DISS - the town and its Mere
Although I have been through Diss several times, I had never been into the town centre and was unaware of the Mere. So a visit today to rectify this!
Diss acquired its name from the Saxon word 'Dic' or 'Disce' meaning a 'ditch of standing water' which I assume refers to what in now the mere.
One of it`s famous residents was Sir John Betjeman, who loved Diss above all East Anglian towns, and often said he was more proud of being president of the Diss Society than he was of being Poet Laureate - some complement.
So here follows some of the thing seen as I meandered around.
The Diss sign is topped with a shield bearing the town’s coat of arms, two sets of blue and white wavy lines. The sign (below) is two sided, with both sides depicting stories related to royalty – though the stories are separated by nearly 300 years.
“John Skelton Rector of Diss (1505-1529) Poet Laureate and tutor to the young Prince Henry (Later Henry VIII) give instruction to the prince and his sisters Margaret and Mary.”
He caused outrage among his parishioners by living with a Common Law wife and several of his children born out of wedlock.
“Matilda, daughter of Robert Fitz-Walter (the Valiant) Lord of the Manor of Diss, rejected the advances of King John. The angry King sent a messenger with a poisoned potched egg - “whereof she died” 1213.”
A ‘potched’ egg was a boiled egg (rather than a poached egg) and this is shown on the sign. King John was regarded as a dreadful womaniser and he attempted to seduce the wives and daughters of many noblemen. He was also regarded as being extremely cruel and was associated with several gruesome deaths including some caused by deliberate starvation. Ironically, King John himself is reputed to have died after eating a ‘surfeit of peaches’ at Newark Castle in 1216, although the likely cause of his death was dysentery.
The story about King John and Matilda has an unexpected connection with Skelton. To entertain his young pupil, the future Henry VIII, it has been suggested that Skelton fused several stories together and the result was one in which Matilda escaped King John and joined her newly married husband in a woodland – this became the tale of Robin Hood and Maid Marian.
In 2023 an art sculpture, "Flock," was installed near the park area. ‘Flock’ is inspired by the flocking of flights of birds, schools of fish and the swarms of eels, which are synonymous with the Mere and the nearby River Waveney.
Diss Mere is a picturesque, 6-acre natural lake and conservation area located in the heart of the historic market town of Diss. Known for its 20-foot depth and thick, 6-meter mud bed, it offers a tranquil park setting, popular for angling, walking, and observing wildlife.
It is a beautiful spot and I took some time walking around parts of it, admiring the views that were unfortunately restricted by the rather misty day!
The Mere is managed by the Diss and District Angling Club, featuring carp, tench, and roach. It formerly held a famous 122lb (55kg) catfish removed in 2020.
Initially I came across a board-walk which took me out a little way into the Mere, as this image shows looking back toward some of the lucky residents!
On one side of the Mere there is large park, and this is the view from there. Large numbers of ducks and gulls, all waiting to be fed.
The oldest part of St Mary’s is dated around 1290, so I am led to believe. With a lot of 14th century work, including the tower, and several extensions, including modern ones such as the church hall. It has a massive nave largely dating from the late 15th century.
It underwent significant Victorian restoration in the late 19th century, as did many of our churches.
Looking toward the font
Facing the Chancel
Blessed Virgin and child in small niche. Couldn`t find any thing about this - perhaps as the church is dedicated to St Mary the Virgin?
One of the 19th century windows. This one the east (chancel) window.
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 as an important 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.
The Corn Hall is an impressive Grade II listed building which was originally built as a corn exchange. It is now a thriving arts venue offering a wide range of quality entertainment. The Corn Hall’s popularity with audiences from across the region has resulted in it being shortlisted in the Norfolk Arts Awards People’s Choice Best Venue. It is run by the Diss Corn Hall Trust which is a charity dedicated to the promotion of the performing arts.
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