A Mysterious Copse of Trees in a Field Hiding a Bubonic Plague Pit near to Norfolk’s Tiniest Church!
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- čas přidán 13. 10. 2022
- The small village of Keswick in Norfolk is situated three miles south of the historic city of Norwich. Nearby to the part ruined church a mysterious circular copse of trees lay undisturbed in the middle of a wheat field. Still unable to be cultivated this miniature lost world hides a gruesome secret. The plot was previously a well known plague pit for Norwich which was dug to dispose of those who fell victim to Bubonic Plague. (The patch has since sprouted into woodland). Plague pits were dug when graveyards were full and local resources became overwhelmed. The pits were normally dug in fields and the victims buried were never memorialised in any way. The infected corpses were piled into the depths of the crater before the pit was immediately refilled to prevent spread of the disease. Bubonic Plague struck Norwich badly with four deadly outbreaks in 1579, 1603, 1625 and 1665 killing thousands. Also known as the Black Death it was an agonising killer. Common symptoms were sufferer’s skin turning black in patches and it also caused swollen limbs. The horrific disease triggered splitting headaches and compulsive vomiting. Directly north nearby lies the part ruined Keswick All Saints Church. The present church stands close to the site of an earlier church partly demolished in 1597. When Henry VIII split from the Catholic church Norfolk had many disused churches. Sadly All Saints along with many others fell into this category and was soon abandoned. Keswick Church fell into a ruinous state after being deserted for nearly 300 years. The Gurney family saved the ruin in 1893 and added a nave creating a mortuary chapel. Finally church services began once more in 1934 (approximately 400 years since the last) and it is thought to be one of the smallest functional round tower churches in Europe.
00:00 to 05:10
Music provided by HearWeGo (goo.g|/nDS3ZR)
Artist: VonnBoyd
Title: Myana
Listen on CZcams: • VonnBoyd - Myana
05:11 to 09:53
Music provided by HearWeGo (goo.g|/nDS3ZR)
Artist: VonnBoyd
Title: Underwater
Listen on CZcams: • VonnBoyd - Underwater
#plague #pit #norwich
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I love the history to Norfolk,so fascinating
Cheers Colin - so much to explore in Norfolk with all the hidden gems 🙂
Fascinating stuff as always Edward, great video (I'm Graeme 🙂 ... You're getting a decent amount of views now 👍)
Cheers Graeme - good to hear from you - the views are beginning to slowly increase with each new upload - this one was particularly popular 🙂
Very atmospheric telling of this macabre story. Your video and drone footage are incredible. I had no idea that pit was there, and I'm guessing there must be many more of these throughout the country. How sad. It's good to see that trees and other vegetation have sprung from this grisly grave area.
Thank-you for commenting and being so complimentary. I’ve often passed this particular copse of trees and thought how strange it was and it just looked out of place. When I found out the real reason I was shocked and it’s not widely known of outside the immediate area. Nature has fully reclaimed the site now and has helped commemorate those unfortunate souls buried here. The plague pits were often topped off with quick lime and I’ve been told it can live for hundreds of years. It is still against the law to farm the land hence why the soil is only cultivated around it, leaving the copse of trees isolated in the centre of the field!
This is interesting. I have often see crops of trees in the middle of fields and wondered why they are there.
It could be for the same reason as this one. 🤔 Good video
Thank-you for tuning in - this particular copse in a field looked so out of place - it’s very possible there could well be a fair few others dotted around the countryside across the country - there’s a couple of other suspicious sites in Norfolk alone
I know of loads
It reminds me of the MR James story “The Wailing Well”.
Hi there - I’ve had a few people say the same 🙂
Another one for my "Must see" list.
Haha cheers Rod - pleased you’ve got a good few places to tick off on your next trip to Norwich 🙂
I wish you could go round and do every county in the U.K.
I’m learning so much and it’s so interesting.
Love the atmospherics music and your footage is incredible.
Thank you ❤
Thanks so much Rachel to one of my loyal supporters - always appreciate your lovely comments - makes it all seem worthwhile 🙂
Very atmospheric. Thank you.
Cheers Ian - not very well known this place so thought would be an appropriate share with the upcoming Halloween season
Really interesting, I didn't know about these. Living in Norfolk my whole life and still learning about it. I wildcamp in woods, I'm thinking ill avoid small patches of woods after seeing this.
Hi Jamie - cheers for commenting it is much appreciated. It is extremely rare for a copse of trees to have a history like this - although that said there are one or two other suspicious sites in Norfolk - thanks again for your interest 🙂
@@HauntedandAbandonedNorfolk I’ve been going through your videos, really nice what you’re doing. In Norfolk as well has a great interest to me. I know of the Church in Santon Downham and the spring, but do you know of any of any other haunted areas? I spend quite a bit of time in Shouldham Warren but haven’t heard of anything haunted there either? ATB mate
Thanks for the complimentary comments and for taking the time to watch the videos. In terms of Shouldham Warren I haven’t come across anything specific to that area. In terms of Norfolk as a whole Thetford in particular has quite a few reputedly haunted locations all of which are in quite close proximity to each other. Thetford Warren Lodge and Santon Church are both located within Thetford Forest. Closer to the town you have Thetford Priory and the ruins of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre - both of which have ghostly tales to tell. Thanks again for your interest 🙂
Incredibly atmospheric. I had no idea of the existence of this plague pit.
Hi John - it’s not widely known outside of the immediate area and even many who live close-by are unaware of its previous usage. The landowner is still unable to farm this section of land as it is against the law to excavate or crop it. I’ve often passed by and wondered as it looks so out of place - was intrigued when I found out the real reason - a sad history but thought was an appropriate share with the impending Halloween season - thank-you for watching and commenting - very much appreciated 🙂
What a charming little church🙂😊
Hi Colin - visited this church lots of times in the past was so pleased to finally get a look inside 🙂
I always find the church locked x
Wonderful ....
Thanks for tuning in again Michael 🙂
So atmospheric and beautiful.
Hi Sophie - thanks so much for tuning in and your continued support 🙂
Thank you for an informative video.
I have visited the church several times but have never seen inside and have never realised the copse was significant in any way.
If you do happen to go back there any time soon, please could you take a look at the strip of trees that separates the two fields immediately to the north of the church.
It was too overgrown to investigate when I was there but it appears to me there is a shallow incline from the road and could possibly conceal the entrance to a chalk/flint mine similar to the one that has been illegally blocked up by the nimbyists at the nearby golf course.
If it is a mine, then the tunnels would go directly under the churchyard and the flint from these could have been used by the Gurneys to patch up the tower???
Hi thanks for your interest. I am aware of the strip of trees backing onto the churchyard you are referring to. While walking the perimeter I did notice there was a caged off section within this strip of trees. There is also the remains of what looks like an old quarry a short distance north west immediately behind another line of trees separating two fields. The incline here is far too steep to investigate and it has become overgrown with trees and bushes now but it is deep - possibly around 50 meters. Going from memory it stretches over a distance of about 100 meters wide. Thank-you and if visiting again in future I’ll bear your interesting suggestions in mind
now they have sheeps on this field, it's nice to see them every time we drive along that road
Hi Helen I saw there are sheep grazing there, has a real countryside setting to it now 🙂
Ahh that what it is!! Go past this daily just off the Mulbarton road
Hi Lee - yes that’s correct. I always thought when passing by how strange that copse of trees was in the middle of a ploughed field. Now I know why - quite gruesome really but thought was a good post for the Halloween season!
Someone told me that the strange font had been purchased from the local garden centre !
fantastic video!! please could you tell me the name of music track , many thanks
Hi Martin there is a link to the music track in my video description. The artist is VonnBoyd and there are two tracks called Myana and Underwater. Thanks for your interest and your compliments about the video 🙂
I spent a great deal of time at this location in the spring of '73 where I conjured the spirits of the dead and ate handfuls of dirt used to bury plaque victims.
I got woods like this near where I live after watching this video I think I need to find some info on the land l, we in here digging making jumps for the motor bikes 🙆♂️😳
Hi Rob - you never know - it maybe worth researching - this particular pit isn’t widely known and only those local to the area who have lived here for a long time are aware of it - cheers for commenting 🙂
Is this a standard way of dealing with plague pits? Should I always think a group of similar trees hide a dark secret?
Hi thanks for your interest. It is still against the law to excavate or crop medieval plague pits. Which is why this particular section of the field has been left uncultivated for so long and has sprouted into woodland. On occasions trees were planted to commemorate the area where plague victims were buried. There are a few other suspicious sites around Norfolk
@@HauntedandAbandonedNorfolk very interesting! We’ve been to Norfolk one, but got pinged by the covid app and had to head straight home so we didn’t get to explore as much as we would have liked!
No ghosties?
Hi John - heard a few spooky tales from around the area will have to visit again at some point 🙂