ARTICLES FROM REDGRAVE PARISH MAGAZINE

ARTICLES FROM REDGRAVE PARISH MAGAZINE

by Jean Sheehan (Local History Recorder for Redgrave)

Earl Ulfketel Lord of the Manor of Redgrave 1000 AD	The manors of Redgrave, Rickinghall and Hinderclay were given to the Abbey of Bury by Earl Ulfketel circa 1005.

Ulfcytel mustered as many as he could and tried to prevent the Vikings from returning to their ships. Many were killed on both sides, the Vikings managed to reach their ships but they said "they had never met harder hand-play in England than Ulfcytel brought them" .

Redgrave Church Refurbished 1786	St. Mary’s Church. Redgrave was declared redundant on April 1^st, 2005. This was far from the mind of Rowland Holt when he received a bill for £122.11.4 ½ for soft furnishings in 1786.

The curtains were hung with bright rings and a pole, probably brass. The seats were covered with eleven yards of Wilton Carpet at five shillings and sixpence a yard. There were 8 pesses in the pew covered in damask.

A clandestine marriage 1701	In 1701 John Eachard was Rector of Wreningham in Norfolk, and contracted a hasty marriage with Frances Townshend after a dinner party at Redgrave Hall. He was later to regret it.

The pair of them spent some time alone in the garden at Redgrave and on their return to the house asked John Baldock, the rector of Redgrave, who was also a guest at the dinner party, to marry them immediately. The ceremony was conducted at Redgrave Hall, in front of Sir Robert Bacon, baronet, and other people.

The Pock House	The Pock House was a property situated on the outskirts of the village of Redgrave, to house inhabitants suffering from smallpox.
Any tenant would have been very wary of returning to the house, after it had been inhabited by someone suffering from smallpox. The clergy found it very difficult to find people prepared to bury fatalities, and they were often buried at night.

Redgrave Hall 1344/ '45	The Redgrave History Group has recently discovered an account roll in the British Library for the year 1344/45 which lists the expenses of building work to the Abbot of Bury's manor at Redgrave, It builds a vivid picture of the buildings in Redgrave Park at this time.
The repair of shutters in the hall and lord's chamber is mentioned; these would also have been used to control the draughts through the unglazed windows to control the fire burning. There were other rooms mentioned for the clerk, arms bearer, bailiff, Master Robert of Harlyng, and the great solar which would have been an upper room for private use of the Abbot.

A letter to Rowland Wilson 1880's	Lucy Wilson of Redgrave Hall writes to her son who is at boarding school. She describes the family's journey to Great Yarmouth for a holiday.
When we got to Norwich the train was late but the porters said there was plenty of time & locked our carriage up - but just as we got to the end of the platform off went the train & we were all left behind!

Ecclesiastical buildings of Redgrave-cum-Botesdale	Why is St. Mary's Church, Redgrave, the parish church for Botesdale? Why is there a Chapel of Ease in Botesdale? Why was the Mission Room built?
A decision to build the Mission Room was made in 1895 and a sale of work held, and later a 'waxworks' and dancing in the garden at night, presumably the Rectory garden, which was illuminated.

Redgrave Mills	In medieval times Redgrave had its own watermill and windmill. Over the centuries a succession of different mills were working; the last one closed in 1965.
Hopton Fire Brigade arrived at 7.30 p.m. with their manual pump. The fire engine was horse-drawn and the hosepipe was full of holes. Water was taken from the pond at Street Farm, about four hundred yards from the fire, and a human chain was formed by the willing helpers from the village.

Inns and Alecal buildngs	Many people were busy brewing ale in mediaeval times; it was a cottage industry. Pubs and inns developed under the control of the Lord of the Manor, including the Crown and White Hart in Botesdale.
Nicholas Bacon was making a profit from drinking in a different way in the sixteenth century. He purchased The White Hart Inn from William Garsington in 1567.... The White Hart is the property now known as Street Farmhouse.

Victorian birdwatching	Local birds and animals portrayed in letters sent from home to Rowland H. Wilson at boarding school in the 1870's.
Mr. and Miss Worlledge dined here yesterday evening - they have seen a very wonderful bird on the Rectory lawn.

Roman archaeology	A wealth of Roman archaeological finds have been made locally, from pottery kilns to headless bodies.
We were disappointed not to find a Roman Villa with mosaic floors and Samian pottery. However we were excited to find two sites with a large area of light grey unglazed Roman pottery...

Bacon Monuments in Redgrave Church	Funeral hatchments, a marble tomb and a memorial brass are among the fine monuments left by the Bacons of Redgrave (1542-1702)
In the sanctuary floor is one of the most perfect post reformation brasses in England. This was originally on a table top tomb for Mrs Anne Butts ...

Local Seventeenth Century Wills	Wills of the Archdeaconry of Sudbury are a fascinating source of information about the everyday lives of local people in the 1630's.
He also left his wife two black cows, his pigs and the corn growing in the field. Amongst various other bequests... he bequeathed to his daughter Estafidelis his second best feather bed.

Hart Family – Organ Builders	Joseph Hart (1770-c.1850) was an important early 19th century organ builder in Redgrave. He also built pianos and barrel organs.
There is a small organ in St. Mary, Warren, Dyfed, which had a small brass plate attached to the organ in 1916 saying it was made by Hart for Mendelssohn in 1842.

Redgrave Hall Furniture Sale	In July 1936 John Holt Wilson put the furniture at Redgrave Hall up for auction. Ten years later the Hall itself was demolished.
A mahogany Chippendale breakfront bookcase measuring 6ft.10ins. sold for £255 and a rare Chippendale circular table sold for £35 .... The drawing room contained "a grand pianoforte in very handsome burr walnut case, by John Broadwood & Sons, London," which sold for £10.

Redgrave Hall Estate 1849	The contents of a small, tatty exercise book give an insight into the condition of farm buildings on Redgrave Estate in the early Victorian period.
It is hardly worth while to incur any outlay during the occupation of the present tenant, as [he] hardly makes use of the sheds which he has now standing upon the Farm.

Redgrave Shop in the 1960s	Jean Sheehan chronicles the changes in Redgrave village life, as she tells the story of Waveney Stores and Post Office until their closure in 1989.
.There were several cartons of bath brick, which took us a long time to discover had been used for whitening door steps... There were also pig powders, Union Jack paste for bunions and isinglass which was used for preserving eggs.

Redgrave Mission Room	As the Mission Room prepares to become All Saints Church, we look back to the year of its foundation in 1897. .
The names of those present on this first occasion are given that they may be preserved: Louisa Buck, Edith Day, Annie Kemp, Lilian Orves, May Potter, Dulcie Reynolds, Leonard Kemp...

Redgrave Church	Funeral hatchments, a marble tomb and a memorial brass are among the fine monuments left by the Bacons of Redgrave (1542-1702)
In the sanctuary floor is one of the most perfect post reformation brasses in England. This was originally on a table top tomb for Mrs Anne Butts ...

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