Burston, Norfolk
Encyclopedia
Burston is a village in Norfolk
, England
, 3 miles (4.5 km) north of Diss
. It covers an area of 9.17 square kilometres (3.5 sq mi) and had a population of 538 in 206 households at the 2001 census. Burston is famous as the site of the Burston Strike School
, the longest strike in British history.
In 1949 the Strike School building was registered as an educational charity. There are 4 self-perpetuating trustees who manage the school and try to develop it as a museum, visitor centre, educational archive and village amenity. A rally to commemorate the school and the longest strike in UK history has been organised on the first Sunday in September every year since 1984 by the Transport and General Workers' Union
and supported by other unions.
St Mary Church, though recognised as not the most exciting or interesting church in Norfolk,http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/burston/burston.htm is notable for the role played in the Burston strike by its rector, the Reverend Charles Tucker Eland. The tower collapsed in the 18th century, and with the nave
and chancel
altered in Victorian times, it has something of the appearance of a barn. The church stands in a tree shaded graveyard, in which are the graves of Kitty Higdon and Tom Higdon, the teachers at the centre of the school strike. With a declining congregation, St Mary is now used partly as a school hall. The modern chance is housed in the chancel, behind an iron screen separating it from the nave.
Burston once had its own Burston railway station
with services on the Great Eastern Main Line
between Norwich
and London
.
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 3 miles (4.5 km) north of Diss
Diss
Diss is a town in Norfolk, England close to the border with the neighbouring East Anglian county of Suffolk.The town lies in the valley of the River Waveney, around a mere that covers . The mere is up to deep, although there is another of mud, making it one of the deepest natural inland lakes...
. It covers an area of 9.17 square kilometres (3.5 sq mi) and had a population of 538 in 206 households at the 2001 census. Burston is famous as the site of the Burston Strike School
Burston Strike School
The Burston Strike School was at the centre of the longest running strike in British history, between 1914 and 1939. Now a museum, it is in the village of Burston in Norfolk, England....
, the longest strike in British history.
In 1949 the Strike School building was registered as an educational charity. There are 4 self-perpetuating trustees who manage the school and try to develop it as a museum, visitor centre, educational archive and village amenity. A rally to commemorate the school and the longest strike in UK history has been organised on the first Sunday in September every year since 1984 by the Transport and General Workers' Union
Transport and General Workers' Union
The Transport and General Workers' Union, also known as the TGWU and the T&G, was one of the largest general trade unions in the United Kingdom and Ireland - where it was known as the Amalgamated Transport and General Workers' Union - with 900,000 members...
and supported by other unions.
St Mary Church, though recognised as not the most exciting or interesting church in Norfolk,http://www.norfolkchurches.co.uk/burston/burston.htm is notable for the role played in the Burston strike by its rector, the Reverend Charles Tucker Eland. The tower collapsed in the 18th century, and with the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
altered in Victorian times, it has something of the appearance of a barn. The church stands in a tree shaded graveyard, in which are the graves of Kitty Higdon and Tom Higdon, the teachers at the centre of the school strike. With a declining congregation, St Mary is now used partly as a school hall. The modern chance is housed in the chancel, behind an iron screen separating it from the nave.
Burston once had its own Burston railway station
Burston railway station
Burston railway station is a closed railway station on the to line, that served the village of Burston. Only the station building remains; very little evidence of the platforms exist.The railway line still passes through it on a level crossing....
with services on the Great Eastern Main Line
Great Eastern Main Line
The Great Eastern Main Line is a 212 Kilometre major railway line of the British railway system, which connects Liverpool Street in the City of London with destinations in east London and the East of England, including Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich, Norwich and several coastal resorts such as...
between Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
and London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.