Stratton Strawless
Encyclopedia
Stratton Strawless is a village in the county of Norfolk
and district of Broadland
. The civil parish
covers 714 acre (288.9 ha) and has a population of 495. Located close and to the east of the A140 road
and being 4.5 miles (7.2 km) south of the market town of Aylsham
and some 7 miles (11.3 km) north of Norwich
. Much of the parish has been given over to the growing of arable crops, but there are substantial amounts of mixed woodland to be found.
(1086) as Stratuna ('tun') meaning house or farm in Anglo-Saxon. Strawless is an appellative from the poorness of the soil, producing little grain and less straw, but favourable to the production of timber.
(1707–97), the phenologist
. Marsham is believed to have planted two million trees on the estate. Most of the plantings were cleared for much-needed timber for the First and Second World War. A few ancient trees remain, and in particular The Great Cedar (planted in 1747). The current hall (then 3 storeys) was completed c. 1800; in 1960 the top storey was removed. During the Second World War the hall housed an operations room for RAF Coltishall
. Today, the Grade II listed hall has been converted into residential flats and part of the grounds have been turned into a caravan park.
doorway leading to the chancel
. The church is full of artefacts which include 17th century alabaster
monuments dedicated to the Marsham family.
Also, of note is the early 18th century great brass chandelier which holds 25 candles and is lit every fourth Sunday for Evensong
. The life-sized Black Abbess was found walled up in the tower during the 19th century renovation. She is believed to depict a crusader's
widow dating from the late 13th century.
which depicts Marsham's Great Cedar, woodlands and the lily ponds that are located close by.
In May of each year at Brook House, the bluebell
woods are opened to the public.
Much of the area can be explored by bicycle and foot via the network of quiet lanes and footpaths.
Rail
Both stations are approximately 5 miles (8 km) from the village.
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...
and district of Broadland
Broadland
Broadland is a local government district in Norfolk, England, named after the Norfolk Broads. Its council is based in Thorpe St Andrew, which is a suburb of the City of Norwich.-History:The district was formed on April 1, 1974 by the merger of St...
. The civil parish
Civil parish
In England, a civil parish is a territorial designation and, where they are found, the lowest tier of local government below districts and counties...
covers 714 acre (288.9 ha) and has a population of 495. Located close and to the east of the A140 road
A140 road
The A140 is an 'A-class' road in Norfolk and Suffolk, East Anglia, England partly following the route of the Roman Pye Road. It runs from the A14 near Needham Market to the A149 south of Cromer. It is of primary status for the entirety of its route. It is approximately 56 miles in length...
and being 4.5 miles (7.2 km) south of the market town of Aylsham
Aylsham
Aylsham is a historic market town and civil parish on the River Bure in north Norfolk, England, about north of Norwich. The river rises near Melton Constable, upstream from Aylsham and continues to Great Yarmouth and the North Sea, although it was only made navigable after 1779, allowing grain,...
and some 7 miles (11.3 km) north of 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...
. Much of the parish has been given over to the growing of arable crops, but there are substantial amounts of mixed woodland to be found.
History
The village was first recorded in the Domesday BookDomesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
(1086) as Stratuna ('tun') meaning house or farm in Anglo-Saxon. Strawless is an appellative from the poorness of the soil, producing little grain and less straw, but favourable to the production of timber.
The Marsham family
From the 14th century to the end of the 19th century Stratton Strawless hall was the home of the Marsham family which included Robert MarshamRobert Marsham
Robert Marsham was an English naturalist considered to be the founding father of phenology, the study of the effects of the seasons on plants and animals....
(1707–97), the phenologist
Phenology
Phenology is the study of periodic plant and animal life cycle events and how these are influenced by seasonal and interannual variations in climate...
. Marsham is believed to have planted two million trees on the estate. Most of the plantings were cleared for much-needed timber for the First and Second World War. A few ancient trees remain, and in particular The Great Cedar (planted in 1747). The current hall (then 3 storeys) was completed c. 1800; in 1960 the top storey was removed. During the Second World War the hall housed an operations room for RAF Coltishall
RAF Coltishall
The former Royal Air Force Station Coltishall, more commonly known as RAF Coltishall , was a Royal Air Force station, a military airbase, North-North-East of Norwich, in the English county of Norfolk, East Anglia, from 1938 to 2006....
. Today, the Grade II listed hall has been converted into residential flats and part of the grounds have been turned into a caravan park.
St Margaret's church
The Grade I listed building dates back to the 13th century with a broad tower from 1422. The oldest feature is a NormanNormans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
doorway leading to the 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...
. The church is full of artefacts which include 17th century alabaster
Alabaster
Alabaster is a name applied to varieties of two distinct minerals, when used as a material: gypsum and calcite . The former is the alabaster of the present day; generally, the latter is the alabaster of the ancients...
monuments dedicated to the Marsham family.
Also, of note is the early 18th century great brass chandelier which holds 25 candles and is lit every fourth Sunday for Evensong
Evening Prayer (Anglican)
Evening Prayer is a liturgy in use in the Anglican Communion and celebrated in the late afternoon or evening...
. The life-sized Black Abbess was found walled up in the tower during the 19th century renovation. She is believed to depict a crusader's
Crusades
The Crusades were a series of religious wars, blessed by the Pope and the Catholic Church with the main goal of restoring Christian access to the holy places in and near Jerusalem...
widow dating from the late 13th century.
Leisure and recreation
The village hall is located in Parish Road. Adjacent to the building is the village signVillage sign
A village sign in some areas of England is a symbol of a village's history, heritage, or culture. They differ from regular road signs in that they are decorative, with the designs usually depicting some aspect of the history of the village...
which depicts Marsham's Great Cedar, woodlands and the lily ponds that are located close by.
In May of each year at Brook House, the bluebell
Common Bluebell
Hyacinthoides non-scripta, commonly known as the common bluebell, is a spring-flowering bulbous perennial plant. -Taxonomy:...
woods are opened to the public.
Much of the area can be explored by bicycle and foot via the network of quiet lanes and footpaths.
Public transport
Bus- First Eastern Counties;Service 50
- Norfolk GreenNorfolk Green-About Norfolk Green:Norfolk Green is a bus operator based in King's Lynn in Norfolk, England.It operates 31 public bus services across Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire as well as numerous school and collage services with a fleet of 73 low floor easy access buses, services include the...
; Service X5 - Sanders Coaches; Service 44
Rail
Both stations are approximately 5 miles (8 km) from the village.
- Wroxham railway station
- Worstead railway stationWorstead railway stationWorstead is a railway station situated about 1 km distant from the villages of Worstead and Sloley in the English county of Norfolk. The station is served by local services operated by National Express East Anglia on the Bittern Line from Norwich to Cromer and Sheringham.-Train Services:The...