| Reepham | |
The twin churches |
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Reepham
Reepham shown within Norfolk |
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| Area | 19.09 km2 (7.37 sq mi) |
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| Population | 2,455 (2001 census) |
| - Density | 129 /km2 (330 /sq mi) |
| OS grid reference | TG100228 |
| - London | 126 miles (203 km) |
| Parish | Reepham |
| District | Broadland |
| Shire county | Norfolk |
| Region | East |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | NORWICH |
| Postcode district | NR10 |
| Dialling code | 01603 |
| Police | Norfolk |
| Fire | Norfolk |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
| UK Parliament | Mid Norfolk |
| List of places: UK • England • Norfolk | |
Reepham (pronounced "Ree-fum") is a small market town in the English county of Norfolk, England, situated on the B1145 road between the Bure and Wensum valleys. The town is 12 miles (19 km) north west of Norwich.[1] As of the 2001 census the civil parish had a population of 2,455 residents in 970 households and covers an area of 1,909 hectares (4,720 acres).[2]
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The town is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086 and is listed as Refham meaning the bailiff's or reeve's manor from the Old English gerafa (bailiff) and ham (homestead).[3] Reepham has had market town status since 1277; a sign to mark this has recently been erected. The town has undergone significant development throughout its life, with the housing in the area showing a mix of vintages, styles and purposes.
Recent housing developments have mostly been on brownfield land so have not significantly expanded the perimeter of the town.
The town has both a secondary school Reepham High School, which achieved the highest grade—Outstanding—in every category in its 2008 Ofsted inspection,[4] and a primary school (containing over 300 pupils).
The Reepham Society[5] is a registered charity, set up to stimulate public interest in Reepham, Hackford, Kerdiston, Salle, and Whitwell in 1976.
Reepham has three churches on the same site and is one of only two places in Europe to do so. Reepham's church of St. Mary is joined by its choir vestry to St. Michael’s and the third church belonged to Hackford. However, this third church burned down in 1543 and now only a fragment of the tower wall remains on the left of the path as you go towards the market place.
The town sign was designed by the local high school and installed in 1992. It depicts three of each of the following elements: churches, villagers, farm labourers, sheep, lambs and "sisters" and refers to a myth that three sisters were each responsible for building a church. In fact, the three churches were built over several lifetimes.[1]
By 1882, the town had two stations, located on different tracks and each managed by a separate railway company.Whitwell station was on the M&GNs, Norwich City station to Melton Constable station branch line. Reepham station was situated on the GENs, Wroxham station to County School station line. In 1960, the tracks were joined by the construction of the Themelthorpe Curve. The work was carried out by British Rail to facilitate the movement of concrete products from Lenwade. Today, the railway trackbed form the Marriott's Way long distance footpath. Both former stations are notable stops on the footpath.[6]
Bus
Sanders and Eastons Coaches provide bus services to and from the town.[7]
| Guestwick | Wood Dalling | Salle | ||
| Pettywell, Themelthorpe | Cawston | |||
| Reepham | ||||
| Sparham, Bawdeswell | Great Witchingham, Lenwade | Brandiston |
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