Summer/Autumn ● Issue No.8

HOLKHAM NEWSLETTER

ooking back over the last seven issues of the Newsletter has been a forceful reminder of all that has happened at Holkham since the first Newsletter was published at the end of the year 2000, almost four Lyears ago. In the summer of 2001, issue 1 reminds us of how lucky we were to escape the worst effects of the Foot and Mouth epidemic.Who now remembers that dreadful time and the sufferings of countless farmers whose life’s work was destroyed, sometimes overnight? In that same year, we bought the 20,000 tonne grain storage facility at Bunkers Hill from Dalgety, and that summer, all the harvest grain was handled there. On the 8th July,The Victoria Hotel was re-opened after extensive refurbishment and to great acclaim.

Windowcraft was established in 2002, while issue 4 details the great party we all enjoyed in celebration of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee.Those with good memories will remember that that occasion was the first at which we sold Holkham made ice cream — or did we give it away! In the spring of 2003, the Accounts staff moved to their new offices. In that same year, our oldest tenant, Ralph Harrison, died, but at the same time the youngest member of the Holkham family was born; my grandson, Ned.The family is pictured above at Ned’s christening earlier this year. At the end of last year we commissioned our gigantic new reservoir, and I returned to Holkham, permanently I hope, after a two-day-a-week, five-year stint in London at the Historic Houses’Association. I am determined to restrict my time in the office, and get out and about as I used to do in the early days of my stewardship of the Estate.

Earlier this summer, Eric Absolon, Bygones Curator, well past the usual retiring age, did in fact retire to spend more time with his family. Eric came to us as curator in February 2001, and immediately set about revamping what had become a rather tired Bygones Museum. The west wing was completely renovated in time for opening in the summer of that year. During the winter of 2001/2002 the dairy equipment room and the entrance hall received the same treatment.The winter of 2002/2003 was spent moving the History of Farming Exhibition from what is now the Accounts Office, to the old Game Larder adjacent to the Bygones Entrance. It is light, airy and a vast improvement on the old.

By the summer of 2003, the east wing had been comprehensively renovated, ready for our summer visitors. With the conversion of the old workshop to a room displaying the Estate’s conservation policies, the refurbishment of Bygones is virtually complete. So, my very grateful thanks to Eric and to all that his energy, enthusiasm and knowledge have contributed to the rejuvenation of Bygones.

The Earl of Leicester

www.holkham.co.uk Then there were repairs: Archives — Elizabeth Alderson for mending netts £0.6.0 — To John Hazle for mending the great leathern jack £0.12.0 Mr Might [a rope maker at Wells],jack lines, bell rope, oyl LIFE in the Archives Office at the top of Kitchen Wing in the etc £1.4.0 Hall continues uneventfully, so here are two more alphabetical gleanings from the past. Some household goods were also included under this heading: — Mr Ivory for 4 dozen ordinary case knives & forks £1.3.0 M is for Music — To Ann Sutton for 26 dozen & ? of ordinary wooden trenchers £1.6.6. The fourth Earl of Leicester, an accomplished classical violinist, — Paid Mr Willcocks for 98 yards of fine Holland & 96 yards of is the only member of the family known to have been an cours [coarse] ditto for sheeting £23.9.6 excellent musician. Over the centuries, however, a wide variety — William Spencer for 14 wooden chairs for the hall £2.11.0 ABOVE: Can any reader suggest where this photo might have of music has been enjoyed at Holkham. been taken, probably around 1913? The caption appears to be —William Tomley for 2 pistol tinder boxes etc £0.9.9 ‘The C. of N. [perhaps Coke of Norfolk] What ho!!’ — Martha Townshend dairy maid for a butter pott, a scimming In the old manor house in the 1650s, the Puritan ideas of the dish etc, £0.2.0 Commonwealth did not prevent John Coke and his family — Mr Markant for cloth for pudding bags £0.7.2 Hopefully, these servants had perhaps shown some natural celebrating Christmas and other occasions with the help of — Mr Roblau for oxes bladders £0.3.6. visiting fiddlers and pipers.‘Paul the fiddler’ was paid 10 shillings, aptitude for music. Perhaps they provided a distant background sound, rather than music to be appreciated at close quarters. For while ‘the other fiddlers’ received £1 between them. Occasionally, a chance entry gives us more significant the birthday of Thomas Coke’s wayward son, Edward, in 1740, a information.We know that Thomas Coke took pains to include servant was paid for ‘going about the country to engage musick’, In Thomas Coke’s day, during the last years of the old manor the most up-to-date sanitary arrangements in his new hall, but at and the band he assembled came from Norwich,Thetford and house, the servants often provided music. In the early 1720s, an least one entry makes it clear that he took care over bathing Lynn, in addition to a man from Sir Jacob Astley’s to play apprentice servant,Tom Robinson,was taught, not only to read arrangements in the old house:‘By Mr Roblau to a cooper for the harpsichord. and write, but also to play the ‘short horn’ and the ‘straight taking ye bathing tub to pieces, moving it into another room & horn’. One of the footmen, Philip Bender, was taught to play putting it together again’ — £0.5.0. One of the first purchases by the young second Earl, in 1844, ABOVE:This map shows the Hall at the end of Thomas Coke’s the French horn in 1726, and some years later, another footman, life.The pleasure gardens, probably including the orangery, were Hiero Somering, played the bass: a new bow and set of strings was a Broadwood grand piano, costing £145.18.00, but we do Christine Hiskey laid out to the south-east of the house, and the kitchen gardens not know who played it. Later in the 19th century, small bands were near the south end of the lake. Find out more about the was bought for him in 1737, when Abraham Thomas,the house Archivist orangery in the next Holkham Newsletter. steward, also bought ‘songs, hautboy and bassoon reeds etc’. were hired to provide the music for balls, particularly at Christmas and the New Year, when the Prince of Wales was often present. Sometimes Walter Howlett, of Norwich, was asked to bring two or three performers, including a pianist and violinist. On other occasions, a band was hired from London: Holkham Farming Company Ltd sometimes as few as four musicians, and never more than seven, ‘with no drum’, as ‘the dancing saloon [the Statue Gallery] is WITH all the recent warm weather at the time of writing, many people commented on the better quality work than so small’. we are desperate for rain.The irony is that the irrigation previous years. system is not quite up and running.We are awaiting the Lady Silvia remembers family entertainment in the 1920s, connection of mains power before we can pump water and The grain store has been less busy this year, as we did not when she played the piano, her eldest brother,Tommy (the check for leaks. By the time you read this, we will be store wheat for anyone else. Paul Bloomfield has delivered all future fifth Earl) played the drums, and Uncle Joe (Joe Airlie, squirting water across potatoes and carrots. I suspect any leaks the wheat into the mill at Egmere over the winter and now married to Bridget Coke) the banjo, while ‘Granny (wife of the in the underground main will be easy to spot and could has started on cleaning the drier from top to bottom. third Earl) and any hapless young men danced away – foxtrots become a new tourist attraction for Holkham. Hopefully this means no fires this harvest. and the Charleston, which was all the rage’. The sugar beet drilling this year has gone well with The workshop at Longlands has had a well-deserved tidy N is for Necessaries some interruptions due to rain.With a smaller workforce and Johnny Hall thought he had come to work on the wrong than last year, we have bought a front mounted cultivator so farm when he returned from holiday. His latest project is an The 18th century account books include a category called the beet drilling and cultivation was a one-pass operation on overhaul of the Woods Department tractor.The gas bottles are ‘Necessaries’, covering a wide variety of goods and services that the majority of the land.This has reduced the wheelings full, so there should be no problem getting things apart. were not included under provisions or other headings.These across fields and plant emergence has been excellent.This extracts are from the mid 1730s, when the family still occupied should transfer into better yields also. The cattle at Warham are being turned out to grass the old manor house, but work was starting on the new Hall. and we are busy making silage for next winter.The new Some payments reimbursed servants (such as Mr Roblau and the All credit to Kevin Bray for struggling with the two wintering yard was not finished for last year but will be house porter,William Tomley), while others were made direct to operations simultaneously. It does mean he got a new tractor completed over the summer to hopefully give Jimmy Frary local tradesmen. and that the rows are more bendy than usual.Apparently, the a less stressful life. cultivator pulls the tractor round curves. Last year it was the Items for cleaning the house appear frequently, such as house drill pulling the tractor about.To be fair, we did find half way We look forward to a long warm summer, but with the sand, fullers earth (a particularly absorbent type of clay),‘whiting’ through the season that the cultivator was made on the skew intervention of Sod’s law, we may get a cold wet one as we and birch brooms. Sometimes an extra charwoman,Amy so it’s a fair excuse. He will have a few months to think of now have irrigation on tap. ABOVE: Paterson, the Scottish head gardener in the 1940s, was Shultram, was employed for a few days, at 6d per day.‘The bug one for next year.The whole job was helped by the fact the often asked to play his pipes on the terrace. man’ was paid £1.1.0 per year, to cope with bed bugs and other land was ploughed and pressed neatly in the first place. Kent Michael Turner undesirables, and the chimney sweep appears regularly. Cooper spent a long time setting the big plough up and Farm Manager BYGONES St.Withburga’s MUSEUM Church AT first glance, the larger part of Bygones does not look greatly St.Withburga’s is in good shape — thanks to much different to last year. But, in fact, much has taken place behind appreciated current support from lots of people as well as the scenes. all those who have cared for, restored and watched over this historic building over the centuries. We were determined that the very reserve collection, not usually on display to the public, should be properly organised This is a special year for St.Withburga’s because we are at and laid out in a manner befitting to the historic value of the last able to get on with the repair of our wonderful set of collection.Apart from anything else, this would allow us, in due bells.We are unable to ring the bells in the proper way course, to more accurately identify all the artefacts and produce because their framework of chestnut beams (they should have a complete catalogue of some 4,000 items. been oak) is no longer strong enough to cope with the ABOVE: The refurbished Bygones entrance hall. momentum of heavy bells swinging in a full circle.The I am pleased to say that the physical work in completing the heaviest bell weighs nearly a ton; so one big job is to install a upstairs gallery where the collection is housed is now leaflets, postcards and information. Around the walls are large, supporting steel framework to strengthen the structure. ABOVE: St.Withburga’s Church in Holkham Park is in good shape. complete.This only happened because of the enthusiasm of all colour photographs of other attractions within the museum. the Bygones staff in cleaning, arranging and labelling all the All this is designed to create a more open and inviting scene The other task we have to do is to repair the headstocks The tickets (£9 for adults, £5 for children) are marvellous artefacts. Before that could take place there was much work to inviting hesitant visitors to come in rather than pass by. If our and bearings of the bells, which will involve taking them value for money – they cover a full and delicious barbecue be done in painting the many wooden shelves and display areas, Easter attendance figures are anything to go by, it seems to be down from the tower and to a bell foundry. supper and initial drinks.There will also be a raffle, which is cladding and painting the ceiling; turning a rather dilapidated working.We are well up on last year’s figures. famous for the quality of its prizes. store room into a splendid collections gallery that we are We are, however, able to ring the bells in the meantime proud to show to the public by arrangement. Great credit Beyond that, Brian has reorganised the yard to give a more by means of a carillon (made on the Estate) which works by Our annual fete will be at its usual location on the North belongs to Brian Ayton, Sally Harvey and Jill Barrett for their attractive display of the steam engines, cars and coaches that rotating a drum like an enormous musical box.That in turn, side of the Hall on Sunday 15th August, from 12noon. hard work. has received favourable comment.We are very proud of our by a wonderful Heath Robinson set of wires and pulleys, team efforts and the results justify the pride.All in all, we are raises hammers, which strike the rim of each bell without We had an excellent concert in April in the Marble The other major development is the completely new entrance looking forward to a good summer. danger to the structure and according to a tune, determined Hall with four outstanding young classical guitarists, and hall. Gone is the small and rather off-putting kiosk with Jill by the position of rods set into the carillon drum. are planning a further concert in the autumn.There is appearing behind a glass screen, trying to look welcoming. In its no doubt that being able to hold events like this in the place, an inviting looking curved and open desk, displaying Eric Absolon wonderful and historic surroundings of the Hall means that Curator We have raised some of the cost of doing all this, with particular support from the proceeds of the Holkham we are able to attract lots of people who might otherwise, Country Fair.We are delighted and very grateful that Lord and understandably, say that they have enough to do Leicester has agreed that the remainder of the cost will be supporting their own churches. covered from Country Fair proceeds.We hope that this work Teamwork will be completed during the winter months of 2004/2005. Finally, a reminder that St.Withburga’s is not simply an Estate church — it is open to anyone who would like to at Bygones If all goes to plan, we hope that by the spring of next year come.We have services every Sunday except when there are we will be looking for volunteers to form our own Holkham five Sundays in the month — Matins on the first and third team of bell-ringers. If anyone is interested, please talk to Sundays at 10am and Communion on the second and fourth LAST time I contributed to the Holkham Newsletter was at ABOVE: Jill Barrett, Sally Harvey and Eric Absolon in painting mode. Marilyn at the Estate Office, tel: (01328) 713101. Sundays at 10.30am.We would love to see more of you there. the height of the Foot and Mouth Crisis and I commented that I felt as if I was at Camp Granada.Things have changed sorting that out, is she downstairs redesigning yet another This year we will as usual be holding a barbecue, on Richard Worsley a lot since then and the Bygones team has scaled new room, or is she running around chasing bugs? Saturday, 3rd July.As an innovation, it will be at the Temple. Churchwarden heights. Eric Absolon, the Curator or Sally Harvey,Assistant Curator usually keep you up-to-date on how the museum is Then there is Eric. He cares passionately for the museum BELOW:The Temple, the new venue for this year’s barbecue in aid progressing, so I thought I’d tell you about the team. and the collection.As you can see, he is not frightened to of St.Withburga’s church. don his overalls to do manual work as well. HOLKHAM First is Jill Barrett, the longest serving member of staff at Bygones. I believe Jill has been here for some 100 years, and Rex Vick is our wizard volunteer. Find something unusual GOLF COURSE had an easy time before I arrived, then she had to start and he will invariably come up with a weird and wonderful THREE years ago, before Foot and Mouth curtailed this working for a living.Where would we be without Jill? Well, explanation as to what it is and explains things is such a way activity, there was a vibrant golf syndicate of estate employees with no tea and no sweets that’s for sure. She cleans the that you are almost transported back in time.Then there is who regularly played golf on the five-hole course in the Park. rooms up and down stairs, cleans cars and artefacts. In fact, me, what do I do? Just wait, I’m thinking . . oh yes, I drive she cleans everything, that’s why we keep moving! She paints old cars around the Park, I play with steam engines, I clean, I We have been approached by a number of employees keen to (as you can see), she does not stop and in the summer, Jill is paint, I repair where necessary, I annoy Sally and Jill on a resurrect the club and play golf in the Park.Would anyone else our cashier. regular basis, and eat all the sweets. Funnily enough, there isn’t a photo of me working! interested in playing please contact Jane Haynes, the Agent’s p.a. in the Estate Office, tel: (01328) 713130, by the 15th July, Then there is Sally.The biggest problem I have with Sally so that a new club can be formed. is finding her. Is she in the office at the computer doing the Brian Ayton (Officially) Bygones Engineer cataloguing, on the phone, or is she in the reserve collection, Viscount Coke The Hall RESTORATION House staff go on WORK CONTINUES THERE have been many events and concerts trip to London in the house since I last contributed to the WE are continuing our restoration/maintenance programme Holkham Newsletter. inside the house.

Heinz Liebrecht, who is 95, has continued to The wonderful team of ladies, from the King’s Lynn and organise the Society for the Performing Arts in District Decorative and Fine Arts Society (NADFAS) under North Norfolk (SPANN) concerts, of which we the expert tuition of Rachel Langley from the Blickling host three in the autumn and three in the spring Conservation Studio, have finished repairing all the cut velvet here in the Marble Hall. settees and chairs in the South Dining Room.

Heinz always manages to find excellent quality It is painstaking work, but they now look wonderful.The ladies performers — the most sensational concert of have just started work on the magnificent 17th century silk the latest season was an ensemble called Red ABOVE:The and silver gilt embroidered coverlet, which covers the bed in Priest, which is one of the success stories on the beautiful new the Green State Bedroom. carpet in the international music scene today. South Drawing Room was woven It is in a very poor condition at the moment, and is a real ABOVE:Andrew Festing’s portrait of the house staff. BELOW: Those members of staff who went on a trip to London with Named after the flame-haired priest,Antonio in Bulgaria. labour of love, but I can see a great improvement already. Ian RIGHT: Members Lady Leicester, to see the portrait on exhibition at the Mall Vivaldi, this ensemble played Vivaldi’s Four of the Red Priest Barrett, our carpenter, has built a special stitching table for Galleries. Here, pictured in Trafalgar Square. Seasons, an enthralling, edge of the seat ensemble playing them to work on which should make the task a bit easier. ARTIST Andrew Festing has completed his latest group Vivaldi’s Four performance. Indeed, several times during the portrait of Holkham staff — this time depicting all those performance Piers Adams, who is acknowledged Seasons at a The Countess of Leicester recent concert in who work in the house. as the best recorder player in the world today, the Marble Hall. played two recorders at the same time. The picture is now hanging in the Old Kitchen and includes the cleaning staff, the Administrator and Deputy The Edinburgh Quartet, with Leslie Howard on the Administrator, the cook and her dog, the carpenter, the It has been an extremely difficult task to find the right size, piano, who has recorded all of Lizst’s piano music, was electrician, the librarian and archivist — 16 in total. another memorable evening.The third concert — Ivan the right colour and the right price. Klansky — who is one of today’s leading Czech pianists, gave The picture is brilliant, the likenesses and composition Finally, last year we took the decision to have three new us a wonderful programme of Smetana and Chopin.We are excellent. Just after it was finished it was exhibited at the carpets hand woven, in Bulgaria, to an 18th century design, indebted to Heinz for bringing such wonderful music to the Mall Galleries in London.At the end of April, I took 12 of for the South Drawing Room, the Saloon and the South North Norfolk Coast — often at considerable cost to himself the staff in the picture by train to London to see it. personally, as he insists on the highest standards.These lovely Dining Room. David Bamford, of Hand Woven Carpets, from Powys,Wales, organised this for us, and we are delighted evenings are much appreciated by all who attend. We all had a very happy day, negotiated the underground with the results.The carpets are kept down all the year to Charing Cross, and walked up the Mall to Horseguards round, so that visitors to the house can enjoy them too, For years, I have been looking for suitable old carpets for and Buckingham Palace, and then back to the Mall unlike in many other houses where they are rolled up when some of the State Rooms to replace the threadbare ones. Galleries. rooms are open to the public. After a group photograph underneath the portrait, we Lilias Guyon has been back several times to restore the Goodbye Mick had a ride on the London Eye.A mini bus then drove us FAMILY gilding on and below the dado and various other places around some more London sights and finally back to King’s where the gold has been rubbed off in cleaning over the ENGAGEMENT SADLY,Mick Thompson, Cross station to catch our train back to Norfolk. years in the South Drawing Room, Saloon, South Dining who has worked at Holkham Room and the Statue Gallery.They all look marvellous.This LADY Leicester’s daughter, for 35 years, retires this The Countess of Leicester Sabina de Chair, who is year we will be continuing the re-gilding in the Landscape summer – we will miss his currently working as a shoe Room and North State Dining Room. wit and humour. designer in New York, is to be

married to Archie Struthers Picture by: Thank you to all our wonderful cleaning staff who have The Hall Administrator, this autumn. worked so hard to clean the house ready for opening. It is a Mike Daley, says,“His huge task to polish the floors, scour the stone floors, polish contribution to the Archie flew Sabina to Florence, brass fireplaces and the dozens of door handles — the house maintenance of the house and Colin deChair (the city where they had their now looks sparkling! the support he has given me first date) and proposed to her is incalculable. I am extremely on Valentine’s Day this year. Finally, a big thank you to Peter Godwin, our Head glad to have known him and Gardener, whom I have discovered is an excellent flower he will be greatly missed. The couple are to be married arranger, and he has helped me many times in the past year Thanks Mick and goodbye. ABOVE: Sabina and Archie to do the flowers in the Hall. at St.Withburga’s Church, are to be married at St. Can you tell me where you Holkham, on Saturday, Withburga’s church in ABOVE: Mick Thompson retires hid your radio please?” 18th September. Holkham Park. The Countess of Leicester after 35 years at Holkham. BEHIND THE SCENES AT THE HALL Holkham Pottery

SINCE I last wrote, the North Dining Room so much, that they might consider doing an lighting project has been completed.All the old Antiques Roadshow here, which would be THE winter season proved to be more eventful than usual for staff in Jill Watson, 1950/60s lighting has been removed and replaced brilliant publicity for us. the gift shop staff, due to the extended opening hours at the Caroline Muncey, by modern, low wattage dimmable lights.The old Holkham Centre. Judy Howard and system projected 3 kilowatts of heat at the Mention should also be made of our two Julie Gould, we also plaster ceiling, whereas the new lights only emit stalwart “all weather” car park attendants.The However, trade in the shop, food hall and café gave such a say hello to Dianne 1.4 kilowatts, which is a win, win situation if ever two Johns (Loose and Ramm) have produced boost to business that we are planning to be open for longer in Johnson,Tricia Cox there was one.The new lights will cause less record results for car park ticket sales at Lady the so called ‘close’ season this year too. and Isabella Day, damage to the fabric in the room and make a Anne’s Drive, the entrance to Holkham Beach. who have all settled Both the Easter and early May Bank Holidays saw many in very well already. ABOVE: One of the new Holkham further saving on energy bills. Rain and storm are not a deterrent to them Pottery and Bridgewater mugs. –— much to the surprise of some folk who visitors come to Holkham and it was very busy at both the Our resident electrician, Lou Bailey, from Kings & thought they would find the drive un-guarded. Holkham Centre and the Pottery Shop. Easter also saw the The Holkham Barnhams, has also refurbished the chandelier in At long last they have a hut that looks the part launch of the new Bridgewater/Holkham Pottery mugs. Staff Induction Days, which were introduced last year, have the State Sitting Room.When he took it down, he ABOVE: BBC antiques expert, and will give them much better accommodation Designed for us by Matthew Rice (Emma Bridgewater’s been well received by all the gift shop staff who have been discovered two sets of initials inside the fitting. Tim Wonnacott presenting throughout the year. Many thanks John x 2 for husband), the brightly coloured mugs celebrate the county on them. Dianne, Isabella and Caroline went on the last one, One was dated 1921, which is presumably when ‘Bargain Hunt Daytime’ from all your efforts past, present and future. of Norfolk and its heroes, as well as its famous seaside activities and Tricia Cox and Jane Bray went on the one in June. I went Holkham Hall. the old AC system was put in place. The other such as sailing and shrimping. on one of the first Induction Days last year, and although I dates from 1951, when the AC system was removed and a DC Our Easter and May Bank Holiday openings went pretty well, have been at Holkham for quite a while, I found it most installation carried out. I assume ‘LB woz ere’ was duly added to with good numbers of visitors passing through the house. The mugs, which are available in seven different designs and enlightening and enjoyable. Each Head of Department spoke the decoration before the chandelier went back up! two sizes (350ml and 200ml), are priced at £7.50 and £6.50 very well about their responsibilities, which helped us all to Welcome back to all our Room Stewards this year. Sadly, June respectively.The full range is on sale at both of our gift shops. understand more about how we all fit into Holkham as Gary Raven continues to make excellent progress at college Doy is not able to return this season, which is a great shame. a whole. where he’s aiming to establish a record time for his Thanks for all your work June and I hope all goes well with you The Pottery Shop is open every day, except Wednesdays, transformation from Houseman to Plumber. I am planning to get in the future. until 25th October, from 10am until 5.30pm, while the All of us in the Pottery Shop the Gallery,Tearooms, Post him fitted with a satellite navigation tracking system just in case Holkham Centre is open seven days a week from 10am until Office and Gift Shop at Holkham Centre are looking forward Barry Turner from the Building Department tries to kidnap him. You will also notice that we have a new guidebook this year, 5.30pm until the end of October, when further winter to the main summer season getting under way. which should last for the next five or six years.An awful lot of opening times will be publicised. Over the winter, Ian Barrett has done some excellent work on work was done on this during the winter months and we are Sylvia Daley the rowing boat on the lake, used by the house staff and the very proud of the finished result. I took delivery of the first This season, as well as welcoming back regular gift shop Retail Manager gamekeepers. It was in a disgraceful state, but has now been fully thousand copies just before we opened at Easter. It really looks refurbished. It even has two oars of the same length, so no more very good indeed and has proved popular with visitors to the novelty random rowing on the lake. house.The new publication is in a larger format with more text and information to enhance the excellent pictures. I’m sure it During April, we had a visit from a television crew from BBC won’t take long to shift the 25,000 copies we’ve ordered. HOLKHAM ART GALLERY Bristol who were here to film Tim Wonnacott presenting “Bargain Hunt – Daytime”. The series will be broadcast during Mike Daley 2003 was an extremely successful His work was extremely popular last October/November this year. I’m hoping that they liked the Hall Hall Administrator year for the Art Gallery and many year and attracted many visitors to complimentary comments were the gallery. received from visitors. An exhibition of work by Alwyn and The Gallery opened for the 2004 June Crawshaw starts on 27th August Holkham Foods Ltd season on 5th April and has been and it will be their first major further enhanced by additional lighting. exhibition in Norfolk since their very AFTER the winter break a new management team has been dairy, frozen foods, dry food ingredients and has a passion for A number of new exhibitors have successful exhibition in Tokyo. It will brought in to take the food and catering businesses on to the quality products. joined the well-established group, cover a variety of subject matter in next level of operation. some of whom have displayed work watercolour, acrylic and oil, with a Holkham Foods is setting its sights high with new ranges at the gallery for many years.The strong Norfolk influence.Alwyn and Ann Matthews is the new supervisor of the Stables Café of products using ingredients from the Estate. Initially range of work is more varied including June are well known for their and the Holkham Centre tearooms, along with responsibility introducing baked and smoked venison, beef sausages and both traditional and more ABOVE: An example of the well-known artist, television series, numerous books and contemporary pieces. Alwyn Crawshaw’s work. He will be exhibiting at videos; they will be in the gallery the for the operation of the mobile unit on Lady Anne’s drive. burgers. Soups are being developed using the skills of the the gallery in August. Ann comes with a wealth of experience in running catering cooks in the Stables. first day of the exhibition. operations from pubs and clubs to major function rooms. Her Several special exhibitions are planned enthusiasm and professionalism is already having a major The most exciting prospect is the possibility of between July and November, starting with the distinctive Later in the season are two further exhibitions focusing on the impact on the business after only 12 weeks. introducing Holkham bottled table water, using water drawn watercolours of the North Norfolk area by Katie Millard. magic of beach huts and the wildlife of the area, both will feature from the wells on the estate. the work of various artists involving a wide variety of media Chris Wright joined the team at the beginning of April as This exhibition is followed by a new collection of and styles. manager. Chris brings over 30 years’ experience of operations The Holkham Foods team is looking forward to a year of stunning photographs of the Norfolk coast by John Hansell. Suzanne Pannell in many areas of food industry, including meat processing, change and growth. Gallery Manager GARDENS Game Department DEPARTMENT AS the first pheasant chicks begin to hatch, the weather THE new turf is growing well on the lawn between the Stables Café has suddenly turned quite grim. However, it is early days and the Pottery Shop at the Hall. It looks very smart when it is and hopefully the long, dry days of early summer will striped out using our Honda mower with the back roller. return soon.

The lavender, which lines the edge of the lawn in the courtyard, was The cold, wet spring has actually helped us, as the weather planted in mid March and at the time of writing, it is growing well. brought with it the much needed moisture we lacked last We have put posts in at intervals and attached a small rope to try year.This has in turn, boosted the insect population, which to stop people from stepping over and damaging it. are so vital for the young pheasant and partridge chicks to feed on in the first two weeks of life. ABOVE:The Handkerchief tree in the Arboretum was When the weather has allowed, we have treated the lawns on the ABOVE: A game particularly attractive in May this year. terraces with moss killer.We have also scarified twice, to remove Although it was warmer at this time last year, many of the crop featuring the dead moss and thatch.Thatch is a layer of dead plant particles ready for the paint; then we used the Linseed paint and have given early broods of ducklings and pheasants perished, as there phacelia and weren’t enough insects around. However, if you keep your mustard. and residual lawn cuttings that varies in thickness.These form a layer them two coats with one more still to go. RIGHT: Some of that allows little air through and hinders the growth of the grass.A eyes peeled when you are driving through the park, you will the keepers setting thick layer of thatch reduces the oxygen exchange and is an obstacle We have also power washed all the wooden furniture for the café at notice a good number of pheasant chicks and lots of up the rearing field. ducklings whizzing about on the lake. Clockwise from left: to the supply of water and nutrients.We will aerate the grass using a the Hall.This got rid of all the grime and old teak oil, before applying Richard Futter; slitter to get water and nutrients down to the roots instead of a coat of Holkham Linseed wax; which will protect them while Julian Bond; making the roots come to the surface to get them, as this reduces bringing out the colour of the wood well.We are currently doing It is good to see many agri-environment schemes put in Stephen Herrieven, place by the Estate and its tenants, coming to fruition.The Robert Heaton their ability to withstand another hot summer. the same with the patio furniture on the terraces for Lord and and new keeper, Lady Leicester. six metre headlands around many of the fields will act as a Chris Sharp. The Gardens staff have become adept at painting too, especially as wildlife sanctuary and corridor.These headlands should go we gave the two new pavilions at Model Farm a few coats in April. Peter Godwin some way to reversing the decline of the insect population, Head Gardener which, in the long term, will help much of our threatened Firstly, we applied a coat of Holkham Linseed oil to get the wood Finally, I would like to welcome Chris Sharp, the new wildlife, not just game birds. Many types of wildflowers (often gamekeeper on the Wells Beat, who joined us in mid-May. called weeds) are now emerging in some of these headlands He replaces Paul Pharoah, who left in March to go to a that have been allowed to regenerate naturally, which shows reared-bird shoot in Oxfordshire. Chris and his fiancée Jess bio-diversity in action. Hector’s Housing Ltd have moved all the way from Caerhays Estate in Cornwall and are already settling in well. The keepers are also working hard to plant seed ONLY having been in charge at Hector’s Housing Ltd for a Other projects on-going at the moment include a new bearing crops, which will not only help to feed our We also welcome back trainee gamekeeper Andrew Gyton, matter of months, I can truly say that my feet have hardly cottage-style house at Wighton, new aggregate bins for the pheasants and partridges, but also many little, grain eating who will be working with us for another year, assisting touched the ground. However, it was landing on the ground Building Maintenance Department and a pump house for birds.We have already witnessed increases in the populations Martin Joyce on the Burnham Thorpe beat. a bit too hard that sidelined me for nearly four months with Holkham Farming Company at Holkham reservoir. of Yellowhammers, finches and buntings thanks to the a nasty foot injury. network of grain hoppers we have dotted about the Estate Simon Lester Hector’s continued emphasis on staff development and for the game birds to feed from. Headkeeper I really felt for everyone at Hector’s whilst sitting at home personnel training has resulted in notable successes for Robin in front of a blazing fire, whilst watching blizzards, driving Owen and Mark Fullwood in their chosen disciplines, with rain and freezing temperatures, and wishing I could be Robin gaining Student of the Year for bricklaying and Mark working on our new mill tower at Hindringham! successfully completing his NVQ Level 2 in plumbing, both WINDOWCRAFT DEPARTMENT at the College of West Anglia in King’s Lynn. Former Project Manager, Jason Byard, resigned from his SINCE the last Newsletter, the Housing Ltd development at Hindringham. position with Hector’s towards the end of March.After I would like to take this opportunity to thank our Windowcraft Department has been very In addition, we are renovating, restoring helping to steer Hector’s Housing through several successful sometimes unsung heroes in our office at Longlands: Cherry, busy working on the south and west facing and repainting the windows and doors at major projects since the company started in 1997, Jason felt who I expect to know everything I ask her (and invariably windows at the Hall, also at nos 67 and 68 The Triumphal Arch, a Grade I listed the time was right to turn his energies to running his own does); Natalie, whose enthusiasm and willingness to help is a New Holkham Cottages, Longlands House building just beyound the South Gates to business and we wish him well. great asset to Hector’s and Holkham Linseed Paints, and and Thurton Lodges (pictured left).The the Park. It was built in 1739, by the first Amanda, whose product knowledge and sales expertise in lodges are located south of Norwich and Earl of Leicester and designed by Over the past six months the Upper Mill site at Holkham Linseed Paints has certainly educated me in the are owned by Norfolk County Council. William Kent. Hindringham has been our main project, which, after a value of the products. They are listed buildings and were difficult winter, is gradually coming to a successful designed by the famous architect, Wayne Barrett has been in hospital for an completion.The four properties, in terms of design and And, lastly, a special thanks to Lord Coke for appointing Sir John Soane. operation and is now home and making overall quality, are creating a lot of interest and praise in the me and, with his leadership, I am sure we can make a valid good progress.We all wish him well. private sector housing market, which is a great credit to the contribution to the continued success of all that is good at We have also been painting new windows skill, enthusiasm and application of the Hector’s team.The Holkham. I look forward to meeting as many Holkham and doors for the Pink Cottages at Maurice Bray Building Maintenance joinery shop and Windowcraft people as possible in the near future. Egmere Cottages and the Hector’s Windowcraft Department departments have also made major contributions in terms of joinery and joinery finishes. Clifford Jeffrey CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:The lodges at Thurton; the windows and doors Project Manager required extensive restoration work. Building Maintenance

THERE have been a few changes at the Building We completed the refurbishment of the Bygones Museum Maintenance Department during the past six months since entrance in good time before it re-opened at Easter.Work the last Newsletter was published. there included a new lighting system, signage, re-designed cash desk and re-decoration. Firstly, Margaret Grady, who has worked for the department for many years, left to take up a new position in The Old Chapel, in Holkham village has been converted Burnham Market and we all wish her well in her new job. into living accommodation by installing a new kitchen/living room, shower room and one bedroom. It was also We would like to welcome Margaret’s replacement Dawn redecorated and carpeted throughout, ready for its new Whitear, along with Trevor Parfitt, who joins as an additional tenants to move into in May. carpenter and used to work at Houghton Hall. Castle Acre Fly Fishers’ Club Work is complete at 73,The Street,Warham, which has Our new joinery shop, run by Ron Teague and David had a new kitchen fitted, as well as being fully re-decorated Eglen is very busy, having manufactured all the windows and re-carpeted. and doors for the new houses at the Hector’s Housing site VISITORS to Norfolk are often surprised that there are at places in March, before the weed is up.Apart from trout, at Hindringham. You will also notice that the car park attendants on Lady least six excellent trout streams in the county, and that the the only other fish counted are eels, a few dace and the Anne’s Drive have a smart new hut. It was built and erected River Nar is one of the very few that retains large numbers of diminutive bullheads.A few sea trout find their way to They are also just about to start on an order for new by Simon Neale Ltd, then painted with Holkham Linseed wild trout in its upper reaches. Narborough, but cannot ascend further; and very occasionally, windows for Manor Farm House, Castle Acre.Terry Bird, the Paints by the Building Maintenance painters.We choose a grayling is caught. farming tenant at Castle Acre, is refurbishing the house ‘lichen’ for the exterior and ‘linseed blue’ for the internal This partly explains why, for most of its 42km length, the internally, after we re-roofed the house and re-built the walls — and very smart it is too. river valley was declared a Site of Special Scientific Interest The club has a duty to preserve the stock of wild trout, chimney stacks for him earlier in the year. (SSSI) in 1992.The river combines the characteristics of a which depend for their survival, on undisturbed gravel redds Future projects to keep an eye open for include the southern chalk stream with those of an East Anglian fen. on which to spawn, and a flow of pure water, which, on the Ron and David are also making new windows for the proposed new toilet block at the beach end of Lady Anne’s Nar, is provided by springs arising from the chalk strata. Pink Cottages at Egmere, which are being completely Drive and the extension to The Victoria Hotel. Holkham Estate owns 9.5km of double-bank fishing on the refurbished at the moment. Nos 13 &16 are both having new Nar above and below Castle Acre.These are fishing rights that The problem of siltation is a very real one; the earth is oil central heating, new kitchens and showers fitted.They originally went with the Priory lands that Lord Chief Justice washed down from the arable fields along the river banks, will also be re-decorated internally and have new carpets Barry Turner Coke acquired during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Until which are often eroded by cattle.To accelerate the flow, many fitted throughout. Building Maintenance Manager 1895, the Coke family entrusted their farm tenants with the groynes and deflectors have been put into the river; these are care and maintenance of the river and who, on occasions, had made from willow and hazel hurdles, and also from faggots to provide trout for the Holkham table and the Sheep taken from coppiced, medieval woodland at Swanton Novers. Shearing dinners. Nearly all this work is done by the club members, several of whom are well into their 70s! HOLKHAM LINSEED PAINTS In July 1821, an instruction from Blaikie, the Earl’s Land Agent, to the tenant Joseph Priest at Newton Mill, stressed Predators undoubtedly seriously reduce the fish stocks. HERE at the Holkham Linseed Paint headquarters in the renovated by the Estate, and will be let by The Victoria Hotel as that:“Trout are never good if not cooked the same day they Herons, for which every dead one the club once paid 2/6d, Clock Tower at Longlands, we are getting busier again after a unusual, romantic hideaway. are killed . . .You will therefore send [them] over each and cormorants are regular visitors, as are otters and mink. a steady winter. morning in the four remaining days.” Most of the trout were Luckily, there are no pike in the upper reaches of Both Lord Coke and I gave talks at the North Norfolk District netted in the Mill Pond, together with large numbers of dace, the river. We managed to beat our annual forecast of total paint sales two Council’s Green Event at Binham Village Hall on 23rd and 24th which were then disposed of. weeks before the year-end, achieving £71,142 net sales, which April. Nearly 300 people attended the event and we were pleased Despite these problems, the annual rod catches of trout was more than double the previous year’s sales. to see that our products featured on three stands other than our In 1896, the Castle Acre Fly Fishers’ Club was started and remain fairly constant with an average of 112 fish of more own; which is an indication of the success of the business and given a seven-year lease of the fishery.The five members were than 10in being caught and killed. Several fish of around 2lbs Holkham Linseed Paints has picked up business from several its ethos. restricted to four days’ fishing and the farm tenants also are caught each year, but are usually returned. other estates across the country. The Historic Houses, Parks permitted to fish.The first AGM of the club was held in 1911 and Gardens Event certainly played a key factor in this, and we George Berek, our new paint packer is doing more and more and a set of rules agreed; the last recorded meeting was in The largest fish recorded as having been caught was one of 1 are attracting interest from more architects and specifiers every hours each week. George has also turned his hand to painting 1923, when there were seven members. 3 ⁄2lbs, which an American, Dr George Holden, took in the day.We are also carefully expanding our network of retailers up samples of all our colours for the “real paint” charts that we early 1930s from a pool in Prior Meadow. He was the guest of with the help of the Holkham salesman, Stephen Foster. hope to offer for sale soon. Today, the club has 20 members and can safely claim to be the politician, Sir Neville Jodrell, who promptly sent the one of the oldest established fly fishing clubs in the country. whopper as a friendly gesture to his Labour opponent, who In February, Lord Coke, Natalie Barrows and I went to Sweden I hope to be running more of our “Rediscovering Ancient The other claim to fame is that, since 1907, the fishery has not happened to live in Castle Acre.We wonder whether this to see the new Linseed Emulsion Paint that the manufacturers, Wisdom” courses for architects, specifiers and painters in the been stocked with trout. From 1896 to 1907, 500 yearling would ever happen today! Hans and Sonja Allbäck’s daughter, Malin, has been working on. near future. If you would like to attend, please contact either trout were supplied by a fish farm at Mundford.They were We hope to add it to our range of paints later this year or early Natalie or me at the office, tel: (01328) 711348. sent, packed in cans with shrimps, by train to Massingham Christopher Hanson-Smith next.We plan to begin testing it soon with some trials in the station from whence water carts took them to the river. Hon Secretary and Treasurer offices at Longlands. It is hoped that we will be able to use the Amanda Taylor emulsion at the Triumphal Arch, which is currently being Sales Manager The Environment Agency is now responsible for counting * Special thanks go to Mary-Anne Garry who kindly supplied much the fish stocks by electro-fishing, which is usually done in two of the historical information for this article. The Victoria Hotel

WITH the busy summer season nearly upon us, life is getting Our terrace is also very busy at The Victoria. now open and is often the busiest However, the quieter winter and spring months gave us the part of the hotel opportunity to complete a lot of staff training and develop some at weekends. new ideas. Lots of these innovations have now been put in place, which we believe will help to make The Victoria even more On 9th, 10th successful than previous years. and 11th July, we will be hosting We now have a professional group of staff at the Hotel. our annual food Pinewoods Holiday Park Although lots of our staff have been with us a considerable and drink length of time, there have been some recent additions. festival.We will have several ONE of the ironies I still find hard to understand is that the Last year, it quickly became apparent that our café was too The kitchen has been strengthened by the arrival of Rupert attractions over team at Pinewoods often work harder in the winter than in cramped for us to be able to ensure the speed and quality of Strydom from South Africa, along with his partner Tanya this period, the summer when all our customers are here. delivery of our product.Therefore, over the winter, a large Homann, who works in our restaurant.They both hope to be including live storeroom was built at the back, to provide new storage for with us for a couple of years.They are joined by Dorothea music, 25 real ales, a hog roast, lots of stalls Part of the reason is that we continue to drive the business the shop, which freed up space to expand the kitchen and Zborowska who will also be working in the restaurant. like the ‘chocolate deli’ and also an Indian head masseur! There forward and not rest on our laurels.We continually strive to washing-up area and provide more seating in the café. will also be plenty to do for children including a bouncy castle achieve our stated aim of making Pinewoods Holiday Park We have had to say goodbye to some members of staff and and a chance for them to paint their own pottery. the destination of choice for the caravan and camping Gratifyingly that work was completed in time for Easter. we were all particularly sad to see Pia O’Shea leave.Although holidaymakers heading to North Norfolk looking for a top- The area to the front of the shop has been tidied up and the Pia had only worked at the hotel for a short time, she had made We have continued to receive good Press coverage over the quality relaxing break in a beautiful, natural environment. concrete jungle replaced with a very smart brick weave paved many friends and become one of our strongest members of staff. past few months including an appearance on a Channel 4 area and a 600 million-year-old granite rock, out of which a We all wish her well on her travels. Elsewhere in the hotel, programme ‘Perfect Getaway’, which subsequently generated a This year proved to be no exception as we embarked upon trickle of water now permanently issues forth! Steven Loakes our Bar supervisor, has been promoted to lot of business for us. more winter development. The biggest and most noticeable Duty Manager. was the Dunlin development of static holiday homes. This One more toilet and shower block, number seven, was Palmer’s Lodge in Holkham Park is also letting well and involved the conversion of the remaining existing formal tent completely refurbished and like the other blocks, features Easter gave us an opportunity to test our new menu with attracting interest from the travel press.We hope that the pitches to a mix of premium and super static pitches under-floor heating for the showers and waterless urinals.Also large numbers of customers. Everything worked very well and Tr iumphal Arch, which we will soon be renting from the Estate complete with piped gas as well as the normal services of new for this year is the introduction of water softeners, which the BBQ was a particular success over the holiday with its and letting to guests, will be just as successful. Situated just water, electricity and mains sewerage. are effectively stopping the calcification of the shower heads business continuing to grow at weekends particularly when the beyond the south gates of the Park, the Triumphal Arch is and therefore cut down on maintenance. weather is good.We now have an awning covering the currently being extensively refurbished, with a view to being The development has given us an extra 39 holiday home courtyard where the BBQ is situated.This will help sustain a ready for its first guests in November. pitches taking the total now at Pinewoods up to 541. Of the A new Children’s Playground costing £30,000 was level of business during periods of inclement British weather. 34 pitches available for rent, 33 caravans have been sold to installed over the winter and judging from the racket I can Autumn will see work start on building a conservatory new and existing customers who were waiting to upgrade. hear from my desk at Pinewoods, 25 yards away, it is a huge LEFT AND adjoining the existing restaurant.This will give us a further 35 The five remaining caravans on Dunlin have been added to success.Total investment in the Park over the winter BELOW: Palmer’s Lodge, seats for diners and work should be completed by the middle of our hire fleet, which now stands at 28, its highest number amounted to over £320,000. situated in a December in time for the busy festive period.The rest of the ever, six of which are our luxury lodges on the Lapwing area secluded spot planned extension of the hotel will start in September 2005. of the Park. The cleaning of the shower blocks has been handed over within Holkham Park, is proving Watch this space for more details of the exciting plans. to Norfolk County Services (who already do our grounds popular with The holiday home hire fleet is an increasingly important maintenance), so that our own staff can concentrate on the guests. Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the part of the business, but takes some managing, particularly on core business. Estate staff and locals who regularly visit The Victoria, for their Saturdays, change-over day, when our team of six caravan continued support and help since I became General Manager in cleaners sweep through the park in their three wheeled This year, we will be selling more of the Estate’s Holkham November last year. Some of the decisions we have made have Piaggios.Their job has recently been made even more Ice Cream from two more outlets at Pinewoods, after been hard and I appreciate change can be unsettling, but I am challenging, as we have now taken on 16 of our owners’ successfully winning a court case against John Harber, whose happy that we continue to offer an excellent level of service to holiday homes, which we hire out when they are not using leases on the Refreshment Hut and the Ice Cream Van in the our customers. Everyone at the hotel is looking forward to the them. Consequently, this year we will be experimenting with Wells Beach Car Park came to an end. busy summer ahead. a Friday changeover, which will suit the cleaning team and hopefully some holiday-makers who want more choice. Finally, a big thank you to all the Pinewoods staff, who having worked hard throughout the winter on the Paul Brown This was the first year that this development work was aforementioned projects, then work many weekends General Manager wholly contracted out, and the contractors, East Anglian throughout the summer season ensuring that we give our Stone, did an excellent and speedy job.This allowed the rest customers the excellent service they have come to expect. * STOP PRESS:The Victoria has just been awarded a of our staff, led by John Hingley and his maintenance team to second rosette by the AA on account of the excellent food and concentrate on other jobs like moving and connecting Viscount Coke improved restaurant service at the hotel. Congratulations to all caravans and attending to smaller, but no less important jobs. Managing Partner the staff on a great achievement. Holkham National Nature Reserve and scrub growth from Abraham’s Bosom SSSI. We also erected four new benches along the backtrack New recreation between Lady Anne’s Drive and the George Washington Hide ENCOURAGED by warm and erected bicycle racks at the Beach car park,Wells and the field at Wighton temperatures of around 20C, many north end of Lady Anne’s Drive. visitors descended on the nature reserve in the last weekend of April. Following the departure of Dominic Harmer last autumn, I am happy to report that English Nature has approved the By Sunday morning, Derek Jarvis continuation of the permanent summer warden post.We and I were both contemplating early advertised nationally and received more than 80 applications. retirement, following a spate of incidents that we suspect may have set the In the event, I was pleased to see a local man,Andrew standard for the coming season. Bloomfield, who was born on the Holkham Estate, secure the post.Andrew brings with him a wealth of knowledge related to

Among the lowlights were an all Picture by: wildlife and the Holkham area that will be of tremendous terrain vehicle tearing up the fore dunes benefit to English Nature AS far back as Autumn 2001, residents in Wighton decided at Holkham, several low flying planes that the time had come to create a new green area where

and micro-lights and uncontrolled dogs. Andrew Bloomfield villagers could play, walk and have picnics. The worst incident, however, involved Ron Harold unauthorised overnight campers, Site Manager All agreed that the best place for the new site was by including one group who thought it was the hall, in the centre of the village. It was the obvious clever to set light to a fallen tree to make choice because it was away from the road, a safe spot for a campfire. Luckily, the Fire Brigade children to play in and accessible to all. Right from the extinguished the resulting fire. WOODS start the Holkham Estate, which owns the land, was ABOVE: Pink feet geese grazing on sugar beet tops with Burnham Overy Mill and extremely supportive of the idea. The Christmas and New Year period Burnham Norton in the background. DEPARTMENT also saw the usual large influx of visitors In March, the village secured over 3.5 acres of the field to the nature reserve, but after the New Year it was relatively following the dry hot summer and, the fact beet plants MOST of our time has been taken up by coppicing old hedges on a 99-year lease.This was due to the generosity of quiet until Easter. Birdwatchers made up a fair proportion of produced far less leaf cover than is usual, this resulted in an in readiness to plant new ones.We have been doing this at Jimmy Smith (who has farmed the field for many years), visitors in between, with many attracted by the geese and open crop that allowed the geese easy access. Hopefully this is several locations across the Estate, including the fields around the the Countryside Agency (who gave the village a grant to other birds, especially a male American Wigeon that not the start of a new feeding trend but an aberration due to back of Wells and the Warham marshes that run alongside the pay 70 per cent of the land valuation) and the Holkham frequented fields to the west of Lady Anne’s Drive from last summer’s hot dry weather. If not then this may become a River Stiffkey. Estate, which agreed to waive the remaining 30 per cent of January to March. serious issue for farmers and the conservation organisations. We have also planted a number of Sorbus Aria trees around the costs — donating this to the village as a gift. Other bird highlights included a Bittern seen regularly I am currently working on two interpretation projects new houses in Warham, as well as some young Beech, Ilex and Already, the village children are able to skateboard, cycle near the Meales House, a flock of up to 200 Snow Buntings with the Holkham Estate.The first will involve a bid for English Oak saplings in the Deer Park. and play ball games on the hard surfacing which has been and a few Shorelarks on the beach, up to 123 Little Egrets at Heritage Lottery funds to construct a boardwalk and provide installed behind the hall and work is currently underway the Holkham Decoy and wintering Peregrines. interpretive facilities at Abraham’s Bosom SSSI. This site The Woods Dept has spent a lot of time working at Quarles, Five includes grassland, scrub woodland and a saline lagoon within Crossways, New Holkham Cross Roads and Deep Clump to clear to construct a playground with attractive wooden play equipment which will be fenced and turfed with proper At the turn of the year, there were record numbers of its boundaries and lies next to the Pinewoods Holiday Park roadsides in a bid to improve vision for drivers and make those safety surfacing — and should be ready to use by Pink footed Geese in Norfolk. Coordinated counts carried and the Holkham NNR. junctions safer. early summer. out at several roost sites between the Snettisham Wash and the Norfolk Broads located 112,000 birds: approximately one The project’s main aims are to improve access to the site You will also have seen us out and about on the estate trying to In July, when the ground is firmer and drier, the third of the total world population. for all users, to create awareness and provide an educational keep up with the usual round of grass cutting. In particular, we facility. It is hoped many of the Pinewoods Holiday Park have been mowing and National Construction College at Bircham has offered to level an area the size of a football pitch on the field The roost site at Bob Hall’s Sand held up to 50,000 birds visitors will make use of the facility, which will also be strimming the church yard and provide all the machinery and manpower needed, at times and there were some spectacular morning flights open to the wider public.There is wildlife interest all year at St Withburga’s to make completely free of charge.Then the whole recreation field over Wells and Warham as the geese left the roost to feed on round here but the spring and summer flowers will be the sure it looks really smart by will be fenced. farmland.The number of Pink feet has risen steadily in main attraction. the time Lady Leicester’s Norfolk in recent years and the county is justly famed as an daughter, Sabina, gets Finally, in the autumn, we will be grass seeding the internationally important wintering area for these We are also working on a new booklet for the Holkham married there in September. area, as well as planting hedges and trees to create picnic, birds. Despite the growing numbers, farmers have generally NNR and this time around, four pages will be dedicated woodland and walking areas for everyone in the village tolerated the geese, as their feeding has been confined mostly to the heritage and wildlife interest of Holkham Park. Ian McNab Head Forester to enjoy. to beet tops left on the ground after harvesting. Holkham’s PR Advisor, Paula Minchin, and I recently finished work on the new text and pictures and hope to see The project will have taken well over three years to Unfortunately, hints of a change in feeding behaviour the final proofs soon, with a view to publication during July. LEFT: Several varieties of complete but we hope that by summer 2005, it will be were noted last winter when Pink feet were observed feeding Sorbus Aria trees were finished and that many people from inside and outside the on the crowns of unharvested sugar beet crops locally. We remained busy on the practical management planted in the grounds of the new houses at Warham, village will enjoy this wonderful new amenity. Theories as to why they attacked the beet crop include the front throughout the year, completing our reed cutting recently built by Hector’s presence of a higher than usual sugar content in the beet operations; we removed pine saplings from the dune grassland Housing Ltd. Sophie Trend AS WARM AS TOAST Finance Department

IT has been some months now since the new offices at the In fact, with inaccurate or incomplete information there Holkham tenant farmer Porter’s Lodge became available for the Finance Team.The would have been every possibility of wrong decisions excellent working facilities and conditions that have now being made. Stephen Temple tells us been provided are just one of the reasons we will be able to about the new ecologically achieve our objectives.The Finance team, I know, are grateful Since I joined, the Finance Department has been to Lord Leicester for providing this improvement. actively addressing this type of issue in a business sense, friendly central heating system with our equivalent of football results.There are in This morning when I received my newspaper I opened, excess of 30 different entities on the Estate and all of them at his farm in Wighton not as perhaps you might expect the financial pages, but the require different sets of records and up to date reporting of sports pages. I turned to the results column, studied the financial figures. Our aim is to ensure that management football scores, reviewed the tables and learned that Norwich reports and accounts are developed across all the major LAST year, when we were in Spain looking at the tobacco City had won promotion. Hard though it is for a Suffolk lad businesses on the Estate and that they are timely and curing system near Plasencia, which uses my Barn Owl to say this they were consistent and deserved their reward. accurate.As this is achieved decisions, commercial and instruments for temperature monitoring, I was intrigued to see profit-enhancing decisions, as to how to run the Estate and that they had a new fuel for tobacco curing. When I got to the office, several were in a celebratory its businesses become more reliably informed.Those decisions mood and there was good-natured banter directed at any affect everyone’s jobs. Previously they had been using about one and a half articulated ABOVE: Stephen Temple and his ground-breaking central nearby Ipswich supporters (me) and wild talk of season tankers of Calor Gas per week, but were saving money by heating system which burns wood chips instead of oil. ticket renewals. A major initiative is already in progress, underpinned by an burning olive pips from the oil press operated by the same accounts function restructure, such that we expect by the late company in Cordoba, which cost about £40 per tonne alternative energy sources.The various approvals for equipment Now, try to imagine what would have happened summer for all significant entities on the Estate to have delivered to farm. and installers were not in place when I first checked, but as had the result been unavailable. Perhaps the reporter regular and proper reporting.When the Finance Department soon as these were posted on the website, our grant did not have the time to file the story.What if the score was achieves that, we will have some bubbly and toast NCFC’s When the farmhouse at Copys Green Farm,Wighton application was in the post. wrongly displayed by the printers? What if the league table and the department’s achievement.And no doubt (the part of the farm that is not on the Holkham Estate) fell had been inaccurately compiled and did not add up? Key commiserate with the ‘Tractor Boys’! vacant,I started looking for some sort of biomass fuel heating Our heating engineers, Dempsey Heating, have installed 22 decisions such as whether to crack open the champagne, so we could finally dispel some of the damp without breaking radiators connected up to the boiler.The suppliers, Foundation buy a season ticket or stick pins in wax effigies of Mike Wyard the bank. Firewood, came on 1st October and commissioned the system Sunderland players could not be properly made. Finance Director and we soon had all 22 radiators piping hot. With wheat prices barely above olive pip prices, this was my first thought, but my research was not very productive until I Of course, once we had committed to the system, wheat prices Forthcoming Events PRIZE DRAW came across the logpile.co.uk website.There appeared to be rose (for which we are very thankful), so we looked around for plenty of stoves for wood pellets, a few for pellets and chips the other fuels that the system can use. A recent campaign to but only one for grain, pellets and chips. Saturday, 3rd July St.Withburga’s Church barbecue at the encourage employees to We found that we could get wood chips, graded to suit the Te mple in Holkham Park. Starts at 7pm transfer from fortnightly tickets priced at £9 per adult, £5 per Further investigation showed that there was a model suitable boiler feed mechanism, for around £20 per tonne, child available from Marilyn Franklin at to four-weekly payroll for the farmhouse, with about 40kw output, but it was quite excluding VAT. Fortunately, our lorries are often passing the the Estate Office, tel: (01328) 713101 resulted in a selection expensive. wood chip depot, returning to the farm empty, so haulage is of those opting for th not a major cost. If all goes as specified, the operating cost Friday, 9 , Saturday, four-weekly winning 10th and Sunday, 11th July Food and Drink Festival at I was then directed to the Clear Skies website (www.clear- should be about a quarter of that on oil. The Victoria Hotel cash prizes. skies.org) where there are grants available for biomass and The boiler manufacturers (a Danish company bought out by Local celebrity Richard Saturday, 17th July Diva Opera – Lucia di Lammermoor Baxi) claim that the hopper needs filling only twice a week, and LEFT: Resident Agent, Gledson happened to be the ash emptying once a week. Sunday, 15th August St.Withburga’s Church fete Richard Gledson draws the passing and drew the winning names, with the help lucky winners out of st of Teresa Fowle. If we can get enough of these boilers in the area to justify a Saturday, 21 August Cleo Laine and John Dankworth live at the ‘hat’. chipper, then perhaps we can start to use the thinnings and Holkham Nursery Gardens.Tickets available priced at £25 each, contact other wood which local tree surgeons have to dispose of to IML, tel: (01603) 660444. Gates open The winners were: land fill at the moment. 6pm, concert starts 8pm. £250 Verena Beddoes (Victoria Hotel) Saturday, 2nd/3rd October St.Withburga’s Church concert In environmental terms, the system is carbon neutral, as all £150 Richard Bailey (Game Department) carbon dioxide emitted by the boiler has come from recently Sunday, 3rd October Big C Cycle ride in Park £100 Julian Bond (Game Department) grown plant material, which if committed to land fill, would £100 Gillian Watson (Holkham Pottery) th generate methane with worse consequences for global Saturday, 30 October Society for the Performing Arts in £50 Tonya Sizeland (Pinewoods Holiday Park) Norfolk (SPANN) concert at the Hall warming than carbon dioxide. £50 Stephen Herrieven (Game Department) Saturday, 13th November SPANN concert at the Hall £50 Kenneth Rowe (Woods Department) £50 Brian Frary (Gardens) LEFT: Stephen pours some woodchips into the system. th Saturday, 27 November SPANN concert at the Hall £50 Ann Ronnay (Pinewoods Holiday Park) Holkham People

Welcome to: GAME DEPARTMENT: CHRIS SHARP,the new gamekeeper on the Wells Beat and his fiancée, JESS, a veterinary nurse, who join us all the way from Caerhays Estate in Cornwall. PINEWOODS HOLIDAY PARK: PAUL WILLIN who is working in the new ice cream van, plus JILL PAYNE and her three children JODY, BEN and JACK, who are working in the beach ice cream kiosk and gift shop. Plus BEATA MROZIK, IAN HARDY,ANDREW GATES,ANDREA GOLDING,TERRI FORD, HANNAH APPLETON and new receptionist MAGGIE LAW. Staff welcomed back for this season to work in the café and the shop, include: ISOBELLE BROWN, SAMANTHA BROWN, DAVID KING, HELENA COURT, SOPHIE MIDDLETON, MARIE FOWLE and JANE EMERSON. Caravan cleaners, BEVERLEY FUTTER, PENNY RAMM, HELEN SEAMAN, SARAH CLARKE and SARAH TUDDENHAM, along with JODY HARROD and EMMA FUTTER on Reception. HECTOR’S HOUSING LTD: WILLIAM OWEN, father of Robin, our trainee bricklayer, who joined us as a labourer. He is now driving our plant and looking after its maintenance. Plus BARRY WHELLER and BEN JEFFREY who joined in April as site operatives. HOLKHAM ESTATE OFFICE: JAYNE HAYNES who transferred from Pinewoods Holiday Park in February, to become the Agent, Richard Gledson’s, PA, when DENISE DURRANT moved to the Finance Dept, along with JAYNE COOPER and KAREN GRIFFITHS, who have also joined the Finance Department. HOLKHAM LINSEED PAINTS: GEORGE BEREK has become our part-time paint packer. BUILDING MAINTENANCE: DAWN WHITEAR, who is the new department Administration Assistant and TREVOR PARFITT, who joins as an additional carpenter and used to work at Houghton Hall. HOLKHAM FOODS LTD: New Foods Manager, CHRIS WRIGHT, and ANN MATTHEWS, who is in charge of the Stables and Holkham Centre cafés, plus all the new Holkham Foods staff starting this season, including: SARAH BRUMMELL-BAILEY,VICKY CORKE, CHRISTIAN COX, RITA CUMMINGS, MARTIN DACK, RACHEL EMMERSON, CHRISTIAN FRY, SUZANNE HEPHER, EILEEN HEYHOE,ALI HOWLETT,WENDY MASON, KYLE MOHLE, RACHEL SMITH, GARETH TATE and FAY and SALLY TAYLOR. THE VICTORIA HOTEL: Our new multi-national staff at the hotel this season includes: five Swedes, two Czechs, one Irishman, one Pole, one Englishman, two Hungarians, two Belorussians and two South Africans!

Farewell to: MICK THOMPSON who retires in July after working on the Estate for 35 years. MARINA COURT, who left the Reception at Pinewoods to work at a local insurance firm. LEIGH DAVIES, plasterer, who left in January and PAUL LINGWOOD, plant driver and maintenance, who left Hector’s Housing Ltd in March. JASON BYARD, one of the founder members of Hector’s Housing Ltd, left us to set up his own business in March this year. MARGARET GRADY, who has worked for Holkham Building Maintenance for many years, left to take up a new position in Burnham Market. ERIC ABSOLON who has recently decided to retire as Curator of the Bygones Museum and Assistant Curator, SALLY HARVEY, who has left, but will be coming back to work on the cataloguing of all 5,000 plus items in the museum.VALERI LI, from the housekeeping team at The Victoria Hotel.Plus French couple DAVID OLARTE and CAROLINE CAMPAGNARO who worked at hotel, along with MATT FOX, pastry chef and PIA O’SHEA, waitress. PAULA MINCHIN, who is now working as a freelance PR advisor for the Estate. The Marketing Department is now being run by Promotions Manager, Laurane Herrieven.

Congratulations Lady Leicester’s daughter, SABINA DE CHAIR, who became engaged to ARCHIE STRUTHERS to: on 14th February this year.The couple are to be married at St Withburga’s Church on Saturday, 18th September 2004.

Births: NICKY BECK from the Woods Dept and his wife KAREN who gave birth to a baby girl, KELSIE, on 2nd June. MARK BIRD, a Holkham Building Maintenance painter and his wife, REBECCA who had a baby girl, GABRIELLE on 21st April.To Holkham Farming Company tractor driver KEVIN BRAY and his wife ELISA, a baby girl, called Jasmine Leigh, born on 6th January.

Deaths: PETER FLOWERDEW, aged 53. Peter worked for Holkham Pottery for many years. His wife Julie also worked for the Pottery until they started a family.The funeral took place on 23rd January 2004. EVA ROWE, whose passing was unfortunately not recorded in the winter Newsletter. Mrs Rowe died on 7th August 2003 at the age of 91, having lived at Holkham for 62 years. Eva worked for Dr Hicks in Wells for several years, before working at the Red House, Holkham and then the tearooms at Holkham Hall. She was often seen riding her bicycle to Wells and around the village, until she had her knee joints replaced. She is much missed by all who knew her. MISS BARBARA MILLER BROWN who died in May and lived at No16, Burnham Overy Town for 65 years, only leaving the property for three months in 1974 while it was modernised.

Please note all contributions for the next Newsletter need to be submitted to the Editor, Paula Minchin, by 1st November, 2004. Email: [email protected]