Diss
Encyclopedia
Diss is a town
(population 6742) in Norfolk
, England
close to the border with the neighbouring East Anglian county of Suffolk
.
The town lies in the valley of the River Waveney
, around a mere
(lake
) that covers 6 acre (2.4 ha; 0.00937500828913072 sq mi). The mere is up to 18 feet (5.5 m) deep, although there is another 51 feet (15.5 m) of mud, making it one of the deepest natural inland lakes in England. The town takes its name from dic an Anglo-Saxon
word meaning either ditch or embankment.
Diss has a large number of historic buildings, including the early 14th century parish church
. It is also home to a museum
. Diss railway station
lies on the Great Eastern Main Line
route from London to Norwich
.
, Diss was then officially included in Suffolk
, in the Hartismere hundred
(a hundred was an administrative subdivision), as recorded in the Domesday book
. It is recorded as being in the king's possession as demesne
(direct ownership) of the Crown, there being at that time a church and a glebe
of twenty-four acres. This was considered to be worth £15 per annum, which had doubled by the time of William the Conqueror, it being then estimated at £30 with the benefit of the whole hundred and half, belonging to it. It was then found to be a league long (around 3 miles (4.8 km) or nearly 5 kilometres), and half this distance broad, and paid 4d. (9.6 new pence) in Danegeld
. From this it appears that it was still relatively small, but it grew shortly after when it subsumed Watlingsete Manor, a neighbouring area, which was as large as Diss, and seemingly fuller of inhabitants, according to the geld or tax that it paid. This was afterwards called Walcote, and includes part of Heywode, as appears from its joining to Burston, into which town this manor extended.
The whole estate quickly fell into the hands of the Lordship of the FitzWalters (who were raised to Baron FitzWalter
s in 1295) and in 1299 the then Lord FitzWalter obtained a charter of confirmation for a fair every year at his manor of Diss, to be held around the feast of St. Simon and Jude (October 28), and several days after. A grant made in 1298, to William Partekyn of Prilleston (now Billingford
) granted, for homage and half a mark of silver, two homesteads in Diss, with liberty of washing his wool and cloths in Diss Meer. This came on the express condition that the gross dye should be washed off first. It seems as if the church of Diss was built by the same Lord, as his arms were cut into the stone of the south porch of the church several times.
A short while after the Battle of Agincourt
in 1415, Edward Plantagenet
Duke of York, and Earl of Rutland, came to hold Diss manor, hundred, and market, together with Hemenhale; and the title of Lord FitzWalter became attached to the estate. It was part of a much larger estate that included Hemenhale and Diss manors, with the hundred of Diss in Norfolk, the manors of Shimpling
and Thorne in Suffolk, of Wodeham-Walter (now Woodham Walter
), Henham
, Leiden (now part of Leaden Roding), Vitring, Dunmow Parva (now Little Dunmow
), Burnham (possibly equating to the modern village of Burnham-on-Crouch
), Winbush, and Shering (now Sheering
) in Essex. Shortly after, the estate fell into the hands of the Ratcliffe family, who inherited the title of Baron FitzWalter. The Ratcliffe family owned the land until at least 1732, styling themselves Viscounts FitzWalter.
Opposite the 14th century parish church of St. Mary The Virgin stands a 16th century building known as the Dolphin House. This was one of the most important buildings in the town. Its impressive dressed-oak beams denote it to be a high-status building, possibly a wool merchant's house. Formerly a pub, the Dolphin, from the 1800s to the 1960s, the building now houses a number of small businesses.
Adjacent to Dolphin House is the town's marketplace, the geographical and social centre of the town. The market meets every Friday (except Good Friday
and other holidays, when it is rescheduled to the preceding Thursday) and hosts a variety of local traders selling fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, fish and cheeses. The market was first granted charter by Richard the Lionheart. The town's post office
and main shopping street (Mere Street) are also located by the marketplace.
Early in 1871, substantial alterations were made to a house in Mount Street, about 100 yards (91.4 m) north of the parish church. The workmen were removing the brick flooring of one of the ground-rooms and excavating the soil beneath, to insert the joists of a boarded floor, when they discovered a hoard of coins. Beneath the bricks, they came upon the original hard clay floor, and in the centre of the room, at about 18 inches (45.7 cm) from the surface, the remains of an earthen vessel were found, containing over three hundred coins. With the exception of two fine gold nobles, all of the coins were silver.
In March 2006, Diss became the third town in the UK to join Cittaslow
, an international organisation promoting the concept of 'Slow Towns'.
(St. Mary the Virgin), Catholic
, Methodist
, Baptist
and community churches.
at Wembley in 1994, Diss RFC (based in nearby Roydon
) who won the London 2 North league in 2009 earning promotion to the National leagues, Diss & District Cycling Club and Diss & District Bowls Club and Diss ladies netball club.
Diss has produced a few national and international sports stars, including footballer Matthew Upson, who played in defence for England and Arsenal
amongst others, and Great Britain judo team member Colin Oates.
The local Rugby Union club in Roydon has recently enjoyed a great deal of success having been promoted twice in successive years. There is also an athletics club.
There are two local newspapers serving the town, the Diss Mercury, and the Diss Express
which was founded in 1864. There is also a local magazine, Your Local Magazine.
, a former poet laureate
whose poem "Ware the Hawk" is set in St. Mary's Church. Others include Thomas Lord
, founder of Lord's Cricket Ground
and England footballer Matthew Upson
.
In 2006, the South Norfolk Youth Symphonic Band
, a Diss-based band made up of young musicians from the area, won the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service
.
Ethel Le Neve born 1883 on Bryars Lane (off Victoria Road) was the mistress of Hawley Harvey Crippen
- better known as Dr Crippen, who murdered his wife Cora Crippen in 1910.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
(population 6742) in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
close to the border with the neighbouring East Anglian county of Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
.
The town lies in the valley of the River Waveney
River Waveney
The Waveney is a river which forms the border between Suffolk and Norfolk, England, for much of its length within The Broads.-Course:The source of the River Waveney is a ditch on the east side of the B1113 road between the villages of Redgrave, Suffolk and South Lopham, Norfolk...
, around a mere
Mere (lake)
Mere in English refers to a lake that is broad in relation to its depth, e.g. Martin Mere. A significant effect of its shallow depth is that for all or most of the time, it has no thermocline.- Etymology :...
(lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
) that covers 6 acre (2.4 ha; 0.00937500828913072 sq mi). The mere is up to 18 feet (5.5 m) deep, although there is another 51 feet (15.5 m) of mud, making it one of the deepest natural inland lakes in England. The town takes its name from dic an Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
word meaning either ditch or embankment.
Diss has a large number of historic buildings, including the early 14th century parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
. It is also home to a museum
Museum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
. Diss railway station
Diss railway station
Diss is a railway station which serves the town of Diss in Norfolk, England. The station is on the Great Eastern Main Line south of Norwich towards London Liverpool Street. The station, and all trains serving it, are operated by National Express East Anglia...
lies on the Great Eastern Main Line
Great Eastern Main Line
The Great Eastern Main Line is a 212 Kilometre major railway line of the British railway system, which connects Liverpool Street in the City of London with destinations in east London and the East of England, including Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich, Norwich and several coastal resorts such as...
route from London to Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
.
History
In the time of Edward the ConfessorEdward the Confessor
Edward the Confessor also known as St. Edward the Confessor , son of Æthelred the Unready and Emma of Normandy, was one of the last Anglo-Saxon kings of England and is usually regarded as the last king of the House of Wessex, ruling from 1042 to 1066....
, Diss was then officially included in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, in the Hartismere hundred
Hartismere (hundred)
Hartismere was a hundred of Suffolk, that later gave its name to a poor law union, a rural sanitary district, and the Hartismere Rural District....
(a hundred was an administrative subdivision), as recorded in the Domesday book
Domesday Book
Domesday Book , now held at The National Archives, Kew, Richmond upon Thames in South West London, is the record of the great survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086...
. It is recorded as being in the king's possession as demesne
Demesne
In the feudal system the demesne was all the land, not necessarily all contiguous to the manor house, which was retained by a lord of the manor for his own use and support, under his own management, as distinguished from land sub-enfeoffed by him to others as sub-tenants...
(direct ownership) of the Crown, there being at that time a church and a glebe
Glebe
Glebe Glebe Glebe (also known as Church furlong or parson's closes is an area of land within a manor and parish used to support a parish priest.-Medieval origins:...
of twenty-four acres. This was considered to be worth £15 per annum, which had doubled by the time of William the Conqueror, it being then estimated at £30 with the benefit of the whole hundred and half, belonging to it. It was then found to be a league long (around 3 miles (4.8 km) or nearly 5 kilometres), and half this distance broad, and paid 4d. (9.6 new pence) in Danegeld
Danegeld
The Danegeld was a tax raised to pay tribute to the Viking raiders to save a land from being ravaged. It was called the geld or gafol in eleventh-century sources; the term Danegeld did not appear until the early twelfth century...
. From this it appears that it was still relatively small, but it grew shortly after when it subsumed Watlingsete Manor, a neighbouring area, which was as large as Diss, and seemingly fuller of inhabitants, according to the geld or tax that it paid. This was afterwards called Walcote, and includes part of Heywode, as appears from its joining to Burston, into which town this manor extended.
The whole estate quickly fell into the hands of the Lordship of the FitzWalters (who were raised to Baron FitzWalter
Baron FitzWalter
Baron FitzWalter is an ancient title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1295 for Robert FitzWalter. The title was created by writ, which means that it can descend through both male and female lines. His great-grandson, the fourth Baron, was an Admiral of the Fleet. His grandson, the...
s in 1295) and in 1299 the then Lord FitzWalter obtained a charter of confirmation for a fair every year at his manor of Diss, to be held around the feast of St. Simon and Jude (October 28), and several days after. A grant made in 1298, to William Partekyn of Prilleston (now Billingford
Billingford, Breckland
Billingford is a village and civil parish in the Breckland district of Norfolk, England, on the River Wensum, and between Norwich and Fakenham. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 223 in 91 households.-External links:...
) granted, for homage and half a mark of silver, two homesteads in Diss, with liberty of washing his wool and cloths in Diss Meer. This came on the express condition that the gross dye should be washed off first. It seems as if the church of Diss was built by the same Lord, as his arms were cut into the stone of the south porch of the church several times.
A short while after the Battle of Agincourt
Battle of Agincourt
The Battle of Agincourt was a major English victory against a numerically superior French army in the Hundred Years' War. The battle occurred on Friday, 25 October 1415 , near modern-day Azincourt, in northern France...
in 1415, Edward Plantagenet
Edward of Norwich, 2nd Duke of York
Sir Edward of Norwich, 2nd Duke of York, 2nd Earl of Cambridge, Earl of Rutland, Earl of Cork, Duke of Aumale KG was a member of the English royal family who died at the Battle of Agincourt....
Duke of York, and Earl of Rutland, came to hold Diss manor, hundred, and market, together with Hemenhale; and the title of Lord FitzWalter became attached to the estate. It was part of a much larger estate that included Hemenhale and Diss manors, with the hundred of Diss in Norfolk, the manors of Shimpling
Shimpling
Shimpling is a village and civil parish in south Suffolk, England. Located around 7 miles from Bury St Edmunds, it is part of Babergh district. The village is essentially split into two halves, the newer Shimpling Street and around 2 miles away the actual village of Shimpling...
and Thorne in Suffolk, of Wodeham-Walter (now Woodham Walter
Woodham Walter
Woodham Walter is a village about three miles west of Maldon in the English county of Essex. The village is part of the Wickham Bishops and Woodham ward of the Maldon district.-History:...
), Henham
Henham
'Henham', or Henham-on-the-Hill is a small village near Stansted Airport, located in Uttlesford, Essex. It has a population of around 1200 and used to be a station on the Elsenham to Thaxted branch line. Its local pub is The Cock...
, Leiden (now part of Leaden Roding), Vitring, Dunmow Parva (now Little Dunmow
Little Dunmow
Little Dunmow is a village situated in rural Essex, England, in the vale of the River Chelmer about east-southeast of the town of Great Dunmow. It can be reached from the Dunmow South exit of the A120 by following the road towards Braintree for 3.2 km before turning right for the village...
), Burnham (possibly equating to the modern village of Burnham-on-Crouch
Burnham-on-Crouch
Burnham-on-Crouch is a town in the Maldon district of Essex in the East of England. It lies on the north bank of the River Crouch.-History:Historically, it has benefited from its location on the coast - first as a ferry port, later as a fishing port known for its oyster beds, and most recently as a...
), Winbush, and Shering (now Sheering
Sheering
Sheering is a village in Essex, located on the outskirts of Harlow. It, along with the neighbouring village of Lower Sheering, forms the Civil Parish of Sheering, part of the Epping Forest District....
) in Essex. Shortly after, the estate fell into the hands of the Ratcliffe family, who inherited the title of Baron FitzWalter. The Ratcliffe family owned the land until at least 1732, styling themselves Viscounts FitzWalter.
Opposite the 14th century parish church of St. Mary The Virgin stands a 16th century building known as the Dolphin House. This was one of the most important buildings in the town. Its impressive dressed-oak beams denote it to be a high-status building, possibly a wool merchant's house. Formerly a pub, the Dolphin, from the 1800s to the 1960s, the building now houses a number of small businesses.
Adjacent to Dolphin House is the town's marketplace, the geographical and social centre of the town. The market meets every Friday (except Good Friday
Good Friday
Good Friday , is a religious holiday observed primarily by Christians commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and his death at Calvary. The holiday is observed during Holy Week as part of the Paschal Triduum on the Friday preceding Easter Sunday, and may coincide with the Jewish observance of...
and other holidays, when it is rescheduled to the preceding Thursday) and hosts a variety of local traders selling fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, fish and cheeses. The market was first granted charter by Richard the Lionheart. The town's post office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
and main shopping street (Mere Street) are also located by the marketplace.
Early in 1871, substantial alterations were made to a house in Mount Street, about 100 yards (91.4 m) north of the parish church. The workmen were removing the brick flooring of one of the ground-rooms and excavating the soil beneath, to insert the joists of a boarded floor, when they discovered a hoard of coins. Beneath the bricks, they came upon the original hard clay floor, and in the centre of the room, at about 18 inches (45.7 cm) from the surface, the remains of an earthen vessel were found, containing over three hundred coins. With the exception of two fine gold nobles, all of the coins were silver.
In March 2006, Diss became the third town in the UK to join Cittaslow
Cittaslow
Cittaslow is a movement founded in Italy in October 1999. The inspiration of Cittaslow was the Slow Food organization. Cittaslow's goals include improving the quality of life in towns by slowing down its overall pace, especially in a city's use of spaces and the flow of life and traffic through them...
, an international organisation promoting the concept of 'Slow Towns'.
Religion
Diss has at least 9 churches including Church of EnglandAnglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
(St. Mary the Virgin), Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
, Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
and community churches.
Sport and culture
The town is home to several sporting organisations, including Diss Town FC, who won the FA VaseFA Vase
The Football Association Challenge Vase is an annual football competition for teams playing below Step 4 of the English National League System...
at Wembley in 1994, Diss RFC (based in nearby Roydon
Roydon, South Norfolk
Roydon is a small village and parish in the county of Norfolk, England, about a mile west of Diss. It covers an area of and had a population of 2,358 in 981 households as of the 2001 census....
) who won the London 2 North league in 2009 earning promotion to the National leagues, Diss & District Cycling Club and Diss & District Bowls Club and Diss ladies netball club.
Diss has produced a few national and international sports stars, including footballer Matthew Upson, who played in defence for England and Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
amongst others, and Great Britain judo team member Colin Oates.
The local Rugby Union club in Roydon has recently enjoyed a great deal of success having been promoted twice in successive years. There is also an athletics club.
There are two local newspapers serving the town, the Diss Mercury, and the Diss Express
Diss Express
The Diss Express is an English newspaper that covers a 500-mile square circulation area on the Norfolk/Suffolk border and has a print/online audience of more than 29,000...
which was founded in 1864. There is also a local magazine, Your Local Magazine.
Notable people
Famous people from Diss include John SkeltonJohn Skelton
John Skelton, also known as John Shelton , possibly born in Diss, Norfolk, was an English poet.-Education:...
, a former poet laureate
Poet Laureate
A poet laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events...
whose poem "Ware the Hawk" is set in St. Mary's Church. Others include Thomas Lord
Thomas Lord
Thomas Lord was an English professional cricketer who played first-class cricket from 1787 to 1802. He made a brief comeback, playing in one further match in 1815. Overall, Lord made 90 known appearances in first-class cricket...
, founder of Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground
Lord's Cricket Ground is a cricket venue in St John's Wood, London. Named after its founder, Thomas Lord, it is owned by Marylebone Cricket Club and is the home of Middlesex County Cricket Club, the England and Wales Cricket Board , the European Cricket Council and, until August 2005, the...
and England footballer Matthew Upson
Matthew Upson
Matthew James Upson is an English footballer who plays for Stoke City in the Premier League. He is a central defender and he has played for England at full international level including at the 2010 World Cup....
.
In 2006, the South Norfolk Youth Symphonic Band
South Norfolk Youth Symphonic Band
South Norfolk Youth Symphonic Band is a group of young musicians aged 8–23 based in Diss, South Norfolk.The band motto is "Music is fun".- History :...
, a Diss-based band made up of young musicians from the area, won the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service
Queen's Award for Voluntary Service
The Queen's Award for Voluntary Service, also known as the The Queen's Golden Jubilee Award for Voluntary Service by Groups in the Community is an annual award given to groups in the voluntary sector of the United Kingdom. Winning groups are announced in the London Gazette on 2 June each year, the...
.
Ethel Le Neve born 1883 on Bryars Lane (off Victoria Road) was the mistress of Hawley Harvey Crippen
Hawley Harvey Crippen
Hawley Harvey Crippen , usually known as Dr. Crippen, was an American homeopathic physician hanged in Pentonville Prison, London, on November 23, 1910, for the murder of his wife, Cora Henrietta Crippen...
- better known as Dr Crippen, who murdered his wife Cora Crippen in 1910.
External links
- Diss Town Council – official town council website
- Norfolk: Diss GENUKI Norfolk transcript from History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk, William White, 1845