A WALK AROUND OULTON PARISH
  • HOME
  • The Parish Boundary
  • Historical Facts 1
  • Historical Facts 2
  • Historical Facts 3
  • The Village
  • The Village Sign
  • The Medical Centre
  • The House of Industry
  • Oulton Village Maps 1797 to 1971
  • Walk 1
  • Walk 2
  • Walk 3
  • Walk 4
  • Walk 5

THE VILLAGE

Above:    Top three photos taken in the late 1980s. LEFT: Community Centre. CENTRE: The Street heading northwards. RIGHT: The Blue Boar Inn, heading southwards. The attached building is now the restaurant for the pub, it was once a blacksmith's workshop many years ago beside which stood the original Village Pound.

Bottom set of photos above - taken December 2008.  LEFT: Community Centre  - note the porch which has been added to the main entrance. CENTRE: View of  Oulton Road North from Union Lane.   RIGHT: The Blue Boar Inn - looking northwards.   All photos © W.Robertson


Picture
Above: A 1975 view of the 'Blue Boar' Inn.  Photo: Ivan A.W.Bunn
Picture
Above : The Blue Boar public house.  Date of photo unknown. 
Picture
Above: A 1960 view of the 'Red House' Pub     Photo: Ivan A.W.Bunn

The 'heart' of the village is the Community Centre , in Meadow Road, which is run by the Oulton Community Council - a group of enthusiastic volunteers. It was built in 1975 to replace the large wooden hut which served for many years as a village hall. The centre has a variety of affiliated clubs and organisations who use the centre on a regular basis. The building has one large hall fitted with a stage (there is a bar area, operated by a local licensee, that is used for special functions such as wedding receptions). There is a smaller hall which couples as the Oulton Community Church seating area - the hall being converted to a place of worship when the concertina type screen is opened to reveal the sanctuary altar, a small meeting room - 'the lounge', a fully equipped kitchen and toilet facilities.  It is a well run and busy community asset. The Oulton Parish Council meets at 7 p.m. on the first Tuesday of each month (except August) in the small meeting room. During the course of their meetings an 'open forum' is held allowing any parishioner to air their views  or concerns. At one time the village had two public houses - the 'Red House' which stood at the junction of The Street and Union Lane - this was demolished in the 1960s. The remaining pub - 'The Blue Boar Inn' dates from the 1600s.  Opposite the 'Blue Boar' stands four modern terraced houses, these stand on what was once the pub car park. In the 1800s this area was a bowling green and was owned by the pub. The main thoroughfare through the village (the B1375) is a busy road but when the northern spine road is completed, which will join Millennium Way through to the A12 near Corton Long Lane, perhaps Oulton will once again return to some of the tranquility it enjoyed in years gone by.

Photos above: (© W.Robertson).  LEFT: The main Community Centre hall. CENTRE: The Community Church Altar.  RIGHT: Community Centre -  'lounge' meeting room.  The painting, of a rural scene, was done by members of the Oulton Broad Art Circle and presented to the Community Centre, where they hold their weekly sessions.
(The photos were all taken December 2008)

Above: The Oulton Parish Book of Remembrance to Honour the Brave and Resolute Men of Oulton and Oulton Broad who gave their lives in the Cause of Freedom in WW1, WW2 and the Falklands War. 
This was designed, carved and constructed (free of charge!!) by Councillor William Robertson and presented to the Oulton Community Church on behalf of Oulton Parish Council and was fitted within the sanctuary altar area.  The book takes the form of a hinged box which when opened is laid within a green felt lined display cabinet. The contents of the book were printed/laminated then held in place by a 'ring binder' central spine. A dedicated website for the above was also designed (see information on the final page of this website) by Councillor William Robertson.  (Above photos © W.Robertson).

Update May 2016: Sadly the Oulton Community Church has now closed for worship. The Book of Remembrance has been removed from the church and it will eventually be installed in the parish church of St.Michael's.

Above - Some old photos: LEFT - The 'Red House' Public House which was demolished in the late 1960s. It stood on the north corner of Union Lane  on the now busy B1375 - This road was reclassified when Millennium Way was constructed, having previously been the A1117. The main entrance was very close to the road edge. If the pub was still there then no doubt this would present a hazardous situation to any pub user!!!  CENTRE - The Hall - built around  1790 - which stands concealed on the right just past the Oulton Road/Union Lane/Oulton Street crossroads heading northwards. It is now divided into two separate dwellings - 'The Grange' (north side) - 'The Hall' (south side). This building should not be confused with 'Oulton Hall'.  The original 'Oulton Hall' was situated at the western end of Hall Road , Oulton Broad  near the bend as it joins Christmas Lane. RIGHT - Oulton Manor House is known locally as Oulton High House.

Above: Taken December 2008. (© W.Robertson). LEFT: The site where the 'Red House' once stood. The north corner of Union Lane. CENTRE and RIGHT: Two views of The Hall. Centre is the north side dwelling (now named 'The Grange') and right is the south side dwelling (which retains the name of 'The Hall' ). Boundary railings are just in front of the vehicle on the right of the centre photo. There are two separate (concealed behind hedgerows) entrances from the B1375.

Above: LEFT - The three Alms Houses in The Street. These were built in 1774 as homes for the poor, paid for by charity. They are now privately owned. CENTRE LEFT and RIGHT - The same building. The left photo is as it looks at present (photo taken in 2008), whilst the right photo is the frontage when it operated as a funeral services business (S.P.Poppy and Son) up until the 1960s. It has been pointed out that the sign in the window offers a saw setting and sharpening service!! Quite a few years ago the building may have helped to sober up a few drinkers, as it was positioned midway between the Blue Boar Inn  and The Red House!! RIGHT - The house with the arched doorway was for many years the village shop and Post Office. Now converted back into a private dwelling. Its recent closure was a great loss to the village. Another small shop operated in Oulton Road for a number of years but that too suffered the same fate. However a large Aldi supermarket, situated nearby (off Millennium Way), has recently been built and opened for business in January 2009. Therefore in some respects the supermarkets are giving back something to the villagers of Oulton. (Photos © W.Robertson - except the shop front photo)

Picture
UPDATE:  A photo of the Oulton Post Office and shop referred to above.
Picture
Above: A 1975 view of the Alms Houses in Oulton Street. Photo: Ivan A.W.Bunn

Above: (© W.Robertson).  LEFT - A view of the meadow and Community Centre, from Somerleyton Road (1987). CENTRE - A view (2008) of the Oulton Corner Methodist Chapel in Oulton Road North. This has now been converted into a private dwelling. RIGHT: A view of the meadow, Community Centre and the Medical Centre from Somerleyton Road (2008).

Picture
Above: A 1973 view of Oulton Meadow. The buildings stand in Meadow Road. The structure in front of the trees is the old wooden Village Hall which was later demolished when the Community Centre was built. Photo: Ivan A.W.Bunn
Picture
Above : The Oulton Village Hut - photo taken early 1970s.
Picture
Above: The frontage of Oulton Corner Methodist Chapel showing the date of construction.
Picture
Above: In common with many villages in the late 1800s/early 1900s, Oulton had a Brass Band!!. The one depicted is believed to have been associated with the Methodist Chapel. (The photo was kindly supplied by David Cawdell, Hoxne, Suffolk). If any reader has further information on the band or members of the band then please pass this on to the author (email address on the home page).
Sadly some of these young men probably went off to war after the photo was taken and never returned.

Picture
Above: The Church of the Good Shepherd, Meadow Road  circa 1908.
Picture
Above: The interior of the Church of the Good Shepherd circa 1908.
At this time the church was referred to as Oulton Corner Mission Room.
The above two photographs kindly supplied by Capt. Paul McDonough, Church Army -  the Pastoral Minister for Oulton Community Church.  They were scanned from a  'Garden Party' leaflet, found in some St.Margaret's Church, Lowestoft papers. The leaflet was  produced in 1908 and the Garden Party was held to raise funds for the Mission Room.
Picture
Above: Children gathered outside the Church of the Good Shepherd - Coronation in 1953
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Above: Celebrations in Oulton Street for the 1953 Coronation.
​
**********************************************************************************************************

Above : Danesbury House, Oulton Road North.   Was once the home of the Rev Tim Fyffe (above). Tim was the Minister of the Church of the Good Shepherd in the 1970s..  When the church was sold some of the proceeds helped in building the Oulton Community Centre.  A church sanctuary (The Oulton Community Church) was an integral part of the Centre and Tim was appointed the first Pastoral Minister. Tim was also the person behind the campaign for a night shelter in Lowestoft.  The Fyffe Centre in Belvedere Road, Lowestoft is named after him. After his work in Oulton he moved to Wolverhampton where he was active in interfaith ministry.  Tim passed away at the age of 95 in January 2020 at the home of his daughter in Cambridgeshire. He is buried in Wolverhampton beside his wife and son.   His photo was taken during his visit back to Oulton for the 30th Anniversary of the opening of the Oulton Community Centre. Tim's father was the Anglican Bishop of Rangoon from 1910 to 1928 and his grandfather was a Army Surgeon General during the Crimean War. Tim was educated at Eton and Cambridge (a far better example of an Eton educated person than some we know!!). It was a pleasure to have known him.  Photos © W.Robertson
Picture

Above: The very ornate mantelpiece (dated around 1590 to 1600) that was once fitted in 'High House' Manor House. This was sold to a collector in the USA!!!

*************************************************************************************************************
Above: Three present day (taken 2016) views of High House. The left photo is the extension added in the Victorian era. The white part of the building shown in the centre photo is the original 1500s building. (Photos © W.Robertson). 
*******************************************************************************
 Below: The recently fitted Adult Fitness Area at Oulton Meadow
(open the slideshow link below to view the individual pieces of equipment)
Picture
All photos © W.Robertson
omofa_ppshow.ppsx
File Size: 908 kb
File Type: ppsx
Download File

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.