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Hidden East Anglia: Landscape Legends of Norfolk & Suffolk
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Wimbell Pond
Very little now remains of the large mansion called Acton Place, not far from Long Melford, that was built in the 1700s by Robert Jennens, and pulled down in 1825. Close to the gates of the former mansion is a crossways known as Nursery Corner (TL881460), where tradition says a savage battle was fought in Roman times (the Roman road to Coddenham ran through here). Close to this crossways is or was the Wimbell (or Wimbrell) Pond, in which an iron chest was hidden, full to the brim with a fortune in gold and silver coins. Should anyone care to throw in a stone, it was claimed, it would ring against the treasure chest, and a little pale figure that appeared in the water would call out in a pathetic voice "That's mine!"
Sources: Allan Jobson: 'Portrait of Suffolk' (Robert Hale, 1973), p.38. The 'Bury & Norwich Post', 10/3/1852.
The Devil at the church
Walking anticlockwise around the church of St Mary (TM147489) thirteen times is said to be a sure way to make the Devil appear.
Source: paranormaldatabase.com
The Seven Hills
Three ancient barrows of the 'Seven Hills' survive here (TL863737 area) covered with fir trees beside the Thetford road. They're said to cover either 'those killed in the battle' (of Fornham), or to mark the graves of seven barons slain in that conflict of 1173. (See Fornham St. Genevieve).
Source: J. J. Raven: 'The History of Suffolk' (Elliot Stock, 1895), pp.80-1.
Secret tunnel
It's said that, in Tudor times, Catholics would hide from their persecutors in a secret passage that ran from Assington Hall (TL934388) to Assington House (TL947382). The tunnel was supposed to have broken through the earth in a clump of trees between the two houses, but was later covered over.
Source: Gill Elliott: 'Hidden Suffolk' (Countryside Books, 2000), p.11. |
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