Trip reports
Coach trip to Norfolk
Saturday, 12 July 2008
Then it was all aboard the coach for the short journey to Lakenheath Fen which, just twelve years ago, was a series of productive carrot fields. Re-wetting the landscapes by careful channelling of the water has transformed the area into a wilderness of reeds, rushes and pools. Cranes have once again bred here, and two pairs of golden orioles nested in the poplar plantations, but both of these key birds eluded us, I'm afraid. After an hour's exploration, the majority of the party boarded the coach for Oxburgh Hall, but a few stalwarts remained behind to absorb the peaceful atmosphere, enjoy close views of marsh harriers and hobbies and hear a late cuckoo calling. OK, so we failed miserably in our efforts to see all three key species, but that didn't prevent us thoroughly enjoying ourselves.
The National Trust property at Oxburgh Hall is a red-brick, moated, fortified manor house, which has been the home of the Bedingfeld family since 1482. Henry VII and his queen, Elizabeth, visited Oxburgh and to this day the room occupied by the monarch is known as the King's Room. This royal favour began a century of service to the Tudors by the Bedingfeld family and Edmund's descendants were soldiers and courtiers, trusted with the onerous responsibility of guarding both Catherine of Aragon in the 1530s and the future Elizabeth I in the 1550s. These close ties with the royal family might have continued were it not that the Bedingfelds were, and still are, Catholics. For 200 years Catholic services were held in secret at Oxburgh and Henry Bedingfeld had a priest hole built to hide ministers. The priest hole can be visited by those visitors who are slim and agile enough to climb into it.
Oxburgh's fortunes waxed and waned over the centuries but after the Second World War, the ninth baronet was forced to sell the estate. It looked doomed when a local timber merchant planned to demolish the house and cut down the trees on the estate. However, Sybil, Lady Bedingfeld, who had married into the family in 1904, saved the day. She sold much of the contents of the house and persuaded relatives to sell their own properties to raise money, and she managed to buy back the house. In 1952 it was given to the National Trust for the nation, Lady Sybil died in 1985 at the age of 101 and, happily, the family still lives at Oxburgh. Visitors are able to see beautiful embroideries sewn by Mary, Queen of Scots and Bess of Hardwick, and a climb onto the roof is rewarded with magnificent views over the surrounding countryside. It is from the roof that one is able to appreciate fully the Victorian French parterre. Down at ground level one can explore the woodland walks, walled orchard, kitchen garden and the Victorian Catholic chapel.
Everyone who visited Oxburgh found plenty to see and photograph and the afternoon was completed by tea and the sort of cakes for which the National Trust's restaurants are famous. A good time was had by all!
This was the third coach trip to be organised by our group, and plans are already afoot for a two-site visit in 2009. This year's trip was particularly popular, so if you would like to join us on the social outing of the summer, book early for next year.