History walk 2

The footpath Staithe Road to Cess and the site of the Town House via Sandy Lane - from TG442185 to TG445180

Physical Character

The path leaves Staithe Road at the western end and goes down Sandy Lane – a ‘green lane’ about 15 feet wide between trees and hedges.  As the lane continues south west it becomes an increasingly hollow lane about three feet below the level of the adjoining fields.

At TG452185 the green lane leaves Sandy Lane and continues at about 12 feet in width towards Cess, between cropped fields.  It is wide enough for the use of farm machinery and vehicles. 

At TG445182 the lane ends, having reached the dwellings on the edge of the former common.  Here a narrow path about three feet wide goes south along the edge of the former common to TG445180.  On the east side are the fences of gardens and on the west are trees and undergrowth which have grown up on part of the site of the former common.                                                                                

Historical Ecology

Sandy Lane, which is shown on the digital map, is a very ancient lane.  It was shown on the Enclosure map of 1812 as Private Road No. 8. However, it must have existed for hundreds of years before the Enclosure.

The green lane that leaves Sandy Lane is another path through ’the wongs’.  It was the route to the Church and school for the people who lived on that part of the edge of the Common.  Until the middle of the 18th century a ‘Town House’ existed at TG445182 to house paupers.  This would no longer have been needed when the ‘House of Industry’ was opened at nearby Rollesby, and Martham paupers were housed there from 1777.

Photographs: courtesy of Chris Harrison

1.  The beginning of the green lane known as Sandy Lane 

2.  The green lane leaves Sandy Lane at TG452185

3.  The green lane looking back from beyond the tree above

4.  The green lane continues west

5.  Looking back from near the end of the green lane

6.  The green lane where it reaches the houses at Cess

7.  The footpath going south at TG445182 from the end of the green lane.  This follows the edge of what was once The Common

8.  The footpath joins footpath 3. at TG446180

Move to Footpath 3