The story of Balsham was launched at The Black Bull pub in October 2017 and two of our team share what happened to them since the publication. Has it changed your perception of where you live? Where you grew up? Did you find long lost family? Solved a puzzle on a branch of your family tree?

Janice Ellam

Where do I start?  Firstly I guess is to say that personally I have learnt, and continue to learn so much about my own village, people and events. The 1617 Balsham Map Project gave me an opportunity to share ideas and inherited photos;  gaining an avid interest to keep on acquiring more images and knowledge along the way. But more importantly is the continuing contact with fellow members and friendships with all who colluded with the publication of ‘Balsham, a village story 1617 -2017’ back in November 2017.

Guess others will have mentioned the up to date Drone survey and subsequent Map Boards, which can be considered a great achievement and continues to attract interest  as well as being a wonderful tourist attraction.

Plus for me

• Contact through the 1617 website from old Balshamites, many of whom I knew either as adults or went to school with, so it was good to hear their stories, past and present and to be able document memories and images whilst expanding on some of the original book contributions. Many were researching their family histories and meeting with these people was particularly interesting and rewarding, funnily enough three of them lived in public houses.  Personally I have now been able to assist 15 families, and in the case of the Plumb family from the Fox Public House, I even found a new ‘cousin’ who doesn’t live too far from here.

• Generated interest to plan a central village archive with documents/maps and general historical information available to all to access.

• The published book and maps, together with photographic images, were the centre piece to some exhibitions, using showing how the village has evolved and developed over the years.  These were well attended and popular.

• I have also done a presentation ‘A Walk Virtual Around old Balsham’ a poem written in 1931 by a schoolgirl Elsie May Plumb (aged 14 years) which looks and probably sounds a bit like a talking version of the book.  Below are 2 of 96 verses written by Elsie.

If you ever visit the village of Balsham

Situated on a hill   

If you ever stand on the Chestnut-Green  

In the distance you’ll see a mill                        

If you walk past Chestnut-Green

 Then in sight there‘ll be a pond

Through it sometimes horses wade

And of watching them I’m very fond

 Margaret Creek

The outcome of our book has been amazing and interest remains to the present day.  The response we received enabled   further information to be added, places and people identified, and in some cases corrected, so the village story can be continued.

Of the many letters we received it has been possible to put people in contact with others and help them to add their research and family tree. 

On the green, next to the Prince Memorial information sign boards have been installed based on the old and modern maps with accompanying text from the book. Despite meticulously checking both maps and text, it was only after the boards had been carefully measured and put into position, that, the present owner of Nine Chimney House pointed out the figure 9 had been substituted for the correct NINE which is familiar and has been used throughout many centuries. Paving is to be laid allowing for a safe surface and wheelchair access.

Using old maps combined with other documents it has been possible to build up colourful images of how the village has expanded over the last century using modern technology.

On a fine morning in May 2022, a drone took to the skies above Balsham to record wonderful images of the village as it is today in a matter of hours.   How long I wonder did it take for the original map to be measured and recorded in such detail back in 1617?

All members of group have come a long way since we first met up way back in 2013. Sadly, Ray Symonds and Pat Faircloth have passed away, but their contribution and those of remaining members will live on for the next generation to continue ‘Balsham, a village story’.

Tell us your story

Let us know in the comments or send an email, we’d love to hear from you and share your story here. You can also buy a beautiful printed book from our website.