— (111) Barnby, The Street —

(visited 06-Oct-2024)

Where's Barnby, you're asking? Next to North Cove.Near Mutford, if that helps? OK, they're all betwixt Beccles and Lowestoft.

Cast your mind back to the late August bank holiday. I suggested to G. that we, as a couple, could get the pushbikes then let the train take the strain up the East Suffolk line (think I developed a taste for the journey on a birthday trip to Lowestoft). Alighted (alit?) at Beccles, rode up Gaol Lane, had the best takeaway croque monsieur evs from the tiny Two Magpies, then cycled out via Worlingham in the vague direction of Oulton Broad.

Mr Google directed us on a safe path alongside the A146 through the aforementioned North Cove and into previously unknown Barnby. Obliged to stop at the charming Chapel Coffee Lounge for caffeine 'n' cake, and back on the saddle along The Street. Hold on, what's that on the left?

Of course, I haven't seen a wall properly unless I'm with me old ma. Cue a revisit, this time en voiture, in early October and still with patches of blue sky. Parked on the grass opposite gives a very clear view of the Clearview contemporary crinkle-crankle; well, once the guy walking his miniature horse had gone by. Street View's snaps from 2009 show a totally different picture of a bungalow set back in plenty o' garden. That must have been totalled and replaced by the current development. And, walking back past the nearby primary school, there are definite masonic curves at Wiggs Acre too. Closer you get to Carlton Colville, the higher the wavy wall count.

— (112) Beccles, Laurels End —

(visited 06-Oct-2024)

My plan, post Barnby, was to park in Beccles and stroll to the other to-do destination half a mile away. What I hadn't appreciated was the steep ascent from the Waveney Meadow car park on Puddingmoor (yes, near that sweet wall) to Ballygate and the many hundred subsequent yards past Hungate Lane, along London Road and left on Peddars Lane. Did my mum bring any water? Did I? Not as such. Was mightly glad to hit Ingate and cease our weary gait at Laurels End.

On that same bank holiday cycle trip we'd eventually caught the train back from lovely Lowestoft. Coming through Beccles, I felt a bit like William Shatner wiping the plane window in that Twilight Zone episode: nothing on the wing this time but heck, isn't that a wall out there?

Over there's the railway line. Over here's an infill handful of houses with some waviness -- on both sides! -- at the entrance, probably of a similar modern vintage to Barnby. My mum, heart rate slowly normalising, quite liked the walls but was a whole lot less keen on the bins, wanting to shift them for her Facebook photos. Bonus points for the autumnal hues draped over the coping stones. And everybody much happier when we were tucking into well-deserved desserts at The King's Head, aka the local 'Spoons.

— (113) Thorington Street, Stoke by Nayland —

(visited 23-Mar-2025)

Numerous walls have come my way thanks to the righteous folk at Rightmove. Most recently I learnt of a promising property in Thorington Street, a tiny place between Stoke by Nayland and Higham. Hold up, I thought, isn't that Essex? No, confirmed Google, that's Suffolk, justabouts. Could I see those bricks on StreetView? Nope. Darn.

Then ex-Eastern colleague Martin kindly sent me my first DM on Bluesky asking "Do you extend into Essex for crinkle-crankle walls? One at a garden centre, Fillpots." That place, I saw, was very much in that vicinity. Let's combine the two and take me mum and, for a change, the Good Lady Wife.

Firstly to Fillpots at Boxted, north of Colchester and five mins from their Jobserve footy stadium. Past the plants 'n' pots brought us to the sizeable caff. Through there, I said, pointing to the outside seating. To our left, a six-foot modern-ish wavy wall was mostly hidden by assorted greenery. Top line of brickwork nicely picked out in a charcoal colour, it weaved unobtrusively (and mostly un-noticed) for maybe 30m. Not bad for Essex. Each of us had the Fillpots cream tea: ten out of ten. Merci, Martin.

Secondly to Suffolk, phew, crossing the border at the River Stour near delightful Nayland then east into Thorington Street. Another wall near here, I said. Thought we might try the door. While the GLW stayed in the car, mother and son knocked and were granted entry and a seat at the kitchen table by the gracious Yvonne, relatively new to the house. Talk of these weird structures prompted her to introduce us to Indian stepwells and a old photo of her house up on the wall, then we three went to examine the "single expanse of lawn enhanced by a diverse range of border planting with walled border to front and crinkle crankle wall to rear," to quote Rightmove. Cute little stretch of contemporary red bricks at right-angles to the main road and with a mossy skirt enhanced by some daffs and a currently bare magnolia tree. The lady of the house left us to it, job done, while we snapped away as per. Takk, Yvonne.