"Yes, that's what I meant," said
Amelia. "If someone went diving down there, I suppose they could technically ring the bells, but nobody would hear it from shore." She led the group over to a display case containing artifacts from Dunwich's Norman era, beside which was a depiction of a street scene from that time.
"In spite of Viking raiders,"
Amelia continued, "Dunwich grew and prospered thanks to overseas trade. One group of Vikings had settled down in Normandy, in northern France, and they became the people we know as the Normans. In 1066, William the Conqueror crossed the Channel and swiftly took over, becoming King William I of England. Twenty years later, he ordered a census of his kingdom, which was the aforementioned Domesday Book. The original of that book is at the National Archives in Kew. There was a long section on Dunwich, of which we have a copy of an excerpt here." She pointed out a framed piece of paper hanging from the wall next to the display case. The paper read: 'Edric of Laxfield held Dunwich before 1066 as one manor; Twenty Four Frenchmen with 40 acres of land. Burgesses 236, poor men 180, They pay 4 10s. The land on the cliff used to be 200 acres, as the Sea had carried off the other 100'
"You can see from this that the sea was already starting to encroach on Dunwich. At the time, however, the erosion made for a better harbour. Commerce flourished, and fishing was plentiful."
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