Itteringham

Itteringham lies a few miles north-west of Aylsham.

The poet George Barker (1913-1991) is buried in St. Mary's churchyard. At the foot of his grave lies a granite book with the words: 'No Compromise' inscribed.

George Barker

Bintree House, where he lived with his wife the novelist Elspeth Barker, is located in the village. His daughter Raffaella Barker wrote Come and Tell Me Some Lies (1994) - a semi-autobiographical novel about growing up in the house. George Barker was renowned as a hard drinker and womaniser and had a total of 15 children by various women.

Bintree House

He also had a affair with the Canadian poet Elizabeth Smart which inspired her to write By Grand Central Station I sat Down and Wept. (Elizabeth Smart lived for many years at Flixton in Suffolk.)

The River Bure

In his poem Morning in Norfolk Barker provides us with a beautiful description of the River Bure - which flows through Itteringham:
 

Read complete poem

Much of Barker's poetry concerns sin and forgiveness and is intimately connected with his Roman Catholic upbringing. However, in his later years he also found inspiration from the Norfolk landscape - as can be seen in his moving poem At Thurgarton Church. He frequently visited Thurgarton church - which lies a few miles north of Itteringham - and was no doubt struck by its thatched roof and lack of a tower.

Barker is often associated with the 'new romantic' school of poetry - along with Dylan Thomas. However, since his death Barker's popularity has declined. The may be due, in part, to the success of the Movement poets such as Philip Larkin.
 

Links:

St. Mary's Church

Itteringham Village Website

Itteringham Mill

Elizabeth Smart's grave

Raffaella Barker