West Norfolk rowing club to feature in TV documentary
King's Lynn Coastal Rowing Club (KLCRC) will be given national recognition in a new historical TV documentary. Picture: Julian Kirk - Credit: Julian Kirk
A West Norfolk rowing club will be given national recognition in a new historical TV documentary.
The focus of the documentary will be on Norwich's past during the Tudor era and will feature TV presenter and anthropologist professor Alice Roberts.
King's Lynn Coastal Rowing Club (KLCRC) were approached by the film crew who took an interest in their hand-crafted St Ayles skiffs.
The four-oared rowing boats follow a similar design to Fair Isle skiffs, a traditional style of small fishing vessels descended from the Viking age.
'The reason they came to us was because our skiffs look quite ancient, the design is over 100 years old,' said KLCRC PR secretary Julian Kirk.
'They wanted something looking as close as possible to Tudor boats.
'Alice Roberts was very interested in our boats, she does kayaking herself.'
Most Read
- 1 Blaze sees 20 passengers evacuated from city bus
- 2 'Significant construction' on A47 to begin in 2023
- 3 Parked cars prevent buses from serving north Norfolk village
- 4 First-time publicans transform their local and are already winning awards
- 5 Buses damaged in city centre collision
- 6 All of the Norfolk streets that won the Postcode Lottery in June
- 7 New pub landlord welcomes back families and introduces street food menu
- 8 West Norfolk beach named the best in the east
- 9 John Bailey: Lord Botham, our cricketing angler/conservationist
- 10 Host a roast dinner with unlimited Yorkshire puds at newly-refurbished pub
On Sunday, September 24, club members and film crew boarded the Lynn Rewet for a cruise on the River Wensum at Bishop Gate bridge in Norwich to film parts of the documentary.
Mr Kirk said the bridge is steeped with history and played a significant role during the 13th century.
'It is where witches were dragged and burned at the stake,' Mr Kirk added. 'There was a lot of blood letting around there.'
But despite its gruesome past the bridge proved to be the ideal location to show off the city's picturesque landscape.
Alice Roberts even took to the oars in the sunny afternoon and rowed the club's Lynn Rewet boat herself whilst being filmed from a drone.
The makeshift river-based film set attracted a lot of attention from punters in a nearby pub.
Mr Kirk said: 'It is one of the oldest bridges in Norwich, it is a pretty part of town.
'It was an absolutely beautiful day and ideal conditions for rowing.
'Not a lot of people there knew what was going on but it was nice to have the Red Lion pub to keep hydrated.' He added.
It is the first time the rowing club will be featured on TV since they formed four years ago.
The club is based in the South Quay on the Great River Ouse and boasts a membership of more than 30 rowing enthusiasts.
The name of the documentary is yet to be revealed but Mr Kirk said it is tipped for Channel 4 and could be broadcast later this year.