James, Flintknapping

& Grimes Graves

You may notice the structure of the wall. The walls were built of stone, with an in fill of smaller stones and rubble, and them the outer wall dressed with thousands of half flints. The flints are carefully spilt in half to produce a fairly flat surface, ideal for wall dressing. The finished product looks great and lasts for centuries.

Flint knapping goes back to neolithic times, and Grimes Graves near Brandon are an amazing network of chalk pits used for mining the flint required for tools. The 'miners' used antlers to make picks which were then used to gouge flints from the chalk. The shafts were mainly self supporting, but wooden staves were also used to shore up the roof. Grimes Graves is a real must if you are ever in the Brandon area of Norfolk. Thetford is only about 10 miles away, and if your feeling energetic, only a cycle ride. (Norfolk is very flat, its a bit like a colder version of Florida!) The site is great for the kids. You put on macs and hard hats, climb down into the mines and see first hand how it was done. There is also a fascinating museum on the surface with many 'finds' to see. Often in the summer local flint knappers run demo's and workshops and teach you how to do it. It is at this point you realise our Neolithic ancestors were not at all stupid. The flint tools they produced were real works of art, and the spear and arrow heads extremely sharp and effective.

James was responsible for the restoration of the Tower of St. Peter's Church. He paid for the work out of his own pocket and also I believe rebuilt the wall around the front of the church. For his gift the people of Thetford put a plaque in the wall, (see picture), and also in modern times on the tower itself.