# Derelict marshman's cottage by the River Bure (Norfolk)



## hamishsfriend (Jun 14, 2011)

Pictures of this location have been posted on here before, albeit quite a while ago. The contributor has, however, mis-identified (or confused with another) the disused drainage mill. I suppose we ought to be grateful, because people with vandalism in mind seem to never have been able to find it and what we are looking at is dereliction in its natural state.

The drainage pump is one of the older, early 19th century mills situated along this stretch of the river, evidenced by reports that it used to have cloth sails. The location of the scoop will can still clearly be seen but no trace of it remains.







A ruined cottage adjoins at the bottom of the dike. This is a lovely and peaceful spot, provided one likes living in a somewhat remote and isolated location. For the people who once lived here it would not have been a question of choice but rather a matter of practicality, because the cottage was in all likelihood built as a home for the marshman and pump keeper and his family. It is interesting to observe, I thought, how the thatch was laid, and also to see the long stakes that had held it in place still firmly embedded in the rafters.











Needless to say that there appears to have been no mains water supply and no electricity. The largest (and only) downstairs room in the small cottage is the living room which had a big fireplace at one end. Beside it, to the right, is a bricked-in rectangular space, the purpose of which I do not know. 











The bedroom was situated in the loft above, with a narrow staircase leading up to it. It would have been cosy and warm up there. There was a kitchen and scullery extension out back, with a privy added at the corner. 






View into the kitchen ...


























... and out of the kitchen window






The empty privy






When the drainage pump became redundant the family would have moved out. The cottage has been standig empty ever since. It is subsiding and there are large cracks in the walls. The thatch on the main roof is almost entirely gone and the corrugated roof covering the extension has fallen in. Brambles and weeds are growing over the broken and rotting roof timbers, the glassless windows and the flaking paint. 
















It still is a lovely and peaceful spot.


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## kathyms (Jun 14, 2011)

*cottage*

a lovely find. it must have been a lonely life but as a family they would have been close. i cant imagine liveing without running water or at least a pump in the yard. again thank you


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## hamishsfriend (Jun 14, 2011)

kathyms said:


> a lovely find. it must have been a lonely life but as a family they would have been close. i cant imagine liveing without running water or at least a pump in the yard. again thank you



Thanks, glad you enjoyed. I would imagine that they fetched their water from the river, only a few steps away.


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## smiler (Jun 20, 2011)

Another lovely find HF, I loved it, keep them coming, Thanks


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## Acebikerchick (Jun 20, 2011)

Wonderful place and photos...


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## manof2worlds (Jun 25, 2011)

Rather than start a new thread, I thought I would, once again, add to Hamish's. After seeing Hamish's excellent pictures, I took a long and leisurely walk to this little location. It's a pure delight and relatively untouched. The drainage mill enjoys a prominent position on the River Bure, but the cottage is nicely out of sight.

The morning of my visit was quite interesting weather wise, the clouds soon pulled over and the wind was quite strong, so I am planning a return visit soon to capture the mill again.

So, to the pics:

1.




Marshman's Cottage and Drainage Mill, River Bure, Norfolk, U.K. by manof2worlds, on Flickr

2.




Marshman's Cottage and Drainage Mill, River Bure, Norfolk, U.K. by manof2worlds, on Flickr

3. What remains of the staircase.




Marshman's Cottage and Drainage Mill, River Bure, Norfolk, U.K. by manof2worlds, on Flickr

4.




Marshman's Cottage and Drainage Mill, River Bure, Norfolk, U.K. by manof2worlds, on Flickr

5.




Marshman's Cottage and Drainage Mill, River Bure, Norfolk, U.K. by manof2worlds, on Flickr

6. I couldn't resist taking a look at the upstairs - let me tell you that the building isn't particularly stable ;-)




Marshman's Cottage and Drainage Mill, River Bure, Norfolk, U.K. by manof2worlds, on Flickr

7. Underside of the staircase




Marshman's Cottage and Drainage Mill, River Bure, Norfolk, U.K. by manof2worlds, on Flickr

8. The drainage mill




Marshman's Cottage and Drainage Mill, River Bure, Norfolk, U.K. by manof2worlds, on Flickr

9. I couldn't resist a little creativity ;-)




Marshman's Cottage and Drainage Mill, River Bure, Norfolk, U.K. by manof2worlds, on Flickr


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## smiler (Jun 25, 2011)

Oh well done for getting a pic of the upstairs, HF was right it would have been warm and cosy up there, well it seems as if it would from this distance in time but on a freezing cold winters night back then maybe not. Thanks for Sharing.


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