[MR] The Broads, Norfolk and Suffolk

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends,

It has been a slow news week, and so I was intrigued when Lady Sarah
Sinclair found this charming BBC piece. While it isn't strictly a medieval
story, the history of The Broads does extend back into the middle ages in a
very unique way. Besides, the idea of delivering beer by sailboat does have
an appeal (Ha! Hooked you on that one!).

The Broads are a huge system of rivers, channels and lakes in both Norfolk
and Suffolk. The waterways were long thought to be natural until the 1960s
when botanist Dr. Joyce Lambert noticed that the sides of many lakes were
cut straight. She proved that the lakes and channels were actually medieval
peat beds later flooded by rising seas. Documentary evidence shows proved
peat was dug by local monasteries during the 12th and 13th centuries,
including supplying fuel to Norwich Cathedral. Apparently the area began to
flood during around 1300, despite attempts to pump the water out using
windmills. Today the area is still dotted with windmills. Alas, however
quaint, they are all post-medieval.

You can find the BBC story at
https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20210929-the-english-county-with-more-waterways-than-venice
.

A Wikipedia article has more on The Broads at
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Broads .

Yours Aye,


Lord Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆