Norfolk Pilgrim

In some small matters the call for Christians to be Christ-like is easy! Anyone can walk by the seaside! A favourite walk is from Overstrand to Cromer. On a summer’s day, with sunlight dancing on the sea, a breeze blowing your hair everywhere and with the rhythm of the waves on the shore, everything seems alive. A paddle or a swim can intensify a sense of being part of it all and can become an occasion to reflect on baptism. Even on a summer’s day the water can be cold and it’s not all blue skies! Imagine the same beach on a dark and stormy winter’s night. Baptism Service speaks of “the deep waters of death”! Cromer and Cromer men have a proud history of saving life at sea. Henry Blogg, coxen of Cromer boat from 1909 to 1947 is probably the best known lifeboatman ever! He carried out 350 rescues and saved 800 lives. Now the RNLI have done him proud by building the new Henry Blogg Museum at the bottom of the Gangway (opened Spring 2006). It is well worth a visit, if only to enjoy a th...

On the Horning to Ludham road turn right at the Dog public house and take the back road to Ludham. After half a mile a farm road and bridle path on the right leads, a mile across the marshes, to the ruins of St. Benet’s Abbey at Cow Holm. Tradition has it that the first monastic community was established by Abbot Suneman and a group of hermits in 800 AD on what was then an island used for grazing. Great work has been done to reclaim land for agriculture, but then, before the rivers were embanked, the whole area was tidal marshes and open water where the rivers Bure, Thurne and Ant met. This first monastic community was destroyed by Viking raiders, but in the 10 th century it was re-established by Wolfric and seven companions still following as their predecessors the Celtic pattern of monastic life. Under King Cnut the community was refounded and endowed as a Benedictine house. It was named after St. Benedict ( St. Bene’t’s!) but until the dissolution of the monaste...