Between the village of Clare and the town of Sudbury in Suffolk runs one of our many River Stours. Meandering in its shallow valley it also forms the county boundary with Essex, and tucked up in the furthest north east of this county are a series of villages with the prefix 'Belchamp'. Which according to Norman Scarfe's Shell Guide to Essex is apparently a Norman reconfiguration of the Anglo Saxon 'Belc-ham' which means 'homestead' with a roof of 'timber beams'. I would think every Norman homestead had a timber-beamed roof by default, but most certainly there is a superb example of Essex / Suffolk vernacular domestic building at almost every turn of the sharply right-angled lanes that twist from Belchamp to Belchamp. Yesterday I found myself wandering around these lanes looking for Belchamp Walter, which I found bowered in trees down by a tributary of the Stour. I was searching for a ruined tower in a field (of cabbages as it turned out) as you do, but on the way I was helped by this signpost at Belchamp Otten. What amused me was the thought that B-Walter had obviously been omitted from the original, and had to have an appendix added, probably after a Belchamp deputation had descended on the council offices in Halstead with burning brands and sharpened pitch forks. Maybe.
Kelsale, Suffolk
2 days ago
6 comments:
It's odd, this place name that seems to derive from a homestead with a timber-beamed roof. The Oxford Dictionary of British Place Names confirms it, though. There's another possibility, which it that rather than coming from the Old English 'belc', a timber-roofed hall, it may come from OE 'belt', which can be a strip of land or maybe a personal name. But a strip of land is even less distinctive than a beamed roof, so the roof probably has it. Great sign anyway.
There's a collection of photos of other finger posts in Essex at http://www.flickr.com/photos/13171205@N08/sets/72157602024604218/with/3996714920/
Sorry, will try again, with link:
There's a collection of photos of other finger posts in Essex on Flickr
This part of Suffolk is quite magical. Once again Mr.A you've evoked fond memories of walking its lanes and as you say, vernacular architecture at every turn. The 'Clare' of the finger post, as well as your subject is always worth a visit too...with a butcher selling Suffolk 'Black' bacon and the fascinating 'Trinders' second hand book shop and antique woodworking tools.
What great names English villages have...nothing like them on this side of the pond I'm afraid.
It's very strange to see this sign again. I spent the first 16 years of my life in Belchamp Otten and used to cycle endlessly around the triangle that the sign sits on.
I would spend hours chatting with the farmer Mr Branwhite who lived in the house behind in the photograph. He would lean against the ate chain smoking Players Navy Cut.
I remember him mentioning that Belchamp Walter appeared on the sign after it was returned from being taken down during WW11.
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