North Walsham

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Map sources for North Walsham at grid reference TG2830

North Walsham is a market town and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is situated some 12 km south of Cromer and the same distance north of Wroxham. The city of Norwich lies 30 km to the south.<ref>Ordnance Survey (2002). OS Explorer Map 252 - Norfolk Coast East. ISBN 0-319-21888-0.</ref>

The civil parish has an area of 17.27 km² and in the 2001 census had a population of 11998 in 5245 households. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the district of North Norfolk.<ref>Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes. Retrieved December 2, 2005.</ref>

The town is served by North Walsham railway station, on the Bittern Line between Norwich, Cromer and Sheringham. The main road through the town is the A149.

North Walsham was an Anglo-Saxon settlement. Both North Walsham and the neighbouring Worstead became very prosperous from the 12th century through the arrival of weavers from Flanders. "Walsham" was a light-weight cloth for summer, and "Worsted" a heavier cloth. The 14th century "wool churches" are a testament to the prosperity of the local mill owners. North Walsham's church of St Nicholas was originally dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and is one of the UK's largest parish churches. It was also the site of a wayside shrine to St Thomas of Canterbury. This church had the second-largest steeple in Norfolk until its collapse in 1724. Plans for its rebuilding were abandoned at the outbreak of World War II. The 90ft tall ruined tower is now a famous landmark of the area.

North Walsham was involved in the Peasants' Revolt of 1381. The peasants' leaders were defeated at the Battle of North Walsham and the site is marked by a wayside stone near the town's water towers.

The English naval hero, Horatio (later, Lord) Nelson and his brother William were educated at Paston Grammar School in North Walsham, founded by Sir William Paston (of Paston Letters fame) in 1606. Nelson left the school to start his naval career at the age of eleven. The school went on to become Paston College in 1984.

The town is on the North Walsham & Dilham Canal, still privately owned by the North Walsham Canal Company. The canal ran from Antingham Mill, largely following the course of the River Ant to a point below Honing. A short branch canal leaves the main navigation near Honing and terminates at the village of Dilham.

As part of the Millennium celebrations, ten mosaics were commissioned, showing scenes from local history, including the Peasants' Revolt and the Great Fire of North Walsham, also a picture of a Norfolk wherry - an allusion to the canal.

On the sports field, North Walsham is home to a National League 3 South rubgy union team. North Walsham R.F.U. narrowly missed out on promotion to National League 2 in 2005/06, narrowly losing a play-off to their northern counterparts Nuneaton.