One would assume that with the term 'Great' included in a name that Great Walsingham would be bigger than its sister Little Walsingham, however this is not the case.  Great Walsingham is significantly smaller and quieter than its neighbour Little Walsingham, which is the where the Anglican and Roman Catholic shrines are located. 

Great Walsingham village sits in the vale of the river Stiffkey and contains a handful of handsome houses, some with impressive timber frames and others have fine Georgian facades.  One building of particular note is the manor house Berry Hall a private residence which dates from the 16th century complete with a Saxon moat.

It is worth visiting the pretty 14th century church of St. Peters, set on a hill overlooking the valley. Inside the church’s tower are three bells made in Kings Lynn between 1330 and 1350.There are also particularly ugly gargoyles, and its worth risking neck ache to see them. The pews within the church have decorative ends featuring strange animals, apostles and angels.  There are reference to the Black Death of 1348 contained within the church, when it said the entire village of Great Walsingham upped sticks and moved across the ford. For holiday accommodation in Great Walsingham or closeby - self catering - bed and breakfast - camping and caravan - hotel - inns - guest house look at our accommodation pages.

Great Walsingham Barns slightly outside the village  houses a craft centre and tea rooms, it has exhibitions of paintings and sculpture  and has fine displays of contemporary crafts, including pottery, woodcarving and textiles.

The seaside resort of Wells-next-the-sea is four miles away and for provisions, inns and restaurants Little Walsingham is under 1/2 a mile away.

The nearby village of Thursford is home to the 'Thursford Collection' an attraction of steam organs, steam locomotives and mighty Wurlitzer.  Its annual Christmas extravaganza a  combination of carols dancing trumpeters marchers and community singing has world wide appeal.

At the eastern most buttress of the church south aisle, is a small round circle with lines shooting out from a central hole, this is a scratch dial. A metal or wooden peg known as a gnomon (Greek indicator) used to be placed inside the hole. The shadow of which was used when it touched one of the radiating lines to indicate to the priest that it was time for Mass.