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THE PLEASURES of REFFLEY ANON-

Verses.

 

INTRODUCTION

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THE ENGLISH SPA - PHYLLIS HEMBRY

The development of  English Spas from Elizabethan times to 1815

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1600's

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CLEARING IN A WOOD

The springs geographic, geological and historic context, beginning with the Romans.

 

FROM DARK BEGINNINGS

Lynn in Cromwelliam times, said to have been when the predecessors of the Subscribers first met at Reffley spring.

 

 

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1700's

 

THE PLEASURES OF REFFLEY

The earliest references to Reffley Spring being a popular resort for the people of Lynn

 

THE SUBSCRIBERS TO REFFLEY SPRING

The story of the Subscribers, Charles Burney, Thomas Arne and his enigmatic Reffley Spring Cantata. 

 

THE SUBSCRIBERS ACQUIRE A PATRON

Letters in the Ffolkes Family archives provide information about the Subscribers and their activities.

 

TOASTS AND TOASTING

The history of Toasting or "health drinking" which played an important part in the Subscribers contribution to celebrating the "Centenary of the Glorious Revolution" (of 1688), which was widely celebrated throughout Norfolk and indeed, the rest of        the country.

 

1800's

 

REFFLEY FETES

Reffley Spring's was at its most popular with the public from the late 18th century until the middle of the 19th,during which the site was improved and enlarged a couple of times. In 1802 in celebration of a short lived peace in the Napoleonic Wars 180  people were catered for under a "large and commodious booth" and fed roast mutton, at the spring.

 

THE TOWN MEETS AT REFFLEY SPRING

Up until the 1860's, Reffley Spring was the meeting place of choice for groups, organisations, annual School Treats and  celebrations in general.     

 

REFFLEY SPRING'S GRADUAL DECLINE IN POPULARITY.

The industrial revolution, the opening up of spas on the continent after the end of the Napoleonic War in 1815 but perhaps  more than anything else, the coming of the railways from the 1840's did most to change people's perceptions and make

attractions further afield more accessible.

 

1900's

 

REFFLEY BY ROYAL APPOINTMENT

For a brief period during the reign of Edward V11 Reffley Woods received royal patronage in November during the shooting season and technological advances enabled reports about the Reffley Society to appear in newspapers in Australia and the U.S.

 

CHANGING TIMES 1930'S TO 1950'S

The Society did not meet during the WW1 years but was back in full swing, certainly by the 1930's. During this period the  local paper fully reported on the society's activities, by now photographs being included.

 

THE 1960'S to 1970's

In the early years the society was still unaffected, but there was ominous signs on the horizon and the Reffley Estates was started and began to encroach on the isolation of Reffley Spring. The site was open and unattended but for one or two day a year so eventually became the target of petty vandalism. this at first was repaired when discovered, but ebentually became too much for the members.

 

LAST PUBLIC CELEBRATION

In June 1978, the Reffley Community Association held a "Bacchanalian Binge"  to celebrate the bicentenary of the presentation of a "stone table" to the subscribers in 1778, which by all accounts was well attended.

 

THE UNSUCCESSFUL STRUGGLE AGAINST VANDALISM AND THE DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE

There were many attempts to save the Temple all ultimately unsuccessful, and enivitably the Temple had to be destroyed when it was too damaged to repair and was in a dangerous state.

 

 

REFFLEY FARM

I am indebted to Colin Grant (of Wootton Rd Kings Lynn in the 1990's) who researched the history of the Farm which he passed on to the owners of the farmhouse. This account of the farm's history is largely based on his work with other material added.

 

COLIN GRANT'S RESEARCH

The conplete transcript of his research.

 

 

 

CONCLUSION

 

 

 

APPENDICES

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RULE OF THE MAJOR GENERALS

 

EXTRAS