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0730 As I mentioned at the end of my last post, today’s trip has been a hassle to schedule since Layer Marney Tower is only open on Sundays. Never mind, I have feeling it will be worth it as I have wanted to visit ever since it featured on a TV programme where this chap illustrated the progress of architectural styles by climbing up buildings of different ages. Layer Marney Tower has the highest Tudor brick gatehouse in the country – so here we go.
0940 I cycle through the Norfolk lanes to Brundall station. The wind is fresh and picking up but the overnight rain has cleared. The railway network around here seems old-fashioned with hand operated level crossings, up and over footbridges like Wadebridge had in the 1960’s and semaphore signals rather than electric.
1015 On the train bound for Colchester. The day is getting sunnier, I might finally need some sun block on this trip! We stop outside Diss without explanation.
1038 Apparently it's a signalling fault – yeah, well if you will rely on these old ones. We are moving again.
1015 On the train bound for Colchester. The day is getting sunnier, I might finally need some sun block on this trip! We stop outside Diss without explanation.
1038 Apparently it's a signalling fault – yeah, well if you will rely on these old ones. We are moving again.
1324 Disembarked at Colchester and have cycled to Layer Marney without too many mishaps or getting lost, though at one point the cycle path crossed a park where a group of children were being coached in football. A lad called Charlie seemed to be getting the most attention as all I heard while I walked my bike through the melee was an adult voice shouting ‘Charlie do this!’... or ‘Charlie do that!’. I also think I have a slow puncture in the rear tyre. The extra weight of all the cooked brekkies must be too much added pressure for the old girl. For the moment I am pumping it up from time to time.
1345 Sitting in the Layer Marney tea room waiting for the guided tour to start. I have favourable first impressions. The staff are very friendly and accommodating: Can you take photos? Yes. Inside as well? Yes again. The tea room is in the stables and they have left the stalls as sort of divisions between the tables. Even the kitchen area is in a stall!
1400 and the tour is underway. Our guide turns out to be the events manager and well, I think she was embellishing some of the history. There is no doubt though that the Marney family who built the house were important persons – Captain of the Guard, Lord Privy Seal and Knight of the Garter – the usual stuff. The tour ended with a troop up to the top of the tower of course, stopping on the way to look at rooms which the present owners had restored. Even so, the tower is eroded - we were to be the last group allowed to go up to the very top; in future visitors will only get to a lower roof not the little top turret that we were on.
The tour also took in the church in the grounds with it’s well preserved mural and the black granite and terracotta tomb of Sir John Marney who left detailed instructions for his funeral right down to how many mourners, how much they should get paid, what parishes his bier would be taken through and the design of his tomb. He even made allowance to pay two priests to come in every day and send up prayers for him! In short he left people in no doubt how important he was. It’s not surprising then that he wanted to make a statement with his house too.
The Charingtons, present owners of the Tower, live in one of the wings and are themselves well connected...the guide says that whenever he disappears to go to one of his firends funeral he usually comes back with a memento - for us mere mortals this might be a small trinket – Major Charrington brings back whole suites of furniture.
1600 On returning to my bike I find that the tyre is flat! So I do have a slow puncture. Therefore decide therefore to take the most direct route back to Colchester and back on the train to tonight’s digs in Norwich.
2103 Relaxing in the b and b in east Norwich which labels itself as a guest house and seems to be run by one person, a middle aged man. He points out that I am in the ‘ship’ room which has a knocker in the form of a brass ship, others have different shapes – dog, bird. Thank you. I get it. Excellent room, very clean. Tomorrow heading West to Wickham Fen and Ely.
1600 On returning to my bike I find that the tyre is flat! So I do have a slow puncture. Therefore decide therefore to take the most direct route back to Colchester and back on the train to tonight’s digs in Norwich.
2103 Relaxing in the b and b in east Norwich which labels itself as a guest house and seems to be run by one person, a middle aged man. He points out that I am in the ‘ship’ room which has a knocker in the form of a brass ship, others have different shapes – dog, bird. Thank you. I get it. Excellent room, very clean. Tomorrow heading West to Wickham Fen and Ely.
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