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Bessingham
Bessingham maps
Historic maps of Bessingham and the local area, hand-drawn by Ordnance Survey and Samuel Lewis. View all Bessingham maps
Bessingham photos
We have no photos of Bessingham, although we do have photos of these nearby places:
Barningham| Barningham| Aldborough| West Runton| Beeston Regis| Sheringham| East Runton| Cromer| Thorpe Market| Northrepps| Weybourne| Holt| Overstrand| Sidestrand| Salthouse
Bessingham area books
Displaying 1 of 13 books about Bessingham and the local area. View all books for this area
You can read extracts and browse photos from these books.
Memories of Bessingham
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Norfolk memories
Childhood Years From 1948-58
I first saw Barningham Hall from the back of a removals van as we pulled into the yard along side, it looked enormous then, I was 3yrs old, my father,(later known as Mac by every one) was to become Major Mott-radcliffs( later to become Sir Charles) chauffer/handyman and mum was going to help in the kitchens, the first few years we lived in the small cottage in the yard then later moved into the flat above garage and stable where we could often hear the horses stamping around in the night. The gardens were huge and I often played in them with my sister when the "Motts" were away, The kitchen garden was superb with all sorts of fruit and veg that we could pick and eat, many times I hid amongst the fruit trees with my best friend Jimmy and watched as the head gardener Jack Fuller went by but didnt see us, in one of the greenhouses there were really nice grapes where we would hide on cold... Read more
The Second McKays
We have just read Anthony McKays memories of Barningham Hall. After they left my husbands family, also McKays, how about that for coincidence, moved in also as driver to Sir Charles. My husband Terry was nine at the time and lived there until he was fifteen.
His memories are exactley the same, and we have photographs of all the Mot Radcliffe family.
We called in to see Lady Mott Ratcliffe about ten years ago and she very kindly took us on a tour of the hall and gardens and it was exactly as my husband remembered.
Earlier this year we called again, she had retired to a cottage in the village at the age of ninety, and in residence now is the eldest daughters son, she also was extremely nice and reminisced with my husband.
He also says it was a wonderful childhood there, but I still cant get over the fact that consectutive drivers were called McKay.
More Childhood Memories
I was born in the cottage in the courtyard, the youngest of three. My brother, Tony, sister Sheila, who now lives not too far away from Matlask, and have some wonderful memories of the Hall. Summer days seemed endless, building houses out of the hay bales in the fields, playing on the old tree stumps down by the pond, opening the gate for the delivery man from Rusts and getting a 'wagon wheel' as a treat. They were enormous. As my brother mentioned, we used to go on the 'shoot'. I was to young to 'beat' so I rode with Dad in the jeep pulling the game cart, I always remember the sandwiches, smelly egg, wrapped in greaseproof paper that my Mum made,and a Penguin biscuit, lovely!!!
Being the younger ones, I remember my brother playing Robin Hood, down in 'the forest' and sending Sheila and I out across the fields to look for the bad men while he sat up a tree, watching us, while we traipsed all over... Read more
Charles Earl: Lime Kiln
My great-grandfather owned the Lime Kiln in the village of Aldborough. When my grandfather Charles Earl was a young man he decided to leave the village with a friend and cycle to London to seek his fortune. They arrived in Pinner where my grandfather met his future wife (she was landlady of a pub). He went to work on the building of the London Underground. I have visited Aldborough on several occasions and I'm delighted to see the two pubs that my grandfather used to drink in as a boy are still there.
The Issacs Family
Does anyone remember Juliette Issacs? I am trying to find her, we lost touch in 1986. I remember she lived here and I used to visit often. She had 3 brothers, one called Simon, and her dad was called John. I would appreciate any info.
Aldborough, The Green
I lived here as a teenager betweern1998 - 2000, an amazing place. I haven't been back yet but will do at some time in the future. Aldborough holds a lot of special memories for me, the people are charming and the village even more charming.
Molly Keeler
Myself and my 2 sisters and my brother lived in cottages at Hall Road near Aldborough Hall. We all use to walk all the way to Aldborough School in all weathers. My brother's name was Alan and my sisters' names were Ann and Gillian. We had a wonderful childhood. My parents eventually moved to a council house just passed the Black Boys public house. We use to love the fairs that used to come on to the green every June or July. I remember the "cake walk", swings and the coconut shies. I also remember when I was about 10 or 11 we used to walk to the Village Hall to fetch meat pies, I'm not sure why though. There was a butcher's shop whose name was Massinham, and they had the best tasting sausages in the world. I have tried to buy all kinds but they never taste the same. When I first left school I worked in Highs Bakery.... Read more
