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Diss
Diss is a delightful market market located on the
Norfolk-Suffolk border. It gets its name from the 'Dic'
or 'Disce' - which was Saxon for 'ditch of standing
water' and has been variously known as Dice, Dysse, Dis,
Dic, Disce, Dize and Disze. The town is famous for its links with two poet laureates:
John Skelton and Sir John Betjeman.
John Skelton (?1460-1529) was born in the town
and later became the rector of St. Mary's Church from
1504 until his death. However, much of his time was
spent at court in London.
Skelton is famous for his short lines and tumbling
rhymes which subsequently became known as 'Skeltonic
Verse' or 'Skeltonics'. W.H. Auden and Robert Graves
were both admirers of his work - though Pope referred to
him as 'beastly Skelton'.
His poem Ware the Hawk is set in St. Mary's church.
Here is an extract:
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I shall you make relation,
By way of apostrophation,
Under supportation
Of your patient toleration,
How I, Skelton Laureate
Deviséd and also wrate
Upon a lewd curáte,
A parson beneficéd,
But nothing well adviséd.
He shall be as now nameless,
But he shall not be blameless
Nor he shall not be shameless;
For sure he wrought amiss
To hawk in my church of Diss.
Read complete poem |
Characters from Diss also inspired his poems The
Epitaph of Adam Udershall and A Devout Trental
for Old John Clarke.Skelton once horrified his
congregation at St. Mary's by turning up with a common
law wife and a child born out of wedlock. The town sign,
located next to the Mere, depicts him teaching Prince Henry
- later Henry VIII. |
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See also Norwich |
St. Mary's Church |
John Betjeman first came to Diss in 1963 when he was
filming a series about English market towns for the BBC.
He knew little about the town originally but it soon
became one of his favourites. The town also inspired his
poem A Mind's Journey to Diss
which is addressed to Harold Wilson's wife Mary. Mary,
like John Skelton, was born in Diss. The poem records an
imaginary journey from Liverpool Street train station in
London - out through the suburbs - and on northwards
through East Anglia. In classic Betjeman style, it
captures many topographical features along the way
including church-towers, maltings and quays before
finally drawing to a close at Diss station. Here is the last
verse of the poem:
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Till in the dimmest place of all
The train slows down into a crawl
And stops in silence.....Where is this?
Dear Mary Wilson, this is Diss.
Read
complete poem |
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John Betjeman |
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Links:
St. Mary's Church
The Betjeman
Society
Betjeman's Grave
Skelton's Grave |
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Supported
by Norfolk Tourism