Baconsthorpe: Castle, Church and Village Life

Get to know Baconsthorpe through two specific historic sites and the paths between them: Baconsthorpe Castle and St Mary’s Church. A walk of about half an hour connects the two; there is also a longer route, described separately. Regular gatherings in the Village Hall add scheduled events to the village’s history. When planning, you can therefore consider architectural history, walking time and events as separate focal points.

Baconsthorpe Castle and St Mary’s Church

Baconsthorpe Castle is an extensive ruin of a fortified manor house from the 15th century, surrounded by a moat. The surviving east wing and the now-flooded northeast tower preserve distinct features associated with the wool industry. The site therefore offers a look both at its fortified design and at specific architectural traces of the wool trade. Baconsthorpe Castle is open daily from 10:00 to 17:00. Check the opening hours again before you arrive.

St Mary’s Church also offers several historical points of interest. Its oldest parts date from the 13th century and stand on Saxon foundations. The foundations date from Saxon times, while the oldest parts of the church date from the 13th century. St Mary’s Church also contains stained glass that was brought there from the great hall of Baconsthorpe Castle. The origins of the stained glass thus link the history of the church directly to the castle.

St Mary’s Church also has a children’s animal trail featuring 17 different animals to find. If you would like to include this in your visit, check in advance whether the trail is currently available.

Routes and time frames

Signs at Baconsthorpe Castle and St Mary’s Church describe the Heydon Walk. This is a walk of about 30 minutes between the two sites. The time estimate applies to the walk; allow additional time separately to explore the castle and church. The route is therefore a manageable stretch on foot between two sites with different historical themes.

A different time plan applies to the “Bodham via Baconsthorpe Castle” route. A route sheet from July 2018 lists it as five miles, with a walking time of about two and a half hours. Additional time is needed to explore Baconsthorpe Castle and Bodham Church, as well as a little more time for St Mary’s Church in Baconsthorpe. These figures therefore do not include the total time for both walking and exploring. Since the route description dates from 2018 and details should be confirmed locally, check the route information before planning.

The time estimates help distinguish the two options: the Heydon Walk is the roughly half-hour connection between the castle and church; the Bodham route is described as five miles and about two and a half hours, in addition to time spent exploring the sites mentioned. When choosing an itinerary that suits your stay, allow for both the walking time and the time you would like to spend at the historic sites.

Gatherings at the Village Hall

Regular gatherings are also held at the Village Hall. The Pop-Up Pub is scheduled for the last Friday of each month from 18:00 to 22:00. “Coffee & Scones” meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 10:30. Check the current schedule before you arrive so your plans match the scheduled dates. Along with the historic sites, these gatherings offer another point of reference when deciding whether a particular event date is relevant to your stay.

Discover more destinations: Dickleburgh, Edgefield, Colby, Elsing, Salthouse, Garboldisham, Great Massingham, Freethorpe

For the main travel overview: Norfolk.