Wymondham, with its attractive town centre, has had many famous people living within the area. The most notable from an historian’s point of view is Robert Kett who led a rebellion in 1549 of peasants and farmers protesting at the enclosure of common land. His virtually unarmed forces held the City of Norwich for six weeks until defeated by the King’s men. He was hanged in Norwich Castle and Kett’s Oak – the rebellion rallying point can still be seen today on the road between Wymondham and Hethersett.
Nearby is Wymondham Abbey – a beautiful building which began life as a Benedictine Priory. With its twin towers it is a landmark for miles around.
Wymondham’s 17th century market cross houses The Tourist Information Centre which offers help and advice on attractions, accommodation,and events in the locality. It is a valuable source of information about anything and everything going on in and around the town for visitors and residents alike. A wide range of leaflets, brochures and other information is available as well as a range of gifts.
The town has its own leisure centre offering extensive facilities and there is plenty to see and do.
Becket’s Chapel is now home to Wymondham Arts Centre, and you can discover more of the history of the town at Wymondham Heritage Museum.
There is a good choice of world cuisine, cafes, teashops and pubs. The oldest inn in Wymondham, the medieval Green Dragon, is well worth paying a visit.
With its wide selection of day-to-day shops Wymondham has everything you could possibly need. The town also has its own Community Bookshop and antique shops. Every Friday is Market Day, and on the third Saturday of every month, Wymondham Farmer’s Market offers a whole manner of delicious local produce and mouth-watering treats – from locally pressed apple juice to traditional Norfolk bangers.
The area also boasts good schools and many families move to the area as a result. Just outside Wymondham is Wymondham College – which when it opened in 1951 was the first state-assisted co-educational boarding school and the largest of its kind in the UK. Built on the site of the Second World Ware USAAF Station Hospital, and when the school first opened in 1951 the hospital’s forty Nissen huts were used as classrooms and dormitories. Brick-built accommodation began to appear in the late 1950s, but Nissen huts remained in use, principally for classrooms and storage, through to end of the 1990s. The only Nissen hut now remaining is the College chapel. A memorial garden has been created on the site of the former USAAF mortuary, which for many years was used as the school’s technical drawing classroom.
So as you’ll see this historic market town situated in the green fields of the Tiffey Valley has much to offer and is easily accessed from the A11 if you happen to be passing by! In July Wymondham has its own music festival run over a fortnight. offering a huge range of traditional, classical and contemporary music, with live music playing in the Market Place and plenty of evening concerts, daytime recitals, gigs and workshops taking place all over town. Information about events during the festival can be found at:- www.wymfest.org.uk . All Things Norfolk has been a proud sponsor of Wymondham Music Festival for several years and you can read more about the Festival by clicking here
Wymondham Abbey Advent Spiral
