SUFFOLK-L Archives

From: Tom Stevenson <>
Subject: Research Trip
Date: Mon, 01 Oct 2001 06:27:28 -0400

We just returned from a wonderful two-week trip from the USA to England
to research my DRURY and HAYDEN family roots. We left on one of the
first days that flights were resumed in the U.S. We had no problems
travelling. Security was thorough but efficient at each end. With the
number travelers reduced from normal volumes, we experienced even less
delays than usual.

We traced my Drury ancestors' path starting in Hastings, where they may
have participated in the Battle in 1066. After visiting Battle Abbey and
the Castle of Hastings we travelled to Suffolk and visited the villages
of Thurston, Rougham, and Hawstead which were seats of the Drurys, and
also at Lawshall where Henry Drury was visited by (and subsequently
arrested by) Queen Elizabeth in 1578. We stayed near Bury St. Edmunds
and spent a day at the excellent facility at the Suffolk Records office
there, as well as the museum just around the corner. We also spent a day
in London and visited the British Library which houses original
manuscripts and one of the world's best research libraries for history
and family research.

>From there, we travelled to Norfolk again following my ancestors'
migration path. We visited the ruins at Godwick and stayed at Docking,
which was the final stop of my Drurys before coming to American in about
1660. While in Docking we stayed at the North Farm. We spent two days at
the Norfolk records office in Norwich which turned out to be another
great resource for family history.

While in Norfolk we also stayed at Hayden Hall in Hayden, England.
Hayden was the original seat of my Hayden ancestors and there is still a
magnificent Hayden shield on the wall of the church which is believed to
have been used for the funeral procession of one of the very early
Haydens. There is no trace left of the original Hayden Hall, but the new
one is quite historic and was built by the Dynnes after the Haydens sold
them the estate in 1569. It was later taken over by the Bulwers. Sarah
Bulwer owns it today and has opened the two-story laundry on the estate
to visitors as a B&B cottage. The grounds and hall are magnificent. It
was also a short drive from there to Baconsthorpe to see the ruins of
the castle there, which was the primary seat of the Haydens for
centuries. We did not get to visit the Grove at Watford on this trip,
which is the seat of my direct line of Haydens, because it is under
extensive renovation and the property is closed to the public. It will
reopen in 2003 as a hotel and golf course with the manor restored to its
1922 condition. I understand that there is not much left there from the
time of the Haydens other than a coat of arms in the church in Watford.
We will visit there the next trip.

I have to say that the hospitality and generosity from nearly everyone
we met, was the best we have experienced anywhere. Museum staff brought
out paintings from storage of ancestral Drury manors to show us in Bury
St. Edmunds. Neighbors of churches supplied us with keys or tour guides
if they were locked up. Archivists at the records offices in Bury and
Norwich were extremely helpful and were a real blessing. Everywhere we
stayed, the B&B operators not only offered the warmest hospitality but
took an interest in our research and arranged visits with local
historians, church archivists, or local descendants of the family. I
would very strongly encourage anyone who is researching your family
roots in England to plan a research trip. Prices are low and the
airlines were safer than ever.

In the coming weeks and months I will begin updating my Drury webpage
and adding a Hayden page to share the fruits of our research. If anyone
would like details on the places we stayed or how to contact them or the
record offices, please feel free to email me.

Best regards,
Tom Stevenson
--
http://www.DruryFamily.com
http://www.GenealogySource.com

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