Aylsham, Norfolk
Aylsham is a historic market town and parish on the River Bure in Norfolk, nearly 9 miles (14 km) north of Norwich. The town is close to large estates and grand country houses at Blickling, Felbrigg, Mannington and Wolterton.
Archaeological evidence shows that the site of the town has been occupied since prehistoric times. Aylsham is just over two miles (3 km) from a substantial Roman settlement at Brampton, linked to Venta Icenorum at Caistor St. Edmund, south of Norwich, by a Roman road which can still be traced in places. Excavations in the 1970's provided evidence of several kilns, showing that this was an industrial centre with maritime links to the rest of the Roman empire. Pottery and metal items were the main goods manufactured.
Aylsham is thought to have been founded around the year 500 by an Anglo Saxon thegn called Aegel. The towns Saxon name was Aegel's Ham, meaning 'Aegel's settlement'.
The town is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Elesham and Ailesham, with a population of about 1,000.
John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, was lord of the manor from 1372 and Aylsham became the principal town of the Duchy of Lancaster. Although John of Gaunt probably never came to Aylsham, the townspeople enjoyed many privileges, including exemption from jury service outside the manor and from payment of certain taxes.
In medieval times the parish of Aylsham was established as four manors, Lancaster manor, Vicarage manor, Sexton's manor and Bolwick manor. The ownership of the Lancaster manor changed hands many times, before James I assigned it to his son, the future Charles I.
In the course of the events which led up to the English Civil War, Charles I had to raise as much money as possible, and mortgaged Lancaster manor to the Corporation of the City of London. The Corporation eventually sold it to Sir John Hobart, and through him it passed to the ownership of the Blickling Estate. The current lords of the manor are the National Trust.
In 1519 Henry VIII granted a market on Saturdays and an annual fair to be held on 12th. March, which was the eve of the feast of St. Gregory, the pope. Aylsham markets have always been an important feature of the town. Besides weekly markets there were cattle fairs twice a year and, in October, a hiring fair. Annual horse fairs would also bring many other traders to the town,
The rights of the stallholders in the market place today date back to the rights established in medieval times.
The weaving of local cloth brought prosperity to the town in medieval times. It was the manufacture of linen and worsted cloth that were important, as it also was in North Walsham and Worstead. Aylsham webb or 'cloth of Aylsham' was supplied to the royal palaces of Edward II and III, and Aylsham linens and Aylsham canvases were nationally known. From the 16th. century linen manufacture declined and wool became more important, a situation that continued until the coming of the Industrial Revolution. Thereafter the principal trade of the town for the 19th. century was grain and timber, together with the range of trades to be found in a town which supported local agriculture.
The town sign depicts, at the top, the arms of John of Gaunt, while the main image is of him on horseback. At the bottom are two shields, the one on the left, that of the Women's Institutes (WI), who sponsored the sign and the one on the right, that of St. Michael, in recognition of the church
Aylsham, Norfolk
Aylsham is a historic market town and parish on the River Bure in Norfolk, nearly 9 miles (14 km) north of Norwich. The town is close to large estates and grand country houses at Blickling, Felbrigg, Mannington and Wolterton.
Archaeological evidence shows that the site of the town has been occupied since prehistoric times. Aylsham is just over two miles (3 km) from a substantial Roman settlement at Brampton, linked to Venta Icenorum at Caistor St. Edmund, south of Norwich, by a Roman road which can still be traced in places. Excavations in the 1970's provided evidence of several kilns, showing that this was an industrial centre with maritime links to the rest of the Roman empire. Pottery and metal items were the main goods manufactured.
Aylsham is thought to have been founded around the year 500 by an Anglo Saxon thegn called Aegel. The towns Saxon name was Aegel's Ham, meaning 'Aegel's settlement'.
The town is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Elesham and Ailesham, with a population of about 1,000.
John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, was lord of the manor from 1372 and Aylsham became the principal town of the Duchy of Lancaster. Although John of Gaunt probably never came to Aylsham, the townspeople enjoyed many privileges, including exemption from jury service outside the manor and from payment of certain taxes.
In medieval times the parish of Aylsham was established as four manors, Lancaster manor, Vicarage manor, Sexton's manor and Bolwick manor. The ownership of the Lancaster manor changed hands many times, before James I assigned it to his son, the future Charles I.
In the course of the events which led up to the English Civil War, Charles I had to raise as much money as possible, and mortgaged Lancaster manor to the Corporation of the City of London. The Corporation eventually sold it to Sir John Hobart, and through him it passed to the ownership of the Blickling Estate. The current lords of the manor are the National Trust.
In 1519 Henry VIII granted a market on Saturdays and an annual fair to be held on 12th. March, which was the eve of the feast of St. Gregory, the pope. Aylsham markets have always been an important feature of the town. Besides weekly markets there were cattle fairs twice a year and, in October, a hiring fair. Annual horse fairs would also bring many other traders to the town,
The rights of the stallholders in the market place today date back to the rights established in medieval times.
The weaving of local cloth brought prosperity to the town in medieval times. It was the manufacture of linen and worsted cloth that were important, as it also was in North Walsham and Worstead. Aylsham webb or 'cloth of Aylsham' was supplied to the royal palaces of Edward II and III, and Aylsham linens and Aylsham canvases were nationally known. From the 16th. century linen manufacture declined and wool became more important, a situation that continued until the coming of the Industrial Revolution. Thereafter the principal trade of the town for the 19th. century was grain and timber, together with the range of trades to be found in a town which supported local agriculture.
The town sign depicts, at the top, the arms of John of Gaunt, while the main image is of him on horseback. At the bottom are two shields, the one on the left, that of the Women's Institutes (WI), who sponsored the sign and the one on the right, that of St. Michael, in recognition of the church