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Dereham (), also known historically as East Dereham, is a town and
civil parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government. Civil parishes can trace their origin to the ancient system of parishes, w ...
in the
Breckland District Breckland is a local government district in Norfolk, England. Its council is based in Dereham, although the largest town is Thetford. The district also includes the towns of Attleborough, Swaffham and Watton, along with numerous villages and surr ...
of the
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...
county of
Norfolk Norfolk ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in England, located in East Anglia and officially part of the East of England region. It borders Lincolnshire and The Wash to the north-west, the North Sea to the north and eas ...
. It is situated on the
A47 road The A47 is a major trunk road in England linking Birmingham to Lowestoft, Suffolk, maintained and operated by National Highways. Most of the section between Birmingham and Nuneaton is now classified as the B4114 road, B4114. From Peterborough ...
, about west of the city of
Norwich Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of the county of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. It lies by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. The population of the Norwich ...
and east of
King's Lynn King's Lynn, known until 1537 as Bishop's Lynn and colloquially as Lynn, is a port and market town in the borough of King's Lynn and West Norfolk in the county of Norfolk, England. It is north-east of Peterborough, north-north-east of Cambridg ...
. The civil parish has an area of and, in the 2001 census, had a population of 15,659 in 6,941 households; it increased to 18,609 by the 2011 census. Dereham falls within, and is the centre of administration for,
Breckland District Council Breckland in Norfolk and Suffolk is a 39,433 hectare Special Protection Area (SPA) under the European Union Birds Directive, Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds. The SPA partly overlaps the 7,544 hectare Breckland Special Area of Conser ...
.Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001).
Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes
'. Retrieved 2 December 2005.
The town should not be confused with the Norfolk village of
West Dereham West Dereham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It covers an area of and had a population of 450 at the 2011 Census. For the purposes of local government, it falls within the district of King's Lynn and West Norfolk ...
, which lies about away. Since 1983, Dereham has been twinned with the town of
Rüthen Rüthen () is a town in the district of Soest, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Geography Rüthen is situated at the northeastern border of the natural preserve Arnsberger Wald between the Haarstrang and the valley of the river Möhne, app ...
in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is also twinned with
Caudebec-lès-Elbeuf Caudebec-lès-Elbeuf (, literally ''Caudebec near Elbeuf'') is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region in northern France. Geography A residential and light industrial town situated by the banks of the river Seine, s ...
, France. In spite of the reunification of Germany in 1990, until 2024, the sign on the A47 at the entrance to Dereham from the Swaffham direction still referred to Rüthen being in West Germany; this sparked periodic comment in the local press.


History


Early history

Dereham's name derives from the Old English word "deor" meaning "deer" or "wild animal" with the very common "-ham" ("village", "homestead", or to denote land that is closed in by water or other geographical features), so perhaps it referred to a place where deer or other animals were kept or grazed. According to local tradition, Saint
Wihtburh Wihtburh (also Withburga or Withburge; died 743) was an Kingdom of the East Angles, East Anglian saint, princess and abbess. According to tradition, she was the youngest daughter of Anna of East Anglia, Anna, king of the East Angles, but Virgin ...
(aka Withburga), claimed to be the daughter of Anna, King of the East Angles, founded a monastery there in the seventh century after seeing a vision of the
Virgin Mary Mary was a first-century Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Joseph and the mother of Jesus. She is an important figure of Christianity, venerated under titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, various titles such as Perpetual virginity ...
, although the Venerable
Bede Bede (; ; 672/326 May 735), also known as Saint Bede, Bede of Jarrow, the Venerable Bede, and Bede the Venerable (), was an English monk, author and scholar. He was one of the most known writers during the Early Middle Ages, and his most f ...
does not mention her, or her monastery, in his writings, despite reporting the story of her more famous sister
Æthelthryth Æthelthryth (or Æðelþryð or Æþelðryþe; 23 June 679) was an East Anglian princess, a Fenland and Northumbrian queen and Abbess of Ely. She is an Anglo-Saxon The Anglo-Saxons, in some contexts simply called Saxons or the Englis ...
/Etheldreda of Ely. Apart from reference to it in the eleventh-century hagiography of Wihtburh, little is known of her foundation and no evidence survives today. An archaeological report by
Norfolk County Council Norfolk County Council is the upper-tier Local government in England, local authority for Norfolk, England. Below it there are seven second-tier district councils: Breckland District, Breckland, Broadland, Borough of Great Yarmouth, Great Yarmo ...
indicates that the first "documentary evidence" of a settlement in this area is a reference in one of the versions of the
Anglo-Saxon Chronicle The ''Anglo-Saxon Chronicle'' is a collection of annals in Old English, chronicling the history of the Anglo-Saxons. The original manuscript of the ''Chronicle'' was created late in the ninth century, probably in Wessex, during the reign of ...
to the exhumation of the remains of St Wihtburh in AD 798, said to be 55 years after her death. But that reference is an eleventh-century addition to the Chronicle. Nonetheless, there is evidence for an early ecclesiastical site at Dereham. The
Domesday Book Domesday Book ( ; the Middle English spelling of "Doomsday Book") is a manuscript record of the Great Survey of much of England and parts of Wales completed in 1086 at the behest of William the Conqueror. The manuscript was originally known by ...
of 1086 states that in the eleventh century, "St Etheldreda held Dereham that was already an important market centre with three mills". The report adds that the growing community was centred around St. Nicholas Church, from the Norman era; the structure was altered during the 1200s, 1300s and 1400s. Because numerous medieval buildings were destroyed in fires during 1581 and 1679, the town appears to have a Georgian aspect. A
Neolithic The Neolithic or New Stone Age (from Ancient Greek, Greek 'new' and 'stone') is an archaeological period, the final division of the Stone Age in Mesopotamia, Asia, Europe and Africa (c. 10,000 BCE to c. 2,000 BCE). It saw the Neolithic Revo ...
polished greenstone axe head was found near the town in 1986, with a Neolithic axe head, flint scraper and other tools and worked flints also found in local fields during the 1980s. There is evidence that the area was occupied during the
Bronze Age The Bronze Age () was a historical period characterised principally by the use of bronze tools and the development of complex urban societies, as well as the adoption of writing in some areas. The Bronze Age is the middle principal period of ...
, with burnt flints from a pot boiler site being found in 1976 and another burnt mound site located in 1987. In 2000, an enamelled
bridle A bridle is a piece of equipment used to direct a horse. As defined in the ''Oxford English Dictionary'', the "bridle" includes both the that holds a bit that goes in the mouth of a horse, and the reins that are attached to the bit. It prov ...
bit The bit is the most basic unit of information in computing and digital communication. The name is a portmanteau of binary digit. The bit represents a logical state with one of two possible values. These values are most commonly represented as ...
dating from the
Iron Age The Iron Age () is the final epoch of the three historical Metal Ages, after the Chalcolithic and Bronze Age. It has also been considered as the final age of the three-age division starting with prehistory (before recorded history) and progre ...
was discovered, with pottery sherds also being found by field walkers in 1983. The town is believed to be on the
Roman Road Roman roads ( ; singular: ; meaning "Roman way") were physical infrastructure vital to the maintenance and development of the Roman state, built from about 300 BC through the expansion and consolidation of the Roman Republic and the Roman Em ...
linking the
Brampton Brampton is a city in the Canadian Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Ontario, and the regional seat of the Regional Municipality of Peel. It is part of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and is a List of municipalities in Ontario#L ...
with the major east-west Roman Road of the
Fen Causeway Fen Causeway or the Fen Road is the modern name for a Roman road of England that runs between Denver, Norfolk in the east and Peterborough in the west.Phillips, C.W. ''The Fenland in Roman Times''. Royal Geographical Society (1970). Its path c ...
. Some pottery and furniture remains have been found in local fields. In 2004, the largest number of Roman coins found in Norfolk was discovered in Dereham, over 1000 from the third century. A dig provided no evidence of Roman occupation, however.
Edmund Bonner Edmund Bonner (also Boner; c. 15005 September 1569) was Bishop of London from 1539 to 1549 and again from 1553 to 1559. Initially an instrumental figure in the schism of Henry VIII from Rome, he was antagonised by the Protestant reforms introdu ...
, later to become the infamous 'burning bishop', was the Rector for Dereham from 1534 to 1538. Many of the town's ancient buildings were destroyed in the serious fires that took place in 1581 and 1659. Notable buildings that survived the fire include the Church of
Saint Nicholas Saint Nicholas of Myra (traditionally 15 March 270 – 6 December 343), also known as Nicholas of Bari, was an early Christian bishop of Greeks, Greek descent from the maritime city of Patara (Lycia), Patara in Anatolia (in modern-day Antalya ...
and the nearby
Bishop Bonner Edmund Bonner (also Boner; c. 15005 September 1569) was Bishop of London from 1539 to 1549 and again from 1553 to 1559. Initially an instrumental figure in the schism of Henry VIII from Rome, he was antagonised by the Protestant reforms introdu ...
's cottage. Dereham was administered by the
Abbot Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the head of an independent monastery for men in various Western Christian traditions. The name is derived from ''abba'', the Aramaic form of the Hebrew ''ab'', and means "father". The female equivale ...
s, then the
Bishops of Ely The Bishop of Ely is the ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Ely in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese roughly covers the county of Cambridgeshire (with the exception of the Soke of Peterborough), together with a section of north- ...
, until the parish was taken from the church by
Queen Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudor. Her eventful reign, and its effect on history ...
.


Napoleonic conflict

In the late 1700s, Dereham church's bell tower was used as a prison for French
prisoners of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of war for a ...
being transferred from
Great Yarmouth Great Yarmouth ( ), often called Yarmouth, is a seaside resort, seaside town which gives its name to the wider Borough of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, England; it straddles the River Yare and is located east of Norwich. Its fishing industry, m ...
to
Norman Cross Norman Cross may refer to: * Norman Cross Prison, prisoner-of-war camp constructed in 1790s in Huntingdonshire, England * Norman Cross, Cambridgeshire, hamlet near Peterborough * Norman Cross Hundred, a subdivision of Huntingdonshire first mentione ...
under the charge of the East Norfolk Militia. On 6 October 1799, a French officer, Jean de Narde, managed to escape from the tower and, being unable to escape from the church yard due to guards being present, hid in a tree. The Frenchman was spotted and shot when he refused to come down and surrender. Jean is buried in the churchyard and his grave is marked by a memorial stone erected in 1858, which includes the following statement: "Once our foes but now our allies and brethren." This story is told in the documentary, ''The Shooting of Jean DeNarde''. Jean de Narde's link with Dereham is commemorated by a road named for him just off the B1146 as one approaches the town from the north. One of the windmills built during this era, the Grade II Listed East Dereham Windmill (built in 1836) was known as the Norwich Road Mill or Fendick's Mill; it was constructed by James Hardy for Michael Hardy who owned a smock mill at Bittering. The windmill continued to use wind power until 1922 when it was converted to use engine power. The facility closed in 1937. It was restored and reopened as an exhibition centre in 2013.


Dereham Rifle Volunteer Corps

In June 1859, a public meeting was held at the
Corn Exchange A corn exchange is a building where merchants trade grains. The word "corn" in British English denotes all cereal grains, such as wheat and barley; in the United States these buildings were called grain exchanges. Such trade was common in towns ...
for the formation of a Dereham Rifle Volunteer Corps. The Reverend Armstrong made a short speech urging people to join; around thirty men did, the eldest was an elderly fat banker of 70 years and the youngest a seventeen-year-old. They were kitted out in a grey uniform. The Corps met regularly for drill and exercise. When the
Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...
and
Princess of Wales Princess of Wales (; ) is a title used since the 14th century by the wife of the Prince of Wales. The Princess is the apparent future queen consort, as "Prince of Wales" is a title reserved by custom for the heir apparent to the Monarchy of the ...
, and the Queen of Denmark arrived at the town's railway station, the Dereham Rifles attended to form a
guard of honour A guard of honour (Commonwealth English), honor guard (American English) or ceremonial guard, is a group of people, typically drawn from the military, appointed to perform ceremonial duties – for example, to receive or guard a head of state ...
. William Earle G. Lytton Bulwer, formerly a lieutenant and captain in the
Scots Fusilier Guards Scots may refer to: People and cultures * Scots language * Scottish people * Scoti, a Latin name for the Gaels Other uses * SCOTS, abbreviation for Royal Regiment of Scotland * Scottish Corpus of Texts and Speech (SCOTS), a linguistic resource * ...
, was commanding the Dereham Corps in 1861. Dereham became the headquarters of 1st Administrative Battalion, Norfolk Rifle Volunteers in 1866. The Quebec Street drill hall opened that year, and the Right Hon.
Lord Suffield Baron Suffield, of Suffield in the County of Norfolk, is a hereditary title in the Peerage of Great Britain. The barony was created in 1786 for Sir Harbord Harbord, 2nd Baronet, who had previously represented Norwich as Member of Parliament ...
was appointed Honorary Colonel on 18 May 1866.


First World War

At the outbreak of war, the 5th Battalion,
Norfolk Regiment The Royal Norfolk Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army until 1959. Its predecessor regiment was raised in 1685 as Henry Cornwall's Regiment of Foot. In 1751, it was numbered like most other British Army regiments and named ...
, kept their HQ in Quebec Street but were based in the Corn Exchange, and used the Masonic Hall on Norwich Road as a store, with the Assembly Rooms being used for medical inspections. Dereham suffered damage during a
Zeppelin A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship named after the German inventor Ferdinand von Zeppelin () who pioneered rigid airship development at the beginning of the 20th century. Zeppelin's notions were first formulated in 1874Eckener 1938, pp. 155â ...
air raid during the night of 8 September 1915. Damaged buildings included the
headquarters Headquarters (often referred to as HQ) notes the location where most or all of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. The term is used in a wide variety of situations, including private sector corporations, non-profits, mil ...
of the 5th Norfolk Regiment at their premises on the corner of Church Street and Quebec Street. The raid also hit The White Lion public house on Church Street, seriously injuring two customers. The roof was destroyed and The White Lion never reopened as a public house. The old Vicarage was used as a
Red Cross The organized International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 16million volunteering, volunteers, members, and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ...
hospital. In December 1915,
Zeppelin A Zeppelin is a type of rigid airship named after the German inventor Ferdinand von Zeppelin () who pioneered rigid airship development at the beginning of the 20th century. Zeppelin's notions were first formulated in 1874Eckener 1938, pp. 155â ...
L14 dropped bombs between Bylaugh Park and Dereham. Seventy-five bombs were dropped on Dereham, with several houses destroyed and eight or nine bombs dropped onto the Red Cross hospital established in the vicarage, although these failed to detonate. Another bomb hit the guildhall and destroyed windows in the church. Four people were killed and six injured during the raid, with the coroner's report stating that the deaths were caused by bombs "unlawfully dropped from a Zeppelin aircraft."


World War II

Dereham was declared a Nodal Point during the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
and was partially fortified to slow down any German invasion of the country. Several defensive structures were built. One surviving pill box, in the railway station yard, is preserved as a memorial by the
Royal British Legion The Royal British Legion (RBL), formerly the British Legion, is a British charity providing financial, social and emotional support to members and veterans of the British Armed Forces, their families and dependants. Membership Service in th ...
; several others were built but are no longer visible. Additional
Air Ministry The Air Ministry was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom with the responsibility of managing the affairs of the Royal Air Force and civil aviation that existed from 1918 to 1964. It was under the political authority of the ...
sidings were laid in the town in 1943. A
Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
-era bunker was built underground near the Guild Hall.


1969 Phantom air incident

On 25 March 1969 a
USAF The United States Air Force (USAF) is the Air force, air service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is one of the six United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Tracing its ori ...
McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is an American tandem two-seat, twin-engine, all-weather, long-range supersonic jet interceptor and fighter-bomber that was developed by McDonnell Aircraft for the United States Navy.Swanborough and Bower ...
(F4-C) suffered a
flight control system A conventional fixed-wing aircraft flight control system (AFCS) consists of flight control surfaces, the respective cockpit controls, connecting linkages, and the necessary operating mechanisms to control an aircraft's direction in flight. ...
failure at 15,000 ft. The flight controls were now jammed, and the aircraft entered a steep dive. The WSO, Captain Mike Hinnebusch, ejected at 5,000 ft, but the pilot ejected later, when the aircraft was now at supersonic speed. The pilot's parachute opened two seconds before the aircraft hit the ground. The pilot, Captain Kristian Michael Mineau, born 26 November 1941 from
Worcester, Massachusetts Worcester ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Massachusetts, second-most populous city in the U.S. state of Massachusetts and the list of United States cities by population, 113th most populous city in the United States. Named after Worcester ...
, survived but the supersonic ejection caused all of his four limbs to be shattered. Supersonic ejection is not always survivable. The pilot was taken by helicopter to the
Norfolk and Norwich Hospital The Norfolk and Norwich Hospital stood on a site in St Stephen's Road, Norwich, Norfolk, England. Founded in 1771, it closed in 2003 after its services had been transferred to the new Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. Many of the buildings ...
, and the less-injured WSO was taken by ambulance to the hospital. Captain Mineau died on 5 September 2022; his son
David A. Mineau David (; , "beloved one") was a king of ancient Israel and Judah and the third king of the United Monarchy, according to the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament. The Tel Dan stele, an Aramaic-inscribed stone erected by a king of Aram-Damas ...
is in command of the
Twelfth Air Force The Twelfth Air Force (12 AF; Air Forces Southern, (AFSOUTH)) is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC). It is headquartered at Davis–Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. The command is the air component to U ...
. The aircraft was from the
78th Tactical Fighter Squadron The 78th Attack Squadron (78 ATKS) is an Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) unit under the 926th Wing, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada and Tenth Air Force (10 AF) at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas. The 78 ATKS condu ...
at
RAF Bentwaters Royal Air Force Bentwaters or more simply RAF Bentwaters, now known as Bentwaters Parks, is a former Royal Air Force station about northeast of London and east-northeast of Ipswich, near Woodbridge, Suffolk in England. Its name was taken fr ...
. The aircraft caused a 50 ft deep crater, with some components being found at 75 feet depth. The first person to survive supersonic ejection was George Franklin Smith (1924 - 1 May 1999) on 26 February 1955 in a
North American F-100 Super Sabre The North American F-100 Super Sabre is an American supersonic jet fighter aircraft designed and produced by the aircraft manufacturer North American Aviation. The first of the Century Series of American jet fighters, it was the first United ...
at 35,000 ft in a vertical dive, when the controls jammed. Estimates are that he encountered a 40G deceleration, crashing near
Laguna Beach, California Laguna Beach (; ''Laguna'', Spanish language, Spanish for "Lagoon") is a city in Orange County, California, United States. Located in Southern California along the Pacific Ocean, this seaside resort city has a mild year-round climate, scenic c ...
. He was not expected to live, being comatose for six days, and blind for a month. Every joint in his arms and legs had been dislocated. He was in hospital for seven months. The first British supersonic ejection was on 12 November 1955 by 22 year old Flying Officer Hedley Molland (- February 2012) of
Chulmleigh Chulmleigh ( ) is a small Saxon hilltop market town and civil parish in North Devon, in the heart of the English county of Devon. It lies north west of Exeter, just north of the Mid Devon boundary, linked by the A377 and B3096 roads. Hist ...
in Devon, seven miles east of
Bawdsey Bawdsey () is a village and civil parish in Suffolk, eastern England. It is situated on the other side of the mouth of River Deben from Felixstowe. It had an estimated population of 340 in 2007, reducing to 276 at the Census 2011. Bawdsey Mano ...
in Suffolk, on 3 August 1955. His
Hawker Hunter The Hawker Hunter is a transonic British jet propulsion, jet-powered fighter aircraft that was developed by Hawker Aircraft for the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It was designed to take advantage of the newly dev ...
'WN989' of 263 Sqn, had taken off from
RAF Stradishall Royal Air Force Stradishall or more simply RAF Stradishall is a former Royal Air Force station located north east of Haverhill, Suffolk and south west of Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, England. History In his memoirs, Murray Peden, a Royal Can ...
. Because he ejected at height, the
indicated airspeed Indicated airspeed (IAS) is the airspeed of an aircraft as measured by its pitot-static system and displayed by the airspeed indicator (ASI). This is the pilots' primary airspeed reference. This value is not corrected for installation error, ...
was around 480 knots.


Railways

The railway arrived in Dereham in 1847, when a
single track Single may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Single (music), a song release Songs * "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004 * "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008 * "Single" (William Wei song), 2016 * "Single", by ...
line to opened. A second line was opened, in 1848, to . A line from Dereham to
Fakenham Fakenham is a market town and civil parish in Norfolk, England. It is situated on the River Wensum, about north-west of Norwich. The town is at the junction of several local roads, including the A148 from King's Lynn to Cromer, the A1067 to N ...
was opened in 1849; this line being extended to the coastal town of
Wells-next-the-Sea Wells-next-the-Sea is a port town on the north coast of Norfolk, England. The civil parish has an area of and in 2001 had a population of 2,451,Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). Census population and household c ...
by 1857. The town's railways became part of the
Great Eastern Railway The Great Eastern Railway (GER) was a pre-grouping British railway company, whose main line linked London Liverpool Street to Norwich and which had other lines through East Anglia. The company was grouped into the London and North Eastern R ...
in 1862. Dereham had its own railway depot and a large complex of sidings, serving local industry. The line between Dereham and Wymondham was doubled, in 1882, to allow for the increasing levels of traffic. Passenger services between Dereham and Wells were withdrawn in 1964 and the track between Fakenham and Wells was lifted soon after. The line from Dereham to Wymondham was returned to single track in 1965, with a
passing loop A passing loop (UK usage) or passing siding (North America) (also called a crossing loop, crossing place, refuge loop or, colloquially, a hole) is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at or near a station, where trains o ...
at . The line to King's Lynn was closed in 1968 and the last passenger train on the Dereham-to-Wymondham line ran in 1969, although the railway remained open for
freight In transportation, cargo refers to goods transported by land, water or air, while freight refers to its conveyance. In economics, freight refers to goods transported at a freight rate for commercial gain. The term cargo is also used in ...
until 1989. Dereham labels itself "The Heart of Norfolk" owing to its central location in the county, the
Tesco Tesco plc () is a British multinational groceries and general merchandise retailer headquartered in the United Kingdom at its head offices in Welwyn Garden City, England. The company was founded by Jack Cohen (businessman), Sir Jack Cohen in ...
car park being cited as the exact centre. In the spring of 1978, the "Heart" was given the seven-mile £5m part-dual-carriageway A47 bypass. A section of this road, between
Scarning Scarning is a village and civil parish in the Breckland district of Norfolk, England. It covers an area of and had a population of 2,932 in 1,092 households at the 2001 census, reducing to 2,906 in the same number of households in the 2011 ce ...
and Wendling, was built along the former railway line towards
Swaffham Swaffham () is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the Breckland District and England, English county of Norfolk. It is situated east of King's Lynn and west of Norwich. The civil parish has an area of and in the U ...
and King's Lynn. This section of railway had been used as a location for the filming of ''
Dad's Army ''Dad's Army'' is a British television British sitcom, sitcom about the United Kingdom's Home Guard (United Kingdom), Home Guard during the World War II, Second World War. It was written by Jimmy Perry and David Croft (TV producer), David Crof ...
'', where Captain Mainwaring is left dangling from a railway bridge after a flight on a
barrage balloon A barrage balloon is a type of airborne barrage, a large uncrewed tethered balloon used to defend ground targets against aircraft attack, by raising aloft steel cables which pose a severe risk of collision with hostile aircraft, making the atta ...
. Dereham railway station was also a filming location for the opening scene of the
BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...
's 2018 series ''
Bodyguard A bodyguard (or close protection officer/operative) is a type of security guard, government law enforcement officer, or servicemember who protects an very important person, important person or group of people, such as high-ranking public offic ...
''.


Transport


Roads

The A47 trunk road from Lowestoft to Birmingham once ran through the centre of the town, east to west. The A47 was re-routed in 1978 to form a £5 million East Dereham by-pass, consisting of a section of dual carriageway approaching Dereham from the east, and to the west a single carriageway built on the disused railway line to King's Lynn, by-passing the villages of Wendling and
Scarning Scarning is a village and civil parish in the Breckland district of Norfolk, England. It covers an area of and had a population of 2,932 in 1,092 households at the 2001 census, reducing to 2,906 in the same number of households in the 2011 ce ...
. Three other significant roads intersect at Dereham; the B1146 connects the town northwards to Fakenham, the A1075 connects it to Watton and Thetford to the south-west, and the B1135 runs south-east to Wymondham.


Cycling

National Cycle Route 13 runs through Dereham, joining with
National Cycle Route 1 The cycle-path is located in the United Kingdom. Route Dover to Canterbury Dover , Deal, Kent, Deal , Sandwich, Kent, Sandwich , Canterbury Links with National Cycle Route 2, RCR 16, Kent, Regional route 16, and RCR 17, Kent, Regional r ...
north of the town.


Buses

Frequent bus services operate from Dereham to Norwich and Peterborough; less frequent services are provided for several local villages. Dereham does not have a bus station, with most services operating through the marketplace.


Railway

Dereham is not currently served by
National Rail National Rail (NR) is the trading name licensed for use by the Rail Delivery Group, a group representing passenger train operating companies (TOCs) of England, Scotland, and Wales. The TOCs run the passenger services previously provided by ...
services. The nearest station is , which is on the Breckland line between and .


Heritage railway

There is presently no regular service between Dereham and Norwich, but the section of railway between Wymondham, Dereham and , described earlier in the History section, has been preserved and is now operated between Wymondham and
Worthing Worthing ( ) is a seaside town and borough in West Sussex, England, at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of Chichester. With a population of 113,094 and an area of , the borough is the second largest component of the Br ...
as a tourist line by the Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust. This charitable company is gradually reopening the line through
North Elmham North Elmham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It covers an area of and is located about north of East Dereham, on the west bank of the River Wensum. Including Gateley, the civil parish had a population of 1,4 ...
and supports the restoration of the line to
Fakenham Fakenham is a market town and civil parish in Norfolk, England. It is situated on the River Wensum, about north-west of Norwich. The town is at the junction of several local roads, including the A148 from King's Lynn to Cromer, the A1067 to N ...
. As well as running heritage trains, the MNR also runs special attractions such as the Polar Express Train Ride every winter and operate non-passenger services in support of mainline companies. Although no scheduled services operate between Dereham and the rest of the national network, in June 2009 the
Association of Train Operating Companies The Rail Delivery Group Limited (RDG), previously the Association of Train Operating Companies, is the British rail industry membership body that brings together passenger and freight rail companies, Network Rail and High Speed 2. The RDG is a ...
published a document ( Connecting Communities: Expanding Access to the Rail Network) calling for the restoration of services on a variety of former branch lines, including the Dereham branch. This £30m proposal would see regular services restored between Dereham and Norwich, operated subject to agreement with the Mid-Norfolk Railway Preservation Trust. In 2020, the railway announced that they had, in association with partner organisations including
Greater Anglia Greater Anglia (legal name Transport UK East Anglia Limited) is a British train operating company owned as a joint venture by Transport UK Group and Mitsui & Co. It operates the East Anglia franchise, providing the commuter and inter-city se ...
,
Norfolk County Council Norfolk County Council is the upper-tier Local government in England, local authority for Norfolk, England. Below it there are seven second-tier district councils: Breckland District, Breckland, Broadland, Borough of Great Yarmouth, Great Yarmo ...
,
Breckland District Council Breckland in Norfolk and Suffolk is a 39,433 hectare Special Protection Area (SPA) under the European Union Birds Directive, Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds. The SPA partly overlaps the 7,544 hectare Breckland Special Area of Conser ...
and the New Anglia
Local Enterprise Partnership In England, local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) were voluntary partnerships between local authorities and businesses, set up in 2011 by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills to help determine local economic priorities and lead ec ...
, bid for funding for a feasibility study into reopening the line for regular commuter services over their route. The plans to restore the line, and potentially extend it to Fakenham in time, have been backed by the George Freeman, MP for Mid-Norfolk. In June 2021, an unsuccessful funding bid was submitted as part of the second round of the
Restoring Your Railway The Beeching cuts were a reduction in the size of the British railway network, along with a restructuring of British Rail, in the 1960s. Since the mid-1990s there has been significant growth in passenger numbers on the railways and renewed gov ...
fund. A bid was re-submitted for the third round


Saint Withburga's Well

The town lies on the site of a
monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of Monasticism, monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in Cenobitic monasticism, communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a ...
said by local tradition to have been founded by Saint Withburga in the seventh century; the saint died in 743AD. A
holy well A holy well or sacred spring is a well, Spring (hydrosphere), spring or small pool of water revered either in a Christianity, Christian or Paganism, pagan context, sometimes both. The water of holy wells is often thought to have healing qualitie ...
is at the western end of St Nicholas Church yard and the tradition claims this to have begun to flow when her body was stolen from the town by monks from Ely, who took the remains back to their town. An attempt was made in 1752 to turn Dereham into a new
Buxton Buxton is a spa town in the High Peak, Derbyshire, Borough of High Peak, Derbyshire, in the East Midlands region of England. It is England's highest market town, sited at some above sea level.Alston, Cumbria also claims this, but lacks a regu ...
or
Bath Bath may refer to: * Bathing, immersion in a fluid ** Bathtub, a large open container for water, in which a person may wash their body ** Public bathing, a public place where people bathe * Thermae, ancient Roman public bathing facilities Plac ...
by building a bathhouse over Withburga's Well. It was described at the time as a "hideous building of brick and plaster" and was never popular. The building was extensively modified in 1793 according to a book published in 1856. The local vicar, Reverend Benjamin Armstrong, obtained permission in 1880 to pull the building down. The spring was then protected by iron railings but fell out of use and became choked with weeds. Since 1950, however, it has been kept clear of weeds, although the railings still prevent access to the waters. In a 2006 report on the church, Simon Knott indicated that by then, the "well" was actually a "sunken spring". Today, the
Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...
refers to St Nicholas Church as "Founded by St Withburga AD654", presumably because it may be on the same site as the monastery and convent she was said to have founded. The church has been a Grade I listed structure since 1951 (Entry #1077067).


Governance

There are three tiers of local government covering Dereham, at parish (town), district and county level: Dereham Town Council,
Breckland District Council Breckland in Norfolk and Suffolk is a 39,433 hectare Special Protection Area (SPA) under the European Union Birds Directive, Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds. The SPA partly overlaps the 7,544 hectare Breckland Special Area of Conser ...
and
Norfolk County Council Norfolk County Council is the upper-tier Local government in England, local authority for Norfolk, England. Below it there are seven second-tier district councils: Breckland District, Breckland, Broadland, Borough of Great Yarmouth, Great Yarmo ...
. The town council is responsible for matters such as play areas, allotments, cemeteries and markets. Its assets include Dereham Memorial Hall, Neatherd Moor, Bishop Bonners Cottage, two cemeteries and six allotment sites. The town council is based at the Assembly Rooms on Rüthen Place in the town centre. The district council also has its headquarters in Dereham, at Elizabeth House on Walpole Loke on the outskirts of the town. East Dereham was an
ancient parish In England, a civil parish is a type of administrative parish used for local government. It is a territorial designation which is the lowest tier of local government. Civil parishes can trace their origin to the ancient system of parishes, w ...
. Until 1877 it was governed by its
vestry A vestry was a committee for the local secular and ecclesiastical government of a parish in England, Wales and some English colony, English colonies. At their height, the vestries were the only form of local government in many places and spen ...
in the same way as most rural areas. In 1877 the parish was made a
local government district Local may refer to: Geography and transportation * Local (train), a train serving local traffic demand * Local, Missouri, a community in the United States Arts, entertainment, and media * ''Local'' (comics), a limited series comic book by Bria ...
, governed by a local board. Such districts were reconstituted as urban districts in 1894. East Dereham Urban District was abolished in 1974, becoming part of the new Breckland District. A
successor parish Successor parishes are Civil parishes in England, civil parishes with a parish councils in England, parish council, created in England in 1974. They replaced, with the same boundaries, a selected group of Urban district (England and Wales), urban d ...
was established covering the former urban district. The parish was formally renamed from East Dereham to just Dereham with effect from 24 June 1991.


Industry and employment

Dereham was the home to the "Jentique" furniture factory which made boxes for both instruments and bombs during the Second World War. The town was also the home to the
Metamec Metamec was a manufacturer of domestic clocks in the second half of the 20th century, and was based in Dereham, Norfolk, England. The name "Metamec" is derived from "metal-work and mechanics". The company started as an offshoot of the furnitur ...
clock factory. Hobbies of Dereham produced plans, kits and tools—including their famous treadle fretwork saws—for making wooden models and toys, which were popular in the days before moulded plastic. At one point, Hobbies owned ten shops in prestige locations all over the UK. In the early 1960s the firm was taken over by
Great Universal Stores GUS plc was a FTSE 100 retailing, manufacturing and financial conglomerate based in the United Kingdom. GUS was an abbreviation of Great Universal Stores, the company's name before 2001, while it was also known as the ''Glorious Gussies'' amon ...
, who sold the shops and closed the business. However, due to a shrewd management purchase of the "old traditional" parts of the firm, Hobbies rose again, limiting itself to the role of specialist model-makers shop. After nearly 40 years of its new lease of life, Hobbies moved out of Dereham to new premises elsewhere in Norfolk at Raveningham, where it still trades today. Cranes of Dereham, and its successor the Fruehauf trailer company, was a major employer in the town for many decades. Cranes built nearly all the giant trailers (100 tons plus) that carried equipment such as
transformer In electrical engineering, a transformer is a passive component that transfers electrical energy from one electrical circuit to another circuit, or multiple Electrical network, circuits. A varying current in any coil of the transformer produces ...
s at slow speeds across the UK, usually in the livery of Wynns or
Pickfords Pickfords is a moving company based in the United Kingdom, part of Pickfords Move Management Ltd. The business is believed to have been founded in the 17th century, making it one of the UK's oldest functioning companies, although the similar S ...
. The launch of a new trailer was treated rather like that of a ship with many people coming out to see the leviathan move through the narrow streets of the town towards the A47. The town also had several large
maltings A malt house, malt barn, or maltings, is a building where cereal grain is converted into malt by soaking it in water, allowing it to sprout and then drying it to stop further growth. The malt is used in brewing beer, whisky and in certain foo ...
. Almost all this large-scale industry has drifted away since the 1980s. In March 2015, Crisp Maltings announced that they intended to restore the
maltings A malt house, malt barn, or maltings, is a building where cereal grain is converted into malt by soaking it in water, allowing it to sprout and then drying it to stop further growth. The malt is used in brewing beer, whisky and in certain foo ...
complex beside the station to operational condition, producing malt for
craft beer Craft beer is beer manufactured by craft breweries, which typically produce smaller amounts of beer than larger "macro" breweries and are often independently owned. Such breweries are generally perceived and marketed as emphasising enthusiasm, ne ...
, as part of a planning application for a major housing development. The restoration was expected to cost £1 million. In 2017, the plan to restore the Maltings was dropped, although the housing development was allowed to continue. As of 2020 the Maltings buildings have been made weathertight but they remain empty. Companies currently based in Dereham include Flagship Housing and
Zip Industries Zip Industries is a privately owned Australian business founded by Michael Crouch AC. It manufactures and sells instant boiling water systems. Their manufactured products are currently sold in more than seventy countries, with uses in kitchen ...
.


Economy

Dereham is a busy market town serving local residents and a wide rural area. The town has a market on Tuesdays and Fridays selling a range of food and household items. The town's shops are a mixture of local independent businesses and national chains. The Market Place and the High Street were the traditional shopping areas but in 2005 a new shopping area was created called Wright's Walk which is mainly occupied by national chains. A second phase of development at Wright's Walk was envisaged but this has never been started. Instead, the land earmarked for this development has been used to create a
pocket park A pocket park (also known as a parkette, mini-park, vest-pocket park or vesty park) is a small park accessible to the general public. While the locations, elements, and uses of pocket parks vary considerably, the common defining characteristic of ...
offering a tranquil public meeting space, a community garden and a performance area. Funding for the park came from a £15,000 grant from the Pocket Park Fund - part of the
Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is a ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It is responsible for housing, communities, and local government in England. It was established in May 2006 ...
and an equal sum from Breckland Council.


Sport and leisure

An area of former railway and industrial land, close to the town's station, now serves as the location for a number of sports and leisure facilities. The Dereham Leisure Centre, built on the old railway locomotive depot, has a swimming pool, gym, dance and sports facilities. Open air tennis courts, children's play equipment and a skate park are provided on the nearby Dereham recreation ground. Strikes also operate a ten-pin bowling alley on the site. Dereham has a
non-League football Non-League football describes association football, football leagues played outside the top leagues of a country. Usually, it describes leagues which are not fully professional. The term is primarily used for football in England, where it is ...
club, Dereham Town, who play at Aldiss Park. As of the 2024–25 season, the team plays in the Eastern Counties League Premier Division. Dereham Town FC run the Dereham Education and Soccer Academy (DESA), a partnership between Northgate High School Sixth Form College and the football club. The programme allows students to follow a Level 3 BTEC in Sport, alongside A levels and/or GCSE Maths and English retakes while also being part of a football academy. Graduates of DESA include Colchester United midfielder
Luke Hannant Luke James Hannant (born 4 November 1993) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for club Oldham Athletic. Hannant spent his youth with Norwich City and Cambridge United before embarking on a degree at Northumbria Univ ...
and Swindon Town left-back
Frazer Blake-Tracy Frazer John Blake-Tracy (born 10 September 1995) is an English professional Association football, footballer who plays as a Defender (association football)#Full-back, left back for club Mansfield Town F.C., Mansfield Town. Career Non-League car ...
. Dereham Rugby Club, based on Moorgate Road, play in the Woodfordes League. Dereham Cricket Club was formed in 1856. It plays home games at its ground on Norwich Road. Dereham Hockey Club is based nearby on Greenfield Road. In August each year, Dereham hosts a 5K race on a two-lap course around the town, which is organised by Dereham Runners. The first race was held in 2011. Dereham featured on the
2012 Tour of Britain The 2012 Tour of Britain was the ninth running of the current Tour of Britain and the 73rd British tour in total. The race consisted of eight stages, starting on 9 September in Ipswich, and finishing on 16 September in Guildford. The race was pa ...
cycle race route during the first stage from Ipswich to the Norfolk Showground. The race entered the town from the Swanton Morley direction passing along Theatre Street, the Market Place and Norwich Street, before leaving town via Norwich Road and heading towards Mattishall. A footpath from the town links with the ''Wensum Way'' at Gressenhall. This links to the
Marriott's Way The Marriott's Way is a footpath, cycle-path and bridleway in north Norfolk, England, between Norwich and Aylsham via Themelthorpe. It forms part of the National Cycle Network (NCN) (Route 1) and the red route of Norwich's Pedalways cycle ...
long-distance path to Norwich and Wroxham, and the ''Nar Valley Way'' to
King's Lynn King's Lynn, known until 1537 as Bishop's Lynn and colloquially as Lynn, is a port and market town in the borough of King's Lynn and West Norfolk in the county of Norfolk, England. It is north-east of Peterborough, north-north-east of Cambridg ...
. Neatherd Moor is an Urban Greenspace to the north-east of the town. It was designated as a County Wildlife Site in 2013. Historically, the moor was used for grazing and sourcing raw materials until the early 1800s. Today it is used by walkers and joggers and has a modern children's play area. A further large open space is Dereham Rush Meadow, a biological ''Site of Special Scientific Interest'' to the north-west of the town. In 2005, Dereham gained a new £2,000,000 library. The building is spread over two floors and features a sedum roof over a single storey area of the ground floor. The library is the second most used in Norfolk, after the Millennium Library in Norwich. Dereham has a three-screen cinema housed in the former Corn Exchange building. The building also hosts a nightclub called Metro. The building has had many incarnations including as a music venue in the 1960s when a range of top bands played there. These included
Small Faces Small Faces were an English Rock music, rock band from London, founded in 1965. The group originally consisted of Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane, Kenney Jones and Jimmy Winston, with Ian McLagan replacing Winston as the band's keyboardist in 1966 ...
,
Cream Cream is a dairy product composed of the higher-fat layer skimmed from the top of milk before homogenization. In un-homogenized milk, the fat, which is less dense, eventually rises to the top. In the industrial production of cream, this proces ...
,
Pink Floyd Pink Floyd are an English Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1965. Gaining an early following as one of the first British psychedelic music, psychedelic groups, they were distinguished by their extended compositions, sonic experiments ...
,
The Jeff Beck Group The Jeff Beck Group was a British rock band formed in London in January 1967 by former Yardbirds guitarist Jeff Beck. Their innovative approach to heavy-sounding blues, rhythm and blues and rock was a major influence on popular music. Histo ...
and
The Jimi Hendrix Experience James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential guitarists of all time. Inducted ...
.


Media

Local news and television programmes are provided by
BBC East BBC East is one of BBC's English Regions covering Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and parts of Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire (including the City of Milton Keynes). It is headquartered in The Forum ...
and
ITV Anglia ITV Anglia, previously known as Anglia Television, is the ITV franchise holder for the East of England. The station is based at Anglia House in Norwich, with regional news bureaux in Cambridge and Northampton. ITV Anglia is owned and operated b ...
. Television signals are received from the
Tacolneston Tacolneston () is a village and civil parish in the South Norfolk District of Norfolk with a population of around 700, measured at the 2011 Census as a population of 825. Its name occurs in the 1086 Domesday Book as ''Tacoluestuna'' and is theo ...
TV transmitter. Dereham's local radio stations are
BBC Radio Norfolk BBC Radio Norfolk is the BBC's local radio station serving the county of Norfolk. It broadcasts on FM, AM, DAB, digital TV and via BBC Sounds from studios at The Forum in Norwich. According to RAJAR, the station has a weekly audience of 1 ...
,
Heart East Heart East was a regional radio station owned and operated by Global as part of the Heart network. It broadcast to the East of England from studios in Milton Keynes. The station launched on 3 June 2019, following a merger of four Heart station ...
and
Greatest Hits Radio East Greatest Hits Radio East is a regional radio network serving the East of England, as part of Bauer’s Greatest Hits Radio network. Stations After acquiring several businesses in early 2019, in May 2020, Bauer announced many of their radio st ...
(formerly
Radio Norwich 99.9 Greatest Hits Radio Norfolk & North Suffolk (Norwich) (formerly Radio Norwich 99.9) is an Independent Local Radio station owned and operated by Bauer Radio, Bauer, broadcasting to Norwich and the surrounding area. The station was merged with Nor ...
). The Dereham Times is the town's weekly local newspaper including the regional newspaper
Eastern Daily Press The ''Eastern Daily Press'' (''EDP'') is a regional newspaper covering Norfolk, northern parts of Suffolk Suffolk ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East of England and East Anglia. It is bordered by Norfolk to the north, the North Sea to ...
.


Youth and community provision


Schools


Nursery and pre-school

*East Dereham Day Nursery *Magic Tree Day Nursery *Scarning Pre-School *Toftwood Nursery Pre-School


Infant and junior schools

*Dereham CE VA Infant School and Nursery *Dereham Church of England Junior Academy *Grove House Nursery and Infant Community School *King's Park Infant School *Scarning Primary School *Toftwood Infant School *Toftwood Junior School


Secondary schools

* Neatherd High School * Northgate High School


Sixth form college

*
Dereham Sixth Form College Northgate High School, formerly Northgate High School and Dereham Sixth Form College, is an academy situated in Dereham, Norfolk, England. It is a co-educational comprehensive school, for ages 11–18.Academy Website http://www.northgate.norfol ...


Special School

*Fred Nicholson School


Youth groups

Dereham has two active Scout groups, both of which are part of
The Scout Association The Scout Association is the largest organisation in the Scout Movement in the Scouting in the United Kingdom, United Kingdom. Following the rapid development of the Scouting, Scout Movement from 1907, The Scout Association was formed in 1910 ...
. 1st Dereham was one of the earliest Groups in the world, having been formed in 1908. In the past, there was a 3rd Dereham Scout Group. The town is the home of 1249 Squadron,
Air Training Corps The Air Training Corps (ATC) is a British Youth organisations in the United Kingdom, volunteer youth organisation; aligned to, and fostering the knowledge and learning of military values, primarily focusing on military aviation. Part of the ...
, who parade at the Cadet Centre on Norwich Road. The Army Cadets also parade at the same place. Dereham is home to the youth theatre group DOSYTCo, which works with children to put on shows at the Dereham Memorial Hall, such as a 2015 production of ''Hairspray''.


Attractions

Notable buildings in the town include the pargetted
Bishop Bonner Edmund Bonner (also Boner; c. 15005 September 1569) was Bishop of London from 1539 to 1549 and again from 1553 to 1559. Initially an instrumental figure in the schism of Henry VIII from Rome, he was antagonised by the Protestant reforms introdu ...
's Cottage, built in 1502; the
Norman Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 9th and 10th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norma ...
parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the Church (building), church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in com ...
; the East Dereham Windmill, which was extensively renovated in 2013; and a large mushroom-shaped
water tower A water tower is an elevated structure supporting a water tank constructed at a height sufficient to pressurize a water distribution system, distribution system for potable water, and to provide emergency storage for fire protection. Water towe ...
. The
Gressenhall Gressenhall is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk, along the course of the River Nar. Gressenhall is located north-west of Dereham and north-west of Norwich. History Gressenhall's name is of Anglo-Saxon origin and ...
Museum of Rural Life is nearby. The town also hosts the headquarters of the
Mid-Norfolk Railway The Mid-Norfolk Railway (MNR) is a preserved standard gauge heritage railway, one of the longest in Great Britain. Preservation efforts began in 1974, but the line re-opened to passengers only in the mid-1990s as part of the "new generation" o ...
, which runs trains over an 11.5-mile railway south to
Wymondham Wymondham ( ) is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in the South Norfolk district of Norfolk, England. It lies on the River Tiffey, south-west of Norwich and just off the A11 road (England), A11 road to London. The pari ...
, as well as owning the line 6 miles north to
North Elmham North Elmham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It covers an area of and is located about north of East Dereham, on the west bank of the River Wensum. Including Gateley, the civil parish had a population of 1,4 ...
and
County School Station County School railway station is on the Mid-Norfolk Railway in Norfolk, England; it will serve the villages of North Elmham and Guist once services resume. It is 17 miles 40 chains (28 km) down the line from and is the northernmost station ...
. A guide to attractions in and near Dereham, intended to promote tourism, was scheduled to be published in late March 2020.


Dereham Blues Festival

Since 2013, Dereham has hosted an annual Blues Festival organised by The Norfolk Blues Society. The 2019 Festival saw 50 acts playing in 13 different venues which included pubs, clubs and unusual venues such as Dereham Cricket Club and the station at the
Mid Norfolk Railway The Mid-Norfolk Railway (MNR) is a preserved standard gauge heritage railway, one of the longest in Great Britain. Preservation efforts began in 1974, but the line re-opened to passengers only in the mid-1990s as part of the "new generation" o ...
. All of the performances are free apart from the opening headline concert at Dereham Memorial Hall. Headline acts to date have been: *2013 Ron Sayer Jnr and the Dave Thomas Band *2014 Paul Jones *2015
Mud Morganfield Larry "Mud" Morganfield (born September 27, 1954) is an American blues singer. He is the eldest son of Muddy Waters and the half-brother of Big Bill Morganfield. Early life Morganfield was born to McKinley Morganfield (Muddy Waters) and Mildre ...
*2016 Dr. Feelgood *2017
Andy Fairweather Low Andrew Fairweather Low (born 2 August 1948) is a Welsh guitarist and singer. He was a founding member and lead singer of 1960s pop band Amen Corner (band), Amen Corner, and in recent years has toured extensively with Roger Waters, Eric Clapton ...
and The Low Riders *2018
Georgie Fame Georgie Fame (born Clive Powell; 26 June 1943) is an English R&B and jazz musician. Fame, who had a string of 1960s hits, is still performing, often working with contemporaries such as Alan Price, Van Morrison and Bill Wyman. Fame is the only B ...
*2019
Hamilton Loomis Hamilton Michael Loomis (born November 1, 1975) is an American electric blues guitarist, singer, songwriter, and record producer. One of his eight albums released to date, ''Ain't Just Temporary'', peaked at number 7 in the ''Billboard'' Top Bl ...
*2022
When Rivers Meet When Rivers Meet (or WRM) is an English blues / rock band formed in 2016 in Essex, England, by husband-and-wife duo Grace and Aaron Bond. In May 2021 they won four UK Blues Awards, for: Emerging Blues Artist of the Year; Blues Band of the Year; ...
and Kyla Brox *2023 Danielle Nicole *2024 Toby Lee The 2020 Festival was due to run from 8 to 12 July, with the headline act being
Mike Sanchez Jesus Miguel "Mike" Sanchez (born 17 February 1964) is a British rhythm and blues singer, pianist and songwriter. He is known for his work with the Big Town Playboys and Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings, and for his solo career. Sanchez, of Spanish- ...
performing with his band The Portions. However the Festival was cancelled due to the Coronavirus pandemic. The 2021 festival was similarly aborted.


Notable people

Notable people born in or associated with the town include: *
Thomas Eastoe Abbott Thomas Eastoe Abbott (23 November 1786 – 18 February 1854) was an English poet. Life Abbott was born and baptised in East Dereham, Norfolk, the son of John Abbott and Susannah Eastoe, who married in East Dereham on 13 November 1777. He worked f ...
, poet *
Brian Aldiss Brian Wilson Aldiss (; 18 August 1925 – 19 August 2017) was an English writer, artist and anthology editor, best known for science fiction novels and short stories. His byline reads either Brian W. Aldiss or simply Brian Aldiss, except for oc ...
, novelist * Chris Baker, high-jumper * Michael Barton, cricketer *
George Borrow George Henry Borrow (5 July 1803 – 26 July 1881) was an English writer of novels and of travel based on personal experiences in Europe. His travels gave him a close affinity with the Romani people of Europe, who figure strongly in his work. Hi ...
, author * Bruce Bursford, cyclist *
Todd Cantwell Todd Owen Cantwell (born 27 February 1998) is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for EFL Championship club Blackburn Rovers. Cantwell began his career at Norwich City, joining the club at under-10 level in 2008 and ma ...
, footballer *
Frederick Codd Frederick Codd (17 July 1831 – 19 October 1888) was a British Gothic Revival architect and speculative builder who designed and built many Victorian houses in North Oxford, England. Codd was born in 1831 in East Dereham in Norfolk, the sixt ...
, architect * Harry Cripps, footballer *
Reverend Lionel Fanthorpe Robert Lionel Fanthorpe (born 9 February 1935) is a retired British priest and entertainer. Fanthorpe also worked as a dental technician, journalist, teacher, television presenter, author and lecturer. Born in Dereham in Norfolk, he lives in Cardif ...
, priest and entertainer * Sir John Fenn, antiquarian * Lady
Ellenor Fenn Ellenor Fenn ( Frere; 12 March 1743 – 1 November 1813; pseudonyms, Mrs. Teachwell, Mrs. Lovechild) was a prolific 18th-century British writer of children's books. Early life Ellenor Frere was born on 12 March 1743 in Westhorpe, Suffolk to She ...
, author * John Grange, immunologist * David Nicholls, cricketer *
Beth Orton Elizabeth Caroline Orton (born 14 December 1970) is an English musician known for her "folktronica" sound, which mixes elements of folk and electronica. She was initially recognised for her collaborations with William Orbit, Andrew Weatherall ...
, singer *
James Phillippo James Phillippo (1798 in Norfolk, England – 11 May 1879, in Spanish Town, Jamaica) was an English Baptist missionary in Jamaica who campaigned for the abolition of slavery. He served in Jamaica from 1823 to his death, with some periods lobbyin ...
, abolitionist *
George Skipper George John Skipper (6 August 1856 – 1 August 1948) was a leading Norwich-based architect of the late Victorian and Edwardian period. Writer and poet, John Betjeman said of him "he is altogether remarkable and original. He was to Norwic ...
, architect *
Freddie Steward Freddie Nicholas Overbury Steward (born 5 December 2000) is an English professional rugby union player who plays as a Fullback (rugby union), fullback for Premiership Rugby club Leicester Tigers and the England national rugby union team, Englan ...
, rugby union player *
Ken Thorne Kenneth Thorne (26 January 1924 – 9 July 2014) was a British television and film score composer. Early life Thorne was born in Dereham, a town in the English county of Norfolk. Thorne began his musical career as a pianist with the big bands ...
, composer * Matthew Vassar, American brewer, merchant and philanthropist *
William Hyde Wollaston William Hyde Wollaston (; 6 August 1766 – 22 December 1828) was an English chemist and physicist who is famous for discovering the chemical elements palladium and rhodium. He also developed a way to process platinum ore into malleable i ...
, scientist *
Henri Chopin Henri Chopin (18 June 1922 – 3 January 2008) was a French avant-garde poet and musician. Life Henri Chopin was born in Paris, 18 June 1922, one of three brothers, and the son of an accountant. Both his siblings died during the war. One was sh ...
, avant-garde poet and musician, lived out his later years and died in Dereham *
William Cowper William Cowper ( ;  â€“ 25 April 1800) was an English poet and Anglican hymnwriter. One of the most popular poets of his time, Cowper changed the direction of 18th-century nature poetry by writing of everyday life and scenes of the Engli ...
, poet, died in Dereham and is buried in St Nicholas's Church, where there is a commemorative stained glass window * David Fisher,
Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series, created by Sydney Newman, C. E. Webber and Donald Wilson (writer and producer), Donald Wilson, depicts the adventures of an extraterre ...
scriptwriter lived in Dereham from 2001 *
Stephen Fry Sir Stephen John Fry (born 24 August 1957) is an English actor, broadcaster, comedian, director, narrator and writer. He came to prominence as a member of the comic act Fry and Laurie alongside Hugh Laurie, with the two starring in ''A Bit of ...
, comedian and actor, married his partner Elliot Spencer in the town on 17 January 2015 * Mick Gault, English sport shooter and multi medal winner at the Commonwealth Games, lives in Dereham *
Jim Mortram Jim A. Mortram (born 10 September 1971) is a British social documentary photographer and writer, based in Dereham, Norfolk. His ongoing project using photography and writing, ''Small Town Inertia,'' records the lives of a number of disadvantaged ...
, social documentary photographer and writer, is based in Dereham * The Oldhall family held the manor in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries: notable members of the family included Sir William Oldhall,
Speaker of the House of Commons Speaker of the House of Commons is a political leadership position found in countries that have a House of Commons, where the membership of the body elects a speaker to lead its proceedings. Systems that have such a position include: * Speaker of ...
and his brother
Edmund Oldhall Edmund Oldhall (after 1390 – 1459 in Ireland, 1459) was an English-born cleric and judge in fifteenth-century Ireland. He was Bishop of Meath and acting Lord Chancellor of Ireland. He was a brother of the leading Yorkist statesman Sir Willia ...
,
Bishop of Meath The Bishop of Meath is an episcopal title which takes its name after the ancient Kingdom of Meath. In the Catholic Church it remains as a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with another bishopric. History Until the ...
* William O'Callaghan, survivor and hero of
Le Paradis massacre The Le Paradis massacre was a World War II war crime committed by members of the 14th Company, 3rd SS Panzer Division Totenkopf, SS Division Totenkopf, under the command of ''Hauptsturmführer'' Fritz Knöchlein. It took place on 27 May 1940, d ...
during World War II, lived in Dereham for most of his life *
Jo Pitt Jo Pitt (22 February 1979 – 2 May 2013) was a Scottish equestrian Paralympian. Early life Pitt came from Huntly, Aberdeenshire, and studied at Oatridge College, West Lothian. She had right-sided hemiplegic cerebral palsy. Career Pitt ...
, para-equestrian *
Chris Rankin Chris Rankin is a New Zealand–born British actor, director, and producer who is best known for playing Percy Weasley in the '' Harry Potter film franchise''. Early life Rankin was adopted. Rankin lived in Rothesay Bay until he was six, atte ...
, actor, attended
Northgate High School, Dereham Northgate High School, formerly Northgate High School and Dereham Sixth Form College, is an academy situated in Dereham, Norfolk, England. It is a co-educational comprehensive school, for ages 11–18.Academy Website http://www.northgate.norfol ...


Twin towns

Dereham is twinned with: *
Caudebec-lès-Elbeuf Caudebec-lès-Elbeuf (, literally ''Caudebec near Elbeuf'') is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region in northern France. Geography A residential and light industrial town situated by the banks of the river Seine, s ...
, France *
Rüthen Rüthen () is a town in the district of Soest, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. Geography Rüthen is situated at the northeastern border of the natural preserve Arnsberger Wald between the Haarstrang and the valley of the river Möhne, app ...
, Germany


Notes


References


External links


Dereham Town Council websiteInformation from Genuki Norfolk
on Dereham. {{authority control Populated places established in the 7th century Breckland District Market towns in Norfolk Towns in Norfolk Civil parishes in Norfolk