church St John and St Mary,
9:30am
6 th Wed. Sharrington Gardeners, Christmas Social. Details tbc
8 th Fri. Bale Fish and Chips, VH 7pm
9 th Sat. Field Dalling Christmas Fair, VH 11am
9 th Sat. Sharrington Concert Edwina Hayes,VH 7.30pm
11 th Mon. Morston Games Night, VH 7pm
13 th Wed. Langham Bingo night, VH from 6.30pm
14 th Thu. Binham & Hindringham Open Circle Christmas
meal, Walsingham Barns 6.30pm for 7pm
15 th Fri. Field Dalling Bingo, VH 7.30pm
15 th Fri. Stiffkey Live band Mango Chutney, Stiffkey Red
Lion 8pm
16 th Sat. Gunthorpe 50:50 Club and Friends Christmas party,
VI 12noon
16 th Sat. Sharrington Carol service, church 5pm
18 th Mon. Binham Carols at the Chequers, 7.15pm
19 h Tue. Langham, village hall, FOL Christmas Quiz from
5.30pm
21 st Thu. Binham Carols & Readings for Advent & Christmas,
BP 6.30pm
22 nd Fri. Bale Bale Oak Bar, VH 6.30-9.30pm
23 rd Sat. Morston Christmas Carol Service. All Saints 5pm
23 rd Sat. Stiffkey Christmas Carols, Church St John and St
Mary, 4pm
24 th Sun. Binham Crib Service, BP 4pm
24 th Sun. Langham Carols, Church 4pm
25 th Mon. Binham Christmas Day Service, BP 10.30am
31 st Sun. Bale Old Year’s Night Party, VH 8pm
JANUARY
7 th Sun. Binham Carols & Readings, BP 3.30pm
12 th Fri. Bale Fish and chips, VH 7pm
20 th Sat. Bale Bale Book Group, VH 4pm
22 nd Mon. Field Dalling Parish Council, VH 7pm
January 27 th Sat. Gunthorpe 50:50 Club Coffee Morning, VI
10.30am
26 th Fri. Bale Bale Oak Bar, VH 6.30-9.30pm
REGULARS
Mondays Bale Painting Group, VH, 1-4pm
(4 th Sept – 11 th Dec. & 8 th Jan – 18 th Mar.)
Mondays Sharrington, Yoga class, VH 11.30am-12.30pm
(Not Bank Holidays)
Tuesdays Binham Art Group BMH 9.30am - 12.30pm
Wednesdays Binham Youth Group, BMH 6pm - 8pm (during
term time)
1 st Wed of month Field Dalling Coffee Morning, VH 10.30am
3 rd Wed of month Binham Cosy Club, BMH, 2pm - 4pm
4 th Wed of month Field Dalling U3A Military History, VH
10am
3 rd Thu of month Binham Binham & Hindringham Open
Circle, HVH 7.15pm
Last Thu of month Binham Social Night, BMH 7pm
1 st Fri of month Field Dalling First Friday, VH 6pm
4 th Fri of month Field Dalling U23A Family History, VH
10am
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POST OFFICE & LIBRARIES
Wednesdays, Field Dalling, Post Office, VH 9.15 to 9.45am
Thursdays 7 th Dec & 4 th Jan, Field Dalling, Mobile Library,
Highfield, 16.45 to 17.00
Fridays 8 th Dec. & 5 th Jan 2024 Sharrington Library Bus VH
3.25 pm
DELICIOUS MONDAY LUNCHES FOR
EVERYONE AT GLAVEN CARING
A great way to start the week!
Treat yourself – and a friend - to our Happy Mondays
Lunch at Glaven Caring in Blakeney. Just £5 for a hot,
nutritious, home made two course lunch. Pre book by
10am on Mondays - call 01263 740762 and leave a
message. Hope to see you there soon.
CLASH DIARY
If you are arranging a big event, contact your village rep
to add it to our clash diary, then check the diary to see
what else is going on.
February
10 th Sat. Sharrington Vagaband Concert VH 7.30pm
June
22 nd Sat. Morston Morston Meander: Open Gardens
and village tour 11am - 4pm
July
28 th Sun. Gunthorpe Fete Gunthorpe Hall 2-4pm
August
24 h Sat. Langham Street Fayre - all day
Local Lynx is a non-profit-making community
newspaper for the ten villages of the benefice.
_________________________________________________________________________
We welcome articles, drawings, photos, poetry
and advertisements for publication from all ages
but the editor reserves the right to edit or omit
submissions. A maximum of 400 words is
recommended. Please contact your local rep on
their email or phone number listed under your own
village heading.
All submissions must go through the village rep.
For general information: lynxeditor@pobox.com.
________________________________________________________________________________
Deadlines for submissions to reps are: 6 January,
6 March, 6 May, 6 July, 6 September & 6 November
Newsletter and Website Advertising
For enquiries about advertising in Local Lynx, contact
Sally Metcalfe: sallymetcalfe@btinternet.com
Rates for advertising (pre-paid) are:
One column x 62 mm (1/8 page): £72 for six issues.
Small Ads Panel on the back page:
Available for individuals and businesses
providing local services. Cost: £36 for six issues.
ST. PETER’S CATHOLIC CHURCH
Back Lane Blakeney NR25 7NP
Mass Sunday - 11am
Wednesday - 9.30am
Holyday of Obligation 9.30am
www.catholicparishofwalsingham.org

Church Services for Bale and Stiffkey Benefice for December 2023 and January 2024
HC=Holy Communion. CFS=Church Family Service. MP=Morning Prayer. BCP=Book of Common Prayer CW- Common Worship
Parish 3 rd December 10 th December 17 th December 24 th December
Christmas Eve
25 th December
Christmas Day
Bale 9.30am HC 6.00pm Carol Service 9.30am Christmas HC
Field Dalling 11am CFS 11am Lessons & Carols 4pm Crib Service 10.30am Christmas
Communion
Saxlingham At Field Dalling 4pm Carol Service At Field Dalling At Field Dalling
Gunthorpe 11am MP BCP 11am Christmas HC
Sharrington 9.30am MP BCP 9.30am HC 9.30am HC
Binham 11am MP 11am MP 11am HC 4pm Crib Service 10.30am Carols and
Readings
Morston 9.30am HC BCP 9.30am MP BCP 9.30am MP BCP
Langham At Stiffkey 9.30am MP BCP At Stiffkey 4.00pm Lessons and
Carols
Stiffkey 9.30am MP BCP At Langham 9.30am HC BCP At Langham
Parish
7 th January
14 th January 21 st January 28 th January
Epiphany
Bale 9.30am HC 9.30am HC
Field Dalling 11am CFS At Saxlingham 11am MP BCP
Saxlingham At Field Dalling 11am MP At Field Dalling
Gunthorpe
11.00am MP BCP
Sharrington 9.30am MP BCP 9.30am HC 9.30am MP CW 9.30am HC
Binham 3.30pm Epiphany Service 11am MP 11am MP 9.30am HC
with The Richeldis Singers
Morston 9.30am HC BCP 9.30am MP BCP
Langham At Stiffkey 9.30am MP BCP At Stiffkey 9.30am MP BCP
Stiffkey 9.30am MP BCP At Langham 9.30am HC BCP At Langham
Additional Services
9 th December: Cockthorpe, 3.30pm. Carol Service.
16 th December: Sharrington, 5pm. Carol Service.
21 st December: Binham, 6.30pm. Carols and Readings with the Iceni Choir.
23 rd December: Stiffkey, 4pm. Carol Service.
23 rd December: Morston, 5pm. Lessons and Carols.
31 st December: Langham, 10.30am. Group HC Service.
Zoom Evensong on December 3 rd and January 7 th at 5pm. For further details please contact Ian Newton
on 07979 598020 or email iannewton46@gmail.com.
RECTOR’S LETTER
Dear Friends and Parishioners,
All the most efficient Christmas card senders are ready
for the post by November. The rest of us bring things off
very late in the day, or simply give up. I hang on to those
I’ve been sent for nearly a year, or sometimes longer. A
particular favourite is a peacock from a decorative border in
The Sherborne Missal, c.1400. Considered a masterpiece in
the history of English book illumination, this splendid
liturgical manuscript was commissioned for the Benedictine
Abbey of Sherborne in Dorset. It is unique in portraying
detailed studies of native birds, most identified with their
common local names. It is now in the British Library; and is
packed with colour and charm.
The Winter months are not without their beauty or their
comfort; and at Christmas we may be caught up in the
wonder and delight of the Incarnation. Whether your cards
feature camels or robins, behind it all is the profound love of
God for His creation, illumined for us in the birth, of his
virgin mother in the stable at Bethlehem. Angels look on,
shepherds worship, wise men travel, and the earth is still.
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May I wish you a blessed and peaceful time.
Yours truly, Ian Whittle
The Rectory, Langham 01328 830246
‘Dance of the Months’
January comes with his ice-crown.
February spilling thaw and snowdrops.
March, bursting loud cheeks!
Then April, with a troop of lambs and daffodils.
May, keeper of peat-hill and cuithe-stream.
June, covering the night fire in the north.
July, tall and blue as lupins.
August with the cut cornstalks.
September, dusting cobwebs from the lamp.
October, good witch, with apples and nuts.
November, host to shades and hallows.
December, with snowflake and star.
In the inn of December, a fire.
A loaf, a bottle of wine.
Travellers, rich and poor, are on the roads.
George Mackay Brown (1921-1996)

LOOKING AFTER LOCAL LYNX
Local Lynx is a not-for-profit community paper
covering the villages of Bale, Binham, Cockthorpe,
Field Dalling, Gunthorpe, Langham, Morston,
Saxlingham, Sharrington and Stiffkey.
Published every other month, it contains community
news as well as news and articles from each of the
villages together with details of church services and
news from the local school in Langham.
Currently distributed to over 1,100 households it has
an estimated readership of over 2,000 as well as over
800 readers on-line at www.locallynx.co.uk.
The paper is produced entirely by volunteers with
the editor supported by village reps who collate the
stories, distributors who pop the paper through each
letterbox, proof readers who try to catch the typos, a
designer who can add style and of course those that
write the interesting articles and news.
Financially the paper is supported by the parish
councils and parochial church councils of the villages
concerned and by the wonderful local businesses who
place their adverts with us. We also have great support
from our readers. If you like what you read and would
like to make a contribution to the running costs of the
paper then these can be made by contacting the editor at
lynxeditor@pobox.com or by direct bank transfer to:
Local Paper a/c 65004288 sort code 09-01-54.
Lynx Internet Banking and Standing Orders
Account Name: Local Paper
Account number: 6500 4288 Sort code: 09-01-54
HIRE YOUR LOCAL VILLAGE HALL
If you are planning a public event or private party,
our benefice’s village halls cater for all shapes and
sizes at very reasonable rates. Think “community”
and get in touch to find out more.
Binham Memorial Hall (max. 150) contact: see page
21 for details
Field Dalling & Saxlingham Villagers’ Hall (max.
100) contact: booking@fdands.org
Gunthorpe Village Institute
contact: 01263 860051 toni_lin@btinternet.com
Langham Village Hall (max. 100) contact: 01328
831829
Morston Village Hall (max. 70) contact: 01263
740038
Sharrington Village Hall (max. 90) contact: see page
15 for details
COMMUNITY nEWS
NEWS FROM DUNCAN BAKER MP
It's been another busy month in both Westminster and
North Norfolk. I've gone from shining a light on the humble
glow-worm in my adjournment debate about light pollution
and dark skies, to helping many residents directly affected
by the flooding around the area. Regardless of the issue,
whether obscure, pressing, or long-running, if it matters to
North Norfolk - it matters to me.
Read Duncan Baker’s report on topics listed below on
the ‘In More Detail’ page at www.localynx.co.uk.
1.North Walsham West Development 2.Future of Briston
Church 3.Sheringham flood response 4.Marching against
closure of Benjamin Court, Cromer 5.Blue Flags and Major
Investment into Mundesley 6.North Walsham jobs fair
7.Briston planning application for 179 new houses
8.Protecting our dark skies.
DISTRICT COUNCILLOR’S REPORT
…from Dr.Victoria Holliday
Planning
At the time of writing, the Blakeney Neighbourhood
Plan should be ‘made’ (ie adopted) on 22 nd November.
Amongst other policies, it has provision for principal
residency of new homes and a policy on light pollution.
The Wells Neighbourhood Plan was out for consultation
till 13th November. For more details search for Wells-nextthe-Sea
Neighbourhood Plan on www.northnorfolk.gov.uk.
Finance
A second home council tax premium of 100% is
proposed from April 2025 subject to the requisite legislation
being passed.
An empty home council tax premium of 100% is
proposed from 12 months of being empty rather than 2
years, also from April 2025.
The projected deficit for this financial year is predicted
to be £0.5million.
River flooding
If you are in a vulnerable location, I would encourage
you to sign up for the River Glaven (or Stiffkey) flood alerts
on www.gov.uk/Environment-Agency or call
03459881188 or 08459881198. If you don’t have a
vulnerable postcode, they may still sign you up - give them
a ring.
Storm outflows at Holt create potential sewage spills into
the Glaven. I was shocked to find out the Holt Sewage
Treatment Works discharged storm overflows 6 times in
DUNCAN BAKER M.P.
N. Norfolk Conservative Assoc: 01692 557140
London Parliamentary Office 0207 2194841
www.duncanbaker.org.uk
JEROME MAYHEW M.P.
Broadland Conservative Assoc: 01603 865763
www.broadlandconservatives.org.uk
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2022. I’m in discussions with the River Glaven
Conservation Group as to how much harm this does to
our beautiful chalk river.
The River Stiffkey had one storm outflow in 2022.
Fuel poverty
The financial inclusion team at NNDC are great at
finding out if someone is missing payments they are
entitled to and may have another suggestions for fuel
poverty grants: their number is 01263 516221. They
may be able to also provide emergency food support
with Eden Red food vouchers within 48 hrs.
The Client Hardship Service, NCC
The Client Hardship Service (CHS) provides support
if you are in financial hardship and cannot pay your
living costs. If you are eligible they can provide
emergency financial help, supply essential household
goods and furniture, and put you in touch with
organisations who can give advice and guidance.
https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/care-support-andhealth/support-for-living-independently/money-andbenefits/client-hardship-service
NNDC has this list online: https://www.northnorfolk.gov.uk/tasks/projects/cost-of-living/help-and
-support-with-energy-bills/
Grants are available for home energy improvement
works; criteria have been simplified. Contact NNDC.
District Councillors’ Contact Details:
Sarah Butikofer e:sarah.butikofer@north-norfolk.gov.uk
(Binham/Cockthorpe, Field Dalling/Saxlingham, Gunthorpe/Bale,
Langham )
Andrew Brown e:andrew.brown@north-norfolk.gov.uk
(Sharrington) 07970 298695
Victoria Holliday:(Morston & Stiffkey)
victoria.holliday@north-norfolk.gov.uk
County Councillors’ contact details:
Michael Dalby: County Councillor Wells Division - Glaven,
Priory and Walsingham Parishes (incl. Binham & Cockthorpe,
Brinton & Sharrington, Field Dalling & Saxlingham, Langham,
Morston, Stiffkey) michaeljdblues@outlook.com
Steffan Aquarone: County Councillor Melton Constable Division
( incl. Bale and Gunthorpe Parishes) steffanaquarone@gmail.com
or 07879 451608
HEALTHWATCH NORFOLK
How do you contact your doctor or GP practice? If you
are doing it digitally, Healthwatch Norfolk would like to
hear from you. If you are contacting them via the surgery
website, an app on your phone or tablet or you use the NHS
App, they want to hear your feedback.
The organisation, which gathers the views of the public
and feeds them back to health bosses, is keen to find out
what methods people are using and if they prefer to use
digital methods to access health care. This can be for things
like repeat prescriptions, booking and changing
appointments, looking at medical records, or getting in
touch with the surgery team. You can leave your views at
https://www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/dtyear3/ or you can call
the Healthwatch team on 0808 168 9669 to leave your
feedback.
Alex Stewart, chief executive of Healthwatch Norfolk
said:“This latest survey and project work continues our
ongoing work for the NHS locally examining the use of
digital options to communicate with GP practices. This
latest work aims to understand what people are using, what
works well and what could be enhanced, and it is important
that the views of patients are at the core of developing what
is on offer digitally.”
Meanwhile it may be winter, but the Healthwatch
Norfolk team are still heading out and about to find out your
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views around health and care. What is working well, what
could be improved and what are your experiences?
You can find out where the team are by logging onto
www.healthwatchnorfolk.co.uk and, if you do miss them
in North Norfolk, you can call 0808 168 9669 to leave your
feedback.
AS
PINPOINT INFO
Making larger cash withdrawals and
deposits at your local post office
Sometimes it can feel a little uncomfortable
taking larger amounts of cash out a street cash machine. The
good thing about using a post office, is that you have
someone to talk it through with and more security around
you. If you plan to use a post office in a small village shop,
it is best to check with them first as they may not keep large
amounts of cash on the premises.
You can check your balance and withdraw money daily
from any post office branch, including those in retail outlets,
whenever the branch is open, which can include evenings
and Sundays.
The maximum amount is generally £300 - £500 daily
(depending on your personal bank agreement) and
withdrawals are free.
Budgen’s post office in Holt works with: Adam & Co,
Allied Irish Bank (GB), Bank of Ireland, Bank of Scotland,
Barclays, Cahoot, Cashplus Bank, Coutts, Co-Op Bank,
First Direct, Halifax, Handelsbanken, HSBC, Lloyds Bank,
Nationwide, NatWest, Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS),
Santander, Smile, Starling Bank, Thinkmoney, TSB, Ulster
Bank and Virgin Money.
You can pay in up to £1000 per visit using the post
office deposit slip and up to a total of £2,995 per month with
a debit card.
To pay in cheques you must use a post office cheque
envelope and a paying in slip. Cheques take an additional
day to show up in your account.
You must use separate slips for cheques and cash.
FAKENHAM CHORAL SOCIETY
CHRISTMAS CONCERT
Fakenham Choral Society is thrilled to hold the first of
its 50 th Anniversary performances in Fakenham Parish
Church on Saturday, December 16 th at 5.30pm. With an
array of Christmas favourites and works by Pergolesi and
Charpentier, it is sure to set the perfect festive mood.
As a gift to the community, the concert will be free, with
a retiring collection. Rosemary Dear, FCS vice-chair, says
“We are indebted to the people of North Norfolk for
supporting us over the years. Music has a unique way of
bringing people together, and this free concert is our ‘thank
you’.
The concert, directed by Mark Jones, will include
audience participation in some much-loved Christmas carols
and free mince pies.
The choir is expecting a full house, so please arrive in
good time to secure your seat. More Information at
www.fakenhamchoralsociety.org Fiona Thompson
GENERATORS FOR UKRAINE
Field Dalling and Gateley Appeal
Autumn 2023 Update and Appeal for Aid
Transportation Funds
It has been a while since we last updated you on the
results of our Appeal in the Spring, so here is a quick
summary of what we have achieved. By the middle of this
year, we had raised £13,500 through the Appeal. This
enabled us to buy 13 mid-sized generators for Ukraine and
also fund a portion of the transport costs. We also had direct
donations of a further 11, smaller, used generators and other
useful items. So in total we have sent 24 generators into the
country to support vital facilities and operations. Our
generators reached Lviv, Uzhorod and Kiev and thence
were put to use in schools, bomb shelters and with aid
agencies and in communications support in Dnipro, Kharkiv
and Bakhmut. This has been a fantastic effort and we thank
all of you who have generously donated money or
equipment for this.
Nevertheless, the war rages on in Europe, ever evolving
in terms of offensives and counter-offensives, technology
use and menacing tactics. The one constant however is that
people continue to be killed and injured in Ukraine, and in
many residential areas as well as on the front line. At
present there is near continuous bombing and shelling of
areas in the south and east of the country. The power
situation in many areas of Ukraine has improved but
medical needs are higher than ever: the requirement to
rescue people and rebuild infrastructure (particularly schools
and hospitals) throughout the country are growing priorities.
And winter is approaching.
We have remained in touch with the North Norfolk Aid
for Ukraine team based in Aylsham – who were responsible
for taking the generators we acquired across into Germany,
Poland and thence Ukraine. They have continued to make
trips delivering medical and rescue aid into country via
Berlin throughout this year and have just returned from
another successful trip earlier in October. They have forged
strong links with a number of hospitals and rescue
organisations in the UK who have been able to donate much
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Aid stored in Berlin en route
to Ukraine
needed surplus equipment
and short-dated medical
supplies (that would
otherwise have had to be
destroyed). On their latest trip
to Berlin, they returned on
Sunday and heard that the
trauma supplies they had
taken over were in use in the
battle zone by Wednesday.
The picture above is from this recent trip and show medical
and rescue aid being unloaded in Berlin and then received in
the reception centre in Ukraine.
And so to the request. NNAFU have asked if we could
support them on two fronts before Christmas. First, with any
portable equipment (power tools and hand tools) that could
be useful to help the rebuilding work going on for schools,
hospitals, and other essential facilities. Secondly, to provide
funds for a further aid trip they hope to make over 7-10th
December 2023. Regarding this funding, they need £2,400
to pay for the ferry fares, insurance and fuel to take four
vehicles loaded with essential aid from Norfolk to Berlin
(the crews pay for their own subsistence). Thanks to some
early conversations, we already have pledges towards this
figure totalling £600.
Thank you once more for all you have done this year for
this worthy cause. If you can donate tools or funding in time
for Christmas, please get in touch as soon as possible, using
the email addresses above and we can arrange collection of
equipment and send account details for any funds.
Andrew and Sheelin Cuthbert,
Gill and John Savory, Marcus Flint
BALE
Contact: David Bridge
david@bridgeifa.co.uk
INTRODUCTION
As this is my first edition as the Bale representative
for the Local Lynx, I would like on behalf of Bale, to
thank my predecessor Maggie Thomas for doing such a
brilliant and dedicated job as our Lynx rep over the past
four years. We wish her well for the future and to
continue seeing her at village events, in which she still
has an active role.
Myself and my wife Julia moved into Bale in July
2020 and have been welcomed warmly into this friendly
community and look forward to many happy years
living in this beautiful part of the world.
So as your new Lynx rep, I look forward to hearing
from any residents of Bale who wish to contribute to the
Lynx or have any news you wish to share.
We had the opportunity to attend the Thursford
Christmas Spectacular in early November, having never
previously been. The amount of talent on show both on
stage and behind the scenes was incredible and to have
such a sizable musical production on our doorstep is
fantastic. I would urge you to go if you can, as it is
worth every penny and it will certainly get you in the
festive mood.
May I also wish you and your families a Merry
Christmas and a Happy New Year. David Bridge
WILD BALE
The Waxwing
Few passerine birds evoke more interest than the
waxwing. This winter visitor, from Scandinavia and
Russia, is a migrant that can
arrive in very large numbers
during late autumn and early
winter, descending on the berry
laden trees and shrubs in gardens,
towns and supermarket car parks.
The waxwing is a starling
sized bird with a long crest and
smooth pink/grey plumage. The wings have some redtipped
feathers that look like sealing wax, hence the
English name. The tail is square ended with a yellow tip
and the legs are short and strong.
Often found in quite large flocks feeding on rowan
or cotoneaster berries, the trilling call of the waxwing,
as they are disturbed or moving from one feeding area
7

to another, is very distinctive and quite far carrying.
Breeding in northern Scandinavia and Russia the
waxwing is a common bird nesting in trees and
constructing a large robust nest of twigs, pine needles,
grasses and moss often lining the nest with fine grass,
lichens and flowers.
During the summer months, waxwings feed on
insects often catching them in flycatcher-like sallies.
The female incubates the eggs and the male feeds her
during this period, the parents then both feed the young
until they have fledged. waxwings love soft summer
fruits and will feed on strawberries and mulberries.
Nomadic in nature the waxwings will move great
distances to find fruit laden orchards and in late winter
will feed on fallen apples that have fermented and
willbecome drunk on the juices.
The waxwing has always been a special bird to me,
having first seen them at six years old in my
grandparents' Lincolnshire orchard on a snowy
Christmas holiday. My grandfather and I spent hours
studying them from the cottage, reading about them in
the Observer’s Book of Birds, which I still have and
even moving the fallen apples closer so we could see
them more easily. That waxwing sighting and my
grandfather's enthusiasm were the starting point for my
love of nature and the richness it has given my life.
There will come soft rains and the smell of the
ground,
And swallows circling with their shimmering sound;
And frogs in the pools singing at night,
And wild-plum trees in tremulous white,
Robins will wear their feathery fire,
Whistling their whims on a low fence wire;
And not one will know of the war, not one,
Will care at last when it is done.
Not one would mind neither bird nor tree
If mankind perished utterly;
And spring herself when she woke at dawn,
Would scarcely know that we were gone.
Sara Teasdale 1918
Paul Laurie
BALE BOOK GROUP
I Couldn’t Love You More by Esther Freud
This month’s book choice was I Couldn’t Love You
More by Esther Freud, her ninth novel. It is a book with
glorious reviews but one not so well
received by our group of readers.
The novel is set in London and Ireland
over a period of time between 1959 and
1991. It is the story of mothers and
daughters, telling the story of three
generations of women, their secrets and
the choices they make. Aoife tells her
story of a long marriage and a lost
daughter, to her dying husband Cashel, in Cork. Her
daughter Rosaleen is in love with the bohemian sculptor
Felix in 1960s Soho and falls pregnant. Kate, an artist
living in the 1990s, with a difficult partner and a small
daughter of her own seeks to find her own mother.
Esther Freud tells a good story but the flitting
between the three characters and the different time
periods proved arduous for some of our group. Overall,
only one person was truly emotionally invested in this
story of love and loss. The majority of the group found
the characters insufficiently drawn with very few, other
8
than the three protagonists, being likeable.
The book did, however, provoke quite a bit of discussion
about the history of the Irish Magdalen laundries and the
Sisters of Mercy; how nuns could be so cruel and how
society could maintain the shunning of women who became
mothers out of wedlock for so long – up to the 1990s. There
was also extensive guessing at how much of the story was
based on Freud’s own family.
Hannah Letts
VILLAGE HALL NEWS
A jolly group of diners from Bale and surrounding
villages came together to celebrate the harvest at the annual
Bale Harvest Supper: and what a supper it was. Alastair,
recently returned from a course at the Ballymaloe Cookery
School in Cork, issued village hall committee members with
recipes for a very different selection of salads including
carrot with pickled beetroot; courgette with olive oil and
salt; tomato with red onion and mint. Alastair hot-smoked
some salmon for pescatarians while the meat-eaters enjoyed
his delicious glazed ham. All the above was served with
homemade piccalilli, tomato relish and aioli, again produced
by Alastair, with baked potatoes provided by Margaret.
Pudding was a rather more conventional apple and
cinnamon crumble with double cream. Special thanks, as
ever, to Paul, a commis-chef and clearer-upper of many
years standing.
Phil West had rather serious competition for an audience
on 21 st October, when England were playing their semi-final
match at the rugby union world cup. However those who
chose local history over sport were not disappointed. As
always, Phil was entertaining and full of interesting facts
and stories about our area in days gone by and we are
grateful to him for giving up his time to provide us with a
look into Bale’s heritage.

This year’s village hall AGM was convened during the
Bale Oak Bar evening, allowing some who are not on the
committee to see how the system works. It was agreed that
Ann Wall would join the committee and that Anne and Ali,
whilst remaining as committee members, would step down
from their roles as secretary and fabric officer respectively –
Anne after 14 years and Ali for a one-year sabbatical. Paul
Turnbull, expressed the thanks of the committee for all their
hard work. Paula agreed to take over as secretary and Fiona
has stepped in as fabric officer.
The Bale Quiz on 4 th November was a good-natured
affair, with competitive quizzing and friendly (I think!)
banter between the four teams. Congratulations to Motley
Crew for winning a close-run contest and thanks to
everyone who helped on the day
The next event on the village hall calendar is the Old
Year’s Night party, as usual organised by Alastair and Paul.
Proceedings will begin at 8pm and there will be excellent
food and excellent company all for the bargain price of £15.
This is often a sell-out so please book your place as soon as
possible with Paula M via WhatsApp, balevillagehall
@gmail.com or in person.
Upcoming dates for Fish & Chips are 8 th December and
12 th January (order by 6pm via WhatsApp or email) and for
Bale Oak Bar, 22 nd December and 26 th January. PM
BALE 100 CLUB
The annual subscription to the 100 Club is £12 per
number and there is no limit to how many numbers you can
buy. Each month four prizes are awarded, first prize being
£25. The draw is held at Fish and Chips evenings on the
second Friday of each month in the village hall.
To join online, pay £12 per number into account
20510658, sort code 82-11-07, using 100 and your surname
as the reference. The account name is Bale Village Hall and
it is a business account.
If you prefer to pay by cash or card, please speak to a
Bale Village Hall Committee Member at Fish and Chips
(second Friday of each month) or Bale Oak Bar (fourth
Friday of each month).
100 Club Results
September: 1st Dawn Baker, 2nd Freddie Powney,
3rd Ruth Hulton, 4th Gill Evison.
October: 1st Charlie Mitchell, 2nd Jim Peppitt,
3rd Ali Courtney, 4th Debbie Clipsham
ALL SAINTS’ CHURCH
This year’s Harvest Festival was a pared-down
affair, with a spoken service as the organist was in
Covid quarantine. However, generous donations of
provisions were sent to the Fakenham food bank, so
thanks to all those who contributed.
Christmas is now fast approaching and we are
looking forward to seeing (and hearing) a full church at
the carol service on Sunday 17 th December at 6pm. As
is traditional, mince pies and mulled wine will be served
after the service. If anyone is willing and able to help in
the evening, either by reading one of the traditional
lessons or by serving the refreshments, please contact
Paula on 07793 214703 for more information about
what’s involved.
On Christmas Day we will have Tim Fawcett with us
to celebrate Holy Communion (with music) at 9.30am –
allowing plenty of time to get home and finish off the
lunch preparation.
This is also the time of year when new rotas for
church cleaning and flowers need to be prepared. We
are lucky to have very reliable and capable teams for
9

oth tasks but more volunteers are always welcome. In
particular, another person or team on the cleaning rota
would be helpful as Ali has decided to take a year off.
Many thanks to Ali for her excellent contribution – she
will be missed.
PM
BALE PAINTING GROUP
Rain, rain and more rain. Strong winds abound but
we can keep on painting. The village hall provides such
a great place to have some time where you can focus on
the art and forget everything else for three hours at a
time. Good for the wellness of us all.
With the next holiday season approaching we have
been looking at designs of Christmas cards. It is fairly
straightforward to take an idea such as a landscape and
recreate it in a picture or even painting it as a winter
scene.
Once completed this can be photographed as a high
resolution image and then using an on-line service,
printed as your own cards in small numbers or larger
volumes if you need to. We have created our pictures
and followed this up by creating unique cards for use at
this festive time. A great way to use one's painting skills
to produce unique gifts and greeting cards.
The opportunity to join in is always there as a
regular and when you stay in the area, as a visitor. We
are always looking for additional people so if you or
someone you know would like to come along everyone
is welcome.
The sessions are every Monday from 1pm to 4pm
running through until 11th December. They start again
from the 8th January 2024. You can contact us using the
email address below or just pitch up at the village hall
on a Monday from 1pm.
TheBalePaintingGroup@outlook.com
FUN FESTIVE CAKE RECIPE
2 cups flour, 4 oz butter, 1 cup water,
1 tsp baking powder, 1 cup white sugar,
1 tsp salt, 1 cup brown sugar,
juice of 1 lemon, 4 large eggs, nuts,
2 bottles wine, 2 cups dried fruit.
Peter Jones
1. Uncork the wine and sample to check the quality.
2. Take a large bowl.
3. Pour out one level cup of wine and drink, just to
double check it is of the required quality. Repeat.
4. Plug in the food-mixer and turn it on. Beat one cup
of butter in the large fluffy bowl. Add one teaspoon
of sugar. Beat again.
5. At this point, it is recommended to taste the wine
again to make sure it is at the correct temperature. Try
another cup just in case.
6. Turn off the mixer thingy. Break into two eggs and
add to the bowl. Chuck in two cups of dried fruit.
7. Pick the flipping fruit up from the floor. Mix on the
turner. If the fried druit gets stuck in the beaterers, just
pry it loose with a drewscriver.
8. Sample the wine to check for tonsisticity. Next,
sift two cups of salt. Or something. Check the wine.
9. Now shift the lemon juice and strain your nuts.
Add one table. Add a sugar spoon, or somefink,
whatever you can find.
10. Greash the oven. Turn the take tin 360° and try not
to fall over. Don’t forget to beat off the turner. Finally
throw the bowl through the window.
11. Finish the wine and wipe the worktop with the cat.
12. Go to Waitrose and buy a cake.
Bingle Jells !
Julia Bridge
BINHAM
Contact: Paul Bailey 07401 315714
paulbailey04@aol.com
BINHAM PARISH COUNCIL
We are fortunate to live where we do. I reflect and
recognise that there are many where conflict upsets daily
routines, households, livelihoods, and challenges the basic
needs of everyone affected by such conflict. Our priorities
might be insignificant to such people, but it is important the
Parish Council (PC) communicates what is undertaken on
their behalf to ensure safe roads and surroundings.
The clocks have gone back, and the nights are drawing
in, along with some more torrential rain which fortunately
seems to disappear from the roads reasonably quickly after
downpours. This represents ongoing work undertaken by
Highways and the PC to ensure that surface water drains
rather than pools, rendering roads and paths safe to drive or
walk along.
The PC is responding to further concerns about speeding
through the village despite the calming measures installed in
the last 10 years. These include entry gates (Hindringham,
Langham and Warham roads) 30mph signs and recently
30mph roundels on the road surface. Since 2014, traffic
speed and volume is recorded by the speed activated
monitor (SAM) located in agreed points in the village
throughout the year. SAM data is routinely considered by
10

the PC, scrutinised by Fakenham Police Engagement
Officer responsible for the Community Speed Watch team,
regarding the need to deploy a speed detection radar (SDR)
and speed watch team.
Having attended a Rural Speeding Public Meeting,
convened by Duncan Baker (MP North Norfolk), I felt it
would be useful to share some of the takeaway points. NCC
Highways is responsible for 6,000 miles requiring
substantial efforts to maintain and ensure the safety of all
travelling on Norfolk roads. Education is deemed to be key
to ensure those driving vehicles are safe and roadworthy.
The many community speed watch schemes (CSWS) and
SAM, as evident in our locality record and remind drivers of
their responsibilities on the roads. Such schemes are
considered to have value, but the human element may
undermine them being fully effective. The decision making
in this arena is multifaceted, dependent on many factors not
least primary legislation, budgets, police and highways
capacity, traffic trends, speeding and traffic accidents.
Traffic Regulation Orders, national speed limits, state of the
roads and roadside furniture. All of these contribute to road
safety, but at the same time users should take responsibility
for their actions whilst driving their vehicles.
A chance meeting with a Fakenham Speed Watch
officer in Hindringham a few weeks ago triggered a request
for a SDR in the village to be deployed. Warham Road was
chosen by the team, including the safety camera team to
determine if there is a need to undertake further calming
measures. No feedback has been received, to be followed up
in due course.
In addition, the responsible NNDC highway engineer
reviewed the siting of the SAM, resulting in an
additional placement on Langham Road. He also
recognised that despite the PC’s regular reporting,
several traffic signs require attention. His opinion is that
the PC is doing its best to keep speeding under control
and there is probably no need for futher additions.
These significant meetings and data collection have
provided some reassurance and recognition that the PC is
working to ensure safe roads through the villages. It is
important to recognise and appreciate what is practical for
the PC to manage and monitor speeding throughout the
Parish.
The good news is that the incoming average hourly
speeds for a week recorded by the SAM are consistent
across sites despite volume peaks associated with busy farm
or redirected traffic. The 30mph roundel inserted in March
2023 on the road surface has been effective in reducing
speeding traffic by 50% on Langham Road. I hope this will
be reflected in the data collected in due course from the
Warham and Hindringham road sites.
This year has been busy across the parish. All sorts of
activities catering for all age groups have been organised by
different groups and enjoyed by residents and visitors alike.
Before we know it, Christmas will be here, therefore may I
wish you a peaceful and Happy Christmas and New Year.
Elizabeth S Brady, Chair Binham PC
BINHAM MEMORIAL HALL
You’re never too old for a game of musical chairs or
musical statues. Well that’s what I can say after a
thoroughly enjoyable evening at the VH family halloween
party. The hall was decorated spookily and it was nice to see
ghosties and ghoulies of all ages having a fun time. Lovely
food and treats too. It’s a free event, so when halloween
time comes along again, come and join in.
Our jazz evening was a great success, so much so, many
have asked for another, so watch this space. The success of
these events is due to the time and hard work by the
organisers, so please support them if you can.
Christmas time is coming and you may be receiving this
edition of the Lynx in time to make a last minute booking
for the Christmas supper on Saturday, 2 nd December,
6.30pm for 7.00pm. Traditional Christmas meal, with a
vegetarian alternative available. December’s 100+ Club
draw will be made and there will be a tombola and raffle.
This is a time for everyone in our villages to come together
for a lovely evening of food, drink and merriment. Please
call Liz on 07435 788221 or any of the VH team to book a
place.
Our December social evening won’t be held because of
being between Christmas and New Year, but will return as
usual on the last Thursday monthly in 2024.
Don’t forget too, Carols at the Chequers on Monday,
18 th December at 7.15pm. Singalong with the Fakenham
Town Band and soothe your vocal cords with a beverage (or
two).
Finally, everyone is welcome to come along to the final
Cosy Club of the year, for a cuppa, a piece of cake and
plenty of chat, on Wednesday, 20 th December from 2pm to
4pm.
Thanks to all for supporting your village hall in 2023 and
we look forward to welcoming you in 2024. We’re always
looking for events suitable for all and suggestions are
welcome.
A very Happy Christmas and a Happy New Year from
all the VH team.
Kevin Howard
11

BINHAM PRIORY CHURCH
Christmas Services
Come and celebrate Christmas with us at
Binham Priory Church, everyone welcome.
Thursday 21 st December at 6.30pm
Carols and readings for Advent and Christmas,
with the Iceni Christmas Choir.
Mulled wine and mince pies.
Christmas Eve at 4pm
Crib Service – for all the family
Christmas Day at 10.30am
Christmas Day Service
Sunday 7 th January at 3.30pm
Carols and readings for Epiphany
with the Richeldis Singers
(No morning service at Binham)
THE FRIENDS OF BINHAM PRIORY
Merry Christmas from the Friends of Binham Priory and
may we wish you a very happy and healthy 2024.
We are pleased to report a sell out success for our
October talk by Norfolk diver Julian Barnwell who told
how he, his brother and their diving team discovered the
wreck of Royal warship HMS Gloucester which sunk off
Yarmouth in 1682. His presentation was both informative
and inspiring and was really enjoyed by our audience. A
new charity has been formed to raise funds for conservation
and display work ahead and we wish the team and the
Gloucester charity huge success.
We would also like to thank everyone who helped to
make the event possible, businesses who donated raffle
prizes, and members of the audience who stayed behind to
lend a hand with the clearing up. This kindness is really
appreciated by our small team.
The next event on our calendar is our AGM in the
Spring. We are already working on this and will reveal more
in the next edition of the Lynx.
Money raised by FoBP provides a support fund to help
pay for work to keep Binham Priory church building in
good order for the enjoyment of generations to come. If you
would like to join us, you will find membership forms in the
church and on our website, friendsofbinhampriory.
weebly.com
Carolyn Raymond
BINHAM ART GROUP
Are you newly retired and wondering what to do
with your spare time? Why not come along to Binham
Art Group and try your hand at painting in some form.
We meet every Tuesday morning from 9.30am to
12.30pm and our charges are very reasonable. We are a
friendly group in need of some more members as people
have either moved away from the area or for other
reasons are no longer able to attend. We try to arrange a
few demonstrations/workshops during the year,
covering watercolour, acrylics, oils etc. We are always
open to suggestions. We have some very experienced
members who are more than happy to encourage and
give you advice on whatever you want to try out. We
meet in Binham Memorial Hall which is an excellent
room for painting as there is plenty of light available.
Some members bring tablets, phones, books or photos,
in order to get their instruction on the different media
and styles of working.
The results of our artwork can be hung at The
Chequers pub where there is a gallery available to
display pictures we want to sell. Four times a year we
change the display to keep it interesting for those eating
there so that they might be tempted to purchase a
picture.
Doing art can be very therapeutic as whilst applying
paint to paper something creative has a beneficial effect
on your brain. One of our members, who joined about
two years ago, openly laughingly declared that she
could not see herself as being an artist, but now she
creates some really lovely paintings. Everyone who
participates in the group has a different style, as each of us
are different people, but together we provide an atmosphere
that encourages people to have a go. So why not you if you
are reading this. We would love to see you on a Tuesday
morning. Anyone requiring more information should
contact susanedwards09@gmail. com. Sue Edwards
BINHAM YOUTH GROUP
We had a good half term after the long summer break
with old members returning and welcoming some new
members too. Our halloween party will have taken place by
the time you read this with the usual mix of music, food,
fun, games and scary costumes.
Youth Group runs every Wednesday during term time,
for 5-16 year olds, from 6pm-8pm at Binham Village Hall.
Entry £1. Games, crafts, karaoke, table tennis and more.
Fantastic tuck shop. Please just come along.
For more information phone Andy (01328 830178) or
Amanda (01328 830828).
Amanda Able
BINHAM & HINDRINGHAM OPEN CIRCLE
We end the year with a Christmas meal for our members
a week earlier than usual on Thursday 14th December at
O’Brennans, Walsingham Barns, 6.30 for 7pm start. Please
note booking is necessary. At the moment, we don’t have a
calendar of events for 2024.
12

New members are always welcome. We usually meet at
Hindringham Village Hall at 7.15pm. If you have any
questions, please give Sue Elkins , our secretary, a ring on
01328 878487. Sue Elkins
BINHAM MEMORIAL HALL
100+ CLUB WINNERS
September
October
Nora Bond £25 Robin Townend £25
Richard Fisher £10 Liz Brown £10
Neil McArthur £5 Wendy Marsh £5
David Frost £5 Alex Wales £5
Alex Wales £5 Wendy Keesom £5
Sadly, our member numbers continue to fall month on
month, as people choose not to renew their subscriptions.
We need new members in order to replace those who have
left, so if anyone would like to join, simply email
paulbailey04@aol.com or call on 07401 315714. P Bailey
CAROLS AT THE CHEQUERS
Monday, 18 th December at 7.15pm
Come along and join in the singing, to the
accompaniment of the magnificent Fakenham Town Band.
Refreshments will be available and a collection will be taken
for band. Hope to see you all there.
Liz Brown
COCKTHORPE
Contact: Maurice Matthews 01328 830350
maurice.matthews@peppard.net
CAROLS AND READINGS
All Saints Church, Cockthorpe
Saturday 9th December at 4pm
The church will be decorated and open for viewing at
1pm with soup and sausage rolls. This year our chosen
charity is The Jenny Lind Children’s Hospital at the Norfolk
and Norwich University Hospital.
The Jenny Lind looks after children from birth to 16 with
many specialists in paediatric care.
If we can help in even the smallest way to make their
stay in hospital more comfortable we would like to try.
Please all come along and support us and bring your friends.
Thank you.
Juliet Case
Preparing for Christmas: The Advent Group
Exploring Advent’s rich themes through Biblical
reflection, art, poetry, music and tea and cake."
We will be using Canon Susanna Gunner’s material
“Mapping Advent” available for purchase from the
Diocesan online shop at £2.
In our kitchen: Manor Farm Cottage, 67 Langham
Road: December 5th, 12th and 19th December from 5-
6pm.
On Zoom (bring your own cake): 6th, 13th and 20th
December from 5-6pm. Details for Zoom from Ian on
iannewton46@gmail.com.
Christmas Services
We thankfully offer these opportunities to slip into a
church and quietly offer our prayers for the peace of the
world.
Sunday December 17th 11am Service of Lessons and
Carols, Christmas Eve 4pm Crib Service, Christmas
Day 1030am Christmas Communion.
And other services in church:
Sunday December 10th 11am Church Family Service.
Sunday January 14th 11am Church Family Service.
Sunday January 28nd 11am Morning Prayer.
You are all most welcome on any of these occasions.
and finally… a good read
The church now has an excellent second-hand
bookstall from where you can buy Christmas, birthday,
and holiday reading for only £1 - £2 a book. We also
have delicious jams and preserves. Payment by cash or
card. Come and look. Ian Newton 0797 9598 020
FIELD DALLING
Contact: Julie Wiltshire
julie_wilson75@hotmail.com
ST ANDREW’S CHURCH
St Andrews’ Church Christmas Fair
Saturday, 9th December 11am-2pm
Villagers’ Hall
Mulled wine and refreshments including coffee, cakes,
and a light lunch. Our Village-Made stall offers Christmas
cakes and puddings, other cakes and festive treats and
preserves. Stalls offer local crafts and gifts, Christmas cards,
plants, and of course, Father Christmas will be visiting.
All welcome – and if you can help with making cakes
etc please contact: Lou Shone: lou_shone@ hotmail.com.
13

VILLAGERS’ HALL
Adnams Wine Tasting, Fri 1 st Dec, 7pm
The annual Adnams wine tasing just in time for you to
stock up for Christmas at discounted rates. Entry fee £10 per
person. Please let Steve Collins if you would like to attend:
steveandsusie100@gmail.com.
200 CLUB
200 Club winners October: £50 Helen Gadsby, £25 Fuff
Allen, £15 Jill Labouchere.
GUNTHORPE
Contact: Jane Paton 07989 534145
jacarwardine@googlemail.com
FOGPC
50/50 Club Draw Results
September
October
David Aitman £20 Sharon Lloyd £20
Liz Marsden £15 Etta Sinclair £15
Reenie Aitman £5 Emily Lemberger £5
Mia Partridge £5 Paul Tacon £5
Emily Lemberger £5 Dan Worsley £5
Claire Dye £5 Valerie King £5
Pippa Bunting £5 Alma Street £5
We will be conducting the December “super” draw at
the joint village and Friends Christmas party in the Institute
at 12noon on Saturday 16th December – open to all, but, if
you are new to the village or have been here awhile and not
yet joined, would you consider joining the Friends and/or
the 50:50 Club? If you would like more information on the
Friends and 50:50 Club, please contact either Myfi Everett
on 01263 860035 or John Blakeley on 01263 861008.
John Blakeley
ST MARY’S CHURCH NEWS
The seasons turn, the pink footed geese arrow and cry
their way inland over the church in the mornings, and
fieldfares and redwings chuckle in the graveyard – just as
we imagine they have done since the church had its first
recorded incumbent from Binham Priory in 1106.
Were there snowdrops then? Steven with his cunning
rotary strimmer on spoked wheels will clear the rough
ground for them to appear; earlier and earlier each year
they emerge, the growing season maybe two or three
months in advance of what it has been in the past.
Was there a harvest festival then? This year the church
again overflowed with produce, all afterwards gratefully
received by Karen Burton at the Holt Youth Project. Marie
who delivered it all reports that Karen’s grandfather used to
organise the Gunthorpe fête for the Sparke family at the
Hall, and that her mother Hillary Craske would do the
church flowers, some 50 years ago - many of us fondly
remember her and her generosity.
The Norfolk Churches Trust preserves many of our
medieval churches, and made a large grant to Saint Mary’s
15 years ago when the Victorian iron bands girdling the
tower were rusting destructively. Yet again Ben
Williamson, nephew of the much missed Fred Morley
bicycled in September to raise money for the Trust and our
church. Fit as a serving soldier, Ben pedalled to 30 churches
and raised £230, most of it gift aided so that the benefit will
be more.
Thank you to him and to all who keep our medieval
church in good order and use for us all today.
FRIENDS OF GUNTHORPE PC
On Friday 3 rd November Friends members gathered in
the Village Institute for a harvest supper. It was a fun
evening enjoyed by all with a continuous loop of old village
photos entertaining us throughout. John Blakeley kindly
supplied the photo-show from his village history collection
and it was wonderful to see the village from the Great War
to modern times flashing before us. Many thanks John!
Thanks also to those kind folks who brought delicious fruit
crumbles for dessert We also had a very successful joint
committee meeting with the Institute in October and so
appreciate all their help.
Next up is the village Christmas party at 12 noon on
Saturday the 16 th of December. Last year the Institute was
full and lively with delicious food brought by so many folks
and it lasted for hours - so please do come along.
A very happy holiday season and New Year ahead to
you all and thanks for your support in 2023!
Marie Denholm, Friends Chairman
1580 - 1650 THE POOR
The following is a further extract from the history of
Gunthorpe written by Ray Steffans.
The Poor Law was passed in 1601. Parishes had to raise
money to feed the poor and helpless and had the duty of
apprenticing children and of finding work for the able
bodied. Every householder in the parish had to contribute to
the general fund.
Nevertheless, supervision of the poor was still in
somewhat of an experimental stage at this time, and the
14

machinery of local government was primitive. A feature of
the times was the attempt of communities to shift the burden
elsewhere, although it was the community's duty to look
after its own poor people. When the system broke down, a
public-spirited person would sometimes take it upon himself
to provide food and shelter. Many deaths of paupers are
recorded from this period onwards, until better organised
systems were devised for poor relief. An entry in our own
church (Gunthorpe) register for 1559 records the death of
Thomas “a poor man lodged by Jeffrey Might”. Instances
citing defects in the system are the complaint made by Brian
Godfrey of Gunthorpe in 1611, and of his relative Charles
Godfrey in 1603. Both complaints are addressed to Sir
Nathaniel Bacon.
Sir Nathaniel, of Stiffkey, was a Justice of the Peace for
Norfolk in the period 1580 to 1620 and one of his relatives,
Sir Nicholas Bacon, had a small amount of land at
Gunthorpe circa 1570. Sir Nathaniel was also concerned
with improving the sea defences at Cromer, which town
once again lost its jetty or pier by 1607. His report of that
year made suggestions for improvements there.
The letters of Sir Nathaniel Bacon were published in
book form in 1915, and two of the letters concern
Gunthorpe. The first is dated 1603. It appears that Bacon
had issued “a warrant to Mr Holton Edward Money,
Thomas Gardner and the reste of the churchwardens and
overseers for the poore of Gunthorpe of the laste year”. A
collection had been made and the money distributed, but
due to bad management the balance in hand was not agreed.
Charles Godfrey had therefore written to Sir Nathaniel at
“Stiffkey” giving details of the collection and asking for his
assistance in the matter. Giles was, probably, a relative of
Richard Godfrey who was Lord of the Manor and patron of
the church at about this time.
The letter to Sir Nathaniel is reproduced here, certain
punctuation having been added to make it more intelligible.
“Right worshipful, may it please you to understand that
myself and others of my naybores, being contributors for the
relief of the poore inhabitants, having satisfied the overseers
for the hole year past. Not withstanding the poor doth find
themselves not satisfied with this for some weekes passed of
the old yeare, desiring your worshipes assistance in their
behalf and that you would please look into their accounts for
I and other of my naybores do find some bad dealings in
their colectinge which I have charged them with, being
confessed by my naybor Edward Money that there
remained 26/8 over pluste collected for the poore.
The whole Some whiche the poore is to have is three
pounds, sixteen shillings and four pence and by account
here inclosed the Some which hertofor theye have collected,
or at leste ought to collect, is four pounds nine shillings and
six pence. Thuse being bowld to trouble you I humbly
submit your worship to the tuition of the Almighty.
Gunthorpe thise firste of Maj. Your alwayes to comand
Giles Godfrey.”
The subscription list he enclosed has 19 contributors and
it seems to add in fact to four pounds, six shillings and nine
pence and not the four pounds, nine shillings and six pence
mentioned by Godfrey. If the poor were to have three
pounds, sixteen shillings and four pence the balance of one
pound six shillings and eightpence is wrong. Giles Godfrey
himself heads the list with seventeen shillings and six
pence, four others give twelve shillings (Christofer Holton,
Henrey Nicholaus, Edmund Money, and Richard Duckit),
Gregorey Daynes five shillings and sixpence, Richard
Morey three shillings, Thomas Bullinge and Nicholus
Ringhold twenty pence, Thomas Gardner, Robert Lasby
and John Plaford each eighteen pence, Richard Friday
sixteen pence, John Sporrer and Robert Buling Jnr one
shilling each, Robert Carre eight pence, Alis Norris and
Gorge each four pence and Richard Nutton three pence.
The list of householders is of interest and shows that the
population of Gunthorpe was, probably, over 100 at this
time. Henry Nicholas was the parson, who died in 1608.
There were over 20 members of the Money family in the
period 1597 – 1640. Daynes died in 1629 aged 80 and is
mentioned later. Morey died in 1638. Gardener died in
1622. Alis Morris and George Jewell both died in 1609 and
there were over 30 members of the Norris or Morris family
here in the period 1515 to 1630. Richards Morris was one of
the younger householders. Members of the family
continued to live in Gunthorpe until circa 1683.
The second letter mentioned above will appear in the
next edition.
John Blakeney
continued on page 18
15

CHRISTMAS PUZZLE PAGES
FAMILY CROSSWORD
(answers on page 30)
SPOT THE DIFFERENCES
by Sophia Williams (answers on page 30)
Is there any better place to be than the North Norfolk coast
at Christmas? Nothing ever changes…except in our Spot
the Differences drawings. Can you find ten?
Clues
Across
Down
1. Companion (3) 1. Spaghetti, e.g. (5)
4. Rocker____Cooper (5) 2. Church table (5)
9. Plant juice (3) 3. Malicious looks (5)
12. Brewery product (3) 4. Eager (6)
13. Televised again (5) 5. Departed (4)
14. Squeak by (3) 6. Retiree’s accountant (3)
15. Unwaivering (9) 7. Part of VCR (8)
17. Corn unit (3) 8. Go in (5)
18. Archer’s goal (6) 9. Sleazier (7)
19. Transmit (4)
10. Alias letters (3)
21. Criminal burning (5) 11. Each (3)
22. Leading lady (7) 16. Gone by (3)
25. Pony’s gait (4) 20. Certain star (4)
27. Swerve (4)
22. Racetrack animal (5)
28. Acknowledge (4) 23. Originally named (3)
32. Gallery contents (3) 24. Historic period (3)
33. Precinct (4)
26. Bit of falling water (8)
34. Go by taxi (4) 28. ____de Triomphe (3)
35. Enlightened one’s 29. By way of (3)
words (1,3)
30. Epic voyage (7)
37. Very hot pepper (7) 31. Cry (4)
39. Lion’s sounds (5) 36. Rubs out (6)
44. Went fast (4) 38. Lowest tides (5)
45. Ralph___of fashion (6) 40. Umpire’s cry (3)
46. Possesses (3) 41. Stand up (5)
48. Cease-fire (9) 42. Happen again (5)
50. Be indebted (3) 43. Show contempt (5)
51. Composure (5) 45. Shopping aid (4)
52. Take to court (3) 46. Bunny’s motion (3)
53. Layer (3)
47. Piercing tool (3)
54. Minor disagreements (5) 49. Soccer’s____Hamm (3)
55. Make mistakes (3)
THANK YOU
...to our reps who contributed such fantastic centre
puzzles for the Christmas Lynx; it is over and above the call.
And a big thank you to all our volunteer team, our
advertisers, and our readers whose continued support
maintains the quality of this local newsletter. Wishing you
all the holiday you hope for.
RH(ed)
16

CHRISTMAS PUZZLE PAGES
JUNIOR QUIZ
by Paul Bailey (answers on p.31)
1. Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? SBSP
2. In The Witches the Grand High Witch’s potion turns
children into what? M
3. What is the name of Anna & Elsa’s kingdom in
Frozen? A
4. Which TV show awards badges made from recycled
yoghurt pots? BP
5. What type of fish is Nemo? C
6. How many leaves does a shamrock have? T
7. In the Ice Age films, what is the name of the sloth? S
8. What is the third planet from the sun? E
9. What type of animal is Shrek’s best friend? D
10. Conkers are the seeds of which tree? HC
11. What is a baby kangaroo called? J
12. What colour is at the centre of an archery target? G
13. What is the name of the lion in The Lion, The Witch &
The Wardrobe? A
14. Who is the Scout Association’s Chief Scout? BG
15. What colour are sapphires? B
SENIOR QUIZ
by Paul Bailey (answers on page 31)
1. Which animal features on the badge of a Porsche car? H
2. (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life is the theme tune of
which film? DD
3. Which property on a Monopoly board is the only one
located south of the Thames? OKR
4. Which multinational coffeehouse’s name was inspired by
a character in Moby Dick? S
5. Which cyclist has the nickname “The Manx Missile”?
MC
6. Which fruit is used to make grenadine syrup? P
7. With 66 novels & 14 short story collections who is the
world’s best-selling fiction writer? AC
8. What is the name of the pub featured in Peaky
Blinders? G
9. The Titanic carried the name of which UK city on its
stern ? L
10. The Giants Causeway is mostly made up of of
hexagonal columns of what igneous rock? B
11. On which racecourse is the Irish Derby run? C
12. Which part of the human body is known anatomically as
the hallux? BT
13. In which year did the Battle of Britain take place? NF
14. Who played Father Noel Furlong in Father Ted? GN
15. Which two animals feature on the flag of Australia?
E & K
16. What is the surname of the character played by
Sigourney Weaver in the film Alien? R
17. In which country is the Bridge Over the River Kwai
located? T
18. Which former British Prime Minister won the 1953
Nobel Prize for Literature? WC
19. In which country did mulligatawny soup originate? I
20. Which creature common to British gardens has
approximately 14,000 teeth? S
21. What colour light is on the starboard side of a boat? G
17
22. Who is the only British Prime Minister to have been
born outside the UK? BJ
23. Which is furthest south Rome or New York? NY
24. Horseshoe, American & Bridal Veil make up what
North American geographical feature? NF
25. Also a US rock band from Seattle what term did Allied
WWII pilots give to UFO’s? FF
26. Which river flows through the Grand Canyon in
Arizona? C
27. What is the name of the extinct volcano in Edinburgh?
AS
28. Which Norfolk beach featured in the film Shakespeare
in Love? H
29. Which everyday household items will you not find in
Las Vegas casinos? C
30. During the making of which epic film did Oliver Reed
pass away in 1999? G
ANIMAL WORDSEARCH
by Julia Thompson (answers on page 31)
N G O R F L O W L K N T L
O U N C E O H A R B E Z E
B F O L R E K A N S T R M
B G H D R C H I M P E P A
I O T R E S K O R G O D C
G R Y A T Y M O I S E L K
H I P P O P O T A M U S R
O L O O L Y N X U L Q L A
R L L E E B K G B U A O V
S A E L C E E T I A U T D
E X C I O A Y D R P T H R
I T A O C R E G D A B V A
C A T N E S I O T R O T A
Think you know your animals? There are 38 to find.
Good luck!
LYNX SAYS “BAH HUMBUG”
Local has had a tough year so he has
gone seriously undercover. But if
you can spot him 16 times, you
might just coax him back to the
benefice in time for some Christmas
fun. RH (answers on p31)

continued from page 15
WELCOME
Claire and Stefan Cox
A big welcome to Claire and Stefan Cox and their five
year-old daughter Quinn who have moved into The
Gatehouse. They are originally from Essex but have dreamt
of moving to Norfolk for many years and achieved their aim
just before Quinn started school. They are enjoying a calmer
way of life and a better environment for Quinn to grow up
in. We wish them all a very happy time here in Gunthorpe.
LANGHAM
Contact: Debi McIntosh 01328 830767
debimcintosh0@gmail.com
200 CLUB WINNERS
October 2024 November 2023
1 st £30 67 Colin Sherriff 131 Peter Hartley
2 nd £20 105 Jan Hope 196 Tony Hooper
3 rd £10 31 Abby Wilson 108 Victor Tully
CHRISTMAS LIGHT SWITCH ON
Friday 1st December 5.30pm
We would love you to join us for the annual Christmas
Light switch on and carols on Friday 1st December at
5.30pm on the village green (opposite the pub). We will
have mulled “something” (courtesy of the Bluebell) plus hot
chocolate to keep you warm and lubricate your vocal cords
and the lights will be switched on at 6pm.
Please note that, as usual, we will close Holt Road to
through traffic from 5pm until 7pm (at the latest) to ensure
the safety of those attending. There will naturally still be
access for residents of the road and pub patrons.
BUMPER BOOKS & BRIC-A-BRAC
SALE PROCEEDS
21 st October Village Hall 2023
Books: £68.50, brick-a-brac: £35.70, donations:
£12.80. Total: £117.00.
The refreshment donation bowl raised £45.58 which was
paid to the Village Hall account. This proved to be a good
social occasion with everyone having a good chat. A big
thank you to all who manned stalls and to all who came
along to support us.
Langham PCC
CHRISTMAS SHOPPING TRIP TO
NORWICH
Sunday 3rd December 2023
The Friends of Langham are once again organising a
coach to take anyone who would like to join them to
Norwich for some Christmas shopping.
The coach will leave from outside of the pub at 10am on
Sunday 3rd December, deposit us in the centre of Norwich
(usually by the Castle Quarter shopping centre) and then
pick us up at 4pm from the same place returning via Holt so
we can see the festive lights.
The cost of the trip is FREE to all members of the 200
club and £6 each for everyone else. To be sure of your seat
on the coach, please speak to anyone on the committee or
call Debi on (01328) 830767
FOL committee
FOL CHRISTMAS QUIZ
Tuesday 19th December from 5.30pm
The Friends of Langham cordially invite you to join us
on our annual Christmas Quiz night on Tuesday 19th
December. This is a quiz for the whole family so we will
open the doors at 5.30pm and start quizzing at 6pm.
Teams are comprised of four adults. Children under 14
are not counted in your team but we would ask a maximum
18

of 2 per team please. This is a free event to 200 club
members and children and £2.50 per person for everyone
else.
Festive drinks and light bites will be on offer (first drink
free) as well as our festive raffle. Remember, the winner of
this quiz gets to secure possession of the Langham decanter
for the next year. To be sure of securing your table, please
contact Debi on (01328) 830767 or speak to any of the FOL
committee.
RECYCLING IN THE VILLAGE
Just to remind everyone that there are two recycling
containers on the recreation ground (formerly known as the
playing field). These are for clothes and shoes (bagged
please) and paper and magazines.
Once the bins are full, the monies they generate are
divided as follows: the paper/magazine bin monies go
equally to the church and recreation ground and the clothing
bin to the parish council. All for the benefit of our village.
DG
CHRISTMAS FAIR
Saturday 2nd December
The annual Church Christmas Fair is to be held on
Saturday 2nd December from 10am to 12noon. Come for
those stocking fillers and other ideas for Christmas presents.
Langham PCC
CHRISTMAS CAROLS
Sunday 24th December
Christmas Carol Service will be on 24th December at
4pm. Come and heartily sing the carols to get you in the
mood for Christmas Day
Langham PCC
FAMILY CHRISTMAS PRIZE BINGO
Langham Village Recreation Ground (LVRG)
We are hosting our first fundraising event on 13th
December 2023 in the Langham Village Hall (posters will
appear around the village), fundraising for new swing seats
and football goals. Doors open at 6.30pm with eyes down at
7.30pm. Licenced bar, soft drinks, cakes, mince pies and
snacks. There will be a raffle with lots of fabulous prizes
donated by local businesses to be won. This is a cash only
event, please.
LVRG committee
LANGHAM VILLAGE RECREATION
GROUND (LVRG) - SURVEY
Thank you
A big thank you to everyone who has already completed
the survey with their views, ideas and opinions. The closing
deadline for this is 31st December 2023, so there is still time
to contribute. As before there are paper forms inside The
Blue Bell, or complete our online survey here; https://
forms.gle/QFQa6pE52Eg 7NGMT7. There is also a link
to the survey from our 'Langham Village Recreation
Ground' Facebook page. Please 'like' our page to be kept up
to date with the latest news.
LVRG committee
A LANGHAM CHARITY WINDS UP
A Langham charity has been wound up and its objective
now transferred to the church.
28 years ago, Martin Freeth, Edward Allen and others
set up the Langham Church Building Trust when gifts to the
church for future repairs coincided with the risk of an
impoverished Diocese ‘borrowing’ useful sums seen in
parochial accounts. Grants from the Street Fair were topped
up by fundraising, donations and then later a generous
bequest. The money was spent on urgent works, including
to the tower and its louvres, the clock and roof slates, also
on heating, rewiring, repairs and decoration inside the
19

church, as well as on the churchyard. The sums were
modest and in 2023 the growing requirements of banks (still
willing to hold charity accounts) and of the Charity
Commissioners, prompted the charity to find an alternative
way of protecting the funds.
The Parochial Parish Council is now allowed to ringfence
funds given for specific purposes, beyond the reach of
third parties. Consequently the Church Building Trustees
passed nearly £14,000 to the Parochial Parish Council,
inside said ring-fence.
Richard Gozney, Edward Allen, Rod Lees, Colin Sherriff
and Frances Smith, Former Chairman and Trustees of the
Langham Church Building Trust
LANGHAM COMMUNITY
SPEED WATCH GROUP
...is looking for new volunteer recruits
The Langham Community Speedwatch (CSW) Group,
which started in July 2022 with eight volunteer members, is
currently struggling for support. Unfortunately, due to both
a long-term injury and also poor health amongst members
of our CSW Group, it is proving ever more difficult to
schedule regular Speed Monitoring Sessions. Therefore, our
village’s CSW Group, with the support of both the Parish
Council and Norfolk Constabulary, are now looking for
more willing volunteers to join this activity in the parish.
The Group carries out Sessions at sites of concern within
Langham with the view of reducing speeding vehicles by
means of detection, education and the sending-out of
warning letters to registered keepers of vehicles.
Norfolk Constabulary and its partners are committed to
reducing road casualties. Communities are empowered to
assist this commitment, making neighbourhoods safer and
improving residents’ quality of life.
Therefore, if you have spare time, on average it’s just for
one hour a week, and you would like to help your
community of Langham become a safer place to live in,
please let us know.
Any offers of help would be very much appreciated and
we would ask you to either contact the Group’s
Coordinator, Alan at 07773 820774, or else you can contact
Community Speedwatch by email at
communityspeedwatch@norfolk.police.uk to obtain
details of the scheme and an application form.
Alternatively, you can contact the Volunteers
Department of Norfolk Constabulary on 01953 425699
(Extension 2372) for details. Thank you.
JUST IN CASE YOU WERE WONDERING
I’ve contacted the pub to ask what time they are opening
over the Christmas period and been given the following
information, maybe see you there.
Christmas Eve : 12 - 9pm; Christmas Day: 12 -8pm;
Boxing Day: 12-6pm drinks only; 27th & 28th : 4pm - 9 pm
drinks only; 29th & 30th : 12-10pm; New Years Eve : 12-
8pm; New Years Day - Closed.
Debi Godfrey
LANGHAM CHURCH
Digital Giving
We are in the 21st Century. The church has recently
installed a card machine to help raise funds which go
towards maintaining the church. It’s very easy to use. One
decides how much one can afford (up to £30) and then just
touch the screen as directed with either your debit or credit
card and your contactless donation will transferred to the
church bank account. It’s anonymous and as donations are
under £30.01, the treasurer can apply for Gift Aid which
means that if you donate £10, your bank account will be
debited by £10 but the treasurer can claim £2.50 gift aid so
your £10 donation benefits the Church by £12.50.
The church is open all the time and the machine is just
inside the door.
MORSTON
Contact: Martin Cardoe 07973 885665
mcardoe@msn.com
CRAB SUPPER & SEAL TRIP
If the village had its own medal of honour the 60 or so
souls who braved the most monstrous and bleakest of
weather to attend the very popular annual crab and seal trip
evening should be wearing them with pride! In a year when
we commemorated Mary Athill, the founder of the event,
the weather decided to show its fiercest of faces. Rainfall of
biblical proportions met those hardy folk early evening at
Morston Quay on Tuesday 12 th September Nevertheless,
they took on the adventure and were rewarded with another
wonderful trip out to Blakeney Point, courtesy of Jim
Temple, to see the birds and seals.
On return to the village hall and with a chance to dry out
they were welcomed by the PCC team who had decorated
the hall and tables beautifully with splendid flowers and
candles, a bar full of refreshment (very welcome under the
circumstances) and a delicious supper complemented by
20

delicious salads and spectacular choices of puddings. All
very well earnt.
The most welcome surprise of the evening came with
the announcement that the seasonal crab catch had not
returned sufficient for the evening but had been instead
replaced by lobster. This news was met with delighted
applause and thoughts of the very wet trip to the Point
subsided.
In what was a wonderfully
successful evening our thanks
as always go out to Willie
Weston for his generosity in
providing the lobsters, Jim
Temple for the boat trip, the
hard working PCC team in
both preparing the delicious food as well as assisting in
setting up the village hall to look so welcoming and to those
wonderful people who turned up for the event and whose
kindness and generosity raised over £1,600 for All Saints
Church. For so many reasons this will go down in history as
the one everyone remembers. Thank you all so very much.
MORSTON QUIZ 2024
Saturday 24 th February 6pm for 6:30pm
Morston Village Hall
The annual Morston quiz to raise funds for the Friends
of Morston Church will be held in the Village Hall on
Saturday 24 th February 2024. Previous Team Captains will
be contacted early in the new year. Anybody who has not
been in a team before and would be interested in taking part
in this competitive but very friendly quiz, please contact
Pete Tibbetts on 01263 741082/ 07977 937707 or
petetibbetts@aol.com and he will try and allocate you to a
team.
MERSTONA QUIZ
(answers on page 30)
1. In the 4th Century, Pope Julius I decided what?
(a) Halls must be decked with boughs of holly (b) The
precise date of Christ’s birth was 25th December((c) The
name of the donkey carrying Mary was 'Dobbin'
2. Whose Christmas feast included the following: dates,
carp, eels roasted with lamprey, and a leach (boiled milk
jelly, a bit like Turkish delight)?
(a) Charles Dickens. (b) Mrs Beeton (c) King Henry V
3. Why does Father Christmas come down the chimney
rather than use a door?
(a) It is the traditional entrance to the house for Pagan
trespassers such as witches or evil spirits (b) As a large,
ample-portioned gentleman he was considered too big to fit
through old-time doors (c) He didn't want to be recognised
on a 'Ring' doorbell security system
4. Henry Cole, the director of the Victoria and Albert
Museum, is usually given credit for what?
(a) Creating the first ever can of spray snow (b) Inventing
the mass-produced Christmas card (c) Writing the first ever
terrible cracker joke
5. In the 15th Century, the “Lord of Misrule”, a lowly
servant, might be declared master of ceremonies and
japes. The tradition survives today in our wearing of what
item?
(a) Novelty reindeer antlers (b) A paper crown (c) A sprig of
holly as a brooch
6. True or False? The red costume worn by Santa Claus
was initiated by artist Haddon Sundblom for an
advertising campaign for Coca-Cola in the 1930's?
7. Boxing Day, December 26th, earned its name in the
Victorian age as the day in which what happened?
(a) Victorians would traditionally gather to watch fights in
the market square (b) Unwanted presents would be 'boxed
up' and returned to shops and market traders the day after
Christmas (c) Servants and working people opened the
boxes in which they had collected gifts of money from the
“rich folk”.
8. Tom Smith, a London sweet-maker, invented what
Christmas item in 1846?
(a) The glass bauble tree decoration (b) The Christmas
cracker (c) The giant inflatable Santa
9. True or False? 'Jingle Bells is a traditional Christmas
song?
10. What is the most 'recorded' Christmas song of all
time?
(a) White Christmas (b) Silent Night (c) All I Want For
Christmas
21

MORSTON GAMES NIGHT
On Monday 16 th October a very well-attended inaugural
Games Evening at Morston Village Hall was held. Table
Tennis, Table Football, Darts, Table Skittles, Bagatelle, and
Shove Ha'penny all proved popular, as did a variety of
board games. Residents of Morston, young and not quite so
young, brought along and shared drinks and snacks and
enjoyed a lively evening of games and general socialising.
We were also delighted to welcome a few friends from
Blakeney. The catering was so good that many scrapped
their plans for a late dinner after the fun.
The evening was a great
success and is set to
become a regular fixture
in the Morston calendar
on the second Monday
of each month at 7pm
throughout the winter.
The next Games
Evenings will be on 13 th
November, followed by
a Christmas-themed
evening on 11 th December. Do come and join us, the events
are free of charge but do please bring your own drinks and
nibbles, all ages welcome! If you are thinking of coming,
please let Jill Tibbetts know on 01263 741082.
ANNUAL SHOVELL DINNER
The 17 th Shovell Dinner was held at the Blakeney
Harbour Rooms on Saturday 4 th November. This year’s
speaker was the author Jonathan Hooton, who, after twenty
years of research in the record offices of London,
Cambridge and Norwich, published his first book in 1996
entitled “The Glaven Ports”, which was published by the
Blakeney History Group. His talk was titled “The Glaven
Ports to 1800” and it was obvious to all that his enthusiasm
for the subject and his painstaking research has resulted in
his huge depth of knowledge on the subject. The audience
was fascinated by the details of the geographical evolution
of the ports, the activities of the shipping and the
architecture of Cley. Very appropriately, Jonathan even
managed to include references to Admiral Sir Cloudesley
Shovell. We have had very complimentary feedback about
the talk, and we would like to extend our thanks to Jonathan
for helping to make it such a successful evening.
Once again, Paul Manders and chef Mark Sayers at The
Harbour Rooms did us proud and produced a delicious
meal, which was much appreciated by all. The event raised
over £1000 for the Friends of Morston Church. So many
thanks to all who attended, those who could not come but
kindly donated and all those who helped make the evening
such a success. We look forward to seeing you all again at
next year’s dinner, which is scheduled for Saturday 19 th
October 2024.
FRIENDS OF MORSTON CHURCH
You shop. FMC Raises Funds
Here’s a simple and direct way to support and raise
funds for the Friends of Morston Church whilst doing your
day-to-day or Christmas shopping.
Last year FMC raised £300 by people using this service
and to date only a few have signed up. It costs the user
nothing so if you’d like to consider shopping via
easyfunding please follow the guidance below. All the main
retail companies support the site, and they donate a
percentage of what you spend with them to your nominated
cause – in this case the Friends of Morston Church.
Earn unlimited £5 donations for FMC when you sign up
to #easyfunding and raise £5. Make it count when you do all
your online shopping and raise free donations with over
8,000 brands. It’s easy to do and completely free.
Sign up here: https://join.easyfundraising.org.uk/
morstonchurch/QWA2M9/s2s/FRnm6K1bf/SE761/
whatsapp.
ALL SAINTS
Candlelit Carol Service
The traditional Candlelit Christmas Carol Service will be
held on Saturday 23 rd December at 5pm. Mulled wine,
sausage rolls, and minced pies await as a reward to all those
full-voiced and hearty singers. All are welcome and we’d be
delighted to see you there.
22

Christening
On 30 th September, the Reverend Ian Whittle officiated
at the christening of Archie George Stewart – the son of
Alice & George Stewart of South Island, New Zealand.
Alice’s mother Lindy Kilmaine, although living in
Warwickshire, is a regular member of our congregation. Her
husband John Kilmaine who was a very keen sailor is
buried in the churchyard. The christening was followed by a
party at The Anchor.
SWAMP NEWS
SWAMP efforts have been acknowledged recently in
the local press! We had a page write up in the EDP and
more generally it seems Norfolk ponds are having a
moment.
Recent rains have filled the pond making us scale down
works in the water for the winter. However, our work
continues as there is much to
do on areas surrounding the
pond, with cutting back
brambles our next priority.
Over the winter we will
be pollarding willows,
clearing the vegetation
around the perimeter of the
pond, and building habitats
for invertebrates.
Weather permitting there will be working parties on:
27th November 1:30 - 3:30, 10th December 10:30 - 12:30 -
with drinks in the Anchor afterwards, 15th January 1:30 -
3:30 and 28th January 10:30 - 12:30.
Please check the website for last minute changes; it
would be lovely to see new and old volunteers. https://
www.morstonpondswamp.org
NEWS FROM THE NATIONAL TRUST
Blakeney Point
Our rangers on Blakeney Point have had a busy few
weeks as we make the transition from the end of breeding
bird season to the start of seal pupping season. This involves
collecting in the various items of equipment needed during
ground nesting bird season, from signage, to fence posts,
rope fences, rat boxes, and good nature traps.
We recently brought together our volunteers to recap the
tern breeding season and to prepare for the upcoming seal
pupping season. Volunteers make a huge difference to our
work on the Point and we are extremely grateful for their
continued support with both terns and seal conservation.
Our mobile hide has been painted and is now in position at
the Hood where the volunteers will be stationed, with a
view out across the colony.
The first seal pup of breeding season was spotted in late
October, but it is really in November that things truly start
picking up. This is when the cows will come ashore in big
numbers and start to cover the Point. Eventually their
numbers will reach approximately 4,500 - a remarkable
sight that makes this the biggest grey seal colony in
England.
An exciting development for this year is that we will
have a remote wildlife monitoring camera situated in the
heart of the colony. To protect the camera from the seals,
which can weigh up to 230 kg, we have constructed a fence
that will keep out the seals and protect the expensive camera
and solar panels. If all goes to plan, we will have a live
stream of the seal colony that anyone can watch on
YouTube.
One of the key factors in the success of Blakeney Point’s
grey seals is the relative inaccessibility of the Point and the
fact that disturbance from people is kept to a minimum.
Dogs are a particular concern when it comes to disturbance,
and regular visitors to the Point will notice that dogs won’t
be allowed as close to the colony as they have been in
previous years.
Morston Quay
We are at the early stages of plans to improve our
facilities at Morston Quay. Over the coming months we will
be sharing our plans in more detail with local residents,
businesses, boat owners who use the Quay, and all those
with an interest in this special place.
23

BARBARA PURKISS
29 th July 1924 – 22nd September 2023
A Tribute by Carol Bean
It was with great sadness that we learnt of the death of
Barbara Purkiss, a long-time resident of Morston. Before
moving to Norfolk, she lived in Frinton-on-Sea and was
secretary to the head mistress at St. Monica’s School,
Clacton-on-Sea.
Carol Bean, her neighbour, recalls “when Barbara first
moved to Point House, we did not
become friends straight away. I
was busy working and Barbara was
busy helping at Langham School
and preparing her new home to
receive Bed & Breakfast guests.
When Barbara finally gave up
catering for her B&B guests, she
began working as a volunteer for
the National Trust at Blickling
Hall.
“Initially Barbara worked inside
the house as a room steward. After
a short stint in that role, Barbara
Barbara Purkiss, 1984
was promoted to work outside in the gardens in a wooden
shed filled with plants and flowers which were on sale to
visitors. Barbara was a keen gardener and loved her time in
the plant kiosk. She enjoyed engaging with customers and
being able to meet so many interesting new people; many of
whom would become friends to her and not just customers.
“In time, Barbara became Clerk to the Morston Parish
Council. One thing led to another, and we would go on to
strike up a friendship that was to last for over 20 years. We
particularly enjoyed our trips to, and tea and buns at,
Waitrose when the new store was opened in Swaffham. I
also have many fond memories of visiting Sandringham
with Barbara and enjoying each other’s company on sunny
afternoons and often celebrating birthday lunches there. As
Barbara became too frail to leave her bed, I would pop
round every afternoon for a cup of tea and engaging
conversation.”
SAXLINGHAM
Contact: John Pridham 01328 831851
jcwpridham@gmail.com
A WINTER BLUEJAY
Crisply the bright snow whispered,
Crunching beneath our feet;
Behind us as we walked along the parkway,
Our shadows danced,
Fantastic shapes in vivid blue.
Across the lake the skaters
Flew to and fro,
With sharp turns weaving
A frail invisible net.
In ecstasy the earth
Drank the silver sunlight;
In ecstasy the skaters
Drank the wine of speed;
In ecstasy we laughed
Drinking the wine of love.
Had not the music of our joy
Sounded its highest note?
But no,
For suddenly, with lifted eyes you said,
“Oh look!”
There, on the black bough of a snow flecked maple,
Fearless and gay as our love,
A bluejay cocked his crest!
Oh who can tell the range of joy
Or set the bounds of beauty?
Sara Teasdale
ST MARGARET’S CHURCH CAROLS
Our carol service this year will be held on Sunday 17 th
December at 4pm followed by drinks and mince pies. So do
come along and enjoy a village get together.
24

SHARRINGTON
Contact: Claire Dubbins 01263 862261
cdubbins@btinternet.com
www.sharrington.org.uk
CHRISTMAS FOODBANK DONATIONS
As far as the food bank is concerned Christmas comes
early, so we will be delivering our collection on Monday
11 th December. The village has always been both generous
and imaginative in donating all manner of items, such as
mince pies, Christmas cakes and puddings, tins of biscuits
and so on, which will make a difference to those who are
really feeling the pinch this year. Children are easy in a way
and chocolate in every shape and form always goes down a
treat but this year we will also be thinking about teenagers
for whom, as we discovered earlier this year, toiletries are
important to their wellbeing. Some vegan and gluten free
biscuits, puddings, cakes and treats will also be very
welcome. And as we celebrate the birth of Christ it may
perhaps be appropriate to think of babies. Nappies and baby
food are not a glamorous gift but are always needed and
appreciated.
AS
SHARRINGTON AND DISTRICT
GARDENING GROUP
A sunny September day saw a good turnout for our biannual
bulb sale and our new venture the Big Plant Swap. It
was a pleasant chance to catch up over a cup of coffee at the
end of summer, not to mention our catering goddess’s
wonderful cakes.
The bulbs sold well, with tulips, alliums and blue
camassia’s being in particular demand as well as mini
narcissi for pots. We took a table at the Sharrington church
coffee morning too, to give those who had missed the bulb
sale itself, a chance to stock up at our favourable prices.
The plant swap proved to be particularly busy. Thanks to
the generosity of members there was a wide variety of
plants looking for new homes and plenty of interested
gardeners ready to adopt them. We were pleased members
felt it was a good idea and urged us to organise this more
regularly.
In early October we spent an entertaining evening in the
company of Geoff Hodge. This was Geoff’s third visit to
the group. His informative talk was on planting for drought
conditions. As rising temperatures and changing weather
patterns become the norm we should all be adapting to
changing conditions. His advice was as follows:
Mulch, mulch, mulch for better root growth, especially
on a light soil at least 2-3 inches, such as leaf mould,
composted bark. Avoid shallow rooting plants such as
hydrangeas. Plant smaller plants as these will establish more
quickly. Seeds or self-seeding plants are a good bet as they
establish quicker. Do not plant in summer apart from
annuals. Store rainwater. Look at the plant leaves for clues
as smaller leaves mean less loss of water, as well as those
that release essential oils such as lavender and leaves like
alchemilla which collect drops of water. One piece of salient
advice Geoff gave was to water plants in the early morning,
especially if they are attractive to slugs. B.Wiles
SHARRINGTON LIVE MUSIC
Saturday 9 th December will see the year out at the village
hall, with the return of the ever popular singer, songwriter
and storyteller Edwina Hayes who is one of the finest
female singers and songwriters this country has produced in
years. Edwina brings together English folk, Americana and
the rich northern singer and songwriter tradition to create a
sound that is truly her own. Highly accomplished she has
toured with such notable performers as Jools Holland, Van
Morrison, Nanci Griffith and Loudon Wainwright III to
name just a few.
Tickets are £12 and available from www.ticketebo.
co.uk/sharrington-village-hall/an-evening-with-edwinahayes.
Additional help at the hall on music nights is always
needed so please contact me at garybishop@
btinternet.com if you have some spare time to lend a hand.
Looking ahead to 2024 our first concert will be the
popular Vagaband, led by Jośe McGill on Saturday 10 th
February. Their music is a blend of Americana, folk-jazz
and rock and demand for tickets will be high so check the
website www.sharrington.org.uk for ticket details. Hope
to see you there.
Gary Bishop SVH
GET TOGETHER WITH CRAFT
Join us for the last crafting workshop of 2023 to make a
festive decoration on Friday 1 st December 10.30am -
12.30pm. Alternatively, if you are working on your own
project, bring it along and join us for a chat and
refreshments. There is a £2 donation to the village hall and a
further £2 if you are joining in with the project. More details
can be found on the website www.sharrington.org.uk/
craft.
We are taking a small break in January but will return in
February for our first 2024 meet up.
Wishing you all a very joyous and relaxing Christmas
and New Year.
SLB
25

NOBLE ROTTERS: WINES OF SPAIN
Our September tasting saw the return of Brian Sullivan,
once of Adnams in Holkham and Holt but now a leading
light of Harper Wells, independent wine merchants based in
Ber Street in Norwich.
On his last visit in March 2018, Brian shared with
members a range of wines from Italy. On this occasion, he
took us on a journey around the wine producing regions of
Spain, some well-known like Rioja and others more off the
beaten track like Cebreros to the west of Madrid. The
evening started with an excellent Cava Reserva rejoicing in
the name of STARS followed by three white wines from
Cebreros, Mentrida and Rias Baixas. As is often the case
with the Rotters, the red wines from Jumilla, Rioja Alta,
Calatayud and Ribeira Sacre received louder applause
which might have something to do with what members
had already consumed or the £30 a bottle price.
As ever with Brian, it was a most entertaining
evening and set the bar rather high for the rest of the
season.
By the time of publication members will have
compared various wines produced in different regions from
the Chardonnay grape and will be making their mince pies
ready for their festive tasting in December. Chief Rotter
CHURCH NEWS
Saturday 28 th October saw a large number of visitors at
All Saints Church to help us celebrate the 700 th anniversary
of the first known priest at
the church. Sharrington
residents came to learn
more about their church’s
history and visitors from
outside with an interest in
church history and
architecture also joined us.
All enjoyed hot drinks,
scones and cakes before settling down to hear the team of
presenters tell us about the village and church history, the
brasses, corbels and other aspects of the church before being
led round the outside of the church to learn more about the
building and the architecture.
After a break for lunch time refreshments a shorter
version of the talks was given for newcomers and there was
plenty of time for visitors to view the various exhibits
including old parish registers dating from the 17 th century
which had been brought back from the Norfolk Record
Office specially for the day, vintage family christening
gowns, including George Moore’s, accompanied by a
delightful photograph, and Mary Moore’s wedding dress
from 2014 on display in the sanctuary. As every National
Trust steward knows, you often learn a lot about the house,
church or exhibit from visitors and I certainly found this to
be the case at the church.
Thanks are due to all the church members and volunteers
who worked hard throughout the summer to make this event
happen with research on the church, planning the day,
publicity and many other tasks too, as well as welcoming
visitors on the day, presenting the talks and serving
refreshments. Voluntary help meant the grass was cut round
the church for the outside tour and help was given baking
cakes, scones, sandwiches and sausage rolls.
With all the work that went into the day we are looking
at ways to make the information permanently available for
all to see.
We are now looking forward to the village Carol Service
which will be held on Saturday 16 th December at 5pm with
refreshments afterwards to which all are welcome. CD
DEFIBRILLATOR NEWS
After some months of successful fundraising our
defibrillator is now up and running outside the village hall
and while we hope we never have
to use it, it is reassuring to know
that we have it in case of the need
for it by residents and visitors
alike.
Two evenings of training were
provided in October for those
who wished to learn more of what
is involved in its use and 35
people attended. The two
excellent trainers from Bale,
Mark and Fiona gave up their
evenings to be with us. As well as
being a paramedic and a doctor, they volunteer with the
charity Norfolk Accident Rescue Service (NARS) and were
therefore able to give us practical examples of the use and
value of defibrillators.
After demonstrating how to access and use the
defibrillator in the event of a cardiac arrest, everyone was
given the opportunity to practice on a dummy and most
people had a go. It was repeatedly stressed that the
defibrillator will only work if there is a cardiac arrest so
there is no danger of applying the machine in error while the
patient is still breathing. It is also the case that the use of the
defibrillator can increase the chance of survival by upwards
of 40%.
Everyone left feeling more informed and confident about
26

its use and we now belong to a chain of local villages who
have acquired life saving defibrillators.
This year’s fundraising and installation will be marked at
the beginning of November by a free concert by local band,
Bandwidth which, at the time of writing, everyone was
looking forward to.
CD
STIFFKEY
Contact: Sophia Williams 07800 590262
stiffkeylynx@gmail.com
GENERAL NEWS
Over the past couple of months there has been a lot of
publicity over the rebuilding of the bridge. Firstly, the EDP
attended the parish council meeting in September. Then in
October we have had the Observer interviewing Ian Curtis,
and parish council chairman, Martin Williams with their
piece on the Stiffkey bridge. This led to subsequent
coverage in the New York Times.
Stiffkey parish council meeting was on the 25 th
September in the village hall and the National Trust
attended a public meeting and Duncan Baker, MP for North
Norfolk. One of the points of contention was the reluctance
of the National Trust to provide the structural report for
public examination. Duncan Baker, on the 19 th October,
raised the issue at parliament, and Penny Mourdant, Leader
of the House of Commons, weighed in with her support to
obtain a copy of the structural report.
At the time of writing the National Trust along with the
structural engineer, who wrote the safety report on the
bridge that was removed, will be attending the next Stiffkey
parish council meeting in the village hall. This is to be at
7pm on 17 th November 2023.
In lighter news, I held a three-day open studio event on
the last weekend of October. Thanks to all the villagers who
came out and supported me by purchasing oil paintings.
Jamie Lawrence, locally known as the ‘mayor of
Stiffkey’ turned 50 in November. A surprise party was held
at the Stiffkey Red Lion on 28 th October. The pub was
packed with friends, family and villagers dancing and
revelling in the company. The atmosphere was wonderful.
Please can we have a 50 th birthday every Saturday night in
the pub?! There is a band playing in the evening of 15 th
December in the pub, called Mango Chutney. See you there.
SW
This Month’s Seasonal Recipe
Chilli, maple & ginger glazed cocktail sausages
Makes 12
1-2 red chillies, finally sliced plus extra to serve
50 ml of maple syrup
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
10g of ginger, finely chopped
1 tsp sesame oil
12 meat-free or animal-based cocktail sausages
Sesame seeds, for sprinkling
Coriander leaves (handful)
Lime wedges to serve.
Pre-heat the oven to 180 celsius (fan).
Combine the chillies, maple syrup, vinegar, ginger, and
sesame oil in a small pan, and bring to a simmer over a low
heat. Cook for 2-3 minutes until slightly reduced.
Line a roasting tin with foil, then tip in the sausages, half
the glaze and a sprinkle of sesame seeds. Bake for 20-25
minutes, turning halfway through cooking, until the
sausages are cooked through and sticky.
Pour the remaining glaze into a small dipping bowl and
scatter more sesame seeds. Scatter extra chillies and the
coriander over the sausages, then serve with the glaze on the
side and lime wedges for squeezing over.
Sophia’s sommelier recommendation would be a glass
of Italian Primitivo Di Manduria / California Zinfandel or
the amazing Amarone from Vined Me in Walsingham.
Sophia Williams
TALES FROM THE RIVERBANK
October brought several huge downpours which caused
the river to rise to its highest point for nearly three years.
I’m always surprised how quickly it falls back after its peak,
although it has remained at a higher level. The water is
27

cloudy because so much of it has run off fields and roads,
however I find if it doesn’t rain for a few days, it soon
clears, and I can start my trout spotting again.
Speaking of fish, I had a first sighting for me in
September of another species, a lamprey. At first glance I
thought it was a small eel, but even during my brief sighting
I could see it was a different shape, flatter in body, with fins
on top and a strange flat mouth. A bit of research informed
me this ancient breed of fish uses its sucker like mouth to
attach to other fish, rasp away at their flesh and feed on their
bodily fluids. Gruesome!
In September we had a visit from a grey squirrel, not
normally a creature of note, however this one was startled
by me walking down the garden and elected to escape by
diving into the river and swimming very competently right
across to the trees on the other bank, where it climbed to
safety. I must confess I had no idea squirrels were such
adept swimmers and are a more complete athlete than most
small mammals.
We have a pair of Jays who have been harvesting the
acorns in a neighbour’s oak tree and stashing them in all
sorts of places, notably the crevices of other trees and
some buried under the hedgerows across on Damson
Lane. It amazes me how they ever find them again, but
indeed they do. Sometimes they use these to feed their
young in the next spring.
The mallards have started pairing up early this year,
with squabbles and fights breaking out amongst the
mixed group of males and females. A little earlier in the
year some of the males were in eclipse, when they are
changing their plumage, and are very hard to distinguish
from the females apart from their more yellow bills. Now
they are in full mating plumage, and some of the fights can
get very violent as they sort out the hierarchy. I read that
some females provoke fights, it is assumed as a way of
establishing which males are the strongest, to help them
make their selection.
One other sighting of note, confirmed by my neighbour
who pays very close attention to the bird life on the river
and around the meadow, was a rough legged buzzard. On
first sight perched in a dead tree some way off, I thought it
was the famous white-tailed sea eagle from Holkham. This
bird’s tail was so large and white, it stood out from a
distance, so I was almost disappointed when it took off and
was more Buzzard like. On checking the shape, flight
pattern and plumage it was a rough legged one, which are
very rare. We both saw it a couple of times thereafter, but it
seems to have moved on quickly, possibly because most
raptors around here are continually pestered by crows and
jackdaws these days.
Martin Williams
NORTH NORFOLK BOOK WORMS
Stiffkey Bookworms Sept and Oct Review
The two books we read are Pride and Prejudice, 1813,
by Jane Austen and Mad Honey, 2022, by Jodi Picoult and
Jennifer Finney Boylan.
Pride and Prejudice is a novel of manners and follows
the protagonist Elizabeth Bennet as she
learns about the pitfalls of making hasty
judgements about people and the true
difference between superficial
impressions of goodness and actual
goodness. The novel follows the Bennet
family and their five daughters in rural
England during the Georgian era. Early in
the book we learn that due to an entail, the
family home will pass to a nephew. Mrs
Bennet because of this is obsessed with finding suitable
husbands for her daughters. Several eligible bachelors are
introduced to the reader and the romantic clash between
Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy forms the main thread of
the novel. The verbal sparring between them is a delight to
read and Austen’s clever use of language and dry wit leaps
off the page.
Most of the group thoroughly enjoyed the novel and
were in awe of the quality of writing from such a young
author as Austen who, at 21, penned the novel. It gives the
reader such an insight into the social conventions of the day,
particularly regarding women and their place in society.
Austen’s witty observations of her characters is masterful
and the plot engaging and sparkling. Unanimously our
favourite scene involves Elizabeth and Lady Catherine and
the question of whether she will promise not to marry
Darcy.
However, the language can be tricky and not
everyone felt engaged with the story. It led on to a
discussion as to which of the various film and tv
adaptations captured the essence of the novel best. We
felt that the 1995 tv series that launched Colin Firth into
the limelight, outshone the others, do you agree? Book
worm score 4.5/5
Mad Honey is a novel about we
choose to keep from our past and
what we choose to leave behind.
Olivia is raising her son Asher alone
after leaving her abusive husband and
running the family beekeeping
business. Lily and her mother are
starting afresh in the same town with
Asher and Lily falling in love. Then
there is a sudden death and police
28

investigation leading to a huge plot twist. This is a novel
that combines a love story with a suspenseful
whodunnit and delves into the secrets we keep and the
risks a person takes to be themselves.
We felt this novel was utterly compelling, writing with
two story lines, one past and one present. There are strong
female characters who are surviving despite life changing
events. The authors are tackling domestic abuse, the
American justice system, an individual’s right to choose and
privacy versus secrets. It is all tackled sensitively and with
subtlety. The novel is interspersed with beekeeping
depictions which some of us found overlong although
informative. The ending too threw up questions and was not
wholly satisfying. Overall, we highly recommend the book.
It challenged our preconceptions and has given real insight
into a particular topic. A strong 4.5/5
Our November read is The Overstory by Richard
Powers if you would like to read along. Jane Hiscocks
CHURCH NEWS
The church held a harvest festival service on Sunday
1 st October. Thank you to those who decorated the
church beautifully and to those contributing produce,
food and toiletries. These were delivered to the North
Norfolk Foodbank who were most grateful, where they
triage some of the goods to outreach organisations
including the Leeway domestic violence and abuse
service.
Dates for your diary relating to church events are as
follows, our advent service is at 9:30am on 3 rd
December, and our carol service is at 4pm on Saturday
23 rd December.
The recent storms have challenged the church roof in
three places and the PCC will seek expert advice on
what to do. Prevention at this stage, even in extremes of
weather, is key to maintaining overall good condition of
the roof timber, quite apart from various items needing
protection from water. The visitors’ book got hit by one
of the leaks, luckily it has dried out and has been
restored to another position.
The churchyard mowing team season is now over.
Probably for one, perhaps both lawnmowers it was their
last season, despite valiant efforts to maintain them.
Should anyone in the village be replacing their
lawnmower and would be happy to pass on their current
petrol mower, please let me know.
StJStiffkey.sec@outlook.com is my email address.
The Bishop of Norwich's church buildings
commission published its report in early August. There
is a hard copy of the summary in the church but there is
electronic version (with an embedded link to the full
report) on https://www.dioceseofnorwich.org/
churches/buildings/the-church-buildingscommission/
Contact StJStiffkey.sec@outlook.com for a copy.
Alan Duff
COASTAL MARSH ARTISTS
We’ve been invited to take part again in the
Langham Street Fayre next August. It is always nice to
be asked back.
Our group is hosting the extra general meeting for
the North Norfolk Studios artist co-operative on 8th
January at Sharrington Village Hall. It is great to be able
to give our time to support fellow artists from
throughout North Norfolk. We’re currently planning the
next open studios event in which will run from Saturday
24 th May until Sunday 2 nd June 2024. Sophia Williams
29

RESCUE WOODEN BOATS
Our busy season ended on 31st October. We are
delighted to have had many more visitors than last year
at the Maritime Heritage Centre in Stiffkey, viewing our
local heritage fishing and lifeboat displays, films and
artefacts and the boatbuilding workshop next door.
Children have been enjoying our quiz and trying out their
knot tying skills.
This year we have had a number of groups, with more
than 20 people, arranging to visit us, some combining this
with a trip on our lifeboat Lucy Lavers in Wells to make a
whole day outing. We are also very happy to visit groups to
give talks about our charity, our boats, and our work. Do get
in touch if your group or society might be interested.
We completed the season with a flourish, holding our
end of season party for heritage fishing and boatbuilding
families, current heritage fishing boat owners, and
volunteers, hosted by trustees and entertained by Plug
Emery on the melodeon and Fiona Davies demonstrating
fishermen’s step dancing, and both providing some Norfolk
Squit.
Lucy Lavers has been busy throughout the season
giving trips afloat in Wells, and starred in the BBC
programme, Return to the Country and in Channel 5’s
Norfolk and Suffolk: Country and Coast narrated by Bill
Nighy, which created extra interest.
We will be working hard over the winter to improve the
Stiffkey Maritime Heritage Centre, add some new displays
and to develop our smaller event room into a hub for events
starting from April 2024. We are lucky to have received a
National Lottery Community Fund grant to help us to do
this.
We are delighted that several people have joined our
friendly volunteer team this year – and we need many more.
If you are interested in what we do, do get in touch to
discuss possibilities.
And of course, we always welcome donations to support
our charitable work – you can find a donate button on our
website www.rescuewoodenboats.com.
If you’d like more information or to get involved please
contact us at wwp@wendypritchard.co.uk or 07796
951414. Wendy Pritchard
STIFFKEY WRITERS’ CIRCLE
A few years ago, I was a member of North Norfolk
Writers. One-by-one members moved away or left and
sadly the group disbanded in 2018.
Writers, unless they are published authors or contributors
to newspapers, magazines, or local news journals, rarely
have a forum in which to present their material to be read
and critiqued by fellow wordsmiths.
You may be an aspiring writer with blank page
syndrome or one of the number of writers and published
authors who live in the village. If so, would you be
interested in helping to establish a Stiffkey Writers Circle in
the new year? Suggestions, please. C.J.Adlington@
consultant.com.
Colin Adlington
MERSTONA QUIZ ANSWERS
(questions on page 20)
1.(b) The precise date of Christ’s birth was 25th December.
2.(c) King Henry V.
3.(a) It is the traditional entrance to the house for Pagan
trespassers such as witches or evil spirits.
4.(b) Inventing the mass-produced Christmas card.
5.(b) A paper crown.
6.False. A Boston printer named Louis Prang introduced the
English custom of Christmas cards to America and in 1885
issued a card featuring a red-suited Santa.
7.(c) Servants and working people opened the boxes in
which they had collected gifts of money from the “rich
folk”.
8.(b) The Christmas cracker.
9.False. The now-classic tune "Jingle Bells" was written in
the mid-19th century by James Pierpont while he
experienced a bout of homesickness while living in
Savannah, Georgia, for the Thanksgiving programme at his
father's church.
10.(b) Silent Night. The most recorded Christmas song of
all time is "Silent Night," with 733 accredited versions,
whereas "White Christmas" by Bing Crosby holds the
Guinness World Record for the best-selling single.
CHRISTMAS CROSSWORD ANSWERS
(questions on page 16)
SPOT THE DIFFERENCES
(questions on page 16)
1.Bird 2.Window front of building 3.Cloud on right
4.Reflective cloud on left 5.Part of splash on boat 6.Smile
on left elf 7.Spot on cheek on left seal 8.Seal flipper on
smiley fat seal on right 9.Patch of grass on far right
10. Pom Pom added to far right elf
30

JUNIOR QUIZ ANSWERS
(questions on page 17)
1.SpongeBob SquarePants 2.Mice 3.Arendelle 4.Blue
Peter 5.Clownfish 6.Three 7.Sid 8.Earth 9.Donkey
10.Horse Chestnut 11.Joey 12.Gold 13.Asland 14.Bear
Grylls 15.Blue.
SENIOR QUIZ ANSWERS
(questions on page 17)
1.Horse 2.Dirty Dancing 3.Old Kent Road 4.Starbucks
5.Mark Cavendish 6.Pomegranate 7.Agatha Christie
8.The Garrison 9.Liverpool 10.Basalt 11.Curragh 12. Big
Toe 13.1940 14.Graham Norton 15.Emu & Kangaroo
16.Alien 17.Thailand 18.Winston Churchill 19.India
20.Snail 21.Green 22.Boris Johnson 23.New York
24.Niagara Falls 25.Foo Fighters 26.Colorado 27.Arthur’s
Seat 28.Holkham 29.Clocks 30.Gladiator
ANIMAL WORDSEARCH ANSWERS
(questions of page 17)
Aardvark, Badger, Bat, Bear, Bird, Camel, Cat, Chimp,
Coati, Dog, Elk, Emu, Ferret, Frog, Gibbon, Gorilla,
Hippopotamus, Horse, Koala, Leopard, Lion, Lori, Lynx,
Monkey, Ocelot, Ounce, Owl, Pig, Polecat, Python, Shark,
Sloth, Snake, Squid, Tiger, Tortoise, Wolf, Zebra
BAH HUMBUG LYNX
(questions on page 17)
Spotted on the cover and pages 2, 3, 5, 6, 11, 15, 16, 17,
19, 21, 26, 29, 30, 31 & 32.
LANGHAM VILLAGE SCHOOL NEWS
Our first half term back in school was a busy one. Year 6
had a residential trip to Bawdsey Manor in Suffolk. They
took part in lots of exciting outdoor adventures. A zip wire,
huge swing and raft making on the moat. We had a disco
and I am pretty sure there may have been a midnight feast. It
was a fantastic trip in a very beautiful location and a good
start to the children’s last year here at Langham.
We are happy to be involved again in sporting
tournaments at Alderman Peel High School and so far, we
have had a touch rugby afternoon with Burnham Market
and Wells Primary Schools. We took two teams who both
did really well and demonstrated super sporting attitudes.
The children in Years 5 and 6 have been taught touch rugby
by Soul Phoenix from the England team.
Quartz Class really enjoyed a trip to Holkham for a
variety of different activities in the Hall. They had to
navigate around the building to search and identify items
that didn’t belong in each room. They also learnt about the
preservation of the artefacts and antiques. It was amazing to
have such a beautiful house all to ourselves. We are so
lucky to be able to access this with the children.
Amber Class travelled to Gresham’s for a classical
concert in the Auden Theatre; this was so impressive and
very much enjoyed by the children. It is great for them to
experience a live orchestra.
Early in the term, the whole school were involved in a
drama workshop; they took part in drama games and
activities that allowed them to have fun whilst growing in
confidence and learning valuable theatrical skills. Games
were used to focus the children’s’ attention, facilitate team
building and as a tool for developing communication and
receptive skills and to foster an enjoyment of drama.
Alongside all these exciting trips and activities, we have
been involved in equally exciting learning. Jet Class have
learnt about ‘Extreme Earth’, studying the Earth's greatest
natural disasters and weather phenomena, from raging
tropical storms to violent erupting volcanoes to terrifying
towering tsunamis. Quartz Class have been studying ‘Our
European Neighbours’; they have been learning fascinating
facts about Europe, the names, locations and features of
European countries and capitals. Amber Class have learnt
about ‘Food and Farming’, thinking about the countryside
and exploring a working farm. They have found out about
arable, livestock and dairy farms and the difference between
them. They have studied the features of a farm and used a
map to navigate, as well as thinking about the differences
between life in the country and life in a busy town. Coral
Class have successfully completed their first half term in
school and have been learning about new beginnings,
classroom routines and about making friends. They have
settled in really well.
Langham Village School - ‘A place for fun, creativity,
friendship, ambition and discovery.’
For further information please visit our website
www.langham.norfolk.co.uk or follow us on twitter
@langhamvill .
31

Art/Interiors/Furniture/Textiles
page
Darren Graveling, bespoke joinery 7
Nick Hamond Furniture: cabinet-maker 29
Phillippa Kirby Soft Furnishings 18
Shirehall Antiques 29
Sophia Williams: Stiffkey Artist 14
Advice & Care Services
Hindringham Toddler Group 23
Gardening
Beechwood Landscapes & Maintenance 27
BLS Landscaping 11
DB Garden Services 12
Hair/Health
Alison Courtney Acupuncture 20
Claire Dye: Physiotherapist 29
Foot Perfect 22
Gunthorpe Osteopaths 11
Jack Sadler Physiotherapy 25
Pilates at Binham Memorial Hall 7
Tudor Barber Shop, Walsingham 6
Hall Rentals
Binham Memorial Hall 21
Sharrington Village Hall 15
Warham Reading Room 27
Leisure
E-motion Cycles NEW
front cover
Langham Blue Bell NEW 5
LYNX 153 ADS DIRECTORY
SEE FURTHER SERVICES LISTED BELOW DIRECTORY
Morston Anchor NEW 9
Morston Pool 10
On Yer Bike 15
Sharrington Gardening Group 4
The Parlour Café & Tea Room 22
Services and Suppliers
Affordable Business Services NEW front cover
APW Pumbing & Heating 6
Boon-bespoke décor 19
Burnham Motors 10
Butcher Andrews Solicitors 18
Chris Wells Construction, Ltd 26
Clearview Pest Control 28
Darren Betts Building and Maintenance 12
David Thompson Chimney Sweep front cover
Gresham Gravel 25
JH Dowse Window Cleaning 24
Keeble Roofing Contractor 14
Kelly Saddington Dog Walking & Pet Care 26
Morston Boat Yard 24
Norfolk Woodburners Stoves 13
Paul Hennessey 21
P J Electrics 8
Stephenson Smart Accountants 20
Stuart’s Taxi 28
The WillMaker Group: Garry Scutter 31
Vantastic Movers 23
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CLEANING AND HOME CARE SERVICES
Regular cleans, linen changes, ironing and errands
Contact Laura Bailey on 01328 711329 or 07917 031163
E: laurabailey@homemail.com
GARY WALLER
Painter, Decorator & Carpet Cleaner
20 Years Experience No job too small
01263 860705 Mob: 07990 993406
CHIMNEY SWEEP
David Thompson
01328 851081
SEPTIC TANKS EMPTIED
Contact Alison Lee
07749 951898
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Control of Rats Mice Wasps etc
01263 860112
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Design - Build - Planting
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Jackie Finch 07776 292 211
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