IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Newtown, THETFORD, IP24 3AS

Thetford’s town sign portrays two personalities from its distant past. King Sweine or Sweyn, otherwise known as Forkbeard, who became the first Danish king of England after a lot of effort. Forkbeard, who led the Viking raids against Thetford and destroyed the town which at the time was the capital of Saxon East Anglia. The other side of the sign portrays Thomas Payne who was born on January 29, 1737 and educated at Thetford Grammar School. He emigrated to America in 1774 where and finished up causing so much anti-British feeling over there, that his action started the American Revolution and War of Independence. He is even credited in some quarters with being the true author of the American Declaration of Independence. One who burnt the town to the ground, and another who incited a war, I wonder whose idea it was to celebrate these two?

Thetford’s town sign portrays two personalities from its distant past. King Sweine or Sweyn, otherwise known as Forkbeard, who became the first Danish king of England after a lot of effort. Forkbeard, who led the Viking raids against Thetford and destroyed the town which at the time was the capital of Saxon East Anglia. The other side of the sign portrays Thomas Payne who was born on January 29, 1737 and educated at Thetford Grammar School. He emigrated to America in 1774 where and finished up causing so much anti-British feeling over there, that his action started the American Revolution and War of Independence. He is even credited in some quarters with being the true author of the American Declaration of Independence. One who burnt the town to the ground, and another who incited a war, I wonder whose idea it was to celebrate these two?

Thetford’s town sign portrays two personalities from its distant past. King Sweine or Sweyn, otherwise known as Forkbeard, who became the first Danish king of England after a lot of effort. Forkbeard, who led the Viking raids against Thetford and destroyed the town which at the time was the capital of Saxon East Anglia. The other side of the sign portrays Thomas Payne who was born on January 29, 1737 and educated at Thetford Grammar School. He emigrated to America in 1774 where and finished up causing so much anti-British feeling over there, that his action started the American Revolution and War of Independence. He is even credited in some quarters with being the true author of the American Declaration of Independence. One who burnt the town to the ground, and another who incited a war, I wonder whose idea it was to celebrate these two? https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6684794 https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6684795

The Roman Catholic church of St Mary, in Newtown, was built in 1826 immediately following the Catholic Emancipation Act of that year. Constructed in knapped flint with gault brick dressings. Listed, grade II*, with details at: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1207963 Once the ancient capital of East Anglia, Thetford is a market town established at a crossing of the River Little Ouse. A major centre of Boudica’s Iceni tribe with an Iron Age fort. Later came a Norman castle and an important priory. Thetford is the birthplace of 18th century radical Thomas Paine, whose thinking encouraged American independence and the abolition of slavery. After World War II, Thetford became an "overspill town", taking people from London.

These conifers are across the area from Elveden Forest north and east.

My last visit. https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/6811187

I deliberately caught the runner when I saw her passing, but only saw the name of the pub when I got home, it was pure chance.

Attached to the Roman Catholic church of St Mary Image is the Presbytery, number 73 Newtown. Built in 1829 as a pair of houses for a priest and a curate, the houses were combined into one in the 20th century. Listed, grade II, with details at: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1195909 Once the ancient capital of East Anglia, Thetford is a market town established at a crossing of the River Little Ouse. A major centre of Boudica’s Iceni tribe with an Iron Age fort. Later came a Norman castle and an important priory. Thetford is the birthplace of 18th century radical Thomas Paine, whose thinking encouraged American independence and the abolition of slavery. After World War II, Thetford became an "overspill town", taking people from London.

The church stands derelict, and the graveyard neglected, or that’s how it was when I took this photograph. A sad sight, but a sign of the times. At one time according to Cautley Thetford had 13 churches, now only three remain and this has now gone and St Peter’s is redundant, leaving only St Cuthbert’s. He also writes nothing about the churches, as they had all been extensively rebuilt or restored and nothing of interest remained. However this church is basically 14th c. with a broad truncated tower. It was taken into use by the RCC in 1980 and virtually everything stripped out. All that is left now it has been deserted is a canopied niche over the porch, the piscina and wall monuments. The most significant being that of Sir Richard Fulmerstone (1567) and his wife Alice. Saint Mary the Less was Mother of St. James the Less and Joseph, wife of Cleophas. She was one of the three Marys who served Jesus and was present at the crucifixion, and accompanied Mary Magdalen to the tomb of Christ. Tradition reports that she went to Spain as a missionary. Mary reportedly died at Ciudad Rodrigo. Another tradition states that she went to France with St. Lazarus and his sisters but like all these things no one really knows.

Thetford has several post-war housing estates developed to take a sizeable London overspill population. In this case some newer houses have been added to the edge of an early 'seventies development.