MR. T. SOUTHWELL ON FELTWELL DECOY. 
352 
II. 
FELTWELL DECOY. 
By Thomas Southwell, F.Z.S., Y.-P. 
Read 25th May, 1897. 
In November, 1878, I read before the Society a paper on “Norfolk 
Decoys,” in which I gave a list, with such particulars of their 
history as I was then able to glean, of all the decoys, “ active and 
extinct,” then known to me, but I was not at that time able to 
give any account of a decoy marked on Fadin’s map (dated 1790-4), 
as situated in Feltwell Fen, not far from the Brandon river and 
rather more than a mile from Brandon Creek Bridge. Mr. Francis 
d’Arcy Newcome has recently discovered some papers relating to this 
decoy, which he has been good enough to place in my hands, and of 
which, as they appear to be of considerable interest, I purpose to 
give some account. The papers which I now exhibit consist of leases, 
memorandums of agreement, estate maps of the decoy, statement 
of the number and value of the birds killed for several years, and 
many bills for materials supplied, work done at, and food consumed 
for the use of the decoy. These bear date from the year 1728 to 
1786, and are very interesting as throwing light upon the manage- 
ment, cost of keeping in repair, and value to the proprietors, of 
a decoy some 150 years ago, as well as indicating to some extent 
the state of the fen country in that district before improved drainage 
had reclaimed the land. 
Mr. Newcome tells me that be thinks the decoy was made by 
Mr. Kobert Clough and Mr. James Nelthorp, whose names 1 shall 
frequently have to mention, purely as a speculation apart from the 
ownership of the land which appears to have been vested in 
Mr. Clough, and he believes the only connection between them as 
lessors of the decoy was, that they were neighbours and owners of 
