Pages

Saturday 23 January 2010

Wherryman's Ferries - they keep coming


MAKE that 14 other ferries across the Wensum and Yare (see previous posts). Admittedly this is rather sad, but a close look at Bryant's 1826 Map of Norfolk reveals "Raveningham Foot Ferry" connecting Reedham and Raveningham just upstream from where the New Cut would be built a few years later. The second is simply labelled "Foot Ferry" and it seems to have been close-ish to Polkey's Mill - mid-way between Reedham and the Berney Arms. Raveningham is understandable, certainly Reedham was heavily populated and there was at least a mill at Raveningham. But the second one is in the middle of nowhere, by anyone's standards. Who on earth would have wanted to cross the river there?
Bryant's map isn't online to my knowledge. But an even earlier Norfolk map by Faden is. It's got lots of good detail, but sadly neither of these ferries gets a mention.

* Photo-wise we'll have to settle for a view from Reedham, looking out across the Yare to what used to be called Raveningham Marshes but is now called Norton Marshes.

No comments:

Post a Comment