Aylsham
Aylsham is a thriving historic market town adjacent to the River Bure in Norfolk, England. Rising near Aylsham the river continues on to Great Yarmouth and the North Sea. It was after 1779 that the Bure became navigable thus allowing coal, corn and timber to be brought up river.
As with many of the other market towns in the county, the weaving of local cloth brought prosperity to the town in medieval times, and until the 15th century it was the manufacture of linen that was foremost, with Aylsham linens and Aylsham canvases being known nationally. From the 16th century the manufacturing of linen declined and it was wool that became of more consequence, a situation that continued until the coming of the industrial revolution. Thereafter the principal trade of the town was corn and timber, together with a range of trades that were to be found in a town which supported local agriculture.
It was in 1519 that Henry VIII granted a market on Saturdays and an annual fair to be held on March 12, which was the eve of the feast of St Gregory the Pope. Aylsham markets have always been an important feature of the town and businesses have developed to meet the needs of the town and the farming lands around it. As well as weekly markets there were cattle fairs twice a year and in October, a hiring fair. It is the rights of the stallholders in the market place today that date back to the rights established in medieval times.
There are a number of beautiful stately houses in the area, the most famous of which is Blickling Hall, just over a mile from the town. It is reputed to be the birthplace of Anne Boleyn, second wife of Henry VIII. The Black Boys Inn in the Market Place is one of Aylsham's oldest surviving buildings and has been on the site since the 1650s, although the present frontage dates between 1710 and 1720. There is a frieze of small black boys on the cornice. The Black Boys had stabling for 40 horses and employed three ostlers and four post boys. Author Daniel Defoe stayed in Aylsham in 1732 and enjoyed a meal at the Black Boys. Parson Woodforde, the famous Norfolk diarist, also dined there in 1781 and Horatio Nelson, whose cousin lived in Aylsham, is said to have danced in the Assembly Room.
From snacks to relaxed dining, Aylsham has some great places to eat. Coffee shops in the town offer delicious refreshments during the day, while in the evenings, excellent home-cooked meals can be enjoyed in one of the nearby restaurants. The Greens public house boasts an award-winning carvery plus an extensive menu featuring all traditional favourites and many daily specials where local produce including fish is used. The recently refurbished Black Boys Hotel, the imposing Grade II listed building in the centre of Aylsham, caters for both traditional as well as the more imaginative tastes using local produce wherever possible.
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