The small Norfolk village of Carleton Rode has had a varied history.

On this site the History Group aim to publish brief extracts from our village history books and historical documents
donated or on loan to us. Please help us increase our knowledge of the village history, by sharing your memories,
photos or documents with us. Donated artefacts are welcome, but we can also make high definition digital copies of
your document and safely return your originals.

VISITOR

WE NEED YOUR HELP!- We are finally getting our next book together on the history of Carleton Rode.

Having outlined what we want to include, there are some areas where more information would be great. If you
have any information at all about flax growing that would be useful, especially any photographs.

Information or photographs of the workhouse, well, mills, shutter telegraph and anything else you think might be
useful. You may have documents or artefacts, something you've dug up in the garden, we would love to know. It
all helps with the all round picture, even if it isn't used in the final draft.

Flax Retting in Ireland

Do you have a photo of Carleton
Rode like this? we would love too
see your old photos of working
farms, businesses or families in
the village.

The flax plant stem is made up of various layers with the bundles
of fibre near the outside and woody matter on the inside, all bound
together with pectin, which is a natural gummy substance, The
woody matter has to be broken down and removed to release the
fibre. This is done by retting which is nothing more than rotting the
woody matter. We know local farmers harvested their crop and did
their own retting in flax dams or retting pits. The flax after pulling,
and still damp, was placed in the dam and weighted down and left
for days for the soft pulp to rot.

Do you remember the horrible smell? Or have photos or memories
of Flax growing and processing? Please let us know.

Flaxlands- More information needed