Interesting Searches
North Walsham's early history
The appearance of 'Walsham' in the Domesday Book survey of 1080 tells
us that it was a small settlement belonging to the Danish 'Waelsing' or
'Waels' family, the anglo-saxon 'ham' indicates that the family settled
here sometime in the sixth century AD. The village was later provided
with a Church, a portion of land and a priest. Walsham was captured
during the raids of Viking Norse and Danes, and during the reign of King
Canute, a Norseman named Skiotr (Sket) gave the village of Walsham
along with its Church and estates to the Abbey of Saint Benet at Holme,
near Horning. St Benets was a rich Benedictine Monastery with much of
its wealth coming from Walsham. The flourishing weaving industry of the
area brought great wealth to Abbey and town and the Abbey Church of
Saint Benet along with the Parish Church of North Walsham were enlarged
on a grand scale. North Walsham boasts the largest non-conventual Parish
Church in Norfolk.
The Battle of the Peasants Revolt.
The famous 'Peasants Revolt' of 1381 saw a battle in North Walsham
when John Litester, assisted by amongst others a man called Cubitt of
North Walsham, led a rebellion of many thousands who seized the city of
Norwich. The combined forces of Bishop Henry De Spenser, forced the
rebels from the city and they retreated to a camp at Bryant's Heath near
North Walsham. They were confronted by the bishop's forces, and it is
said that thousands were slain as the peasants fled to the town where
they barricaded themselves inside the unfinished church. Litester was
captured, and the church witnessed a massacre of hundreds of peasants.
Litester was publicly executed and three stone crosses were erected to
mark the site of the battlefield.
The Parish Church of Saint Nicholas.
During the fourteenth century North Walsham was at the heart of the
woollen and weaving industry. At the invitation of the King, Flemish
weavers had settled in Norfolk in the 13th and 14th centuries. Their
weaving capitals were Worstead and Walsham; weaving the countrys finest
cloths of the still famous 'Worsted' cloth, and 'Walsham'; a
light-weight cloth for summer use. By the beginning of the fourteenth
century a market of these cloths was well established in Walsham. This
new prosperity was proudly flaunted with the building of vast new
churches for the two towns, and North Walsham's Church of Saint Nicholas
is the largest 'Wool Church' in Norfolk.
The Church was originally dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary. It is
famed for its unusual design with a vast spacious interior and lofty
columns. The building contains many fascinating artifacts which include a
richly decorated telescopic font cover from the fifteenth century, and
an ancient wooden screen, carved and painted with an array of saints.
The south chapel contains an unusual sixteenth century Communion Table.
The unique Royal Arms Board at the west end of the church, has one side
with the arms of Cromwell's Commonwealth, and the other with the Arms of
Charles II. Also to be seen are an Iron Bound Chest, two remaining
tip-up seats from the monk's mediaeval quire, and a wooden Armoury
Chest. The rich carving, pinnacles and heraldic shields of the
architecturally acclaimed porch, are often admired from the market
place.
The Ruined Tower.
In the early eighteenth century the church was crowned with soaring
tower and spire, easily the tallest building in the locality, being
second in height only to Norwich Cathedral. Its parapet reached a height
of 147 feet, the spire (probably added after the 160 foot church tower
at Cromer was completed) took its height to around 180 feet. A heavy
ring of bells was hung in the tower which also had a chiming clock. In
1724, a rather windy day greeted the town's annual Ascensiontide Fayre,
and the bells were rung for many hours. This caused a vibration to occur
in the tower which was noticed by the verger when he ascended the tower
in the evening to wind the clock. Between nine and ten o'clock the
following morning, Saturday 16th May 1724, the south and west sides of
the steeple collapsed in front of a horrified town. In the years that
followed the weather further weakened the ruin, and in 1835 small falls
indicated the weakness of the upper stonework. February 17th 1836 saw
the biggest fall when heavy northerly gales blew down the north side of
the steeple into the chasm below. The crash sent an earthquake-like
tremor through the town. The remaining east wall was later lowered as a
safety precaution. In 1939 stabilisation work was carried out on the
tower, in the hope that one day rebuilding will be possible. Plans were
drawn up and one version of a new tower (minus a spire), by the eminent
architect Sir Charles Nicholson, can be seen at the Parish Church.
The Great Fire of Walsham.
On the 25th June 1600, North Walsham was razed to the ground by a
fire, which began at around six o'clock in the morning in the house of a
person by the name of Dowle. One hundred and eighteen houses, seventy
shops, and countless other buildings were destroyed along with the
Market Cross and stalls. Although catching alight in five places the
church escaped much damage, and it provided shelter for the townsfolk
while the town was rebuilt.
The Market Cross.
The Market Place is where people from the town and surrounding
villages sold their produce, livestock, wool and cloths. Shops in the
Market Place still occupy their narrow ancient plots, built tightly
against the churchyard. In the fourteenth century, the charter to hold a
weekly market was granted by Henry III. The rent for the stalls was
collected in the 'Old Tollhouse'. As time went by a larger tollhouse was
provided, and a new market 'cross' was built. This was built between
1550 - 1555 during the reign of Edward VI by Bishop Thirlby of Norwich.
Destroyed during the Great Fire of 1600 it was rebuilt by Bishop Redman
in 1602 to an unusual Palladian design. In 1855 the Ecclesiastical
Commissioners formally presented the Market Cross to the town. In 1899
it was provided with a chiming clock and since then has often been
referred to as the 'Town Clock'.
Sir William Paston's Grammar School.
Sir William Paston founded his free Grammar School in 1606. A new
School House was built in 1765, the one seen today, and shortly after in
1769, the school received the brothers William and Horatio Nelson as
boarders. It was from here, in March 1771, a young Horatio Nelson set
out on his legendary career. The school boasts other fine scholars,
including Archbishop Tenison, who crowned Queen Anne & George I. The
founder's amazingly elaborate tomb can be seen inside the Parish
Church. The School is now part of a Sixth Form College for the local
area.