What do you know of East Anglia? Do you, like many, think of East Anglia, and Norfolk in particular, a backwater? Well, if so, how wrong you are, far from being out on a limb, this was the most prosperous region of mediaeval England, with a very strong economic, religious and cultural foundation, being very continental in it's connections, with Norwich attaining the title of England's "second city" at one time.

Norwich has strong links with Holland, today bolstered by the 'city-hopper' between Norwich International and Amsterdam Schipol, making it much easier to do business with the Dutch than with many English counterparts.

Stone Age men lived and worked in East Anglia with remnants of flint mines still visible in the weird formations at Grimes Graves in Norfolk, dating from around 2,500BC.
With its rich soils and a kind climate East Anglia had carried a large rural population in Roman times.

Boudicca (or Boadicea) was queen of the Iceni tribe, coming from the north of the region. The Saxons arrived from Germany in the mid-sixth century, and it was one of their kings who was buried in a long boat at Sutton Hoo in Suffolk around 625AD. by the 8th century Ipswich ware pottery, coins and metalwork reveal how widespread settlement had become.

The Danish Vikings arrived in great numbers in East Anglia in 866, and in 870 they killed the East Anglian king, Edmund. (whose decapitated remains lie in Bury St Edmunds), However, after the Treaty of Wedmore in 878, agreed between Alfred the Great of Wessex and Guthrum of Denmark, Viking settlement of East Anglia becam more noticeable. Norwic appeared for the first time on coins of Athelstan (924-39), but Theodford had been named in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle as the place where the Danish host had spent the winter of 869/70, Whereas only one place, the international port and industrial centre of Ipswich, can make claims to urban status before 878.

(Suffolk's Viking place-names are Ashby, Barnby, Eyke, Lound, and Risby. Norfolk's include Ormesby, Billockby, Felthorpe, Colkirk, and Topcroft, but mainly end in -by. )

Though numbers of Scandinavian settlers is believed to be small, their influence upon East Anglia was considerable, with many artefacts being found throughout the region, and evidence that their arrival gave resurgence to the anglo-saxon lull along the east coast.

Norwich and Thetford grew with great speed from relatively humble Middle Saxon beginnings, and in the 10th century Thetford covered some 75 hectares - a gigantic size for the period - while by the time of Domesday, the population of Norwich had overtaken that of Thetford and the two towns ranked fifth and sixth in England, after London, York, Lincoln and Winchester.

The wool trade of the middle ages brought the region great wealth, with Norwich the country's second richest city after London. This wealth reached its peak in the 18th century, when Norfolk was one of the wealthiest and most densely populated counties in Britain. It then contained over 700 rural parishes, in excess of 1,500 manors, one of the largest cities in England (Norwich) and two other substantial boroughs (Great Yarmouth and King's Lynn) though the awkwardness of travel to and from London led the region to closer links with the Low Countries, and wool products were sent to the continent.Flemish and Huguenot weavers fled religious persecution in their homelands and settled and worked in East Anglia, helping to make Britain a world power. Norwich at one time, had one-quarter of it's population claiming Flemish origin. Today, Norwich still retains a 'Dutch atmosphere' in places.

The arrival of the Industrial Revolution, however, made little impact on East Anglia, since it lacked natural resources and the means of transporting them.

WWII did have a great impact on the region with the enormous influx of mainly US airmen, (many Polish too remained in Norfolk after WWII), to more than 100 airfields stretched right acorss the region.

**

NORFOLK:

From the Old English north folc, meaning the land of the north people (of the East Angles). Referred to as Nordfolc in the 1086 Domesday Book.

Norfolk is one of the largest counties in England in terms of area and before the 1974 county boundary reorganisation, it ranked fourth behind Yorkshire, Lincolnshire and Devon in terms of size, and covers a little over 1.3 million acres.

Norfolk has the reputation of being flat, however anyone cycling in the county will happily inform you that it depends very much on which part of the county you speak about. The western part south of The Wash is cindeed very flat, being a part of The Fens, and so is the south eastern area, covering the famous Broads. While the county contains no great heights, the city of Norwich and the north of the county especially are quite hilly.

The Forum in the city centre is a landmark library, and without doubt one of the best in the country, (after the previous central library burnt down), and was a £63 million project, helped by a £31.5 million grant from the Millennium Commission. It was opened in summer 2002 by the Queen.

If you've never been to Norwich, please visit, it'll be worth it, and if you have been here before, please tell me what you thought if it?

by lauren6

[The population of the Norwich Travel to Work Area i.e. the area of Norwich in which most people both live and work, is 367,035 and the 1991 figure was 351,340
121,600 people live in the Norwich City Council area, (though that figure rises to 170,000 as a conglomeration),
Norwich is the fourth most densely populated Local Authority District within the Eastern Region with 3,179 people per square kilometre (8,241 per square mile).

One indicator of a thriving economy is a track record of major developments. Since the mid 1990s Norwich has been investing in its future. Over £1bn has been invested in major recent and current construction projects.Ongoing major developments in retail, leisure and housing include the £275m Chapelfield development.]

from Norwich City Council

"Warning: Misuse may cause injury or death." -- Stamped on the metal barrel of a .22 calibre rifle. (Do they REALLY refer to "misuse" here????)

"Do not use orally after using rectally." -- In the instructions for an electric thermometer. (What are they thinking of, surely not a thermometer???)

"Turn off motor before using this product." -- On the packaging for a chain saw file, used to sharpen the cutting teeth on the chain. (Or somemay prefer it as a 'turn-on'!!)

"Not to be used as a personal flotation device." -- On a 6x10 inch inflatable picture frame. (Who said it was a picture frame???)

"Do not put in mouth." -- On a box of bottle rockets. (Are these in the 'thermometer' catagory then??)

"Remove plastic before eating." -- On the wrapper of a Fruit Roll-Up snack. (Don't they make edible plastic yet...how inconsiderate.)

"Not dishwasher safe." -- On a remote control for a TV. (Now, let's see if the neighbours dishwasher is remote control safe...)

"For lifting purposes only." -- On the box for a car jack. (What does the "car" stand for??? I'm flummoxed.)

"Do not put lit candles on phone." -- On the instructions for a cordless phone. (Hey??? But it's my birthday...you spoil sports.)

"Warning! This is not underwear! Do not attempt to put in pants." -- On the packaging for a wristwatch. (But I've got big wrists!!)

Oh, I'm all worked-up now, adding those comments, time to eat, health warning permitting~~~~
:p

The general regard of wild woods and forests, wherever they could be found, was a curious and mystical one, as May Day rituals were not merely celebrations of greeness, but also retrievals from the 'dark woods', that deep and strange interior where one didn't dwell too long, and these intensities were brought to human habitation, where even wild trophies were greatly respected...Although, May blossom to this day has superstition which belays the tradition that it should not be brought into the home. Anything which you may encounter within the wild forest, in the glade, below the mighty bough, amidst the thickets, may be the death of you, and this fact was never lost, even through to Arthurian adventures. Outlaw literature speaks of the greenwood where "men who are no longer men, who bear a wolf's head, can eke out a hidden existence in the shade".

Forests, as we know, were also royal hunting grounds, and the welfare of the trees was for the sake of preserving beasts for the hunt, as killing things reigned supreme, and the feeling of advancing freely through a great wilderness of forest had obvious appeal to the princely few. Areas of outstanding natural beauty were not the primary motive here.

It's interesting to note too, that counties such as Essex and Rutland, afforested for hunting, raked in a notable sum from fining those disturbing the habitat, and thus the ordinary people felt trespassers before the word even had it's modern connotations. It can be argued too, that at this time, it wasn't relevant whether the habitat was forested, plain, or heath, simply that it contained wild game, with highly suitable grounds for the existance of deer etc. though the forested areas were most significant of all.

The words desert and forest are interesting in themselves, for upon their introduction, there usage gave reference to vast emptiness, as these areas were uninhabitable at the time, or were royal enclaves therefore a total exclusion to a society which could just look and wonder.
But it must be said, that the mediaeval forest was intended to be beautiful, and even mysterious, in like manner to the Cathedrals of the time. Records show that 500 acres of forest could yield but a single deer, so investment wasn't at the fore, though the forest's welbeing clearly was. We can see at Dartmoor and the New Forest, that the land was considered poor, though in fact it was agriculturally useful, and great tracks of forest that lay between the Midlands and Huntingdom, for example, usually surrounded palaces, which seemed to draw thicker areas of woodland and forest to their land.

It was the Normans who formalised the concept of a Forest, with one of the first being the New Forest which was established by William the Conqueror. Such areas were often not the sole property of the king but also had landowners and people with common-rights, though as I have mentioned, society was often tied down so stringently by laws guarding such forests.

Some of our most important ancient tree sites are mediaeval forests; the New Forest, Sherwood Forest, Windsor Forest, Epping Forest, Hainault Forest, Hatfield Forest to name but a few.

by lauren6

The first green leaves
An Armenian poem

Scarce are the clouds' black shadows
Pierced by a gleam of light,
Scarce have our fields grown dark again,
Freed from the snow-drifts white,
When you, with smiles all twinkling,
Bud forth o'er hill and vale.
O first-born leaves of spring-time,
Hail to your beauty, hail!

Not yet to our cold meadows
Had come Spring's guest, the swallow,
Not yet the nightingale's sweet voice
Had echoed from the hollow,
When you, like joy's bright angels,
Came swift to hill and dale.
Fresh-budded leaves of spring-time,
Hail to your beauty, hail!

Your tender verdant colour,
Thin stems and graceful guise,
How sweetly do they quench the thirst
Of eager, longing eyes!
Afflicted souls at sight of you
Take comfort and grow gay.
New-budded leaves of spring-time,
All hail to you to-day!

Come, in the dark breast of our dales
To shine, the hills between!
Come, o'er our bare and shivering trees
To cast a veil of green!
Come, to give sad-faced nature
An aspect blithe and new!
O earliest leaves of spring-time,
All hail, all hail to you!

Come to call up, for new-born Spring,
A dawn of roses fair!
Come, and invite the breezes light
To play with your soft hair!
Say to the fragrant blossoms,
"Oh, haste! men long for you!"
Hail, earliest leaves of spring-time,
Young leaves so fresh and new!

Come, come O leaves, and with sweet wings
Of hope from yonder sky
Cover the sad earth of the graves
Wherein our dear ones lie!
Weave o'er the bones so dear to us
A garland wet with dew,
Ye wings of hope's bright angels,
Young leaves so fresh and new!

-Archbishop Khoren Nar Bey de Lusignan (d. 1892)

How are you all?

It's 2.40pm and my internet is paying dodgums, but that's OK, as I can get down to some serious typing, study and writing for my tutoring.
I have not had any food today, and my stomach is about to go back to sleep I think.

My father appeared at 11ish this morning, with some serious stuff regarding those chemicical tests that were 'sprayed' onto the innocent population over the whole of England and Wales, (Norwich and Coventry particularly in the 1960's), please see my post for November 28th;
Chemical tests over England and Wales

This is a national disgrace and a very little-known one too. How dare our leaders of the time and scientists knowingly spray us with harmful and noxious chemicals, in the knowledge it could cause all sorts of health risks.
Norman Lamb Norfolk MP has won his bid to open a Government investigation into these ghastly 'tests' over Norwich and a possible link to cancer. Norman Lamb is a great and sincere MP, and the facts bear testimony to his concerns, as Norwich has TWICE the national average cases of cancer of the oesophagus!! A possible link to these MOD tests.
The Ministry of Defence, (MoD), were responsible for these cadmium tests, and in them we seek answers.

I'll quote now from the Eastern Daily Press today;

A Norfolk MP has won his bid to ensure a government investigation is carried out into a possible link between chemical sprays over Norwich and high rates of cancer.

Liberal Democrat MP for North Norfolk Norman Lamb has been told by the Department of Health that an inquiry has been ordered into the health effects of cadmium spraying over the city in the early 1960s.

Norwich has twice as many cases of cancer of the oesophagus as the national average.

Mr Lamb hopes he will get answers as to whether the Ministry of Defence (MoD) cadmium tests are linked, after concerns from one of his constituents who lived in Norwich during the trials.

"I am hoping that we will get some reassurance that there is no link or at the very least some answers.

"There needs to be complete transparency and openness over the issue as it is nothing short of a scandal.

"These days we would just not tolerate the idea of experi-menting with a chemical by spraying it over a city."

Mr Lamb is also hoping to use powers under the Freedom of Information Act to see documents held by the Department of Health relating to the tests.

The department has been made aware of details of 120 people in Norfolk who fear they or a loved one have developed oesophageal cancer as a result of the spraying.

Aircraft released the cadmium over the city in an experiment to test how a substance would disperse.

The matter has also been taken up by a consultant thoracic surgeon at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

Wyn Parry is hoping to set up a research unit at the nearby University of East Anglia to probe the possible links between the tests and the high cancer rates in Norfolk.

Plans for the unit have got the backing of Norwich North MP Dr Ian Gibson and will be submitted to Cancer Research UK for a grant.

The MoD says all the trials used harmless stimulants and were deemed as posing no risk to the public.

EDP

~~~

Why you want to take me to this party and breathe
I'm dying to leave
Every time we grind we know we severed lines
Where have all those flowers gone
Long time passing
Why you keep me testing, keep me tasking
You keep on asking

-Massive Attack
"Risingson"

What is your view on mediaevalism?

There are many stories, beliefs, romantic views of such a time, many believed in the knights, hermits, dungeons and dragons, (though Umberto Eco, for example, tries to see through the mist), we have to look beyond one persons view. The word mediaeval itself give rise to countless visions, many romantic, some dark, and at times we are all lost in the fogginess of time.

Indeed, many feel we needed to pass through mediaeval Christendom, in all it's forms, to reach a level of liberty and convenience. It is terribly easy to find fault with a period of history, without seeing it's more positive effects on later generations. We forget all too easily, that even today aspects of our own pleasure derive in no small amount, to past times of transition, turbulence, and repudiation.

In mediaeval times, we often overlook their sense of romance in architecture, and one only has to look at St Michael's Mount to feel the spirit of the age.
But I wish to focus on the countryside here, and think of it's role, it's position and regard. It was not always thought of as romantic, indeed, many only saw forests and fields as dour, though the love of nature was something that only grew with each harvest, with every passing year, and the celebration of flocks and hills, pastures, flocks, valleys of corn and the singing appreciation.

The harvest was regarded as very special, holy indeed, as God, king of heaven had blessed the earth, allowing rich and poor alike the gift of a plentiful supply of food.
However, infertility caused mediaeval people great concern, wheareas from our safe modern viewpoint, the barrens may seem appealing, in the knowledge that we'll be able to return safely home at our choosing, or call for help in the event of a failure, but such impoverished exposure as we would see it, in mediaeval times, the literary feeling towards wild nature was harsher, and the balance of power is in nature's favour against the humble human.

We imagine William Cobbett and feel a romantic side to nature, in history, though for many, it was held as fearsome for many centuries, and uncultivated land was thought abhorrent by some, however, there are a great many literary accounts of nature's beauty, as can be found in Celtic writing. Suibhne is a mad king within the forest, but at ease and happiness in his surroundings; Manchan a 10th century hermit, also delights in a wish for a secret hut enclosed by wilderness.
(We often cannot imagine, that it was only until relatively recent times, that travel was also a pleasure, as opposed to a necessity. It's recorded that movement and travel were only for essential markets, purchases, and events...and not for personal pleasure, such a thing was not practical or possible.)

Comparisons may be intriguing too, for example, Chaucer and the Welsh poet, Dafydd ap Gwilym, both viewed the same scenery, through different language, and such, the expression is quite different. Old English poetry may lag behind Gaelic poems in the praising of places, though such Irish epithet can draw parallel with English place names themselves.
An example, in Dorset, reveals that those with deep sensitivity to nature must have given names within that county, (half of all descriptive epithets), indeed those with slight practical worth, such as wall-germander, frogs, woodpeckers, tansy etc.
Therefore we find that ritual praise as opposed to poetic, has been the English expression of delight in wild nature, and the once foreboding wild winter woods, became a scene of May joyfulness. Riding of horses through meadows, herbal and flowered adornments, they rode through woods, and calendrically speaking the month of May represents, "a young man carrying branches of greenery" and such cheer at the appearance of leaves in this month gave rise to the word, the greenwood, purely poetical, giving home to the beauty of nightingale and thrush song, and haven for lovers and outlaws alike.

by lauren6

What is your favourite type of landscape dear friends?
What inspires you in our natural world?
For me, it is the sound of wind through pine trees...the happiest natural sensation to affect me!

~~~

It is now the 8th of December; it has blown a most desperate East wind, all razors; a wind like one of those knives one sees at shops in London, with 365 blades all drawn and pointed; the wheat is all sown; the fallows cannot be ploughed.
-Fitzgerald, Boulge, December 8th, 1844