Monument record BCC 023 - Boney's Island; Bonaparte's Island (1838) (PMed)

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Summary

Boney's Island. Formerly `Bonaparte's Island', said to be a prisoner of war camp during the Napoleonic Wars.

Location

Grid reference Centred TM 4310 9093 (202m by 205m) Centred on
Map sheet TM49SW
Civil Parish BECCLES, WAVENEY, SUFFOLK

Map

Type and Period (2)

Full Description

Boney's Island. Formerly `Bonaparte's Island' (S1), said to be a prisoner of war camp during the Napoleonic Wars (S2). However there is no documentary evidence to support this claim. The only sources (checked) that refer to Napoleonic prisoners of war in Beccles relates to 15 officers in 1796, who were on parole (Beccles was a parole town) and would not have been imprisoned but would have been entrusted to their word (S4)(S5). Presumably a jocular usage relating to an isolated `island'.
The island is roughly oval and does appear to be an artificial construction. Date and function unknown. It is shown on the 1st edition map (S1) with a building at with a building at TM 4309 9086 (approx). The Rangers (?) cottage still stands at this location. 1:2500 scale maps show an earthwork ditch on the SW side of the `island' with a causeway leading to the cottage. Within area of Beccles Race Course in 1838. 1995: Proposals to excavate island for bottles (1930s/1940s town dump) by (see 'Not to be published on web' tab for finder/s and/or findspot/s) accepted by Beccles Town Council. Details in (S3).
Also listed under Iron Age.

Sources/Archives (7)

  • <S1> (No record type): OS, 1st ed 1 inch map, 1838.
  • <M1> Unpublished document: Suffolk Archaeological Service. Parish Files. Parish file: (S2)(S3).
  • <S2> (No record type): Knox, M.. Knox Mrs M, note (to SAU?), January 1996.
  • <S3> (No record type): Beccles Town Council, annotated (by Roger ?) letter to Mr Karl Collett, December 1995.
  • <S4> (No record type): Goodwyn E A, A Century of a Suffolk Town 1760-1860, date?.
  • <S5> (No record type): Abell F, Prisoners of War in Britain 1756-1815, chapter 21.
  • <S6> Bibliographic reference: Eugene Ulph. Time Remembered.

Finds (0)

Protected Status/Designation

  • None recorded

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (0)

Record last edited

Apr 12 2021 10:24AM

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