HISTORY OF DECOYS. | |
| The Decoy is maintained in superb order by Mr. Tyssen-Amherst, M.P., who takes no little pride in its possession,-both as an object of curiosity as well as an ornamental feature in connection with his fine sporting estate of Didlington - an estate which, I may safely say, is celebrated, both for the immense number of game it shelters as well as for the great variety of wildfowl its fens and rivers afford. There is at Didlington, in the immediate vicinity both of the Hall and the Decoy, a fine mere of 60 acres-a magnificent harbour, to attract wildfowl to the neighbourhood-and from which it is but a short flight for them into the Decoy hard by. One of the Decoy pipes is actually in view of the windows of the mansion, and though the Decoy is within 300 to 400 paces of a school, gas-works, and a large farm and garden, still its success is so well ensured that 1,000 Ducks may often be seen resting in its seclusion. The Merton Decoy consists of a pipe attached to the eastern extremity of Thompson Mere. This large piece of water, covering 60 acres, is situated 2 miles south of Merton Hall, the latter being 2½ Miles from Watton. The Decoy pipe was constructed for Lord Walsingham by G. Skelton (1886), and is likely to be successful, for the Merton estate, besides being one of the most famous in England for its abundance of game of all kinds, stands well-nigh unrivalled as the haunt of wildfowl, both rare and common. So numerous are these birds on the meres of Lord Walsingham's property, that the owner thereof has many times shot to his own gun in a single day from 80 to 100 wild ducks of various species. Dersingham, 5 miles NNE. from Castle Rising, not far from the shores of the Wash. -About 1818 a Decoy was constructed at this place by George Skelton the younger, who died here. The pool was about an acre and a quarter in extent and had five pipes. No Decoy-book was kept, but Skelton's brother-in-law, who worked the Decoy with him, stated, that the average number of fowl captured every winter was from 130 to 200 dozen Wild Duck, Teal, Wigeon, Gadwall and Pintail. Skelton was succeeded by a man named Sharp, from Hilgay, and a new cottage was built for him ; but it is said that he was not successful. | |
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