I40 THE BOOK OF DUCK DECOYS. 



Wormegay. — While resident at Dersingham about 1818, George 

 Skelton for a short time worked a Decoy near Wormegay, 7^ miles NNE. 

 of Downham Market, and close to the N. bank of the River Nar. The 

 pool was only an acre in extent, and had four pipes. Mr. Southwell was 

 informed by an old inhabitant of the neighbourhood that this Decoy was 

 last used in 1838, but that about sixty years ago (18 18) it was worked 

 by John Balls, who had some very successful seasons, and made several 

 hundred pounds in a few years. The last year it was used, being much 

 out of repair, it was said the amount received was only ^20. 



Stoiv Bardolph, 2 miles NNE. of Downham Market, in the Stow Bar- 

 dolph Fen, are the remains of a Decoy which has not been used for the 

 last sixty years. It was the property of Sir Thomas Hare, and well situated 

 to attract wildfowl. 



Hilgay, in the parish of Hilgay, 5 miles SSE. from Downham Market, 

 on the Woodhall Estate, and \\ miles NE. of Southery, was an old Decoy 

 known as the Woodhall Decoy, which thirty years ago was owned by a 

 Mr. Wilson. As it was not found to answer, owing to the flooding of the 

 fen, it was given up about i860, and the traces of it are now obliterated. 

 It was situated on land now the property of Mr. Stocks. Mr. H. M. 

 Upcher states that for about fifteen years the brothers William and George 

 Skelton worked this Decoy, and that at Methwold, next mentioned. 



Metlnvold. — On a tract of land called "The Severals," in the parish 

 of Methwold, 4^ miles SSE. of Stoke Ferry, i^ miles E. of Southery, 

 and \ a mile from the Decoy at Hilgay, last described, stood another, 

 which was built in 1806 by William Skelton, who with his brother 

 George worked this and the Hilgay Decoy for fifteen years, when the 

 fens became so flooded the two pools could no longer be kept up at a 

 profit. They then remained unused till 1824, when Mr. Wilson hired the 

 land of the Duchy of Lancaster and repaired the pipes. A man who 

 worked this Decoy informed Mr. Upcher that he caught a great many fowl, 

 chiefly Duck, Wigeon, and Teal. He could not tell the exact number 

 " driven up at once," but was certain that three to four dozen had been 

 taken "at one drive." Wilson died in 1856, and his widow kept on the 

 Decoy with old T. Williams (see Wrangle and Lakenheath) as a Decoyman. 

 She gave it up to her brother, Mr. Harwin, in 1862. Williams continued 

 to act as Decoyman till 1870, when one night he fell into a fen ditch and 



