A VISIT TO THE EAST OF ENGLAND 2011

SATURDAY 3^rd

We spent the morning exploring Castle Acre Priory now owned by English Heritage. Once again we found staff very friendly and helpful pointing out the audio sets that we could use on our tour. This was one of the best guides we have come across. Although still having repairs done to the ancient monument the site seemed well maintained and the information boards proved as useful as our audio guide. We were able to visit one complete building and explore the upper floors as well as downstairs. We learnt that parts of this Cluniac monastery were added around Henry Vlll’s time as the prior of that time felt the building was too cold, having added a large bow window in the upper room to allow more light, so he installed a fireplace to keep him warm. Still finding the room rather dark he had the wooden beams painted white adding red and white roses for decoration, some of which we could still see today. Close to the River Nar the monks had constructed a brewery and Keith and I were convinced we could smell the hops as we walked into the remains!

The afternoon was spent in Ron and Jennifer’s garden along with family and friends, some of whom had been at their wedding. Ron and Andy had been busy barbecuing various meats whilst Helen had made cakes and Caroline a lovely strawberry pavlova. Jennifer had made salads and a potato salad the flavour of which I couldn’t resist and said I must call at a farm shop before returning home to buy some local potatoes. After a Bucks Fizz toast when the cork had hit Ron on the forehead and some of the champagne had sprayed over his shirt the party broke about 5pm. After a photo shoot of the family and wedding guests, with Jennifer wearing her wedding outfit that she could still get into 40 years later, we said our farewells.

The cricket team were taking over the dining room tonight so we had been asked to eat early at 7pm. The trouble was we were not hungry but Carl, the Manager, agreed we could have a table in the bar and eat when we were ready putting a reserved notice on the one by the door.

We got talking to another local after Roger had left who asked us to sell up and come and live in the village as he had watched the way we had interacted with the local people last night. He thought we would be very good for the village! We had been informed by the locals that many of the houses are holiday homes, across the road only two of the houses are permanently occupied We learnt this afternoon that Caroline and Andy had rented one of a row of white holiday cottages in this village for 8 months until they found a house to buy in Swaffham. They would have loved to remain in Castle Acre but the price of property is around £25,000 more in this village than Swaffham. Our new friend turned out to be a gamekeeper and we listened with interest about his feelings for keeping the number of deer down. He felt there was enough road kill without having to shoot them. Had we been staying longer he wanted to take us to see some of the deer.