Page 22 - The Devil's Arsonist

Chapter 8

The Wall that Remembered

‘The Swan Inn’, Lavenham High Street, c1920s

Bury Free Press, Friday 11 June 1948:
th
“The ‘Swan’, Lavenham’s famous West Suffolk inn from which the first world broadcast was
made, is soon to lose Its popular host, Mr. E. G. Robbins, who, as announced last week, has
been appointed manager of the ‘Suffolk’ Hotel, Bury St. Edmunds. For twelve years "Robbie"
has reigned at Lavenham ‘Swan’ as a distinctive and re­sourceful maître d’hôtel, who has
entertained distinguished visitors from all over the globe…The parlour was the favourite
rendezvous of aircrews from the 18th. 107th and 110th Squadrons from the Wattisham RAF
Station, afterwards of the Americans of the 8th United States Army Air Force. and eventually
after Arnhem, of the men of the 1st Airborne Division. Their signatures—hundreds of them
are to be seen on the walls, carefully varnished to preserve them.”

rd
Saturday Afternoon, 3 December 1994, Swan Hotel, Lavenham, Suffolk
The morning’s vision that was all too real faded from my mind, but not my memory; now
forever locked within, to be recalled with the merest thought, of all that I was and who that I
was on that eighth day of February 1555. I without knowing how, found myself outside of the
Guildhall and all was as it should be. I had returned to the modern world once more; it was
again 1994. My aged car was still parked by the Market Cross, with a number of admirers
gathered round, who muttered utter disbelief that such a vehicle existed, let alone one that
still did move. I was not of a mind to receive their approbation and avoided venturing
towards them; but instead walked away with unsteady gait, as I was not yet recovered from