William Finch-Crisp - Chronological Retrospect of the History of Yarmouth and Neighbourhood

Few words only are necessary to introduce this Third Edition to our readers, beyond expressing a hope that the contents will meet with general approbation, and that much pleasure will be derived from its perusal, now and for many years to come. We would ask, as a SPECIAL FAVOUR, in order to ensure a wider circulation, that our friends will recapitulate the comments of the Press, by recommending this History of Yarmouth as “worthy of a place in every library.” It is seven years since the Second Edition, without supplement, was published.

No greater honour could have been conferred upon the Author than when the Heir Apparent to the Throne of England (His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, K.G.), on his visit to Yarmouth in 1882, expressed his pleasure, through Colonel Teesdale, in the acceptance as a present, of a copy of this History; and the placing of this work, with supplement (A.D. 46 to 1879) in the principal stone of the New Town Hall in 1880 by the then Mayor (C. C. Aldred, Esq.) was also gratifying.

Edward Birkbeck, Esq., M.P., writing to us from the House of Commons, on March 19th, 1884, says: – “I do not think my name is worthy of having a book dedicated to me, but I shall nevertheless be proud to have it placed where you suggest.” The people of Yarmouth will endorse our sentiments when we say, for his zeal and untiring energy in promoting many special objects in the “good old town,” that he is worthy of greater eulogiums than we can bestow, and therefore tender our best thanks to that gentleman for his courtesy in allowing this volume to be dedicated to him – a privilege that was also given us in a first issue, by his predecessor in the Imperial Parliament, the lamented Colonel Duff. Neither must we forget to express our obligation to a select list of subscribers to the work.

Great Yarmouth, April, 1884.

The following dates refer to the time of election , November 9 th , after the year 1836.

Note – Those with an *, see Historical Pages.

From 1688 to 1700, two Bailiffs were chosen instead of a Mayor.

The Romans entered this part of Britain when the valleys of the Yare, Waveney, and Bure, as well as the sand-bank upon which Yarmouth stands, were covered by the ocean.

Burgh Castle, a Roman encampment, supposed to have been founded.

Cerdic, a Saxon Prince, and Qenrick his son, with five ships, entered the port of Yarmouth and named in Cerdic Shore. This Cerdic Shore seems to have been a great sand-bank formed along the shore between two branches or channels of the Yare called Havens, by which two channels the river entered the sea, one running near Caister and the other near Gorleston.

Between this and the year 640, a Saxon Monastery was founded at Burgh, by Fursey, an Irish monk.

Lodbrog, the Dane, driven by a sudden tempest from Denmark across the sea, and, entering the Yare, landed at Reedham, where the Court of Edmund, King of East Anglia, was then kept. Lodbrog is said to have been received into Court favour, but was soon afterwards murdered in a wood by the King’s huntsman (Bern) through jealousy. This led to the imprisonment and execution of Edmund, and put an end to the Saxon dynasty in East Anglia, after Hinguar and Hubba, two Danish chieftains, at the head of 20,000 men, had ravished all East Anglia.

First houses and habitations erected in Yarmouth on Fuller’s Hill, that being then the only dry land in Yarmouth.

Yarmouth belonged to the King in the reign of Edward the Confessor, and had 70 burgesses, besides a number of soccagers.

Bishop Herbert born; and in 1091 was consecrated Bishop of Thetford.

Cocklewater, or Grubb’s Haven, stopped up with sand.

St. Bennet’s Church pulled down. It was built in the time of Edward the Confessor.

Yarmouth governed by a Provost, the first constituted magistrate, whose public office was in the Congé , North Quay. Foreigners were only allowed to come to Yarmouth at the annual free-fair.

Bishop Herbert de Lozinga, the first Bishop of Norwich [translated from the See of Thetford in the 7th year of William II. (Rufus), whose Chamberlain he was], founded St. Nicholas’ Church, and re-built a Chapel on the North Denes. He was made Lord High Chancellor to Henry I. of England in 1104, and died August 11th, 1119.

St. Nicholas’ Church consecrated. Enlarged 1123, 1250, and 1338. The last attempt after 10 years’ labour in trying to build a west aisle, failing, the ruins were used in the building of a Chapel-of-Ease.

Forty thousand lives lost at sea during the war between King John and the Barons; a great multitude washed ashore on Yarmouth beach.

Monastery of Black Friars founded by St. Dominica.

Yarmouth had three galleys or vessels of war. Two were manned with seven score mariners.

First charter granted by King John, and Yarmouth incorporated as a borough. The document is still preserved (1834).

All vessels in the port with Scottish property on board were arrested.

Henry III. granted certain franchises. In 1261 he granted licenses for fortifying the town; and on Sept. 28th, 1262, granted a Charter for enclosing the town with a wall and moat, so as to resist the power of an invading enemy. (See 1396.)

The Tolhouse Hall, Middlegate Street, erected.

Yarmouth first called Magna (Great) in the reign of Edward I., to distinguish it from Little Yarmouth, or Southtown.

The town wall and fosse commenced at the north end of town.

St. Mary’s Hospital founded. It was a free Grammar School in 1551, and fitted up as a school for poor children in 1634.

The Carmelites, or Whitefriars, founded at Yarmouth, and took the north and some other parts of the town under their charge. (See 1509.)

King Henry’s Tower erected at the north-east corner of St. Nicholas’ churchyard.

St. Nicholas’ Church and churchyard consecrated by Bishop Middleton, of Norwich.

The sea flowed into St. Nicholas’ Church 4 feet deep, and the town was inundated.

A beautiful ship built at Yarmouth for King Edward II., and sent to Norway for the King’s daughter, upon her proposed marriage with the then Prince. She was heiress of Norway and Scotland.