The Dig

[Seashoreman]

I’ve not been up the Butley in a number of years, but remember the landing stage at Boyton being in considerable disrepair. Is that now all fixed-up as per the film?

There is the disused Dock which has the remnants of an old brick building on it, possibly from WW2. Then further up there is the rowing ferry which has a wooden pontoon for boarding on both banks. No landing stage as such. I spend many weekends up the Butley Creek, getting away from the holiday crowds

 

[jimi]

I’ve often wondered how these ships navigated the shallow and featureless east coast.

 

[tillergirl]

I’ve often wondered how these ships navigated the shallow and featureless east coast.

One, if not the first 'official national buoy':

Trinity House to the privy council (24 Dec. 1628)

Owners and masters of ships trading to Newcastle for coal, and to Russia, Greenland, Norway, the Eastland and Hamburg have petitioned the corporation to set out a new channel to replace the Spitts which has grown dangerous. Trinity House have surveyed and buoyed a new channel called Goldmer Gat. The cost of buoys, chains, millstones and maintenance will be a great charge, and the masters and owners have offered to contribute 6d per 100 tons on shipping. It will be paid by the masters and owners on ships coming from the north to the Thames and Medway on every voyage inwards, and will not fall upon merchants or their goods. The privy council are asked to authorise Trinity House and their assignees to collect the dues at the Customs Houses of London, Rochester and elsewhere.

Much arguing for 4 months before the dues agreed - Trinity House wanted 10d per 100 tons but the ship owners won - in due time Charles I agreed.

 

[jimi]

One, if not the first 'official national buoy':

Trinity House to the privy council (24 Dec. 1628)

Owners and masters of ships trading to Newcastle for coal, and to Russia, Greenland, Norway, the Eastland and Hamburg have petitioned the corporation to set out a new channel to replace the Spitts which has grown dangerous. Trinity House have surveyed and buoyed a new channel called Goldmer Gat. The cost of buoys, chains, millstones and maintenance will be a great charge, and the masters and owners have offered to contribute 6d per 100 tons on shipping. It will be paid by the masters and owners on ships coming from the north to the Thames and Medway on every voyage inwards, and will not fall upon merchants or their goods. The privy council are asked to authorise Trinity House and their assignees to collect the dues at the Customs Houses of London, Rochester and elsewhere.

Much arguing for 4 months before the dues agreed - Trinity House wanted 10d per 100 tons but the ship owners won - in due time Charles I agreed.

I wonder how they got on before that ;-) I presume the longships were quite shallow draft?

 

[AntarcticPilot]

I wonder how they got on before that ;-) I presume the longships were quite shallow draft?

Yes, they were. But they were routinely beached, as well.

It's worth noting that the Sutton Hoo ship differs in important ways from Viking longships - in particular, it's uncertain whether she could be sailed, as there's no evidence for a mast step or a deep keel. She's probably a step in the evolution of the longship, but she's some distance from it

 

[Dee Bee]

We were anchored one lovely evening just by the dock and had cracked open a bottle when a couple of guys asked us to move as they were going to be filming early in the morning. We agreed and moved about half a mile down river and the next morning the chaps came back and gave us a couple of bottles of decent wine as a thank you. We never saw them film though as they had got delayed at the previous location . A good movie but really not a patch on the book.

 

[tillergirl]

I guess the Deben entrance was really quite different in those times. There is evidence apparently of forests off the Deben and Orwell. Post-Roman subsidence has been estimated at 'some 15 feet'. In the 4th century the Romans were protecting the coast from Suffolk to Kent (surprisingly similar to times today!) and it is thought that somewhere around the Deben/Ore there was a Roman Fortress - but hasn't been identified. One first Anglo-Saxon settlement is apparently was Debenham well north of Sutton Hoo. There is a suggestion that Deben got the name 'the Deep one' and once the Romans abandoned their forts in the 5th century, in came the Angles.

 

[Cobra]

A slight bit of Fred Drift here, but there is also evidence of a Roman Villa on land equidistant between Alresford Creek and Brightlingsea Creek. and known locally as 'Noahs Ark'. Also plenty of evidence of Anglo-Saxon and subsequently Viking remains have been found in Brightlingsea...sadly nothing on the scale of Sutton Hoo.

Back to the film, watched it at the weekend at the behest of the good lady and have to admit on the whole I actually quite enjoyed it. A pleasant yarn if nothing else!

 

[Dan Tribe]

I’ve not been up the Butley in a number of years, but remember the landing stage at Boyton being in considerable disrepair. Is that now all fixed-up as per the film?

We visited in July. The iron ladder has been removed and we found it impossible to land from a dinghy, more agile people could probably manage. There was some evidence of shoring up and a notice saying it was a dangerous structure.
We went further up to the ferry landing, the ferryman didn't seem to mind.

 

[Seashoreman]

We visited in July. The iron ladder has been removed and we found it impossible to land from a dinghy, more agile people could probably manage. There was some evidence of shoring up and a notice saying it was a dangerous structure.
We went further up to the ferry landing, the ferryman didn't seem to mind.

Unfortunately like a lot of places that are 'discovered' these days it tends to become the victim of its own popularity.
Boyton Dock has increasingly become a party venue, all-night if the weather is kind. Also lots of 'wild' swimming groups,
speeding ribs running up river from Aldeburgh/Orford to impress their passengers. I am not being critical just observant.
I doubt if the local parish council/landowner are going to invest in the Dock which is a shame for the visiting 'gentle-folk'.

 

[PetiteFleur]

We've also just watched and thoroughly enjoyed it. I recognised the Butley river, but some of the 'Deben' views were of the Alde but nice to see Cygnet and Robert Simpers boat. But Diss Post Office?... Well worth watching.
We took our two grandchildren to Sutton Hoo some years back, thinking they might be impressed but all they wanted to do was go to the playground!

 

[adamstjohn]

We've also just watched and thoroughly enjoyed it. I recognised the Butley river, but some of the 'Deben' views were of the Alde but nice to see Cygnet and Robert Simpers boat. But Diss Post Office?... Well worth watching.
We took our two grandchildren to Sutton Hoo some years back, thinking they might be impressed but all they wanted to do was go to the playground!

We loved the film also, the Diss post office took me by surprise, my family are from Diss and that was our local PO. The boy did well cycling from sutton hoo to Diss, 35-40 miles ? they were harder then though.
Loved the film.

 

[Habebty]

We loved the film also, the Diss post office took me by surprise, my family are from Diss and that was our local PO. The boy did well cycling from sutton hoo to Diss, 35-40 miles ? they were harder then though.
Loved the film.

Apparently, Basil Brown lived in either Botesdale or Rickinghall. (I looked him up on Wiki ) Nice film though, and have been meaning to go up the Butley River for years, so perhaps it will get a little busier now?

 

[Tomahawk]

I shall have to consult my archeologist friend

 

[dolabriform]

We watched it last night and loved it. Everything about it was such a refreshing change from modern formulaic film making.

 

[ex-Gladys]

Yeah, very happy to add to the positive comments. Watched it yesterday, and thoroughly enjoyed it

 

[Slowboat35]

E Anglia in Anglo-Saxon times

 

[Aquaboy]

Haven't seen it yet but picking up from comments here if he lived Botsdale way then a train from Diss hence post office.
Change at Ipswich then Woodbridge, ferry across by the tide mill, all makes sense.

A few pics of the Butley river, a favourite if its to late to make it up to Iken.

 

[Chae_73]

Watched last night; a pleasant film and nice to see Suffolk when we can't get there ourselves at present.

Anyone know the main house used in the film?

 

[geoid96]

Anyone know the main house used in the film?

It was Norney Grange, near Shackleford in Surrey.