ROUND-UP OF RECENT SOCIETY EVENTS Newsletter 7 — January 2005 October to December 2004 WHAT’S ON Forthcoming Society events The run-up to Christmas last year saw a series of highly successful events. In early October, Hugh Lupton and company performed their spell-binding A Songline for East Anglia. This cycle of stories and songs, a celebration of Saturday 19 February VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE the Peddars Way, proved to be quite magical, and conveyed beautifully Joint event with the Norfolk Historic the spiritual quality of this ancient pathway. The words and music were Buildings Group: Dr Tom Williamson speaking accompanied by images of sculptures that were specially commissioned on Great Estates of 19th-century Breckland. to be placed along the Way as part of the project. 7.00 for 7.30pm, Houghton Centre, South PROJECT SET FOR LAUNCH Pickenham. Admission free to Society/NHBG Dr Andrew Rogerson, from Norfolk Museums and Archaeology Service, members, non-members £2. Refreshments IN FEBRUARY came to Barnham Village Hall in November to speak to members about will be available. archaeological work in the Norfolk Brecks. Technical breakdown Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 February Plans are well advanced for the launch of the Society’s Vernacular Architecture Project in February. Recent weeks have notwithstanding, Andrew gave an interesting overview of what is one of Training days at Oak Lodge (High Lodge, seen much activity, including the appointment of Anne Mason, a leading authority on the heritage of the Brecks, as England’s most productive areas, in terms of digs, and showed us pictures Thetford Forest) for members wishing to of some of the most dramatic finds. carry out fieldwork for the Vernacular Survey Manager. Anne will be responsible for planning and overseeing the ten month-long survey stage of the Architecture Survey. See front page for project, during which every town and village within the Brecks ESA will be covered by teams of volunteer fieldworkers Christmas was celebrated in grand style when over 80 members details. recording vernacular buildings dating from before 1920. This is a huge task, but absolutely central to the project as it attended Comfort and Joy: Christmas Through the Ages, a miscellany of will equip us with the data and knowledge required to produce an illustrated report on Breckland vernacular building Tuesday 1 March poetry and songs performed by Patience Tomlinson, David Timson and Helen Joint event with the Thetford Society, a types and styles and an exhibition which will tour local libraries, community centres and village halls. Crayford. This proved to be one of several highlights of 2004, and we look thriving amenity and local history group There has been a lot of media interest in the project, Wherever you live, Anne would like to hear from you if you forward with over 200 members. This will be an with several local newspapers – including the Eastern Daily would like to help out with the survey, although we are particularly to an equally exciting programme of events for 2005. opportunity to discuss the Breckland Society’s Vernacular Architecture Project, as well as Press – running articles on what the Society is doing, as well keen to find people willing to cover the following villages: other topics of interest to both groups. as an illustrated feature in the February issue of the Norfolk Coney Weston, Eriswell, Great Hockham, Great Livermere, 7.30pm, United Reformed Church, Earl Street, Journal & East Anglian Life. We hope to continue attracting Hengrave, Honington, Icklingham, Ixworth Thorpe, Lackford, Thetford. Admission free. such positive publicity, and have also placed information about Lakenheath, Troston and Tuddenham. the project on the Society’s website at www.brecsoc.org.uk. Please remember that you do not have to live in a village to Sunday 20 March Meanwhile Anne has been working on the logistics of survey it! Please contact Anne on 01353 741416 or email NEWS FROM THE BRECKS Jenifer Roberts, author of the recent book [email protected] Glass: The Strange History of the Lyne organising the survey. She has prepared a buildings recording COUNTRYSIDE PROJECT Stephens Fortune, will give a talk on the form for the fieldworkers to use, based on a tick box system Lyne Stephens family, in particular their which will enable non-specialists to record a building’s association with Lynford Hall (see further approximate date, main construction features, materials and Brecks Walks and Cycle Rides BRECKLAND COUNCIL TO SURVEY details on p. 2). To be held at Lynford Hall other aspects of interest. Only the exterior of buildings will The last of the Heathland Events will be a cycle ride on 10 April from 10am Hotel, 7.00pm. Numbers limited; tickets must be recorded, and all survey work will be done from the public LISTED BUILDINGS to 1pm.The ride, which follows forest tracks, starts at Weeting and visitstwo be purchased in advance from Sue Whittley of the newly created heaths. This should be a lovely spring outing with the on 01366 328190. £7.50 including wine. highway unless the permission of the householder is The Society’s vernacular architecture project has been boosted Brecks Heathland Officer. forthcoming to enter gardens, etc. Digital cameras will be by the news that Breckland Council has announced plans to There will also be a series of guided walks using local guides, and the first Thursday 28 April available for fieldworkers to make a visual record of the carry out a comprehensive survey of all the listed buildings in of these is in Oxborough on 5 May with James Parry.The next one will be at Morning field trip to hear woodlarks and, buildings. the district. Starting this month and funded by a government Eriswell on 9 June, with Alan Benton and Yvonne Leonard (£2 per head with luck, see goshawks at Mayday Farm, grant, the survey is the first of its type to be carried out by a including refreshments). Brandon. Phone James Parry on 01366 Fancy helping out with the survey? 328676 for time and meeting point. local authority anywhere in the country and will involve the If you areinterested in leading a local walk,please contact the Brecks We are still looking for volunteers to help with the buildings inspection of over 1,600 buildings across the area. The listing of Countryside Project on 01842 765400. Equally, if you know your area but feel Wednesday 22 June survey. You need have no architectural background, just an historic buildings – Grade I, II* and II – is the responsibility of unsure about leading a walk, please get in touch and we can give you Evening field trip to site near Newmarket interest in your local area’s buildings and the willingness to English Heritage and the Department of Culture, Media & Sport, support/ training. to see chalkland flora, including a colony of devote a day or so during the next nine months to walking based partly on recommendations from local authorities. Breck- the very rare lizard orchid. Full details will around your village or town, taking photographs and recording land DC will develop a database of the survey’s findings, includ- Surveying for otters in the Brecks be in April newsletter. what you see on a form. Two training days will be held to ing detailed descriptions, condition surveys and photographs. Otters are increasing in the Brecks, and twice a year 25 otter surveyors visit explain exactly what’s required. These are scheduled for 65 sites looking under bridges for otter spraints and other signs of activity. th th Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 February, and will be held at With the Breckland Society simultaneously surveying the thou- Volunteers should phone Abby Stancliffe-Vaughan on 01842 761569. Oak Lodge, High Lodge Forest Centre, near Brandon. You only sands of historic buildings that are not considered of sufficient need attend one of the days; each will comprise a two-hour interest to be listed in their own right but which still make an Pine lines The Breckland Society ‘classroom’ session, during which the objectives of the survey enormous contribution to our townscapes, Breckland will soon There has been considerable press coverage of the restoration and replanting The Hay Barn, Hall Farm Barns will be explained, along with the main features to look out have the most up-to-date architectural record of any district in of pine lines in the Brecks, and the Brecks Countryside Project will be Oxborough, Norfolk PE33 9PS the country. working on this with volunteers thisspring and next winter. for, followed by lunch and a two-hour site visit to a nearby Tel 01366 328190; Fax 01366 328004 village to test out the recording form in practice. If you know of any landowners in the area who would like assistance [email protected] with this, pleasephone 01842 765400 for information. www.brecsoc.org.uk L I V I N G A N D B E L I E V I N G I N T H E B R E C K S 4 The history of the woodlark in Britain is rather more complex restored heathland. The British population now stands at 2,000 pairs THE STORY OF YOLANDE LYNE STEPHENS than that of the goshawk. Woodlarks require open areas of lightly- or so, of which over 400 are in the Brecks. wooded country – heathland is especially favoured – in which to Although well camouflaged when on the ground, woodlarks are AND LYNFORD HALL prosper, and so their numbers and distribution have always reflected relatively easy to find when singing. They have a lyrical and melodic Lynford Hall is one of the most celebrated of the great estates of the Brecks.