ISSUE 15
SUMMER 2014
The Holkham Gazette
Local children help transform the Walled Gardens
place, a set of tools and an
adult to help them. They
were then set the task of
planting up the layout
that Evie had designed.
The children worked
really hard for an hour
before being rewarded
with a break and a drink
and biscuits. The
microclimate in the
gardens and the shelter
afforded by the high walls
will soon see the plants
spring into bloom.
BY SARA PHILLIPS, EDITOR
The Walled Gardens at Holkham, under Phillip
Oldham’s direction, are beginning to show off the
care and attention that has been put into them over
the last few years. Several of the ‘rooms’ are now
planted, including Holkham’s very own vineyard
and work is progressing on all fronts. None more so
than the events room, which has been part of an
exciting collaboration between Holkham’s landscape
and education departments and two local schools,
Burnham Market Primary School and Alderman
Peel High School in Wells.
A group of Year 10 and Year 11 children from
APHS have visited the Walled Gardens every
fortnight since September last year to undertake
practical tasks, helping with the entire restoration
project. This is part of their ‘Preparation for Adult
Life’ programme. Year 11s have stopped visiting
now, as they are in the midst of exams, but Year 10
students are still visiting and working with Dene
Wood and Simon Bosley, landscape team members.
Part of the project has been a competition run by
Tim Fisher, a teacher at Burnham Market Primary,
and judged by Viscount and Viscountess Coke, in
which the children in Years 5 and 6 at the school
designed planting schemes for each of the four large
flower beds around the periphery of this events
room. The children entered into the spirit of the
competition with gusto and the results are now
taking pride of place in the Walled Gardens.
Four entries were judged the best by Lord and
Lady Coke, with one Highly Commended entry.
Above: Lady Coke and the winners – Thomas Drewry, Evie Stilgoe, Ella Lee, Kara
Chambers-Nevill and Lydia Maslin. Right: The information board in the Walled Gardens
showing Evie’s design, now all planted up.
Join us in the
Walled
Gardens for
this year’s
PLANT FAIR
Saturday 27th
&
Sunday 28th
September
They were from Evie Stilgoe and Ella Lee, both in
Year 5, Kara Chambers-Nevill and Lydia Maslin
both in Year 6 and the Highly Commended entry
was from Thomas Drewry in Year 5.
On a warm, sunny day in May, I was invited to visit
the gardens to watch the children from Burnham
Market School plant out one of the winning designs.
This was the last bed to be planted; all the others
have taken shape under the green fingers of the
landscape team along with students from Alderman
Peel School. All the plants had been laid out in
‘workstations’, the children teamed up and assigned a
A great family day out!
Visitors to Holkham now have even more ways to enjoy themselves, while
taking advantage of the hall and the glorious parkland it stands in. This is
particularly true for families – the visitor experience for people with children
has been transformed.
The children’s Woodland Adventure Play Area has proved a huge hit. The
extensive active play space has ropes, ladders, a tree house in the sky, high
level walkways and a zip wire and caters for children aged from 5 to 12 years.
Holkham byCycle is the name of the very successful bike hire company, now
in its fourth year, run by Sam Weller from the courtyard. Over 140 bicycles, of
many shapes and sizes, are available to hire for two hours or, if you’re feeling
more energetic, for a whole day. Sam has children’s seats for mounting on the
back or the front of an adult bike, or children’s ‘tag-along’ bikes that effectively
make an adult bike into an adult and child
tandem. There are recumbent-style tricycles for
adults and children and even a couple of dog
carriers! Short and long routes through the
park are signposted or Sam will encourage you
to leave the estate and cycle round the
beautiful, quiet and almost car-free local lanes.
If you feel like a watery adventure you can
row, canoe or kayak on the lake. Rowing boats
seat up to five and make you feel like an
Olympic athlete, Canadian canoes are great for a
Ray Mears-style adventure and seat 2 to 3
people or take a one-person kayak and go
exploring! There’s also water zorbing in the
height of summer for those aged 5 and up.
Crawl inside an inflated plastic ball and float on
water while you walk, run, fall over and have fun!
Rockin’ all over the world!
August Bank Holiday weekend sees two fabulous musical
events at Holkham
On Saturday 23rd August rock the
night away with the legendary
Status Quo. With more British hit
singles than any other group and
total world-wide record sales in
excess of 118 million, come
prepared for a night to remember!
Their support act is Norfolk-based
rock band, Walkway.
Tickets: £35 if booked before
31st July or £40 from 1st August.
The Last Night of the Proms comes to Holkham. The English National
Philharmonic Orchestra will be performing here
for the first time on Sunday 24th August. The
orchestra will be joined by soprano Clare
Ormshaw and tenor Lee Bradley and you can
join in singing some of Britain’s best-loved
patriotic pieces conducted by principal ENPO
Ben Crick.
Tickets: £29.50 if booked before 31st July or
£35 from 1st August.
To book your tickets online go to
www.livepromotionsconcerts.co.uk or
purchase tickets in person from Holkham
Ticket Office, open daily from 10am to
4.45pm or by telephone from the Ticket
Office on 01328 713111.
www.holkham.co.uk
SUMMER 2014
WWI exhibits look familiar to one visitor
The poignant exhibition in the hall this year entitled Duty Calls:
Holkham 1914 to 1918 commemorates the 100 year anniversary of the
start of WWI.The exhibition tells a small part of the story of the war’s
impact on the Coke family and the men and women of Holkham
village. One recent visitor discovered some familiar faces...
“My family visited Holkham Hall today and spotted a photograph and letter on show in the corridor
near the kitchens. The photograph showed my grandmother, Florence Smith with my aunty Elsie sat on
her knee and my uncles Fred, Arthur, Tim and I believe my aunty Bet (Elizabeth) stood round her. The
letter on display was written by my grandfather William Smith who was asking about work and was
written around the time of the war... I have other photos that may interest you, including one of my
grandfather William Smith who lived and worked on the estate (with my grandmother, my father and my
aunties and uncles who all once lived in Octagon Cottage, near the gates of the estate). My grandfather
worked as a gardener/forester on the estate... We also saw another family member mentioned on the
Roll of Honour close by this display.
My aunty Elsie and uncle Tim also worked in the house, Elsie worked in the kitchens and Tim worked
as a valet I think. My father George Smith was born in 1922 and was the youngest brother. All lived in
Octagon Cottage for many years from the early 1900s until my grandfather died around 1950ish. Sadly
I don’t have any exact dates. My grandmother passed away in the late 1920s and grandfather had to
bring up his children alone. My father and his siblings went to Holkham school and my great
grandmother lived in a small cottage near the road which goes down to Holkham beach.
I have been told that two of my great aunts never married – they owned or worked in the public
house on the quay at Wells. My father’s cousins worked on the fishing boats which left from Wells –
their family name was Cox.
Mandy Pamon, Derby”
Poignant WWI concert on 4th August
In 1914, at the outbreak of war, Jack Ellicott signed up to fight the enemy and
defend his country. The Lancashire teenager knew nothing of what lay ahead – the
Somme and his death at an early age. His account of events was told in letters
written to his parents.
On 4th August, Jack’s great nephew and lyric tenor Joshua Ellicott will bring
those letters to life in a concert at Holkham as he reads from them and performs a
selection of songs by Bridge, Finzi, Ireland, Poulenc and others, including Haydn
Wood’s Roses of Picardy, accompanied by pianist Paul Janes.
Tickets for the concert in the Marble Hall at 7pm are £18 and include a glass of
wine and an opportunity to view the exhibition in the hall – Duty Calls: Holkham
1914-1918. Book online at www.holkham.co.uk or by calling Holkham ticket office
on 01328 713111.
This concert is part of a wider day of reflection and remembrance at Holkham on
Monday 4th August. The programme includes poetry and readings by Wells Poetry
Festival, excerpts from the Holkham archives and memories of the nearby town of
Wells-next-the-Sea’s involvement in the conflict, plus a choir singing songs that
were very familiar to the soldiers in the trenches. Please join us if you can.
Raising money for Friends of Young Carers
BY DAVID HORTON-FAWKES, ESTATES DIRECTOR
I was told recently about an 11 year old girl
who was losing weight and kept falling
asleep at school. Her teachers realised
something was wrong at home. She was
exhausted from looking after her mother
who had terminal cancer and her brother
who had cerebral palsy. She was too tired to
eat and sleep at home.
The charity The Friends of Young Carers
supports young people who look after
others because of illness, frailty, disability or
problems with drugs and alcohol. My sister
Kate is a cancer nurse who sees young
people caring for their parents every day
and the toll this takes on them. Young
Carers is one of those unfashionable
charities that does really important work.
Over 200,000 young people live in
households where they are caring for
someone else.
This year, to celebrate my 50th birthday, I
will compete in four races, culminating in
my first (and only!) full Ironman in Sweden
in August. I am aiming to raise £10,000 for
Young Carers. I’ve been working up to this
for two years, training for an hour a day.
Until two years ago I’d never even tried to
swim front crawl and I am not looking
forward to a 2.4 mile swim in the Baltic!
The Bath Half Marathon was the first
event I entered in March and I did it in
1:34, which is my best time for a half
marathon. I’m older but I’m also faster! On
14th May I competed in the Mallorca 70.3
half Ironman (1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike,
13 mile run) and on 21st June I competed
in the Norfolk Superhero Challenge (1
mile sea swim, 4 mile kayak, 55 mile bike, 7
mile run). On 16th August I will do a full
Ironman in Sweden (2.4 mile swim, 112
mile bike and a marathon).
Wish me luck and please sponsor me –
my Just Giving page can be found at
www.Justgiving.com/David-HortonFawkes. A huge thank you to everyone who
has donated so far.
Everything Outdoor
builds on its success
Everything Outdoor’s shop in the Reading Room
in Holkham village is continuing to build on its
success. We now offer a larger range of lifestyle
clothing and footwear in line with our customers’
requests. As well as traditional tweed and
waterproofs we have leisure ranges from Alice
Collins, Grenouille, Jack Murphy, Hunter Outdoor,
Raging Bull and Vedoneire. We also have a range of
beautiful children’s wear from designer Ruth
Lednik.
Although our products may have changed since
we first opened, one thing remains the same, a
warm welcome from our helpful staff. Why not
pop in next time you are in the vicinity, we are
open daily from 10am to 5pm.
✁
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FREE GIFT IF YOULIN
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SPEND OVER £50
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Choose from over a hundred
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£50 to receive your free gift • One voucher per
customer • No photocopies accepted
CO
The Crab Shack
new for The Victoria
What better way to showcase some of the
delicious local seafood available than to set up a
new venture for the summer? Introducing the
Crab Shack in the courtyard of The Victoria.
The brainchild of The Victoria’s manager
Ben Hunter-Watts, the Crab Shack will run daily
from 12noon to 6pm throughout the six weeks of
the summer holidays, from mid-July to the end of
August, though if the weather is nice in
September the opening times may be extended.
The food is fresh and local and seafood-themed,
as you’d expect. There’s the Crab Shack Sharing
Platter comprising half a lobster, dressed crab,
shell-on prawns and smoked salmon, or if you
don’t want to share, you can have the half lobster,
the crab or the prawns as a dish to yourself.
There’s also a selection of filled rolls with seafood
fillings, served with crisps and coleslaw.
With fun artwork by well-known artist Andrew
Ruffhead of Fish and Ships Coastal Gallery in
Burnham Market, the Crab Shack is definitely the
place to be this summer!
SUMMER 2014
My year as High Sheriff of Norfolk
BY THE COUNTESS OF LEICESTER
The office of High Sheriff is the oldest secular office
in the country, having been in existence for at least
1,000 years. Until the 19th century, the office of
High Sheriff was primarily to
represent the king in the counties of
England. The High Sheriff had to
collect taxes and enforce law and
order. Since the 19th century the High
Sheriff’s duties have been gradually
taken over by local government, but it
is still the High Sheriff’s duty to offer
hospitality to visiting judges and
encourage them and the emergency
services – police, fire and ambulance –
in the execution of their duties. The
High Sheriff is the Queen’s
representative for law and order in
the county.
I was immensely honoured to have
been chosen for the office in April
2013 – only the fifth lady High Sheriff
for Norfolk. I look back on my year in
office with pride and happiness.
Driving all over the county
(sometimes with my husband as
chauffeur), my first impression was
how large Norfolk is. For example
What’s on locally...
Tuesday 1st July at 10 am
Walking Women. Meet at the Beach Café,Wells.
Tuesday 1st July at 10.30am, 12noon & 2pm
Walled Gardens Ramble. Follow our guide to the ‘seen
and unseen’ areas of the Walled Gardens at Holkham.
Thursday 3rd July from 1pm to 3pm
Demonstration Day in the Holkham Gift Shop by
Carolyn Ash, jeweller.
Friday 4th July at 7pm
Diva Opera – Don Giovanni in the Marble Hall at
Holkham.
Saturday 5th July at 7pm
Diva Opera – The Tales of Hoffmann in the Marble Hall
at Holkham.
Thursdays 10th July, 7th August &
18th September from 12noon to 4pm
Demonstration Day in the Holkham Gift Shop by
Terry Larwood, sculptor.
Tuesdays 15th July, 19th August &
16th September from 10am to 12noon
Guided Walk on the National Nature Reserve. Meet at
Lady Anne’s Drive.
Thursdays 24th & 31st July, 7th, 14th, 21st &
28th August at 10am & 1pm
Park Discovery Day – Pond Dipping, Holkham Park.
Thursday 24th, Friday 25th & Saturday
26th July at 7.30pm
The Yorke Trust Summer Opera – Armide by Gluck at
St. Mary’s Church, South Creake. www.yorketrust.org
from our home in north Norfolk it is 62 miles to
Great Yarmouth – a round trip of 124 miles, quite
often on a winter’s night.
I also visited a great many charities all over the
county and my second and major
impression is how many wonderful
and caring people there are, looking
after the most vulnerable members of
our society.
I went out with an ambulance crew
on a 12 hour shift, with only half an
hour for a sandwich lunch, and was
filled with admiration for their care
and dedication. They do their job day
after day, but I went to bed exhausted.
I spent a lot of time with the police,
day and night, including a day on patrol
in the centre of Norwich and a
Saturday night which ended at 4.30am
the next morning on Prince of Wales
Road in the centre of town, doing our
best to control the thousands of
young people who pour out of the
nightclubs at 3am. Again, I admired the
tolerance and good humour which
our Norfolk police displayed, often in
the face of considerable provocation.
I visited every lifeboat in the county
Monday 4th August from 12noon
WWI REMEMBERED
Commemorating the 100 year anniversary of
Britain joining the First World War. Join us
for a day of reflection and remembrance.
At 7pm – WWI Centenary Concert in the
Marble Hall with Joshua Ellicott, tenor and
Paul Janes, piano. Includes readings of some
of his great uncle Jack’s letters written from
the front home to his parents in Lancashire.
Friday 1st August
Wells-next-the-Sea Carnival starts.
Monday 4th August from 12noon to 3pm
Demonstration Day in the Holkham Gift Shop by
Holkham Forge.
Tuesday 5th August at 10am
Walking Women, Holkham Park. Meet at the ticket
office at Holkham.
Tuesday 5th August at 6.15pm
Outdoor Theatre at Holkham – The Jungle Book.
Sunday 10th August
54th Annual Lifeboat Service on Wells quay.
Monday 11th August from 1pm to 3pm
Demonstration Day in the Holkham Gift Shop by
Hazel Millington, glass artist and jeweller.
Wednesday 13th August at 6.15pm
Outdoor Theatre at Holkham – Hugless Douglas.
Thursday 14th August from 1pm to 3pm
Demonstration Day in the Holkham Gift Shop by
Linda Pattrick, artist.
Monday 28th July from 1pm to 3pm
Demonstration Day in the Holkham Gift Shop by
Hazel Millington, glass artist and jeweller.
Thursday 14th August at 7pm
North Norfolk Music Festival Concert in the Marble
Hall at Holkham with the Doric String Quartet.
Wednesdays 30th July, 6th, 13th, 20th & 27th
August & 3rd September at 10am & 1pm
Pinewoods Discovery Day. Explore the wildlife on the
National Nature Reserve.
Wednesday 20th August at 6.15pm
Outdoor Theatre at Holkham – Alice’s Adventures
in Wonderland.
(and drove them!). I visited all the prisons. I spent a
day emptying bins in Wells, Stiffkey and Morston. I
went on training days with the Norfolk Fire
Service, which included being unceremoniously
thrown into the River Yare and then being rescued.
Their thorough training is vital, as has been shown
so recently in Norfolk’s worst fire for a generation
which destroyed the old Aldiss department store in
Fakenham. Their skill and dedication prevented the
fire from spreading to other adjacent buildings.
One of the most rewarding parts of my year was
sitting with our judges in court. I was fascinated by
the general working of the courts, following the
same procedures now as nearly 800 years ago.
These days, the proceedings are conducted with
considerable humanity and consideration. I was so
impressed by the lengths to which the judges went
to ensure fairness and respect to the accused. I am
also full of admiration for the magistrates who give
their time and never get paid.
After my year in office, I am even more confirmed
in my view of how lucky we are to live in such a
beautiful and diverse county as Norfolk, from the
Fens in the west, to the Broads in the east and from
the beautiful north coast down to the Brecks in the
south. I have met many wonderful people, have
made new friends and I will not forget my
marvellous year as High Sheriff of Norfolk.
Saturday 23rd August at 7.30pm
Open Air Concert at Holkham – Status Quo.
Sunday 24th August at 7.30pm
Open Air Concert at Holkham – Last Night of the
Proms.
Tuesday 26th August at 7.30pm
Bat Walk in Holkham Park – find out about British bats.
Wednesday 27th August at 7pm
Outdoor Theatre at Holkham – Romeo and Juliet.
Saturday 30th & Sunday 31st August from
10am to 5pm
North Norfolk Food & Drink Festival in the Courtyard
at Holkham.
Tuesday 2nd September at 10 am
Walking Women. Meet at the Beach Café,Wells.
Saturday 6th to Sunday 14th September
An exhibition of photographs at Holkham – A Glimpse
of Empire – by Pocock’s the Artmonger.
Tuesday 9th September at 7pm
Bat Walk in Holkham Park – find out the truth about
British bats.
Friday 12th September at 6.45pm
Talk by Juliet Webster in The Saloon, Holkham Hall
Leaves from Honor’s Diary 1914-1918.
Wednesday 24th September 10am to 4pm
Photography Workshop in the park – Holkham Hues.
Saturday 27th & Sunday 28th September
from 10am to 5pm
Plant Fair in the Walled Gardens.
CRICKET MATCHES AT HOME
Cricket matches in Holkham Park
will be played on
6th, 13th, 23rd, 26th and 27th July
2nd, 10th, 17th, 23rd, 24th and 27th August
7th and 21st September
For times and opponents, visit the Events section
of the Holkham website – www.holkham.co.uk
For more information about Holkham events go to www.holkham.co.uk
SUMMER 2014
Manor Farm Barns wins award
Spruce pooches at the new
The conversion of Manor Farm Barns in Wells by the Holkham Estate Company
Wash ‘n’ Wag at the Beach Café into
seven new dwellings has won a regional award. The high quality
BY ALAN MILLER,
MANAGER
The Beach Café is a
bright and vibrant place
to visit and to build on
its success it’s important
to keep things fresh and
innovative. Our K-9
Club for dogs and their
owners now has a
membership of over
1300, so we thought
we’d make an addition
to our canine facilities.
Our new Wash ‘n’ Wag service is available for all shapes, sizes and breeds of
dog. After a run on the beach or swim in the sea, the fun and effective dog
wash means you can wash down your dogs in a specially enclosed booth,
removing sand and seawater from their coats.Your four-legged friends can
then dry off in the sun, while you enjoy refreshments at the café.
You can also buy doggy towels from the café to dry your pooch. All the
proceeds will go to Wells Lifeboat to help their bid to secure the new
Shannon Class lifeboat they need.
Also new, and taking pride of place on the back wall of the café, encased in a
large beach hut and photographic surround of Holkham beach, is a 50 inch
television. Beautifully crafted mini wooden beach huts and teddy bears having
a good time, finish the display.We want to encourage customers to send in
photos of their families, pets or groups having fun at the café which will be
displayed on our TV. We’ve had an amazing response so far – keep them
coming! This season will also see the return of the giant deckchairs, humorous
seaside cut-out and a new beach hut.
We look forward to greeting you at the Beach Café for another summer
of fun and enjoyment!
workmanship and conservation of the barns earned the project first place in the
residential category of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Awards for
the East of England.
The project saw the former farm buildings turned into new homes, all featuring
high quality, sustainable, locally-crafted materials. The woodwork has benefitted
from long-lasting linseed paint finishes. Local architect Ian Cable led the
planning and design of the project, alongside Bryan Williams, a north Norfolk
barn conversion specialist. Both men have worked for many years with
Lord Coke and they ensured quality workmanship throughout the build process.
Following a very successful open day, when offers for six of the properties were
received, only one barn now remains to be sold.
Belted Galloways welcome new arrivals
The herd of Belted Galloway cattle bought last year have now been put out to
graze on the marshes at the Nature Reserve. The herd has grown with 12 calves
born this year. The name of the first female calf to be born was chosen by Lord
and Lady Coke’s children – she now has the pedigree name Holkham Annabel.
Honk’s cow’s adventure
The storm surge of 5th December last year
caused damage all along the north Norfolk coast,
including at Holkham, where the sand dunes took
a battering. The surge also had consequences for
many animals, including one poor cow belonging
to John Bickle, known to his friends as Honk, who
is a farmer in Burnham Overy Town.
The cow had quite an adventure... from
Brancaster she was swept onto Scolt Head, then
she floated across to Gun Hill, where she lived in
the dunes and on the beach for a few days.
Holkham’s stockman, Jon Smith, chased her down
to Holkham Gap, where she got lost in the pine
woods, spending Christmas at the Drinking Pool.
The cow was eventually lured onto fields near the
caravan park where it took a number of people
and another cow to persuade her into a trailer!
Longlands tower
The estate has recently undertaken repairs
and redecoration to the clock tower at
Longlands in Holkham park. The project
has been led by joinery workshop
supervisor Ron Teague with the majority
of the joinery work by Liam Roe.
As part of the project, the octagonal
bellcote was taken down so that the
appropriate repairs could be undertaken
safely and away from the elements. The
use of linseed paint on the woodwork will
substantially improve its longevity.
London-based gilder, Rupert Coke, has
carefully restored the gilding to the clock
face on the tower and the weathervane on
top of the bellcote.
The project has taken about six months
and on 16th June the bellcote was craned
carefully back into place at the top of the
tower.
Talented local artisans
To ensure we always have varied and new ranges in the Gift Shop, we are delighted to
welcome new suppliers this season.
Madeleine Spencer is an artist and jeweller living and working in Burnham Norton.
Maddy has created a unique, handmade collection of jewellery for Holkham, drawing
inspiration from the Holm Oaks in the park. The range consists of elegant everyday
earrings, bracelets and necklaces, incorporating delicate fresh water pearls and
gemstones.
Rachael Hawley is based in north Norfolk and she handcrafts pieces of antique and
vintage cutlery and silverware into beautiful, interesting and quirky decorative gifts for
the home. No two pieces are the same and her Victorian cutlery wind-chimes are
proving a fantastic hit with our customers!
Claire Reed-Finch has always had a real passion for baking and cooking since she
won first prize for her cherry cake back in 1981! We now stock her range of ‘Make
Your Own’ kits with easy to follow instructions. Her Norfolk Lavender shortbread is
hugely popular and quite delicious.
Carolyn Ash works from her studio in Castle Acre and produces a range of unusual
and original mosaic jewellery using a mixture of recycled pottery, china and beads of
vitreous glass and semi-precious stones. Each brooch or pendant is a little piece of art.
Next issue published in Autumn 2014
© The Holkham Gazette 2014, Published by Coke Estates Limited, Holkham Estate Office, Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk NR23 1AB, Telephone: 01328 710227