We had a great time when my Mom visited a few weeks ago. We took a day trip into Norfolk and visited 3 different historic sites. The first was a Neolithic flint mine called Grimes Graves. It was in operation around 3000B.C. We donned hard hats (all except Eliot, as he was too small) and climbed down into one of the many shafts they've found and saw the pre-historic tunnels where flint was mined using the antlers of red deer as pick axes. This place was in the middle of nowhere and a bit creepy, I thought. Colin was pretty sure he spotted some Neolithic men loitering about some run down cars just off the road before we entered.
Next was the Norman town of Castle Acre with a Cluniac Priory established in the 11oos. The ruins were impressive and Eliot and Olivia found lots of places to run and hide in. After lunch and a visit to the local church (which had a door big enough for a knight in full armor to ride through on horseback to receive a blessing before battle) we moved on to Castle Acre Castle also constructed in the 1100s. Very little of the castle is left there, but the earth work defenses are quite dramatic. Eliot and Olivia continued their running around while we 3 dashed after them hoping they wouldn't fall into the huge moat or ditch or off a ruined wall.
We stopped off on the way home and picked up groceries (taking advantage of actually having a trunk to carry our groceries home in instead of on our bikes) and made a quick visit to Olivia's school, so she could show it to Grandma. After a quick dinner of frozen pizza we hustled the now very tired kids off to bed. Eliot thanked God for ruins in his bedtime prayer. We continue to be so happy here.
