A fine October day for the Brampton Harvest Thanksgiving. The service was followed by a church fundraiser, a Harvest Lunch at the Old Rectory Brampton, which was kindly hosted by William and Jenny Youngs. A gathering of over sixty people enjoyed a lunch based upon the abundant produce from the fields, fruit trees and hedgerows of Brampton and Norfolk helping to raise £1,000 for church funds. One of those small glories that is part of village life in the community.
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Brampton Harvest Festival and Lunch
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Brampton Harvest Lunch 2017 – 8th October 2017 – click on link to see flier
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Brampton Coffee Morning: Bring ‘n’ Buy
This morning’s plant bring and buy sale at the village hall raised £70.60 for village hall and church funds. Thanks to all who came and especially those who supplied plants and cake. -
Brampton carol singing 2014
Thank you to all those who sang carols so heartily under a starlit sky during Christmas Eve around the village. We are grateful those who welcomed us to their door steps and into their houses, to those who delayed or interrupted their meals and helped us celebrate Christmas. You generously donated £212.77 to our collection in aid of the East Anglian Children’s Hospice.
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Carol Service
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An exploration of Roman Brampton – a talk by archaeologist Alice Lyons
Last night at Brampton church Norfolk archaeologist, Alice Lyons, delivered a detailed and enlightening talk upon the Roman history of the village. Or, more specifically, the Roman town which originally lay to the south of the current settlement. A site of both pottery and leather manufacture at a scale unmatched anywhere else in Roman Britain. A site of 150 permanent pottery kilns at Brampton at a time when a 20 kiln site would have been considered big. Busy wharves loading shallow drafted coastal shipping, a stone built bathhouse in an otherwise timber built town. A key communication hub with access to the sea and to major arterial routes. Altogether a contrast to the modern village – how times change.
Alice rounded off the talk by showing some fine examples of Dr Knowles’, and others, finds from the 1970s excavations. These come from those which are held collection in the Norwich Castle museum. She followed this by identifying pottery shards found locally. It was generally agreed that if ever the chance to publish the Knowles archives at the museum, it should be grasped. Perhaps a project for Crowd-funding.
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A talk on Roman Brampton – to be held at Brampton Church – 27th Saturday 27th September 2014
What do we know of the Brampton Romans?
An illustrated talk to be held at Brampton Church
Saturday 27th September
7.30pmAt St Peter’s Church, Brampton
An illustrated talk by Alice Lyons, a professional archaeologist with a detailed practical knowledge of Norfolk Archaeology, particularly of the Roman period.
Alice will give an illustrated talk of roughly 40 minutes. With some examples of local finds of that period from the Norwich Castle Museum.
Following the talk there will be an opportunity to have any of your own finds identified – Roman or “best Woolworths”?Tickets: £5 per person
Contact Mark Little
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Wendy Preiss – a Brampton tribute
A rare event at Brampton in memory of a special Brampton person took place this evening. The church was packed. Standing room only inside, with many able to get no further than just into the porch. The event was the memorial service for the late Wendy (Brereton) Preiss.
Any such service that can mix the wisdom of Spike Milligan, the ritual of swimming in the North Sea, hunting with harriers and the poetry of Catullus, must reflect the life of a polymath.
Wendy was extremely well read, she was interested in everyone and had an opinion on everything – whether you agreed with it or not. Above all she was a communicator, in many ways a one women network. Meeting, knowing and understanding people was her forte. Conversations with her were littered with “you must know..(so and so)” or “have you met (such and such)”, but not in some shallow ‘Facebook Friends’ manner. Rather from the genuine interest in helping people make connections along lines which she thought were otherwise missed opportunities. She had a sixth sense for who should meet whom. I guess that she took some private delight in having engineered and acquaintance between those who may have not known about common interests or view points. I know for fact that she was the root creator of many lasting friendships.
Her opinions were deep and firmly held. She thrived upon debate and loved to throw an opinion into a group like a grenade. She seemed happiest when justifying her view, predicting some political development or finding the scurrilous cause behind some otherwise mysterious event.
A natural huntswomen, she knew how to get her message across open country. Volume was often high and when the deeply held beliefs needed pressing home. The combination of a lively mind and loud voice made for a powerful weapon. She would have made a superb political campaigner on the traditional soap box.
It was testament to all of these personal traits that drew so many to pay respects to her memory at Brampton church. I don’t think I have been to a service with such an eclectic mix in attendance. Real people. No one artificial or affected. All of whom had been blessed with having known her. Many solely connected with others there just because of her. A rare event, a unique and rare person. We will remember her for a long time.
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The start of Christmas in the village
Candles were lit as Christmas Carols returned to Brampton Church at the village carol service on a windy 15th December. Lesson readers drawn from all ages took us steadily through the nativity story. The Vicar, The Rev.Fergus Capie, added to the atmosphere of contemplation amidst celebration with a carefully judged meditation upon the real meaning of Christmas. Joyce Vincent, formerly of Low Farm, who was for so many years the Church Warden of Brampton Church, was a very welcome addition to the congregation. Mulled wine warmed the congregation after the service of lessons and carols. We felt set up and ready for the coming season.
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A Brampton centenary
This weekend we celebrated a birthday – the hundredth birthday of the largest musical instrument in the village, the Church pipe-organ. Built by the Norwich firm of Norman & Beard, the organ was originally dedicated in March 1913 with an organ recital by Frank Hill overseen by the incumbent Rector, V C A Fitz Hugh and Canon De Chair. With slightly less formality, the centenary was celebrated on a midsummer Saturday with a concert given by the Nonsuch Singers directed by Dominic Vlasto with Alex Little providing organ accompaniment and recital. The church was packed. It will be hard to beat the relaxed enjoyment of the event which included such an eclectic mix of Bach, Mozart, readings such as James I’s diatribe against the evils of Tobacco and the tongue-twisting spoonerisms of Cinderella (“Rinder-Cella”). The evening culminated in a wine and sandwich supper at the Old Rectory thanks to William and Jenny Youngs. An event to remember.
