Chapter I: Preface

THE following pages contain lectures read before the members of St. Margaret’s Institute, at Lowestoft, with additions introduced to render the story somewhat more complete.

Lowestoft of the present day, with its harbour, its magnificent fishing fleet, and its fine marine terraces, is the product of the nineteenth century. But the Present is linked with the Past by the retention of the old Town on the Cliff as the nucleus of the greatly enlarged modern town.

The rise of Lowestoft was so much connected with the fortunes of Yarmouth that it would be impossible to tell the story of old Lowestoft without introducing a good deal that belongs to the history of old Yarmouth. Indeed, were it not for the records which have been preserved of the contests between the two towns about the Herring Trade, the materials for a history of Lowestoft would be almost nil. The history of Yarmouth is only introduced into this sketch so far as it is incidental to that of Lowestoft. But I feel that apologies are due to the larger and more ancient town for the partial manner in which its history is dealt with.

The materials from which these lectures have been compiled are furnished by Domesday Book, the Lay Subsidy Rolls, the Parish Register, and the ancient documents contained in Swinden’s History of Yarmouth, and Gillingwater’s History of Lowestoft. Other historical details of interest have been taken from those valuable old works, and from Nall’s History of Yarmouth and Suckling’s History of Suffolk.

CONTENTS.

LECTURE I.
PAGE
PART I. Introductory. Geological. The Waveney. 1–11
Burgh Castle.
PART II. Domesday Book. The Parishes of 11–26
Lothingland. Lowestoft in Domesday.
Herring Rents. Condition of People in
Saxon Times. Serfdom. Craftsmen. The
Merchant. Etymology of Lowestoft
LECTURE II.
LOWESTOFT IN THE 14TH CENTURY.
PART I. Rise and Fall of Yarmouth. The Free Fair 27–37
on Yarmouth Quay. Naval power of
Yarmouth. The Black Plague. The Statute
of Herrings.
PART II. Rise of Lowestoft. Parliamentary War with 37–46
Yarmouth. Edward Ill’s Charter. The
“Commons” support Lowestoft against the
Crown. Charter revoked. Charter
re-granted by Richard II. Riot at
Lowestoft. Richard II. visits Yarmouth.
Charter revoked and re-granted.
“Composition” between the two towns.
PART III. The Lay Subsidies. Lowestoft in 1327 and 46–54
1525. Grant of Market. The Parish
Church. Old Chapels. Vaulted Cellars in
High Street.
LECTURE III.
LOWESTOFT IN ELIZABETH’S TIME.
PART I. The Parish Register. The Trades of the 55–75
Town. The Vicars. “Mr. Annott his
Schoolmaster.” Resident Gentry. The Fish
Trade. Piracy at Lowestoft. Cecil’s
Fast. Lowestoft a Shopping Town.
Population. Dutch Refugees. Holinshed on
the Luxury of Elizabeth’s time. “The
South Flint House.”
PART II. Lowestoft and Yarmouth at the end of the 75–80
16th century. Gorleston Harbour. Second
contest about Kirkley Road. The Star
Chamber and the Judges. Opinion of Mr.
Counsellor Bacon. First Boundary Pole
fixed on Gunton Denes.
LECTURE IV.
LOWESTOFT IN THE TIMES OF CHARLES I. AND CHARLES II.
PART I. Dutch and French Fishermen in the “British 81–92
Seas.” Pamphlets of Sir Walter Raleigh
and “Tobias Gentleman.” Ship-money.
Fleet sent against the Dutch Busses. The
Civil War. Cromwell’s visit to Lowestoft.
The Bell in the Town Hall. The Great Fire
of 1644. Value of Houses, 1642 and 1898.
PART II. Third and last Contest with Yarmouth about 93–103
Kirkley Road. The Yarmouth Bailiffs and
their “Man of War.” Lowestoft appeals to
the King. Sympathetic Letter of Charles
II. to Lowestoft. Decision of the House
of Lords. Proceedings at Yarmouth about
the measurement of the seven miles.
Boundary Posts again fixed on Gunton
Denes. Imprisonment and Penance of Mr.
Roger Smith. Corton Pole. Effect of
successful termination of the suit. Our
townspeople take measures to increase
their trade. Conclusion. Lowestoft
Heroes of the XVII Century.

LECTURE I.

PART I.—INTRODUCTORY, GEOLOGICAL.—THE WAVENEY.—THE SILTING UP OF THE ESTUARY.—BURGH CASTLE.

PART II.—DOMESDAY BOOK.—THE PARISHES OF LOTHINGLAND.—LOWESTOFT IN DOMESDAY.—NEIGHBOURING PARISHES.—HERRING RENTS.—LIVE STOCK ON THE FARMS.—CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE IN SAXON TIMES.—SERFDOM.—CRAFTSMEN.—THE MERCHANT.