Saw Pits in Carbrooke

Information on the saw pits located in Carbrooke, Norfolk, a small agricultural village, with a surprising & fascinating history. It has with influences through the centuries from around the world. 

The aim of this website is to bring together information about the area and its heritage. If you have any comments, information, anecdotes or photographs to share, please contact us. 

Location of Saw pit on Drury Lane 1904

Working with wood, must be just about one of the oldest human occupations, but before wood can be used, it needs to be prepared, and the village saw pit is where this would have been carried out. In its earliest days, there was a large wood in Carbrooke, later known as St Johns Wood, and remnants (left) of it can still be found in the north of the village around the Fen, over the years the wood has been cut, to create larger and larger fields for agriculture, or for materials to build local houses, furniture or for fuel.

In an age before mechanisation, muscle power was the only option, and the conversion of trees into useful timber, was achieved by either axe, adze or saw. Trees from the forests or estates of landowners were too heavy to transport any distance, so Saw Pits were set up close to the source. 

There are indications of three such pits in Carbrooke. One almost opposite the church, one on Drury Lane and a third at Carbrooke Hall.

A pit was dug, and the tree/large piece of timber laid over it, one person would climb into the pit to operate the saw, whilst the other would stand up top. As with many agricultural jobs, a labourious, monotonous and dangerous task.gg

Saw Pit Teddies from Carbrooke Teddy trail, demonstrate the operation of a saw pit.
This is probably where the saying ‘Under Dog’ and ‘Top Dog’ comes from!’

In 1871 there were 2 households supported by a sawyer.

1871RG10 1842 P34 West(DREWRY) DRURY LANEEDWARDBURNETT25MHEAD-MARRIEDSAWYERATTLEBOROUGH NFK
1871RG10 1842 P34 West(DREWRY) DRURY LANEANNBURNETT26FWIFE-MARRIEDSAHAM NFK
1871RG10 1842 P34 West(DREWRY) DRURY LANELOUISABURNETT6FDAUSCHOLARSAHAM NFK
1871RG10 1842 P34 West(DREWRY) DRURY LANEWILLIAMBURNETT2MSONOVINGTON NFK
1871RG10 1842 P34 West(DREWRY) DRURY LANESOPHIAHOLIDAY24FVISITOR-WIDOWDRESSMAKERSAHAM NFK
1871RG10 1842 P34 West(DREWRY) DRURY LANEEMMAHOLIDAY3FVISITORSHIPDHAM NFK
1871RG10 1842 P34 West(DREWRY) DRURY LANEJAMESNICHOLS29MLODGER-UNMCARPENTERSHIPDHAM NFK
1871RG10 1842 P34 WestSPRING (CAUDLE SPRINGSJOSEPHBUTTON47MHEAD-MARRIEDSAWYERTETTAGE NFK
1871RG10 1842 P34 WestSPRING (CAUDLE SPRINGSELIZABETHBUTTON48FWIFE-MARRIEDTOTTINGTON NFK
1871RG10 1842 P34 WestSPRING (CAUDLE SPRINGSHARRIETBUTTON29FDAU-UNMDRESSMAKERWATTON NFK
1871RG10 1842 P34 WestSPRING (CAUDLE SPRINGSFREDERICKBUTTON25MSON-UNMPORTERWATTON NFK

and in 1891 just one, although it may be that the saw pit owners classed themselves as ‘Farmers’ or ‘Smiths’ and the workers as ‘labourers’.

1891RG12 1550 P.72-81BROADMOOR ROAD 962BENJAMINBRETT64MMHEADSAWYERS LABOURERCARBROOKE NORFOLK
1891RG12 1550 P.72-81BROADMOOR ROAD 962HARRIET BRETT66FMWIFECARBROOKE NORFOLK