and the ruins of merchants and sailors fortunes; and in some places are great piles of wrecks laid up for the purposes of building. There are no less than eight light-houses within the length of six miles, two of which are south,, at or near Goulston, between Yarmouth and Leostoffe, two at Winterton town, one at Winterton, which is the most easterly point of land at Norfolk, and one further north. There are also abundance of sea-marks and beacons along the shore, all the way from Yarmouth to Cromer. "To the north of Yarmouth (says Dr. Campbell) runs a point into the German Ocean, called Winterton Ness, beyond which the coast tends west north-west, then west; the shore low and flat, besieged with dangerous sands, which have been reputed to have been as fatal to shipping as any that deform the coast of this our island." Thomas Wilson, Esq. the historian of James the First, was a native of this town; he died at Felsted, in Essex, 1652. Dr. Thomas Soames, an eminent episcopal divine, was also a native of Yarmouth; he was minister of Stanes, in Middlesex, and prebendary of Windsor. He was so much attached to the cause of his royal master, King Charles the First, that he gave up to his Majesty every thing he possessed, so that when the Parliament forces came to take possession of his house it was empty, and they could only seize upon himself. He was imprisoned first in Ely-house, and then in Newgate and the Fleet; he died a short time before the restoration of King Charles the Second. Near Yarmouth, three miles north, is CASTOR OF Caister. This was formerly a flourishing city; and, as Camden asserts, was antiently called, Venta Icenorum. That indefatigable antiquary is of opinion that from the decline and fall of Castor arose the populous city of Norwich. At an ancient mansion or castle, in this place, resided the famous Sir John Fastolf, so celebrated for his martial deeds in France. C.3 Ile He was appointed governor of Harfleur, by King Henry the Sixth, and died 1459. Many writers have most erroneously represented him as the same jolly knight who figures in the luminous pages of our immortal bard. Castor Castle was built by Sir John at the expence of the Duke of Alencon, whom he took prisoner at the battle of Agincourt. "The court (says Mr. Gough in his additions to Camden) forms a rectangular parallelogram, leaving at the north-west angle a round tower, upwards of an hundred feet high; to which adjoined a dining-room, the fire-place of which yet remains. On the right hand of entering this court was the hall, 49 feet by 28. Only the east and south sides of the mansion remain, with the tower. On an arch of a window, within the ruins, were the arms of Sir John Fastolfe, in a garter, carved in stone, now taken away. This castellated castle was twice besieged in form in the reign of Edward the Fourth, by the Duke of Norfolk, and Lord Scales, with 300 men and artillery, the Duke wishing to dispossess Judge Yelverton and John Paston, Esq. who then tenanted it. Mr. Paston made a vigorous defence, but the castle was taken on the second attack. In the Paston family it remained till 1661, when it became the property of the Crows, and now remains in possession of the family of the Bedingfields, their descendants. Mr. Grose has given a fine engraving of this venerable castle. There is supposed to be a Roman fortification by the light-house at Castor. East Flegg hundred contains, besides Yarmouth, and Caistor, the parishes of Filby, Mantly, Ormsly, St. Margaret, with Scratly, Ormly, St. Michael, Runham, Stokesly (cum Herringby), and Thugby. At Herringby, a village near Yarmouth, Hugh Altesen, founded an hospital, 1475, valued at 231, 65. 3d. per annum. At Thirgby, near Caistor, is Thirgby Hall, the seat of R. Woolmer, Esq. In the parish of Acle, and in the road to Norwich, ten miles from Yarmouth, is the village of Weybridge, where was a priory of canons, granted by Henry the Eighth to Richard Fulmerstone. Five miles from Caistor, on the right side of the road to Norwich, are the consolidated parishes of Burgh St. Margaret's, and Burgh St. Mary's; they are in the hundred of West Flegg. They contain 55 houses, and 317 inhabitants. Winterton is in the hundred of West Flegg. It is situated on the coast seven miles from Yarmouth. It lies in a soil accounted the richest in all England, and the most easy to be ploughed. The church is a handsome structure, but the houses of the inhabitants are very mean. It lies open to the ocean, the occasion of winds and colds which beat violently against the banks opposed to it. Winterton had formerly a market and a fair, both of which are now discontinued. It was formerly the lordship of Robert Hulford, admiral of King Edward the Third's fleet. Here are two light-houses; one a towerlight, burnt with coals, the other with oil. In 1665 great part of the cliff was washed away by the tide, which discovered several large bones, one of which, brought to Yarmouth, weighed 57 pounds, was two feet three inches long, and was affirmed to be the leg bone of a man. The town is principally inhabited by rude boors, who live in sandy cottages, on the produce of their labour.— "It The promontory is called, Winterton Ness. is not strange (says Dr. Campbell) that few places of any great note should be found on so inhospitable a shore and yet it seems there were times in which Winterton made a much better figure. The remaining ruins shew there were Roman stations in several places, which we know were to accom modate their cavalry posted to defend the country against against invasions." Winterton is a rectory, with East Somerton chapel annexed. Adjoining Winterton are the villages of East and West Somerton. At the latter was an hospital for lepers, founded by Ranulph de Glanville and his lady, in the reign of Henry the Second. Ten miles north-west from Yarmouth is the village of LUDHAM, where formerly was a palace of the bishops of Norwich. It originally belonged to the abbot of St. Bennet in the Holm, and was built by Abbot Martin; at the Reformation it was given to the bishop of Norwich in exchange; the greatest part of it was burnt in 1611. A brick chapel, built by Dr. Edmunde Freke, bishop of Norwich, was in 1762 converted into a barn. Ludham was formerly a market town. CATFIELD, in the hundred of Happing, and 12 miles from Nowne, is remarkable only for its rectory, being in the patronage alternately of the Bishop of Norwich, and of the Earl of Shrewsbury, who is a Roman catholic peer. In the same hundred is Hickling, situated near the sea, and containing 114 houses, and 595 inhabitants. It was formerly a market town, and had a priory of Black Canons. The village of INGHAM, was formerly the property and seat of a distinguished family, which derived its name from the place. It has a neat church, in which is a monument, to the memory of Sir Oliver Ingham; the effigies of the knight represent him reclining on a mattress, clothed in full armour, bis sword by his side, and a lion couchant at his feet. Round the tomb are twenty-four niches, each containing an equal number of figures. The inscription, in ancient French, is as follows: "Mounsieur Olivier de Ingham gist Icy et dame Elizabeth sa compagne qui lui Dieux de les almes oit mercy." There is also a monument of Sir Roger de Boys, and Dame Margaret his wife. Sir Miles Stapleton an nexed a small college to this church; this college was founded for the redemption of captives 1300. This religious society consisted of a prior, sacrist, and six canons. Sir Miles also rebuilt the church. Extending on the right from the road to Norwich, we observe Lessingham. Here there was a priory of Benedictine monks, founded by Gerard de Gournay, in the reign of William Rufus, as a cell to the abbey of Bee in Normandy. It was given by Edward the Fourth to Kings' College, Cambridge. On the left in the hundred of Shropham is BUCKENHAM. Mr. Bloomfield, in his history of Norfolk, derives its name from the bucks in the neighbouring forest, which Sir Henry Spelman says are not now to be found thereabouts. This manor belong to the Albinis, one of whom was fifth earl of Arundel; it afterwards came to the Clifton family. Here are the remains of a castle, and of a priory for Benedictine canons founded in the reign of King Stephen; this priory stood on the scite of the old castle. William the Conqueror gave the fee of this place to William de Albini, whose eldest son and succes sor was commonly called, "William with the strong hand," because he is said, amongst other deeds of heroism, to have killed a lion. Buckenham St. Andrew's Hall is the seat of Lord Petre; the house is not large, but the park is a very an cient enclosure. REDEHAM is situated on the river Yare, and is a small village; it derives its name from the reeds growing in the marshes. This was the place where Lodbrog, the Danish nobleman, landed, being by a sudden storm, driven from his own coast by hawking. Finding entertainment at King Edward's court at Castor, he lived there till he was murdered, in a fit of jealousy, by the King's huntsman. His sons, Hingar and Hubba, were no sooner informed of this tragical event than they resolved to be revenged, although the murderer had been executed. They landed |