Ashwellthorpe
NOT TO BE MISSED!
Benefice Treasure Hunt.
There will be a car treasure hunt around the Upper Tas Valley Benefice Group during the afternoon of Saturday 28th June starting at 2pm from Wreningham village hall followed by a barbeque.
This is to raise funds for the Benefice. The route will take you to parts you have probably never been, looking for clues in places you have never noticed. So come and join in the fun.
Tickets and further details for the treasure hunt are available from Paul – 01953 788414 or Sheila – 07828104791. Price £5 per car for any number of occupants. Barbeque food will be priced separately. Prizes, bar and raffle available too.
The Norfolk Churches Trust Bike Ride – Saturday 8 September 2007
jennifer robbie
The day dawned – very still but misty; I was worried that I had not yet fitted lights to my bike but by the time I was helmeted, fluorescent and gloved in Wymondham at 09.10, the sun had broken through. This was the start of my adventure which proved to be thoroughly enjoyable, visiting 14 churches and pedalling 22 not-too-strenuous miles on quiet lanes - I had worked out the route beforehand, picking particularly level pieces of the countryside. I had only been inside five of these churches before, so my visits to the other nine, which after all are on my doorstep, were new experiences giving me the opportunity to admire or learn a little more about them.
My thanks must go first of all to my sponsors who were really the ones who raised the money, half of which will go to the Norfolk Churches Trust and half to All Saints’, Ashwellthorpe, which is in a group of churches now called the Tas Valley Benefice. Secondly, a big thank you to all those who stewarded all the churches from 09.00 to 18.00 and laid on a good array of refreshments.
I was the first visitor to the Abbey and the outer door was closed – had I arrived before the stewards who were to sign me in? But no, the door was not locked and a steward had just arrived so I was duly authenticated. I then cycled to the Methodist Church in Town Green where, again, I was the first customer for which reason their steward gave me a donation and then, uphill, to the Roman Catholic church in Norwich Road and the United Reformed Church on the Fairland. I had never been in these last two places of worship and was struck by the appealing modernity of the first and the simplicity of the second.
From the Fairland, my route took me along Browick Road, over the level-crossing and the A 11 junction, en route for Ketteringham – now I have been back to pick my own supply of blackberries, I can reveal brambles heavy with berries just along Browick Road as it turns off the Hethel road. It took me 45 minutes to reach the delightful St Peter’s church which is almost in the grounds of Ketteringham Hall and Mary Parker, the Churchwarden, was there to sign me in as well as give me a short guided tour before she dashed off to ring the bells at Tacolneston church for a wedding. She and two or three others were busy cleaning the intricate candelabra which had been taken down from its hanging chain in the centre of the nave. I particularly like to see a gallery in a church and there is one here at its west end, and the church also retains its boxed pews.
Ketteringham Hall Lake
I was permitted to cycle through the grounds of Ketteringham Hall where someone was working on the cricket ground – what a place to play and watch cricket – and over the bridge between the two lakes which brought me out opposite the water tower in East Carleton. I made a quick detour to St Mary’s church where preparations were being made for the Harvest service on the following day and the organist was playing her part in the National Organ Day recitals.
Twenty-five minutes on from St Mary, I reached the quite lonely church of All Saints’, Hethel, where the churchyard had recently been cut and the full hay wain remained outside. The sunlight shining through the south windows illuminated the newly painted white interior to an exceptional degree, particularly drawing attention to the white, blue and gilded organ and the alabaster tomb of the Branthwaite family. It took me but ten minutes to cycle to St Nicholas Church, Bracon Ash where I was greeted by a fellow Mulbarton School governor from twenty years’ ago – John Betts, doing his stint of stewarding. From 1974, both Hethel and Bracon Ash churches were in the same group as All Saints, Ashwellthorpe, but more recently have been within the Mulbarton group of churches. St Michael’s church, Flordon, was my next port of call and the three miles from church to church gave good views from the high road past Mergate Hall and easy cycling, downhill most of the way.
Hethel Church Steward and Hay Wain
What a great social occasion was organised by some of the parishioners of Flordon at the church for all the tired cyclists to enjoy. I couldn’t believe my eyes when walking through the avenue of trees leading up to the porch of St Michael to see at its west end a feast laid out on a table which was groaning with home-made cakes, buns, sandwiches and rolls and an ever-boiling tea urn – the food, drink and friendly chat, not to mention the adjacent “usual conveniences”, revived the body and mind ready for the steeply uphill journey to Hapton.
Flordon Refreshments
Having first crossed the cycle path of Forncett St Peter’s church-warden at Flordon (Pam Thurtle?), our paths then crossed here and there for my remaining four churches. I cycled through the grounds of the Redwings Hapton Estate where this charity has its horse hospital and a re-homing centre – this cut out the steep incline from Flordon Common and the marsh up to St Margaret’s church although even this short-cut was the one place on my ride when I had to get off my bike and push! Redwings is a good place to walk or ride through with many, many horses of so many different hues, shapes and sizes to be seen, who I hope are enjoying their retirement and sanctuary.
After visiting Hapton church which has been in the same group as Ashwellthorpe since 1979, I whizzed down to Fundenhall Road but dawdled along to Rattees Corner, a length of road I never knew had an upward gradient until now, up the Turnpike and along to St Nicholas, Fundenhall, another church in the Tas Valley benefice.
The day had grown a bit chillier by now and a breeze had got up so it took me all of 46 minutes and all my puff to cycle along Church and Whipps Lanes, and Common, New and Norwich Roads to St Edmund’s at Forncett End where John Webster was cutting the grass and his wife Margaret was flower-arranging and cleaning inside the church. After a long chat with John on matters local history – we have both studied for a Certificate in Local History – I cycled on to Forncett St Peter Methodist church to be greeted by an old friend and former inhabitant of Ashwellthorpe, Dennis Coleman, and much chatter followed.
The time was now approaching 3.00 p.m. and it took me three quarters of an hour to cycle back to Ashwellthorpe and great willpower to ride past the end of my own road for the further mile down to All Saints and back again. But there was a happy band of villagers there who gave me a great welcome – Mary Griffiths was on duty to “stamp my card”, with Harry and Scott Morgan and Ken Clarke having a welcome rest from churchyard maintenance.
So my “epic” cycle ride was over; only my knees were sore and I felt a great sense of achievement at its conclusion. I think there were three or four others cycling for All Saints, Ashwellthorpe, so I hope a goodly amount of money has been raised between us.
Cream Tea
The annual Cream Tea which took place in the garden of 20 Knyvett Green on the afternoon of Wednesday 18 July 2007 was a great success. Not only did the weather improve to become a lovely afternoon, but there was a good crowd to enjoy the Cornish cream, scones and jam plus the Bring and Buy Stall and Raffle. A good old chat was had by all!
Everyone enjoyed themselves and just over £200 was raised,which has now completed the payment for the repair work on the de Thorp Tomb. Thanks must go to Mary and all her willing helpers once again this year and to everyone who supported this cause.
The de Thorp Tomb.
Hullo, my name is Humphrey, and I write a letter in the Parish Magazine each month. For those of you who do not know me, I’m a Cat, and I am now of advanced years. I like sitting in the sun or by the radiator, killing rats, and other small things that move, and I hate DOGS. Which brings me to the point of this letter.
There is in our church a most beautiful monument, some have even said that it is the best alabaster tomb in England, be that as it may..It has three DOGS on it..It is 600 years old, and is in need of care and attention. It also has two people, Sir Edmund de Thorp and his wife Joan, and several angels.
For the last 12 months or more it has been held together in a cage of scaffolding, but next week work starts to make it safe and conserve it for the next 600 years, or at any rate, a few more generations. It is hoped to be completed by Easter.
So I’ve now told you about it, and it is very cold, so I want to get back to the radiator, but perhaps if you have never been in our church you ought to go and see it. For myself I’m not bothered, I mean DOGS! People are alright so long as they run a Cat centred household, and as for Angels, well I haven’t met any yet. Bye!
Humphrey is surely the most curious and literate cat in the parish and, as he says above and as some of the residents of Ashwellthorpe and Fundenhall already know, he is in the habit of sharing his observations each month in the Church Parish Magazine.
