Fakenham is a market town in Norfolk.

Understand

Village Sign

Recorded in the Domesday Book the village was small and neighbouring villages dominated until Henry VIII dissolved the Abbey at Hempton, when Fakenham started to grow until by 1250 it became a Market Town and today still has a weekly market close to the original location. Throughout the 19th and 20th centuries printing was the town's main industry but the principal printers closed in 1970.

The town in on the River Wensum.

Get in

By road

The town is on the A148 main road between Holt (13 miles) and King's Lynn (23 miles).The A1064 runs from the town to Swaffham (and beyond to Mildenhall where it connects to the main A11).

By train

The stations in the town have both closed and there are no longer any train services to the town.

By bus

• Stagecoach X29 service runs through the town between King's Lynn and Norwich.
• Sanders Coaches service 9 runs between the town and Cromer
• konectbus service 21 runs between the town and Dereham (via North Elmham).

Get around

The town is small enough to see on foot.

See

Fakenham Church

War Memorial

• 1 Fakenham Museum of Gas and Local History, Hempton Rd, Fakenham, NR21 7LA, ☏ +44 1553 762151, enquiries@fakenhamgasmuseum.com. the only surviving town gasworks in England and Wales (updated Apr 2017)
• 2 Langham Glass, Greenway Lane, Fakenham, NR21 8ET, ☏ +44 1328 863500, enquiries@langhamglass.co.uk. Daily 10:00-16:00. Glass blowing centre (courses, experience/"have-a-go", shop, cafe). (updated Apr 2017)

Do

Hollywood Cinema

• 1 Fakenham Golf Club, Pudding Norton, Fakenham, NR21 7NY, ☏ +44 1328 855678. (updated Apr 2017)
• 2 Holywood Cinema, Market Place, Fakenham, NR21 9BP, ☏ +44 1328 856466. £7 (adult). £5.99 (child). (updated May 2017)
• Go to the races at 3 Fakenham Racecourse, Fakenham NR21 7NY (south across river from town centre), ☏ +44 1328 862388, info@fakenhamracecourse.co.uk. Unusually, this has year-round jumps races, no flat-racing. (updated Jan 2019)
• 4 Pensthorpe Natural Park, Fakenham Road, Fakenham, NR21 0LN, ☏ +44 1328 851465, info@pensthorpe.com. Daily from 10:00 (09:30 in summer). Wildlife Park. For several years the BBC TV SpringWatch Nature series was filmed based in the park. No dogs (other than assistance dogs). £11.95 (adult). £10.95 (child and senior). (updated Apr 2017)

Buy

Market Place

• 1 Thursday Market, Market Place, Fakenham, NR21 9BG. Th 09:00-15:00. Also see some of the printing blocks set into the market square celebrating the printing history of the town. (updated May 2017)

Supermarkets

• 2 Tesco (Supermarket), Oak St Fakenham, NR21 9DX, ☏ +44 345 026 9522. M-Sa 0:00-22:00. Su 11:-17:00. Wi-Fi. ATMs. (updated Apr 2017)
• 3 Lidl (Supermarket), Holt Rd, Fakenham, NR21 8JG. M-Sa 08:00-22:00. Su 10:00-16:00. (updated Apr 2017)

Banks

• 4 Lloyds (Bank), 27 Norwich St, Fakenham, NR21 9AH. M Tu 09:00-1:30. W 09:30-16:30. Th F 09:00-16:30. Sa 09:00-13:00. (updated Apr 2017)
• 5 HSBC (Bank), 36 Market Place, Fakenham, NR21 9DA. M-F 09:30-15:30. 24 hr ATM. (updated Apr 2017)

Eat

• 1 Drifters Fish & Chips (Restaurant), 20 Oak St, Fakenham, NR21 9DY, ☏ +44 1328 863229. Tu W 11:30-14:00 & 16:30-21:00. Th 11:00-21:00. F 11:30-21:30. Sa 11:00-21:00. Su 16:00-20:30. Also delivery. (updated May 2017)
• 2 Running Horse, Hawthorn Way,, ☏ +44 1328 864498. (updated May 2017)
• 3 Henry IV (Pub & Restaurant), Greenway Lane, Fakenham, NR21 8ES, ☏ +44 1328 864592. M-F 11:00-23:00. Sa 10:00-23:00. Su 10:00-22:30. Free Wi-Fi. Beer garden. (updated May 2017)
• 4 Norfolk Kebab House (Take-away), 3 Norwich St, Fakenham, NR21 9AF, ☏ +44 1328 856966. M-Th 15:00-23:55. F Sa 15:00-01:00. Su 15:00-23:55. Delivery available (different hours). (updated May 2017)

Drink

• 1 The Bull (Pub), 41 Bridge St, Fakenham, NR21 9AG, ☏ +44 1328 853410, inquiries@thefakenhambull.co.uk. Free House & member of CAMRA. Also food & rooms. (updated May 2017)
• 2 The Limes (Pub), 30 Bridge St, Fakenham, NR21 9AZ, ☏ +44 1328 850050. Daily 08:00-00:00. Wi-Fi. Food (different hours). (updated May 2017)
• 3 Wisteria Tea Rooms, Newmans Yard, Norwich St, Fakenham, NR21 9AF, ☏ +44 1328 851247, info@wisteriatearoom.co.uk. Tu 10:00-14:00. W 10:00-15:00. Th 09:00-15:00. F 10:00-15:00. Sa 09:00-15:00. (occasionally Su 12:00-15:00). (updated May 2017)

Sleep

• 1 The Wensum Lodge Hotel, Bridge St, Fakenham, NR21 9AY, ☏ +44 1328 862100, enquiries@wensumlodge.co.uk. Check-in: 15:00-23:00, check-out: By 11:00.. (updated Apr 2017)
• 2 Rampant Horse Inn (Pub offering accommodation), 3 Queens Rd, Fakenham, NR21 8BS, ☏ +44 1328 862421, rampant.horse@btconnect.com. No dogs. Often live music Sa nights (local bands). From £35 (single occupancy). From £50 (double occupancy). (updated May 2017)
• 3 Erika's (B&B), 3 Gladstone Rd, Fakenham, NR21 9BZ, ☏ +44 1328 863058, contact@erikasbandb.co.uk. Free Wi-Fi. £35-£40 per night. (updated May 2017)
• 4 Bay Tree Cottage (B&B), 17 Sculthorpe Rd, Fakenham, NR21 9HA, ☏ +44 1328 863 667. Off-street parking. £50 (single occupancy). £75 (double occupancy). (updated May 2017)
• 5 Old Wash House (B&B), 44a Creake Rd, Fakenham, NR21 9NQ, ☏ +44 1328 258 268, info@theoldwashhouse.com. Check-in: 16:00-19:00, check-out: By 10:00. £80 per night (double room). (updated May 2017)
• 6 PEar Tree Cottage (B&B), Water Lane, East Barsham, NR21 0LF, ☏ +44 1328 821258, annie@peartreecottagenorfolk.com. Check-in: 16:00-20:00, check-out: By 10:00. No dogs. Free Wi-Fi in rooms. (updated May 2017)

Stay healthy

• 1 Nearest Accident & Emergency: The Queen Elizabeth Hospital (Casualty or the Emergency Room), Gayton Road, King's Lynn, PE30 4ET (20 miles to W). 24/7. (updated May 2017)
• 2 The Fakenham Medical Practice (GP or Primary Healthcare), Meditrina House, Trinity Rd, Fakenham, NR21 8SW, ☏ +44 1328 851321, f.practice@nhs.net. M-F 08:00-18:30. (updated May 2017)
• 3 Wensum Dental Practice (Dentist), 65 Norwich Rd, Fakenham, NR21 8BA, ☏ +44 1328 862363, info@WensumDentalPractice.co.uk. M-F 9:00-17:00. (updated May 2017)
• 4 Well (Pharmacy), Lidl Retail Park, Holt Rd, Fakenham, NR218JG, ☏ +44 1328 851944. M-F 09:00-18:30. Sa 09:00-13:00. (updated May 2017)

Connect

• 5 Post Office, 9 Millers Walk, Whitehorse St, Fakenham, NR21 9AP. (updated Apr 2017)

Go next

• Holt
• Dereham
• Burnham Market
• Wells-next-the-Sea, Blakeney and the North Norfolk Coast