The following report is taken from a newspaper cutting:
Contents
The newspaper article
DEOPHAM PARISHIONERS FACE A PROBLEM
AID OF CART HORSES AND DANCERS ENLISTED
Twelve cart horses, a folk dance team, a dozen or so bicycles, and a pig on Wednesday assisted in an effort to remove five tons of coal and several hundredweights of coke from the belfry of Deopham Parish Church.
The task which lay before them was not merely a question of cartage – one of the cart horses would soon have made short work of that.
The problem before the parishioners of Deopham was – and still is – that of where to put the church coal. For a long time it has been heaped in the belfry. In consequence the ancient west door, one of the treasures of the church, cannot be opened. The brides of Deopham are led to the altar by a side entrance. The bells have to be rung by ringers encumbered about by coal and coke. One of the most imposing views of the church, that seen from the west door, is seldom viewed.
For many years the parish has had things more important to engage ita attention, At a cost of £600 it renovated the 100 ft. embattled tower, which is a landmark for miles around. Other expensive repairs have also concerned it. These have been done, and yesterday a start was made in the raising of money to add to the Church House a room in which fuel may be stored. All Deopham is concentrating on a church coalhouse.
The effort took the form of a fete at Hall Farm, by permission of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Allen, and the organiser provided a programme which appealed to the countryside. All manner of side-shows, bicycle races, folk dancing by the children of the village school (under the of the direction of Mrs. R. Hart and Miss Mary Woods) provided the entertainment until evening, and then from Deopham, Morley, Kimberley, and Hackford farm labourers brought horses to compete in the carthorse Derby.
The fete, which was attended by a large crowd, was opened by Mrs. C. S. Daniels, of Wymondham.
The Vicar (the Rev. W. Clark) presided, and mentioned that the fete was entirely the suggestion of Mr. and Mrs. Allen. They were very anxious, he said, that the fuel should be moved from the belfry, and were desirous, too, that the addition to the Church House should be in harmony with the present buildIng.
Mrs. Daniels, in declaring the fete open, referred to the prominent landmark in the district which the church tower made, and urged that it was the responsibility of all parishes with beautiful churches to keep them in a good state of repair.
A vote of thanks was accorded Mrs. Daniels on the motion of Mrs. Allen, seconded by Mrs. Clark. Mrs. Daniels was presented with a box of chocolates by Miss Helen Clark.
Among the helpers were:
Mrs. W. Allen and Mrs. Clark, who with a large band of helpers provided teas,
Mr. R. Hart (switchback),
Mr. H. Bowles (judge of the “Derby”),
Mr. Jack Youngman (starter),
Mr. A. Allen (bowling for the pig),
Miss Peacock (hidden treasure),
Miss Joan Allen was hon. Treasurer.
The original article
With thanks to Elaine Peacock for sight of this document whose date and publication have not been determined.
Comments
The article above was titled “Coal in the Belfry“, but as Michael Allen has so rightly pointed out the coal was not in the belfry but in the base of the tower. The fact that the author of this article states that the west door could not be opened on account of the coal confirms this observation.
The date and publication of this article have not yet been identified. However, the vicar, the Rev. W. Clark, who is mentioned above, held office from 1930 – 1939.
It is possible that the enhancements envisaged to the Church Hall are those for which the drawings are shown here.
The restorations carried out at a cost of £600 would appear to be those of 1864; the William Allen who lived at what is now Hall Farm died in 1909, and his wife who is referred to in this article died in 1890. The article refers to “Wm Allen”: it may be that this is a misprint for Walter Allen.
Navigation
| Date | Change |
|---|---|
| 9/3/25 | Not belfry |
| 13/12/24 | Published |
Deopham History 