Leaving Home

A Memory of Syderstone.

My memory of Syderstone is in October of 1951. I left my home in Leicester as the bride of a young man who was in the USAF. He had been my High School pen-friend and was stationed at RAF Sculthorpe. I left my home for Norfolk one week after my wedding but unfortunately my husband had been unable to find us a house to rent. In desperation we rented a room at the local pub in Syderstone. I can't recall the name of the pub, wish that I could. We were given a room upstairs and we were tucked up in bed when another couple walked through our room. We hadn't been told that the room adjoining had no entrance except through our bedroom and that it was rented out also. Two days later we found rented rooms in a house in Wells-next-the-Sea. It was a large house called St. Heliers and was situated across from the library. Mr & Mrs. Riches owned the house and lived there also. Syderstone became quite a popular place for the airmen from Sculthorpe, especially the pub. On pay day and the week following the airmen would go into Norwich or to Kings Lynn, but as the month wore on and money became tight they would load up into a jeep and head to Syderstone which was so much closer and more accessible. Several years ago while I was visiting from my home in Texas I decided to rent a car and re-visit my old home in Wells-next-the -Sea. As I approached the coast I started to look for roadsigns to Syderstone. I drove through the village and saw the pub but I still can't recall the name. Can anyone help? I don't know if there are still American airmen stationed at Sculthorpe or if the base has been given back to the RAF but I am sure the pub is still very busy when duty hours are over. My husband has passed away so I no longer have anyone to share my memories with. However, I shall never forget those two nights in Syderstone, or Syderville as the American airmen called the village. It must have given them a feeling of home. I would love to hear from anyone who might have memories of Syderstone or Wells during that time.