This is the final stop on our history walk. From the base of the chalk pit you can look up the steep sides of the slope to the tree tops of the wood and the pathway where you looked down into this pit from stage five of the walk. What is now the footpath into the basin of the former chalk pit is where the tramline would have been that allowed chalk, mined from the pit, to be taken down to the River Yare for transport. The now derelict quay heading where the wherries were loaded can still be seen at low tide, but are now to be found a few metres out due to the gentle erosion of the river bank over the years.  Drawing of Whitlingham chalk quarry in the 1850's |
This is a relatively recent mine, worked right up until the late 1920s - but local communities were exploiting the natural mineral resources of the Yare valley since prehistoric times. Evidence has been found in the area of a Neolithic flint axe factory, including unfinished axes and waste flakes - discarded some 4000 years ago. In the 1700s a human skeleton, together with the picks made from deer's antlers, were found in one of the chalk tunnels - possibly the body of one of the Neolithic flint miners. Flints from the pit are also known to have been used in the rebuilding of Woodbastwick Church in the 19th century. Just a couple of minutes walk from here as you head back to the main broad, you'll see a large white house on your left. This was once a pub for the area and behind it there used to be chalk tunnel made famous for its echo. At the time the chamber was quite a local attraction, but it sadly no longer exists having either collapsed or removed by later quarrying. Head back out of the chalk pit the way you came and turn left, walking past the white house, along the road. After the white house take the grass path heading across the meadow, back through the trees where stop three is and then back onto the road. Follow along the road and then back along the side of the Great Broad, back to the Little Broad car park to complete you circular History Walk Through Time at Whitlingham Country Park. Drawing of chalk mine reproduced with kind permission of the Landscape Archaeology section of the Norfolk Museums Service. bbc.co.uk/norfolk would like to thank The Broads Authority, the Norfolk Wildlife Trust and the Norfolk Museums & Archaeology Service for their expertise and assistance in the production of the Whitlingham Country Park Walk Through Time. |