Downham Market sports hall update, Walpole St Andrew Church news, Burnham Deepdale School, Hunstanton swimming pool and Castle Rising church back in 1983
Chris Hornby looks back through old editions of the Lynn News to events from the week September 10-16, 1983…
Police are puzzled why thieves raided a West Norfolk house and then dumped most of their haul, worth about £12,000, in a nearby field. The haul of antique silverware and jewellery was stolen from the house one evening last week. A Lynn police spokesman thought the thieves might have got more than they thought, or perhaps realised that the silverware, some of which was Georgian, could be difficult to get rid of. Among the items stolen were a rose bowl, sugar bowl, two Victorian teapots, three sauce boats, a cream jug and mustard pot, together with 18 forks and spoons, 12 dessert forks and spoons and teaspoons. The Georgian cutlery alone was valued at £5,000.
Leading teams in this year’s Top of the Town quiz pitted their wits against each other on finals night. A total of 73 teams had entered the competition earlier in the year and it was a team from HM Inspector of Taxes which came out on top, beating Springwood High School staff by 45-27 in the final to take the KFM Bush Trophy.
The possibility of building a sports hall on the Memorial Playing Field at Downham was considered by West Norfolk Council members during a site visit last week. The tourism and leisure provision sub-committee also looked towards other projects including the covering of the swimming pool and plans for updating the tennis courts and floodlighting them within the next year. Although a site at the High School in Bexwell Road had also been suggested, councillors thought there was some merit in keeping all the sporting facilities in one area of the town.
Walpole St Andrew church, already threatened with closure because its average congregation is only seven, needs £35,000 to save it from crumbling away. The grim news to villagers was outlined by the vicar, Canon Hugh Barker, who asked people to discuss the matter with other villagers and decide what they wanted to do. The church, which was rebuilt in the early 15th century, is literally falling to pieces and major repair work is needed on the roof, pillars and arches.
Families say they are prepared to move away from Burnham Deepdale if their village primary school is closed. They are so keen that their children should go through a primary school system that they may move into the Burnham Market and Wells catchment area unless county councillors reverse plans which could close three schools including Deepdale. The other schools which could close in the reorganisation plans are Old Hunstanton First School and Great Ringstead.
The Oasis is the name chosen for Hunstanton’s new seafront leisure centre. There were 69 names put forward for the development and these were considered by West Norfolk Council’s leisure committee, with the Oasis entry being put forward by Mrs C Shewring of Nelson Street, Lynn, who won a £20 cash prize. Although the name was adopted, some members did not agree wholeheartedly with the choice. Hunstanton town mayor, Charles Matkin, told the Lynn News he would have preferred The Blue Lagoon, the name of the town’s old swimming pool.
Norfolk County Council has offered street lighting along the road through Walpole Highway, Terrington St John and Tilney St Lawrence. The Tilney parish council, which met recently, is to write back to the NCC accepting the offer. Although villagers had not been complaining officially about the lack of lights it was pointed out there had apparently been enough accidents along the stretch of road to qualify for them.
A four-year plan to restore the famous Norman church at Castle Rising is proving a success – thanks to the efforts of villagers. Already two-thirds of the £12,500 scheme to clean the west front and improve drainage has been raised. A further £674 was added to the total at the weekend when many people defied rainy weather to support a fair on The Green. Villagers have raised about £4,000 themselves with the remainder made up from grants from the Department of the Environment and other bodies.
The Minister of Agriculture, Michael Joplin, has given an assurance that the problems of stubble burning would be carefully reviewed. Speaking during a visit to a West Norfolk farm, he said there had been more than the usual number of complaints about stubble burning this year and he would be looking very diligently at an annual review on the subject.
