Who, or what, is Blind Sam? And why was getting rid of a pineapple part of the war effort? Head to Holt where even the street furnishings have stories to tell!

The picturesque Georgian market town is brimful of independent shops, delis, restaurants and coffee shops, so you’ll need a good stroll to work up an appetite for more cake! Go for a wander round the pretty streets until you come across Obelisk Plain. Can you find Blind Sam and the Pineapple Obelisk?

The Queen Victoria Jubilee Lantern stood in the Market Place from 1887 to 1921, when it was moved to make way for the war memorial. As well as spouting water from two fountains, it was intended to light the market place at night. But, being powered by the town’s sputtering gas supply, the lamp which sporadically petered out, plunging the street back into darkness. So locals called it Blind Sam.

And what about the fruity tale? Look for an obelisk topped with a pineapple. It was originally one of two gateposts from Melton Constable Park, pineapples being a traditional symbol of welcome. The other was given to the town of Dereham in 1751. Each was used as a milestone, with distances carved in the pillar – which could have been very useful info for an invading army! So at the outbreak of WW2, the Dereham obelisk was (somewhat dramatically) thrown down a well. Holt kept calm and carried on, simply whitewashing the mileage to confound the enemy. Bravo!