Area guides

Necton

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A commuter's hideaway...

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Necton
14 mins to Dereham
30 mins to Thetford
30 mins to King's Lynn
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Sat between Swaffham and Dereham, just off the A47 main route between King’s Lynn and Norwich, Necton offers the best of both traditional, rural living in the heart of the Brecklands along with easy access to every point of the county compass. A commuter’s idyllic hideaway definitely, but with Thetford Forest just 30 minutes away, there’s plenty of adventuring to be had for those who love to explore the great outdoors – load up the bikes to enjoy the cool of the forest trails on a hot summer’s day, challenge yourselves on the high wires at Go Ape, or simply unpack a picnic under the towering trees and reconnect with nature.

Necton

Historically, Necton appears in the Domesday Book as Nechetuna, meaning ‘town or settlement by a neck of land’ as it sits at the foot of a ridge, and Grade I listed All Saints’ church has a vast hammer beam and arch braced roof with carved angels which is a fabulous place to sit and contemplate – the Countess of Warwick is said to be buried in the churchyard.

Follow Tuns Road a little further and turn into Mill Street which once was a centre of industry when a five-storey windmill ground flour from crops grown in surrounding farmland. By 1970, the once towering building had been converted into a single-storey residence with a flat roof and this has been a shop through the decades. Enjoy a glass and a home cooked meal at the local pub, the appropriately named The Windmill Inn. Looking to the future, just outside Necton a new sub-station will harness energy from off-shore wind farms on the east coast, once again putting this thriving village community on the map.

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