( Photo by W. B. Redfern, Esq. )
Somewhat similar to Stanfield, though now only a farmhouse, is the
very pretty old Tudor house Hautboys Hall. It stands a few miles to
the south-east of Oxnead.
Of all the moated mansions in Norfolk, Oxburgh Hall, near Stoke
Ferry, is the most interesting, and is a splendid example of the
fortified manor-house of the end of the fifteenth century, and it is one
of the few houses in England that have always been occupied by one
family. Sir Edmund Bedingfield built it in the reign of Richard III., and
Sir Richard Bedingfield resides there at the present time. The
octagonal towers which flank the entrance gate rise from the broad
moat to a considerable height. There is a quaint projecting turret on
the eastern side which adds considerably to the picturesque outline of
stepped gables and quai
[Pg 55]
nt battlements. High above the ponderous oak gates the
machicolation behind the arch that joins the towers shows ample
provision for a liberal supply of molten lead, and in an old guard-room
may be seen the ancient armour and weapons to which the retainers
of the Hall were wont to have recourse in case of siege. The room
recalls somehow the defence of the tower of Tillietudlem in Old
Mortality, and one can picture the little household guard running the old culverins and sakers into position on the battlements.
The great mullioned window beneath the Tudor arch and over the
entrance gate belongs to the "King's room," a fine old tapestried chamber containing the bed, with green and gold hangings, where
Henry VII. slept; and it is no difficult matter to repeople it in the imagination with the inhabitants of that time in their picturesque
costumes. There is a richness in the colouring of the faded tapestry
and hangings in contrast with the red-brick Tudor fireplace far more
striking than if the restorer had been allowed a liberal hand. It is like a
bit of Haddon, and such rooms are as rarely met with nowadays as
unrestored churches. The remarkable hiding-place at Oxburgh we
have described in detail elsewhere.[14] It is situated in the little projecting turret of the eastern tower, and is so cleverly constr
[Pg 56]
ucted beneath the solid brick floor, that no one would believe until
they saw the solid masonry move upwards that there was sufficient
space beneath to conceal a man. The Bedingfields are an old Roman
Catholic family, and it is usually in the mansions of those of that faith
that these ingenious contrivances are to be seen.
A priest's hole was discovered quite recently in Snowre Hall, a
curious Tudor house some ten miles to the west of Oxburgh. It is
entered through a shaft from the roof, and measures five feet by six
feet and four feet high, and beneath it is an inner and smaller hiding-
place. Mr. Pratt (in whose family the house has been for two
centuries) when he made the discovery had to remove four barrow-
loads of jackdaws' nests. The discovery of this secret room is an
interesting sequel to the fact that on April 29, 1646, Charles I. slept at
Snowre Hall. It will be remembered that before he delivered himself
up to the Scots army, he spent some days wandering about the
eastern counties in disguise, like his son did in the western counties
five years later. The owner of the house in those days was a Mr.
Ralph Skipwith, who, to put the spies that were lurking about the
vicinity off the track, provided th
[Pg 57]
e king with his own grey riding-jacket in place of the clergyman's
black coat he was wearing, for that disguise had been widely
advertised by his enemies. Dr. Hudson, who was acting as scout,
joined Charles and his companion, Mr. Ashburnham, at Downham
Market, where the "King's Walk" by the town side, where they met, may still be seen. It is recorded by Dr. Stukeley that Charles
scratched some motto or secret instructions to his friends on a pane
of glass in the Swan Inn, where he put up awaiting Hudson's return
from Southwell. The fugitives proceeded thence to the Cherry Inn at
Mundford, some fourteen miles from Downham, and back to
Crimplesham, where they halted at an inn to effect the disguise
above referred to. The regicide Miles Corbet, who was on the track
with Valentine Walton, gave information as follows:
"Since our coming to Lyn we have done what service we were able.
We have taken some examinations, and it doth appeare to us that Mr.
Hudson, the parson that came from Oxford with the king, was at
Downham in Norfolk with two other gentlemen upon Thursday the last
of April. We cannot yet learn where they were Friday night; but
Saturday morning, the 2 of May they came to a blind alehouse at
Crimplesham, about 8 miles from Lyn. From thence Mr. Hudson did
ride on Saturday to Downham again, and there
[Pg 58]
two soldiers met with him, and had private speech with him. Hudson
was then in a scarlet coat. Ther he met with Mr. Ralf Skipwith of his
former acquaintance, and with him he did exchange his horse; and
Skipwith and the said Hudson did ride to Southrie ferrie a privat way
to go towards Ely; and went by the way to Crimplesham, and ther
were the other two—one in a parsons habit, which by all description
was the king. Hudson procured the said Skipwith to get a gray coat
for the Dr. (as he called the king), which he did. And ther the king put
off his black coat and long cassock, and put on Mr. Skipwith his gray
coat. The king bought a new hat at Downham, and on Saturday went
into the Isle of Ely. Wherever they came they were very private and
always writing. Hudson tore some papers when they came out of the
house. Hudson did enquire for a ship to go to the north or Newcastel,
but
[Pg 59]
could get none. We hear at the same time there were 6 soldiers and
officers as is thought at Oxborough at another blind alehouse."[15]
It is worthy of remark that Miles Corbet, whom Pepys saw on the
morning of April 19, 1662, looking "very cheerful" upon his way to Tyburn, was a native of Norfolk, and his monument may be seen in
Sprowston Church near Norwich.
The "Swan" at Downham still exists, but it was modernised some fifteen years ago. It would be interesting to know what became of the
historical pane of glass.
[Pg 60]
NOOKS IN WARWICKSHIRE AND