Chronological Retrospect of the History of Yarmouth and Neighbourhood. William Finch-Crisp
town wells opened.
Thomas Timperley and William Grice, Esqs., were returned to Parliament; the latter was also returned in 1570 with William Barker, Esq.; in 1571 with John Bacon, Esq.; and in 1584 and 1585 with Thomas Damett, Esq.
Three small silver maces, belonging to the Corporation, made.
Herrings very scarce, and sold for £9 a last.
Piers built on both sides of the Haven’s mouth.
The London Privy Council lent the town of Yarmouth £1,000 without interest, for repairing the Haven, which was refunded by instalments of £100 a-year.
Three ships of war compelled to leave by the town guns.
Haven expenses for the year, £1,230 12s. 4d.
The Paston family sold Caister Castle to meet their embarrassments.
Herrings sold for £8 a last; a tun (4 hogshds.) of wine was also of the same value.
Part of the town wall fell through being overcharged.
Mr. Vincent Goodwin first preacher appointed at St. Nicholas’ Church.
Drawbridge carried away by high tide, and another constructed in 1785, at a cost of £403 15s. 9d., notwithstanding £225 had been expended the year previous in repairs.
Thatched roofs to houses forbidden, and wood was substituted.
Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, K.G., High Steward of the Borough.
Brewers ordered to brew with coals instead of wood.
Every ale-house licensed by the Bailiffs.
Regulations made to prevent goods lying on the Quay longer than necessary.
A Bill introduced to Parliament to enroll Yarmouth as a Cinque Port; but this was not properly carried out. In 1702 the Government of Yarmouth was settled under Anne in its proper and present form.
Feb. 10th. Mr. Harbrowne elected to Parliament in place of John Bacon, Esq., but only served one day, the latter being re-elected.
Edward Owner born. He represented the town in Parliament four times, and died August 13th, 1650.
A part of the Hospital, Market Place, converted into a House of Correction.
Burgh Water Frolic first spoken of, being a grand event, and patronized by the Mayor and Corporation.
Inhabitants prohibited from washing their clothes near the public wells.
Lord Burleigh and the Earl of Leicester paid Yarmouth a visit, and were entertained at the Priory. Queen Elizabeth was expected, and a silver cup, in the form of a ship, costing £16, made for presentation to her Majesty, but she reached no further than Norwich.
Scratby Sand became entirely dry land, and raised its head so much above high-water mark, that grass, &c., grew on it, and sea birds built their nests. It was called “Yarmouth Island,” and was a favourite resort in the summer season for Yarmouth people.
May to Sept. Great plague; 2,000 persons died, and the Grammar School shut up for six months. (See 1349 and 1550.)
August 2nd. Dinner provided for 43 gentlemen on a sandbank out at sea, called Scratby Sand. In 1582 it was swept away by a strong easterly wind and tide, much to the disappointment of Sir Edward Clare, Knt., who had made a claim to it. Valuable wreckage was often found there.
2,000 lasts (2,640,000 single fish) of herrings brought in on one tide.
Large fish, 17 yards long, the jaw 3¼ yards long, body 4½ yards thick, caught at Caister.
No one could be elected a Burgess in Parliament unless he was an Alderman.
The Privy Council requested the town to provide ships for the transport of 400 soldiers into the Low Countries. To raise funds, every Alderman advanced £5, and every Common Councilman £2 10s., the rest of the money being raised by assessment.
Pulpit erected at the west-end of St. Nicholas’ Church; removed in 1635. Another erected in the south-east comer of the south aisle, which was also removed in 1846.
Number of “tippling houses” in Yarmouth restricted to 16.
John Stubbs and Roger Drury, Esqs., elected to Parliament.
William Cecil, Lord Burleigh, K.G., High Steward of the Borough. In 1578 he visited Yarmouth in company with the Earl of Leicester.
Preparations to receive the Spanish Armada. The fortifications put into the best state of defence, a boom thrown across the Haven at the south gates, and a mound of earth raised higher than the walls, called the “South Mount,” on which was placed several pieces of ordnance. Another mound, the “New Mount,” was afterwards thrown up near St. George’s Chapel, and a warlike ship fitted out at the town’s expense to annoy the enemy at sea, and preparations made to lodge and provision a garrison of 1,000 men. The sum of £1,355 4s. 9d. was assessed on the County.
No victualler or innkeeper allowed to retail any “strange beer” under pain of forfeiture.
An ale-house or tavern could only be kept by a Freeman or the widow of a Freeman.
Two Yarmouth ships required to carry out 150 soldiers to Normandy.
T. Damett, Esq., again returned to Parliament with John Felton, Esq.
The fishing nets used by boat owners valued at £50,000.
John Felton, Esq., again returned to Parliament with Sir H. Hobart.
Elizabethan House on the Quay, built by Benjamin Cowper. It was sold to John Carter, a friend of Oliver Cromwell. The supporters of Cromwell frequently assembled in this house, and it is supposed that the death of Charles I. was here determined on. It was for many years previously to Feb. 26th, 1867, the residence and property of the late Charles J. Palmer, Esq., F.S.A.
Arthur Wilson born at Yarmouth. He published an account of the life and reign of James I, written with much freedom, and displaying a thorough knowledge of Court intrigues; but the liberties he took in exposing the propensities of that monarch and his son towards the Catholic cause, brought upon him the vehement censure of the friends of the Stuart family, who said that he had written from conjectures rather than from records, and that his work was more like a pasquinade than an authentic history. He was for many years an attendant on the Earl of Essex, and afterwards steward to the Earl of Warwick. He died in 1652.
Seven hundred vessels in the Haven at one time.
The number of Rows was seven score (140).
The south side of the Hospital School used as a House of Correction.
Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, K.G., High Steward of the Borough.
Rev. Thomas Nash published the “Lenten Stuffe,” containing a poetical and satirical description of Yarmouth, &c., and a play in “Praise of a Red Herring.” He was born at Lowestoft in 1567, and died in 1600. He was called by Dr. Lodge “the true English Gifford or Aretino.” His name is mentioned by Michael Drayton, and also in the play, “Return from Parnassus.” (Vide page 486, Pimperley’s “Encyclopædia of Literary and Typ. Anecdote.”)
One penny per swill by day and 1½d. at night were charged for carting herrings from the beach.
Caister Castle deserted as a residence.
Sir Henry Hobart and T. Damett, Esq., again returned to Parliament; the latter, with John Wheeler, Esq., also returned on the accession of James I.
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