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| North Walsham | |
|---|---|
| Town and civil parish | |
 The Market Cross in 2025 | |
  North Walsham Location withinNorfolk | |
| Area | 17.27 km2 (6.67 sq mi) |
| Population | 12,829 [1] |
| • Density | 743/km2 (1,920/sq mi) |
| OS grid reference | TG282302 |
| Civil parish |
|
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | NORTH WALSHAM |
| Postcode district | NR28 |
| Dialling code | 01692 |
| Police | Norfolk |
| Fire | Norfolk |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| UK Parliament | |
| 52°49′22″N1°23′13″E / 52.8228°N 1.3869°E /52.8228; 1.3869 | |
North Walsham is amarket town andcivil parish in theNorth Norfolk district of the county ofNorfolk, England. The town is located 8 mi (13 km) south ofCromer andNorwich is 15 mi (24 km) south.[2]
In local dialect, North Walsham is pronounced "Nor Walsham",[3] "Wals'm"[4] "Wolsam";[5] "North Wolshum"[6]
The civil parish has an area of 11.3 sq mi (29 km2) and in the2011 census had a population of 12,829.[1] For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within thedistrict of North Norfolk.[7]
The town is served byNorth Walsham railway station, on theBittern Line betweenNorwich,Cromer andSheringham. Services run generally hourly in both directions and are operated byGreater Anglia.
The main road through the town is theA149. The town is also located on theB1145,[8] a route that runs betweenKing's Lynn andMundesley.
The town is on theNorth Walsham and Dilham Canal, which is privately owned by the North Walsham Canal Company. The canal ran fromAntingham Mill, largely following the course of theRiver Ant to a point belowHoning. A short branch canal leaves the main navigation near Honing and terminates at the village ofDilham.
The name Walsham derives from theOld Englishwalhshām meaning 'Walh's village'.[9]
North Walsham, anAnglo-Saxon settlement, and the neighbouring village ofWorstead became very prosperous from the twelfth century through the arrival ofweavers fromFlanders. The two settlements gave their names to the textiles they produced: 'Walsham' became the name of a lightweightcloth for summer wear, and 'Worsted' a heavier cloth. The fourteenth century 'wool churches' are a testament to the prosperity of the local mill owners.North Walsham's church ofSt. Nicholas was originally dedicated to theBlessed Virgin Mary and is one of the UK's largest parish churches. It was also the site of awayside shrine toSt. Thomas of Canterbury. This church had the second-tallest steeple in Norfolk until its collapse in 1724. Plans for its rebuilding were abandoned at the outbreak of theSecond World War. The ruined tower dominates the town centre and is a famous landmark of the area, visible from many miles away. In the parish church of St. Nicholas can be found the ornate tomb of Sir William Paston; the remains of medieval painted screens; a telescopicGothic font canopy; a unique Royal Arms Board; an ancient iron-bound chest; and many other ancient artefacts.
North Walsham was involved in thePeasants' Revolt of 1381. The peasants' leaders were defeated at theBattle of North Walsham and the site is marked by a wayside stone near the town's water towers.
The Great Fire of North Walsham took place on 25 June 1600. It began at six o'clock in the morning from a house occupied by a person with the surname of Dowle. Dowle subsequently fled and was captured and placed in gaol. The fire was devastating and destroyed 118 homes, 70 shops, themarket cross, and market stalls. Although the church caught fire in five places, the building was mostly undamaged. It provided shelter for people whilst the town was being rebuilt.
The English naval hero,Horatio Nelson, and his brother, William, were educated atPaston Grammar School in North Walsham, founded by Sir William Paston (ofPaston Letters fame) in 1606. Nelson left the school to start his naval career at the age of eleven. The school becamePaston College in 1984.
DuringWorld War II, a North Walsham man lost his life when hisRoyal Air Force training aeroplane crashed in the United States. Local residents living near the site, in the State ofOklahoma, erected a monument in 2000 honouring the lives of all four RAF fliers who perished. The residents, who includeChoctaw Native American People, and theChoctaw Nation government, continue honouring the lives of all four on each anniversary of the crashes, which took place in February 1943.[10]
As part of the millennium celebrations, tenmosaics were commissioned, showing scenes from local history, including the Peasants' Revolt and the Great Fire of North Walsham, and a picture of aNorfolk wherry – an allusion to thecanal.
North Walsham Picturedrome opened in King Arms Street around 1912 and survived until around September 1931. In 1931 the Regal Cinema opened in New Road and was open until 1979. When the Regal closed, the building was turned into aVauxhall car dealership and later a Plant hire business, but in 2018 was knocked down to make room for housing..
The town's park features an oak tree sculpture commemorating the Battle of the Peasants' Revolt at North Walsham in 1381, and the Agricultural Workers Union being founded in the town in 1906. It is constructed from a 120-year-old tree that was diseased and was due to be felled.[11] The sculpture was unveiled in September 1999.
North Walsham High School is an academy school for pupils aged 11 to 16 located in the town. The school is administered by Enrich Learning Trust. The school converted from community school status in October 2019.[12] The school includes a £5.3m arts and education development called the 'Atrium', which is open to the wider community, funded by the initial co-location funds of reanimating communities. The building belongs to North Walsham High School, but the theatre, cinema, workshop, and events programme is run by a registered charity (The Atrium North Norfolk Ltd). The charity was formed in early 2013 and operates as 'the Atrium'.[13]
North Walsham is home to a London 1 North rugby team.North Walsham R.F.C. narrowly missed out on promotion to National League 2 in 2005–06, losing a play-off toNuneaton. It is also home to the North Norfolk Vikings Swimming Club who train at the Victory Leisure Centre on Station Road.[14] There is a North Walshamparkrun every Saturday morning which is a free, timed 5k event at 9am atNorth Walsham High School. EnglandfootballerLauren Hemp was born in the town and played for the local team as a child.
Regional local news and television programmes are provided byBBC East andITV Anglia. Television signals are received from theTacolneston TV transmitter and via a local relay transmitter inWest Runton[15][16]
Local radio stations areBBC Radio Norfolk on 95.6 FM,Heart East on 102.4 FM,Kiss on 106.1 FM,Greatest Hits Radio Norfolk & North Suffolk (formerlyNorth Norfolk Radio) on 96.2 FM and Poppyland Radio, a community radio station that broadcast online.[17]
The town is served by these local newspapers:[18]
North Walsham is home to the Norfolk Motorcycle Museum,[19] a privately owned collection of around 80 motorcycles dating up to 1960. Toys are also on display, particularly die-cast toys.
North Walsham is home to the North Walsham Heritage Centre.[20] The Heritage Centre displays information and artefacts on the whole range of the town's history.
The following people and military units have received theFreedom of the Town of North Walsham.
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