Walking to a bashed up old tree where thousands have walked before: for a change I’m not talking about one walk in particular but several walks I’ve done all with one mature businessman linking them together. An amazing man that tried but failed to change the way people were treated and died for his trouble.

Ladies and gentlemen let me introduce you to a very special native of Wymondham. Yes, Mr Robert Kett.

Now we’ve only lived here for 10 happy years but I can’t seem to walk anywhere without coming across this name. I’m sure loads of people like me wonder just who this Kett geezer was, so I’ve done some research and here’s my spin on things.

Henry VIII had died leaving Edward VI to reign, and because of his young age the likes of the Duke of Somerset made important decisions, Catholic Churches were destroyed including our own Abbey but it was claimed it was our Parish church as well so it was only partially destroyed.

Land enclosure laws meant landowners could fence in or put hedges around common land and take back strips of land rented out by wealthy landowners. Raising sheep in these areas was far more profitable but it left peasants in dire straits, indeed some were starving.

It was in 1549 that things came to a head with men ripping up fencing and hedging regaining their land. They attacked a wealthy landowners property in Hethersett who very cleverly said, “look go and rip Robert Ketts fencing up and here's some money to help you on your way”.

That they did! However when tackling Kett (around 57 years old) about their plight he agreed with them, joining in ripping out his own enclosures. Not only that but he became their leader giving them help and purpose.

He called a meeting near where Kett’s Oak is now between Wymondham and Hethersett. Thousands attended from the surrounding area. They marched on Norwich to try holding talks but were refused, they were told to disperse but wouldn’t.

Growing in size Ketts army armed mainly with spears, pitchforks and other weapons. They attacked the city (second only to London in size) then retreated back to mouse hill overlooking Norwich. From there raids continued until a second messenger told them to go home peacefully and no further action would be taken. Again they refused.

The King sent a new force to quell the rebellion led by the Earl of Warwick with 12,000 men including mercenaries from other countries. The army had a cavalry which easily overpowered Ketts starving men. Thousands were killed with thousands remaining captive.

Robert and William Kett were sent to the Tower of London. 30+ men were hanged, it’s believed some men were hanged at Ketts Oak whilst it was decided not to hang, draw and quarter the Kett brothers at the tower. Instead Robert Kett was hanged in chains from the walls of Norwich Castle and his brother William suffered the same fate hung from the West Tower of the Abbey. There were other ghastly sentences passed.

All of this was forgotten in the main until interest was sparked in the 18th and 19th Century, there are many accounts of what happened. I’m not a historian but I presume this is more or less why we now have: Robert Kett Primary School, The Robert Kett Pub, Robert Kett Court (assisted living), Kett’s Books, Kett’s Park and various plaques and monuments.

I’ve personally walked to and around all these places. Kett’s Oak is held up with wooden scaffolding and good luck as it’s absolutely knackered now. I’ve walked to the site twice, once with Yvonne. Now this may sound odd but I visited the old Oak before I knew of its history and it’s certainly got an aura about it. You can sense it’s not nice or proper but then again, there were men killed there because they protested about being starving.