The Challenge of Finding Truth in Speculative Historical Writings

As noted in the early history compiled by Nelson Burlingame, it is almost certainly true that the place name (now "Burlingham") in the area of Norfolk between Norwich and Yarmouth was derived from early Burlingame (then Burlinghame) ancestors. Today, the small villages known as South Burlingham and North Burlingham in the Blofield Parish are rural, sparcely populated and peppered with farm fields. Three Norman-era churches (Burlingham St, Edmund's, Burlingham St. Peter's and Burlingham St. Andrews) are located proximate to each other in the area and two are still in regular use. Burlingham St. Peters is in ruins due to bell tower collapse in the early 1900's. (See the next section for more on the churches). Descendants who wish to visit the area can find a few bed and breakfast businesses -- there is one in Lingwood (The Station House) -- but hotels are located in the city of Norwich.

One of the challenges with any effort to research family history is to sort out the historical truth from the misinterpretations, confusions, exaggerations and false family lore that is a part of the work of all genealogy. But there is also that complex in-between history that one often runs across - it sounds implausible, but maybe is true. A few examples of this can be found in this excerpt from the Nelson Burlingame history that just about everyone with the American surname Burlingame has seen. This writer actually visited this area of Norfolk in 1999 and found some of what Nelson wrote to be true. Unfortunately, some of what he learned shows that information as noted about the Melvin Burlingame trip in 1960 is just wrong. The old private residence near the Burlingham St. Edmund's church is not called Burlingame Hall -- it is called "Old Hall". We met with the current owner (Peter Scupham) and there is really no evidence we could find that any Burlingames ever lived there. In fact, the early Burlinghames probably figured in the naming of the place -- but most certainly have no direct connection to Old Hall -- which, for a time, was the Manor House where the Lord of the Manor for South Burlingham lived. Given the mermaid decoration over the door, the home might have been owned by a family in the merchant business. Not much else is known for sure about the original owners of the house, but more recent evidence indicates it may have been built by the Younger family. (see the page on this site about Old Hall for more information and photos).

There was indeed a Burlingham Hall nearby -- a much larger and more modern building (built in 1790) that was razed in the 1950's. And another building is called Burlingham House -- when last visited it was a group home for mentally disabled persons (see aerial view). (For some history of Burlingham Hall see the passage at the bottom of this page and also here).

Historically, it is true that back in the 1800s when Burlingham Hall was still a private residence, it was the the place where the Kaiser, a grandson of Queen Victoria, might have stayed. And Burlingham Hall was named for the village -- and was never home to any Burlinghams. And as for the Kaiser, he certainly would not have stayed at Old Hall. That place was in near ruin until Scupham began to restore it in 1990. (See more about Burlingham Hall from an 1883 publication at the bottom of this page).

When we visited with Peter Scupham, he actually talked with us about the possibility of a tunnel from his home (Old Hall) to the nearby Burlingham St. Edmunds Church. He had heard this rumor from local folks around the village of South Burlingham. He speculated that the tunnel may actually have been built to allow the residents of Old Hall to escape to the sanctuary of the church during the turmoil of the Reformation. But -- he had explored the basement and had found no evidence of it. In the following passage, Nelson Burlingame is reporting information he received from Melvin Burlingame who had visited South Burlingham in 1960. Unfortunately, this passage confuses and wrongly interchanges the two buildings -- Old Hall and Burlingame Hall. They are not really even that close to each other and Burlingame Hall is about 300 years younger than the Old Hall which was built in the 1580's. As noted above, Old Hall was certainly an unrestored mess in 1960 when Melvin Burlingame was there. Melvin also said the church Burlingham St. Edmunds (near Old Hall) was build in 1580 -- it actually was built about 300 years earlier than that. Its recently discovered wall paintings of Beckett's murder were painted in the 1300's. To set the record straight then, in the following passage, it is not Burlingham Hall that is within sight across a field of the Burlingham St. Edmunds church, it is actually Old Hall. The date of the construction of the church is wrong and the famous Kaiser may have actually stayed at Burlingham Hall, perhaps, but absolutely did NOT stay at Old Hall. And of the speculated tunnel between Old Hall and the nearby church? Well, that may actually may have been true hundreds of years ago -- but not likely as the current owners of Old Hall can find no evidence of it. So, we find that much of the history in this passage from the Nelson Burlingame manuscript has several errors from either speculation or misinterpretation. The church construction dates listed in the passage were thought to be accurate in the 1960's but have since been changed by more accurate historical research.

So with the caveat of cautioning the reader to research this information personally, here is another excerpt from the Nelson Burlingame history. And just a further note, there was a ship called the 'Bonaventure' - not the 'Bonadventurer' -- and it did sail from London to Virginia in January 1634 with a George Burlingham on board (see highlighted link over ship's name above):

Norfolk - Burlingham St. Peter

Kelly's Directory for Cambridgeshire, Norfolk & Suffolk, 1883, p.264.

BURLINGHAM ST. PETER is a parish 9 miles east from Norwich an 1½ north-east from Lingwood railway station, in the Southern division of the county, Blofield hundred and union, Norwich county court district, rural deanery of Blofield and archdeaconry and diocese of Norwich, on the road from Norwich to Yarmouth, The church of St. Peter is a building of flint with stone dressings, and consists of chancel and nave, separated by an oak screen, a tower round at the base, with an octagonal top and 3 bells : this church was restored at the sole expense of Mrs. Burroughes, of Burlingham Hall, and re-opened for divine service, September, 1874. The register dates from the year 1560. The living is a rectory, annexed to that of North Burlingham, joint yearly value £530 with residence, in the gift of the trustees of the late H. N. Burroughes and held since 1880 by the Rev, Chas. Chapman McArthur. Burlingham Hall, the seat of Mrs. Burroughes, is a commodious mansion, situated in w well-wooded park. The trustees of the late H. N. Burroughes, esq. are lords of the manor and chief landowners. The soil is good mixed; subsoil, clay. The chief crops are wheat, barley and oats. The area is 405 acres; rateable value, £913; and the population in 1881 was 64.

Source: Parish Clerk, Robert Hammond.