Upwell and Outwell, Norfolk

             Legacy of a 10th Century Squabble

        A squabble between two local abbots, joint Lords of the Manor, way back in the 10th century,
        has left a lasting impression on the Fen villages of Upwell and Outwell - the county dividing line!

        Christianity was first established in the area by the daughter of the King of East Anglia,
        Saint Audrey - a diminutive for St Ethelreda - in the 7th century.
  
        Around the year 800 the Danes invaded the area, coming up the River Nene, which was the main thoroughfare 
        through the marshy, boggy land.

        They ravished and robbed most of the monasteries and religious settlements en route and practically wiped 
        out Christianity, which was later to be re-established by Benedictine monks.

        It is no secret that Upwell and Outwell began life as one village by the name of Welle. In 974 King Edgar 
        gave half of Welle to the Abbot of Ramsey and half to the Abbot of Ely.

        When the Normans invaded Britain in 1066, it is said that the monks of Ely betrayed Hereward The Wake, 
        who retreated and settled close to Welle after his defeat.

        Welle was a settlement of importance as it provided all the thatch for houses and rushes for carpets and 
        the river facilitated easy export of wool.

        In 1109 the Bishop of Ely created his diocese and took over as Lord of the Manor for the Outwell end.  
        Then came the squabble over land with the Abbot of Ramsey, who was Lord of the Manor for the Upwell side 
        of Welle.

        Eventually they came to an agreement where the land on the Norfolk side came under the Abbot of Ramsey, and 
        the land on the Cambridgeshire side came under the Abbot of Ely - hence the county boundary of the river.

        Welle enjoyed local importance until Bishop Morton made Morton's Cut which changed the course of the River 
        Nene, bypassing the settlement.

        Taken from an old newscutting found in my mother's "box".

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        Beaupre Hall was the pride of Outwell before it fell into disrepair and was finally demolished in 1966.

        The Jacobean Hall, which stood at the bottom of what is now Beaupre Avenue, had historical links with Welle Manor Hall.

        As was the custom years ago many of the youngest sons of local respected families went into the Church.  
        When a younger son of the Beaupre's became Rector of St Peter's Church, he took over the Manor adjacent 
        to the Church, and afterwards it became known as "The Rectory".
  
        There are many myths and legends surrounding Beaupre Hall, which was used for the troops during WW2.  
        One of the most popular concerns a red stain.  The blood stain was supposed to be in the hall, and although 
        no-one knows how it got there, it would not wash away.

        Another tale concerns an unused bedroom - every morning the bed inside would be found to have been slept in!  
        The maids were instructed to re-make the bed every morning; but regular as clockwork, the bed was slept in 
        at night!

        Taken from another newscutting found in my mother's "box".

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         See also Upwell Baptist Chapel 

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This page created March 2001
& amended/updated 20:49 08/11/2008