Initially I booked a lunchtime talk about Seahenge, to be held at Cley. I had been to one of these before, they start with lunch, and then the illustrated talk. The previous one was about Flowers of the Norfolk Coast by Simon Harrap and was excellent. Both events have been sold out and the conversation with other attendees over a sit down lunch is always good.
Then I thought I could have a few nights away in the Motorhome, to take in a significant birthday. I had already celebrated with lunch out with my brother and his wife and also dinner out with Robert (son) his wife Sam and both grandsons.
I drove up on Tuesday, my actual birthday, and stopped at the lovely National Trust property of Felbrigg Hall. I donated a small box of books to the second hand bookshop, and gave myself a brownie point for only choosing 3 to take away and one of these was for a grandson. I was really pleased that the cafe had a good choice of dairy free cake, as I have become very diary intolerant again.
One of the last places Michael was able to walk to, with his rollator was Felbrigg Church in the grounds of the Hall. It seemed a good day to take the camera and tripod down to the church.
A view of the parkland
I love to look at the brasses of which there are several covered over by layers of carpet. The detail in them, considering the age is staggering.
This is probably my favourite, installed in 1612. I’m love the clothing detail (the rest of the brass is under the current alter!)
Some brief information about this brass.
The church is quite unusual as it still has a complete set of boxed pews. It is a small church with a big atmosphere, and quite poignant for me.
I then drove on to the campsite and got settled, the sun was out, it was hot and I felt overdressed in a jumper and cardigan!
The second day I decided to put on my walking boots and walk into Comer, about 1 mile. My aim was to have coffee and cake, fish and chips for lunch and ‘do’ the charity shops and the one second hand bookshop I knew and loved. I would walk down into Cromer along the cliff top promenade and then come back along the beach and the zigzag path to get up the cliff.
Walking into Cromer, not very busy!
All went to plan- coffee at Brewed Awakening, from Google I worked out this was probably the place most likely to be good for ‘dairy free’, it did not disappoint and I had the most wonderful raspberry Bakewell tart which caused me no problems.
The cafe was inviting too.
I had checked in advance with No 1 Cromer the fish and chip restaurant and takeaway, that I could have their batter. Super meal as always and no bad effects. I had a window seat and both inside and outside were photogenic!
This is inside the ladies, there was another wall of beaches, all different too!
Charity shops- I tried very hard to not buy much! As a bonus I got some glass beads, enough to intersperse with my hand knitted beads in several necklaces! I am finding it is becoming difficult to find anything other than plastic beads in such shops! Then there was a scarf containing some good weaving ideas, and a couple of wool skirts, too old to leave but both needing remodelling for the winter.
As for books, I was a total failure and bought books virtually in every shop I went in. I am happy to use this as a means of donating to charity and recirculate them in the great charity ‘purchase and donate’ I am a player in!
I walked back along the beach and got so easily distracted by flints.
As last summer Cromer has a summer of Art, this means that 24 reproductions of works of art will be displayed around the town as well as workshops and other activities organised by Cromer Artspace, a charity started during lockdown.
As I got to the far end of the beach before I needed to climb the cliff path. I noticed that Artspace on the Prom was open with a lovely exhibition. I chatted to the lady sitting with it and it was an unexpected pleasure. This is a 1930’s Art Deco building at the far end of the West Promenade.
After extensive work this opened in 2022 and 11,000 people have visited each year since. I thought I took at least one photo of the public art but can’t find its this is of the renovated building. You can see the shelters at the end of each zig zag back up. Each has a reproduction poster of when Cromer was an important holiday destination reached from the Midlands by the newly built railway. This was made famous by Clement Scott after a visit to the area in 1883 by his term Poppylands.
I struggled to get back, it was hot, the books got heavier, so it was good to see the Motorhome.
Today my treat was trying to get nearer to the end of a portable pocket I am making in an ancient technique call looping( 2) I have the Sally Pointer book Nalbinding, which does cover it, but I previously learnt this through doing a short course online sometime ago which was mainly about Sprang.
Looping
Thursday was set for a busy day. One of the great aspects of this campsite is that there is a bus stop right outside. With my bus pass I can go as far west as Wells next the sea. Initially I was getting off at Sheringham to meet with friends for coffee and a catch up. Unfortunately I was not so lucky with the cake here. I had the usual conversation with the girl and I thought at the time the cake was just like ‘normal’ cake! I suspect it was probably normal cake as I suffered badly the next day when I would drive home and and for several days later, I do not wish dairy intolerance on anyone but I do wish people would take it seriously!
No time for shopping in Sheringham, a shame as it is full of many independent shops and also has a great little museum, which has textile treats, including ganseys and knitting shields, as they were called locally. ( see my website, the designer knitting section has links t some of the Sheringham knitting shields)
Then onto the bus again and to Cley. The talk was Seahenge and its sister and given by David Robertson who gave a stunning presentation. He had been involved in this since 1998. The initial discovery was made in 1998, an axe head was found, then the finder went to the dentist and looked in a magazine there as you do, which prompted a second walk along the beach and thus the discovery. A detailed the excavation of Seahenge (which is not a henge ) on the beach at Holme took place in 1999 between the tides. He discussed what’s know about it and what we don’t know and had some hypotheses on why it was built. There is a section about this in the museum at Kings Lynn, I believe he said half was there and half is preserved, presumably under water elsewhere. The talk was excellent and discussed another special feature of the wonderful coast jutting out into the North Sea that makes Norfolk such a special place to live and visit. I am now consulting the diary to see just how soon I can get to Kings Lynn to see this special treasure. (3)
Then all too soon my few days away were over. The next morning I stopped in Cromer to go back to the bookshop, there were 3 books in a set that I coveted but could not carry them on Wednesday!
I was distracted by the pier, preparations for the summer visitors.
Then onto Blickling Hall to have coffee and cake, cake was good, I was able to read the file of dietary concerns, and noticed the girl had to add this to my till receipt, wanting to know if it was an allergy or intolerance! This is fine detail!
I couldn’t leave Blickling without visiting the second hand bookshop, this is the biggest second hand bookshop in the National Trust. If you are into second hand bookshops this is one to add to your itinerary, immaculately presented books and a real pleasure to visit. Books donated and I gave myself an extra pat on the back as I bought fewer than I donated.
2/3 books chosen but this little pamphlet is a real gem!
So finally time to point the Motorhome in the direction of home.
I had enjoyed Sun every day, lots of walking, lots of calm, lots of interest, lots of lovely people to chat too, the only thing I got badly wrong is that I did not book more nights! So looking forward to visiting the area soon.
Notes.
- If you are interested do look at their online brochure, there is a lot of different things on during the year. I am particularly looking forward to June when there is an exhibition based on the sea, the advertising has a delightful representation of the yellow horned poppy. Cromer Artspace
2. There will be another post soon about my progress an thoughts about this.
3. Seahenge by Frances Pryor is well worth reading if you are interested in this and another place to visit for archeology of this sort of age is Flag Fen, just outside Peterborough. Last time I was there, the cafe was great too!
