North Walsham heritage walk
North Walsham lies at the centre of what we can call 'Paston Country', and the town has an important role throughout the 350-year history of the Paston family.
Good for:
Families.
Wellbeing.
Long Distance.
Walk details
LENGTH: 1.5 miles (2.4km)
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Download a walk map or follow the walk overview on your phone
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TERRAIN: a mixture of walking through the town streets and open country.
PARK: marketplace, town centre, public carpark.
FACILITIES: pubs and cafes in the town
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Enhance your walk experience
North Walsham walk overview
1. Start at the Heritage Centre
Pick up a HAZ Paston Footprints' Trail pack in the Heritage Centre, with activities for children and adults, as well as map and directions.
We have donated an interactive touchscreen where you can view Paston animations and videos and discover lots more about North Walsham's history across the ages.
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Then walk through the market into the churchyard.
2. Visit St Nicholas' Church in the town centre, adjacent to the marketplace.
The church is normally open.
Visitors are warmly welcomed, and it provides a quiet place to sit.
Tomb of Sir William Paston
Sir William Paston (1528 - 1610) bought land in the centre of North Walsham after the great fire there in 1600. He established his Free Grammar School and it remains in trust for use for educational purposes. His great tomb can be seen in east end of the church. He built the Great Barn and the almshouses in the village of Paston; and donated money to the cathedrals of Norwich and Bath, to Gonville and Caius College and to the poor of Yarmouth and Caister he left £10 per annum. The cost of the tomb was £200 (perhaps £25,000 in 21st money). The tomb provides a heraldic history of the important ancestry of the Pastons. Boys from the Paston School were required to visit the tomb, with this annual ritual ending only a few decades ago.
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3. The famous 1381Â Peasants' Revolt in North Walsham's churchyard.
In 1381, Bishop Despenser crushed the Peasants Revolt at the Battle of North Walsham. The rebels were reputedly massacred in the church yard. A rather more appealing option to do in the churchyard today is to read the Paston Footprints information board!
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Clement Paston (1355 - 1419) and Roger Leech were accused of seizing goods and assaulting the Abbot of St Benet’s servants (the Abbey is near Ludham and the ruins can be visited today).
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4. Go round the church and out into the marketplace.
The market at North Walsham was an important trading location. The Pastons managed their substantial estates to produce incomes from malting barley and wool. There are several references to Worsted cloth in the Paston Letters and there was a type of cloth known as 'Walsham'.
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Go down the side of the church and into Church Street.
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5. As you progress along Manor Road through the market centre, note the alley [NAME], where you will encounter Paston College.
Sir William Paston used his great wealth to purchase land on which he established a school. The school seems to have begun to take pupils in 1604, and in 1606 received its endowment charter. It has remained functioning as a school ever since.
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In this 21st century, the town centre site, including the heritage listed gate onto the market place alley and the main school buildings are in the trust of the Paston Foundation and leased to City College Norwich to provide continuing educational services.
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In Paston College grounds
A particularly fine (modern) wooden sculpture of the Paston's griffin is in the (private) school grounds. The family symbol, the griffin is female and denotes courage and wisdom. More on the Paston's griffin can be read here.
How many griffins can you spot in the town?
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How many griffins can you spot in the town?
Turn right into Hall Lane.
This stretch has a gradual but steady incline.
Good for fitness!
5. Go through the housing estate, turn left before the primary school down Marshgate Lane. You will be walking alongside some open country.
LONGER ROUTE OPTION:
Note the name 'Marshgate'. If you had remained on Hall Lane and not turned at the school, you would reach the waterway, nearly nine miles long. This is Norfolk’s only locked wherry sailing canal and was opened in 1826. It runs from Antingham, north-west of North Walsham, to Wayford Bridge, west of Stalham. Wherries would sail its length transporting cargo to and from the mills and communities along its route.
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Clement Paston was still in dispute with the Abbey of St Bennets and 32 years after the incident in the marketplace, another dispute took place over enclosed land and fisheries.
This is where the St Benet’s Abbey Manor House was sited.
In Francis Blomefield's 18th century History of Norfolk, it is claimed:
"About the year 1413, Clement Paston, Esq. John Horningtoft of Paston, merchant, Laurence de Thorp, and John Parson of Edythorp, came to this town, and entered into the pasture, &c. of the abbot, belonging to his manor, with their cattle, fed and trod it down to the damage of 40s. fished his ponds, &c. took 200 roaches, 200 perch, and 300 eels, to the value of 100s. and carried them away".
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To rejoin the shorter route, ...
Turn left into Royston Green and head towards the end.
Proceed down the steps (pedestrian access only) and into Melbourne Road.
And head back to the Market Place
Turn left onto Bacton Road.
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North Walsham was central in the Paston's story, due to being equidistant between their major properties and activities in Bacton / Paston and Oxnead. There are Paston walks in these areas, which the 22-mile route Paston Way connects with.
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Go up past Sainsbury's (toilet stop). At the top of the road (Vicarage Street / Church Road junction) head right back to the heritage centre.
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Share your walk experience
We'd love to hear about the highlights of your walk. Tag your photos #pastonfootprints for a chance to win local prizes.
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Take a photo, share your thoughts, and tag #pastonfootprints
Relax and reflect
Swallows' Cafe
Take a cuppa or meal after your walk! With outdoor seating or sitting by an indoor log-fire. Explore more of the resources on this page or share a walk photo, tagging #pastonfootprints. Maybe plan your next Paston walk!
Activities for children and adults
Watch a 3.5 minute animation
about North Walsham's medieval marketplace.
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Click here for KS2 home learning activity sheets on Medieval shopping.
Things to do nearby
North Walsham Information & heritage Centre
Paston Footprints has donated an interactive touchscreen, where you can view Paston animations and videos. Explore the rest of the town's heritage with 1000 North Walsham archive videos, photos and audio recollections. Includes quizzes. The centre is in the town centre, near the church.
Acorn Play Park
En route of our trail, just after the Church, off Bacton Road. This is a small open greenspace with play area. The Children’s area includes a zip wire, climbing frame and swings.
North Walsham & Dilham Canal Boat Tours
Enjoy a guided boat tour following a scenic stretch of the restored North Walsham and Dilham Canal.
Norfolk Motorcycle Museum
Over 150 motorcycles from the 1900s to 1980s. Over 100 motorcycles from the 1900s to 1980s.
Your feedback
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This walk is kindly sponsored by
North Walsham's Heritage Action Zone
Cultural Programme - Historic England
HAZ mission
Burb to be inserted ...