Gazetteer page 16

Close by the church, in the large market place, is the quaint and picturesque Fishermen s Almshouse or hospital, erected by the Corporation in 1701. It encloses a courtyard containing a figure of Charity. An arched door on the east side of the yard is surmounted by a cupola containing a figure of St Peter. In the immediate neighbourhood of this almshouse are the restored remains of Yarmouth Priory, founded early in the twelfth century. They now form part of a schoolhouse. Apart from what is left of this priory, there are few monastic remains in the town; but at the bottom of one of the "rows," which bears the name of Grey Friars' Cloisters, is an old arch which belonged to a religious house; and not far away, on the opposite side of Middlegate Street, is another arch which may have formed part of the same building.

One of the town's most interesting buildings is the Old Tollhouse, in Middlegate Street, which is one of the few English municipal buildings dating from the thirteenth century. Although restored and converted into a free library and small museum, it retains its antique character. For a long time it was used as a jail, and it was here that Sarah Martin, the Caister seamstress, came to labour among the prisoners. Various local antiquities and curiosities are preserved in the portion which was used as a prison, and the cells are very interesting.

There are several ancient houses well worth notice. On the South Quay, which provides one of the most interesting walks in the town, is a fine old building faced with flints and with picturesque gables and dormers. On the Hall Quay, in front of the Town Hall, are two other flint-faced houses, the Duke's Head and Star Hotels. The former bears the date 1601; the latter, in which Lord Nelson may have stayed when he visited Yarmouth, was built by William Crowe, a merchant who was town bailiff in 1594. The hall, now used as a bar, has a richly decorated ceiling. Another room, on the first floor, known as the Nelson Room, is lined with carved panelling, and above its fire-place is a panel bearing the arms of the Spanish Merchants, who were incorporated by Queen Elizabeth. A son of the builder of this fine old house bought Caister Castle from Sir William Paston in 1659 and made it his country residence. Several other quaint old buildings are to be seen in Middlegate Street and the numerous narrow "rows" which are such a conspicuous feature of the town. Of the town's old fortifications the most striking remains are King Henry's Tower in St Nicholas' churchyard and the Friars' Tower in Blackfriars Street.

On the South Denes stands the Nelson Column, the first stone of which was laid in 1817. This striking memorial of the famous admiral is thus described by Nail, the Yarmouth historian: "The pillar is of the Grecian Doric order, and beautifully fluted; upon the plinth are the names of the different ships on board which the gallant admiral's flag was so valorously displayed, and the coping of the terrace beneath is inscribed in a similar manner with the titles of his most celebrated battles. On each side of the pedestal is a flight of steps to the terrace, which affords a promenade round the shaft. The roof is supported by caryatides, surmounted by a ball and figure of Britannia, holding in her hand a trident and laurel wreath." (The figure was struck by lightning in 1860, and the left hand and trident broken off.) On the west side of the pedestal is a Latin inscription from the pen of Mr Sergeant Frere, of which the following is a translation: -

HORATIO, LORD NELSON,

Whom, as her foremost champion in naval fight,

Britannia,

Living, - with devotion and honours,

Dying, - followed after, with her lamentations,

of whom, renowned in all lands for his triumphs,

of whose firmness in counsel, of the undaunted ardour of whose courage,

the whole world stood in awe.

This Nelson, - Norfolk,

her own by birth, by honourable lineage, by early training,

her own in genius, in character, proudly claims.

The future fame of such a name

outlasting brass or stone,

his fellow-citizens of Norfolk, at their mutual cost,

by upreared column have sought to commemorate.

Born, 1758;

Appeared in arms, 1771;

In near one hundred and fifty engagements with enemies.

As victor waged war,

Memorably at Aboukir, August, 1798;

Copenhagen, April, 1801;

Trafalgar, October, 1805;

Which crowning act of so many splendid achievements he consecrated by a death Mournful to his country, sweet and glorious to himself.

The chief places of interest in the neighbourhood of Yarmouth are: Burgh Castle; Breydon; Caister Castle; Ormesby, Rollesby, and Filby Broads. Fritton Lake; Somerleyton Hall (Suffolk); Lowestoft (Suffolk).

Fishing Tickets. - Cheap fishing tickets are issued daily from April ist to October 31st to Acle, Brundall, Buckenham, Cantley, Reed- ham, St Olaves (for Fritton Lake), and Somerleyton.

Circular Trips into Broadland. - During the summer months cheap rail and boat tickets, available for trips taken partly by rail and partly by saloon steamboats on the rivers Bure and Yare, are issued every week-day at Yarmouth. Particulars of these trips will be found on handbills to be obtained at the G. E. R. stations. Saloon steamers often make river trips to Oulton Broad and Lowestoft by way of Breydon Water and the Waveney; and other pleasure steamers ply daily by sea between Yarmouth and Lowestoft.

Road Excursions. - Everyday during the season brakes and char-a-bancs run from the Marine Drive to Lowestoft, Ormesby Broad, Caister, and Fritton Lake; and on one day in the week, when the grounds are thrown open to the public, to Somerleyton Hall.

Other Excursions. - On certain days cheap rail excursions may be made to Norwich, Cromer, Mundesley, Hunstanton, and Sandringham.

Accommodation for Visitors. - There is accommodation in the town for many thousand visitors, whole streets in some quarters consisting of little else but lodging houses. The principal hotels are the Bath Hotel, Marine Parade; Brunswick (Temperance), King Street; Cromwell (Temperance), Hall Quay; Crown and Anchor, Hall Quay; Duke's Head, Hall Quay; Garibaldi; Holkham, Marine Parade; Marine, Marine Parade; Norfolk, Marine Parade; Queen's, Marine Parade; Royal, Marine Parade; Star and Garter, Hall Quay; Victoria, Marine Parade.

At Gorleston, which adjoins Yarmouth: - Anchor of Hope, Cliff, and Tramway hotels.

The principal boarding-houses are: - Felixstowe House, Marine Parade; Marine View, Marine Parade; Metropolitan, Marine Parade; Pier View House, Regent Road; Redenhall House, Marine Parade; Sandringham House, Marine Parade; Sea View House, Marine Parade; Talavera House, Princes Road; Trafalgar House, Marine Parade.

At Gorleston: Belle Vue House; Gorleston House Hotel and Boarding House; Highfield, Belle Vue Road.

Yaxham. - A village, with a station, 2 m. S. from Dereham. The church is chiefly Decorated, with Perpendicular additions; but the tower and tower arch are of Early Norman date. The font is a very fine one, and has been reproduced in Cromer church.

Yelverton. - A village 5 m. S.E. from Norwich. The church contains a fine mural monument, dated 1661, and a stone floor slab with brass, dated 1525, also an ancient carved oak rood screen, and an interesting font.

NORFOLK GOLF LINKS.

Royal Norwich Golf Club. - The Links are at Rabbit's Hill, Hellesdon, where there is a full 18-hole course over undulating country with good natural bunkers of disused quarries and gravel pits. Mr Balfour pronounced it the finest inland course he had ever played on.

Royal Cromer Golf Club. - The links, which have an 18-hole course, are on the Lighthouse Hills, ½ m. E. from Cromer. They were designed by Tom Morris, and command fine views of the "beauty spot of Norfolk."

Sheringham Golf Club. -The links are on cliffs which rise 200 feet above the sea.

Hunstanton Golf Club. - This club has a course of 18 holes on the marram-hills beyond Old Hunstanton, the hazards being sand bunkers, marshy ground, and rushes.

Yarmouth Golf Club. - The links have an 18-hole course on the furze-grown sandhills north of the town. It extends for over a mile along the coast, the circuit being about three miles. The hazards are sand bunkers and whins.

Royal West Norfolk Golf Club. - The 18-hole course is on a common near Brancaster Beach. Hunstanton and Burnham Market are the most convenient stations.

BROADLAND YACHTING CENTRES.

Visitors intending to cruise in Broadland will generally do well to see yachts, wherries, etc., before hiring them, unless they have friends in the district who will do this for them. They may thus save themselves discomfort and disappointment. Some cruising parties are more content to "rough it" than others; and yacht-letters, unless supplied with very full information, cannot be expected to know just what will meet each party's requirements.

RAILWAY TICKETS AT REDUCED FARES.

Tourist Tickets.

Tourist Tickets (1st and 3rd class) are issued at all the principal G.E.R. stations for all trains to Yarmouth, Cromer, Mundesley, and Hunstanton. If issued on any date from 1st May to 31st October inclusive, they are available for return by any advertised train on any day up to and including 31st December. If issued on any date from 1st November to 30th April inclusive, they are available for return by any train on any date within two calendar months from the date of issue.

Tickets issued to Yarmouth are also available to or from Beccles, Reedham, St Olaves, Acle, Lowestoft, Cromer, and Mundesley.

Tickets issued to Cromer are also available to or from North Walsham, Gunton, Yarmouth, Lowestoft, and Mundesley.

Tickets issued to Mundesley are also available to or from Paston and Knapton, Yarmouth, Lowestoft, and Cromer.

Tickets issued to Hunstanton are also available to or from Heacham.

Passengers to Yarmouth, Cromer, and Mundesley are permitted to break their journey at Waltham Cross, Cambridge, Ely, and Norwich, or at Colchester and Ipswich, according to the route by which they are travelling.

Tourist Tickets to Norwich are issued from Peterborough, Wisbech, Godmanchester, Postland, Spalding, Donington Road, Sleaford, Blankney and Metheringham, Lincoln, Gainsborough, Haxey, Selby, and York.

Full details of these and the following issues may be obtained at Liverpool Street station.

FORTNIGHTLY RETURN TICKETS.

Fortnightly Return Tickets (1st and 3rd class) are issued at all G.E.R. stations for all trains running to Yarmouth, Cromer, Mundesley, and Hunstanton.

Similar privileges are extended to holders of these tickets as to those who purchase tourist tickets.

FRIDAY TO TUESDAY RETURN TICKETS.

Every Friday and Saturday 1st and 3rd class Return Tickets are issued at all G.E.R. stations for all trains running to Yarmouth, Cromer, Mundesley, and Hunstanton. They are available for return by any advertised train on the Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday following the date of issue.

Similar privileges are extended to holders of these tickets as to those who purchase Tourist Tickets.

ELEVEN-DAY TICKETS.

Eleven-Day Tickets are issued to Yarmouth, Cromer, Mundesley, and Hunstanton from York, Selby, Doncaster, Haxey, Gainsborough, Lincoln, Blankney and Metheringham, Sleaford, Donington Road, Spalding, and Postland.

CHEAP TICKETS TO BROADLAND STATIONS.

Tourist, Fortnightly, and Friday to Tuesday tickets are issued from Liverpool Street and St Pancras stations to Norwich, Wroxham, Acle, Yarmouth, Lowestoft, Oulton Broad, and Carlton Colville.

CIRCULAR TOUR TICKETS.

To enable tourists to visit the various places of interest in Norfolk and the other East Anglian counties, Circular Tour Tickets, made up to include such towns and districts as may be most convenient to the purchaser, are issued at the G.E.R. Company's West End Ticket and Enquiry Office and American Rendezvous, 2 Cockspur Street, Trafalgar Square, and at Liverpool Street Station.