Burnham Overy |
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There are seven Burnham parishes all clustered together 4 miles or so west of Wells-next-the-Sea. Much has changed since their heyday in the 13th century, when sea-going trading ships could sail up the River Burn as far as Burnham Thorpe. But gradually the river silted up, a familiar problem for the North Notfolk ports, until in the 15th century Burnham Overy provided the most landward dock. A century later and ships could only dock at Overy Staithe. By then, trade was moving to the neighbouring ports of Wells, Blakeney, Cley and Kings Lynn.
St. Clement's Church, on the bank of the Burn, is from the 13th century and has a Norman central tower that was lowered one storey in the 17th century. The building was originally cross-shaped with the tower at the centre. After several alterations to the layout over the years, now the large tower devides the church in two. H. Hancock |
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