George Chilvers, baptised 22 August, 1813, was the eleventh child of John Chilvers and Mary (née Howard) ... OPR (original parish record) Castle Acre, Norfolk, England.

The 1841 census lists George as head, 25, bricklayer.  His wife, Lucy Ann (née Harvey) would have been born about 1811 since their marriage took place 14 December, 1832;  George Chilvers, single and Lucy Anne Harvey, by banns, witnesses John Harvey signed, Elizabeth Harvey marked. This information was OPR, Castle Acre, Norfolk, England.

Although George was listed as bricklayer, brickmaker, baker & lime burner, master baker, we have come to know that “a lime burner is someone who reduces limestone to lime in a limekiln by heating very strongly”.

Before Lucy died 04 October 1842, she gave birth to five children: -
Caroline, Lucy Anne, Elizabeth, Ellen and Mary Harvey Chilvers.  Lucy Anne died at age five, Elizabeth age six, and Mary Harvey age six.  Of the remaining two children, Caroline was the only one, that we know of, who married - Caroline married Robert Springle, 23 October 1862, in Castle Acre, NFK.

“Goodness, as full as this earth is, think how crowded it would be had it not been for infant mortality 150 years ago.”        (Bev Weston).

After Lucy died, George married Ann Bubbins, 27 October 1843:  George Chilvers, wid., lab, Castle Acre, s/o John Chilvers, marr Ann Bubbins, single, Castle Acre, d/o John Bubbins; he marked, she signed.  Benjamin Chilvers witness, marked.  In another Chilvers story we see that Benjamin was one of George's older brothers.

Ann, born 1806, in East Rudham, Norfolk, died 02 December 1877 and was buried in Castle Acre ... St. James C/E parish register, Castle Acre.  She did not bear George any children but brought with her, William and Edward Bubbins.  In the 1841 census, William was 15, while  Edward was 10 ... both may have been her sons.

Edward, in the 1851 census, became a lodger in the home of Sarah Utting (née Capes), wid., head  and pauper and by the following year, 21 November 1852, was married to her ... yet another story!

George and his family can be found in the 1841, 1851, and 1861 census.  The year following the 1861 census, however, George died 05 July 1862, at the age of 48 and was buried the 8th of July.  George was born in Castle Acre, worked there all his life, and finally put to rest there.

Reading this, you can see that the CHILVERS, BUBBINS, SPRINGLE/SRINGALL, UTTING, and the CAPES families, were all intertwined histories in the past life of Castle Acre, Norfolk, England.  The following will give you an insight into where this history took place.

Castle Acre, Norfolk, is located four miles N. of Swaffham.  The castle which lies beside the ancient trackway, Peddar’s Way, had walls large enough for eight girls, with locked arms to walk on, the walls being covered with ivy.  (A reminiscent memory of my TURNER uncle Leonard, born in Ringland, Norfolk)

The road maintenance system around Castleacre was Roman period X formation.  The Castle itself was built shortly after the Conquest, by William The Conqueror's son-in-law, William de Warenne, First Earl of Surrey, and occupied by the family until the line died out in the 14th century.

It was built on a scale befitting its noble master, and although only fragments of the shell-keep remain, it is a full 160 ft. in diameter and within it there are the foundations of an oblong keep.  The only castle building to survive intact is the 13th century gateway with a pointed arch and flanking towers.  The grooves for the portcullis can be seen.  At the top of the present Bailey Street in Castle Acre, is a well preserved gateway with two round towers which formed part of the Castle.  On the opposite side of the main street is an old inn with the unusual name of "The Ostrich".  The fine church is on the way to the Priory.  A lane leads through a fairly well preserved 15th century brick gatehouse to the Priory.

The priory was founded about 1090.  William de Warenne had been impressed by a visit to the great abbey at Cluny in Burgundy.  When he returned he introduced the Cluniac order of monks into England.  He founded a Cluniac priory near his main castle in Lewes, Sussex, while his son founded Castle Acre Priory in the latter years of the 11th century.  The Castle Acre priory was a daughter establishment of the one at Lewes.

The village site was certainly well populated before the Norman castle and priory were built, for a large Saxon cemetery with burial urns has been excavated, and there is also a report of stone coffins, which may have belonged to the castle founder and his wife and were discovered during bridging of the Nar.

At West Acre, which is 3 miles W. of Castle Acre, there are the remains of a priory which was founded by the Augustinians only a few years after the Cluniac order was established at Castle Acre.

Castle Acre fortress was probably enlarged by his descendant, who in 1297, entertained Edward I as his guest.  Fairs for toys and pedlery are held on St. James’ day and Aug. 5th.  The whole Castle Acre estate was bought from the Howards, Dukes of Norfolk, by Coke of Norfolk in the 18th century. Coke bought some 3,000 acres.

This story has been written by Audrey Lake, and proof-read by my cousin Beverley Weston.  Both of us are descended from George Chilvers through his daughter Caroline who married Robert Springle (gall).  Robert's daughter Lucy Elizabeth married Henry Turner and our parents, Elsie Melita and Cyril Gordon Turner respectively, brought us into the world.

The CHILVERS, SPRINGLE/SRINGALL, TURNER line stretched itself from Castle Acre,
Norfolk, England, to the farmlands of Saskatchewan and presently from the west coast of Victoria, British Columbia across Canada to its east coast, Belleisle Creek, New Brunswick, where Beverley's brother, Barry Turner and his family live.  The world has gotten larger since those small beginnings.
 

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Issue 1, 27th October 1999