Nearby Locations: Aylsham
Aylsham stands on the side of the valley of the River Bure. Originally a Saxon settlement, it grew into a thriving market town. In medieval times the town prospered from the weaving of cloth and linen, with wool later becoming the dominant trade, and John of Gaunt himself was once Lord of the Manor. Following the industrial revolution, corn, timber and allied farming trades took over.
The Market Place and Shops
The unspoilt market place, surrounded by handsome 18th century buildings, is still the site of a twice weekly market on Mondays and Fridays. The independent shops around the square and in the nearby streets are well worth exploring.
If you are looking for a bargain, Keys, the town’s famous auction house on Palmers Lane, has held its weekly general sale every Monday since 1953, with everything from antiques and collectables to household effects and garden tools going under the hammer. Viewing is on Saturday mornings. Look out too for Red Lion Street near the market place. Before the bypass was built, that narrow road carried all the through traffic!
The Church
The 14th century church of St Michael and All Angels stands just behind the market place and its tower dominates views of the town. The church is well worth visiting for its 15th century rood screen and Victorian stained glass. In the churchyard, near the chancel door, is the tomb of Humphry Repton, the famous landscape designer of Sheringham Park fame. He designed his own tomb and even composed the verse on his tombstone.
The Bure Valley Railway
Aylsham is the main terminus of the Bure Valley Railway, Norfolk’s longest narrow gauge railway. Its 15 inch gauge line runs for 9 miles through open Norfolk countryside to Wroxham, calling at the villages of Brampton, Buxton and Coltishall along the way.
Steam locomotives provide most of the power, with diesel engines making occasional appearances. A combined ticket is available for the Broadland Boat Train, which pairs the train journey with a cruise of around an hour and a half on the Norfolk Broads. Wroxham, the ‘Capital of the Norfolk Broads’, is a busy riverside town. For walkers and cyclists, the Bure Valley Path runs alongside the full length of the line, so you can walk one way and ride the train back.
Blickling Hall
Just a mile and a half from Aylsham is the Blickling Estate, one of the National Trust’s finest properties. The magnificent Jacobean mansion is famed for its long gallery, which houses the Trust’s most important library, and is set in 55 acres of formal gardens with thousands of acres of parkland beyond. The estate was once home to the Boleyn family and Anne Boleyn is believed to have been born here. Legend has it that her ghost returns to the hall every year on the anniversary of her execution!
