Suffolk and Norfolk: A Perambulation of the Two Counties with Notices of Their History and Their Ancient Buildings

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Cambridge University Press, Aug 26, 2010 - History - 290 pages
M. R. James (1862-1936) is probably best remembered as a writer of chilling ghost stories, but he was an outstanding scholar of medieval literature and palaeography, who served both as Provost of King's College, Cambridge, and as Director of the Fitzwilliam Museum, and many of his stories reflect his academic background. First published in 1930, this volume contains a guide to many historical places of interest in the counties of Suffolk and Norfolk. James concentrates mainly on the medieval history of these counties, weaving fascinating details of personalities and daily life with surviving examples of churches, monasteries and manors. In this tour around the two counties, the history of rich monastic foundations such as Bury St Edmunds and Norwich is discussed together with lesser-known historical sites in a clearly written and richly illustrated volume, which remains a valuable source for medieval scholars and historians.
 

Contents

INTRODUCTORY I
1
MONASTERIES
23
SOUTHWEST SUFFOLK
42
NORTHWEST SUFFOLK
59
THE STOWMARKET AND EYE DISTRICT
73
EAST SUFFOLK
85
NORTHEAST SUFFOLK
110
SOUTHEAST QUARTER
126
MIDEAST NORFOLK
142
MIDNORTH NORFOLK
161
AND WEST NORFOLK
186
NORTHWEST NORFOLK
202
THE APOSTLES IN ART
215

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About the author (2010)

M. R. James was born in Goodnestone, Kent, England on August 1, 1862. He was an English mediaeval scholar and provost of King's College, Cambridge (1905-1918) and of Eton College (1918-1936). He is best remembered for his ghost stories which are widely regarded as among the finest in English literature. He began writing his ghost stories as an entertainment for his friends; he would read these stories each year at Christmas to his colleagues at King's College. The earliest of these tales include Canon Alberic's Scrap-book and Lost Hearts, both of which were later collected in his first anthology of supernatural fiction, Ghost Stories of an Antiquary (1904). Perhaps his single greatest story is the profoundly disturbing Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad (1904). He died on June 12, 1936.

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