Burnham Market

Burnham Market is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is 19 miles (31 km) north-east of King's Lynn and 32 miles (51 km) north-west of Norwich.

Burnham Market
St Mary's Church
Burnham Market Location within Norfolk
Area	18.43 km2 (7.12 sq mi)
Population	724 (2021)
• Density	39/km2 (100/sq mi)
OS grid reference	TF834422
Civil parish	Burnham Market
District	King's Lynn and West Norfolk
Shire county	Norfolk
Region	East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	King's Lynn
Postcode district	PE31
Dialling code	01328
Police	Norfolk
Fire	Norfolk
Ambulance	East of England
UK Parliament	North West Norfolk
List of places UK England Norfolk 52.946°N 0.728°E / 52.946; 0.728

The village green

The Hoste Arms

It is one of the Norfolk Burnhams. Three settlements, Burnham Sutton, Burnham Ulph, and Burnham Westgate merged to form Burnham Market. In 2020 it was rated among the "20 most beautiful villages in the UK and Ireland" by Condé Nast Traveler.^[1]

History

Burnham Market in the district of King's Lynn and West Norfolk

Burnham Market's name is of Anglo-Saxon origin,^[2] although the village is not listed in the Domesday Book.

In 1952, the West Norfolk Junction Railway, which ran through the village, was closed. This railway had linked with Holkham, Wells-next-the-Sea, Hunstanton and Kings Lynn. The station still stands on the road to North Creake.

St Henry Walpole Catholic Church, Burnham Market in the Diocese of East Anglia

Burnham Market

Burnham Westgate Hall is a Grade II listed country house built in the 1780s by Sir John Soane for Thomas Pitt, 1st Baron Camelford. The Hall was built on the existing Polstede Hall, which had been built in the 1750s by Matthew Brettingham for Pinckney Wilkinson MP.^[3] In 1933, the Hall passed to the Royal British Legion and after the Second World War it was used as an old people's home. From 1990 onwards, it has become the private residence of Patricia Rawlings, Baroness Rawlings.^[4]

Geography

At the 2011 census, Burnham Market had a population of 877,^[5] which fell to 724 people by the 2021 census.^[5]

Burnham Market is located at the junction between the B1155, between Great Bircham and Holkham, and B1355, between A148 and A149.

Churches

Burnham Market is home to several churches.

St Mary's Church is of Norman origin and is dedicated to Mary, mother of Jesus. St Mary's was significantly remodelled in the 14th, 15th and 19th centuries and is currently a listed building. The church bells date to the 17th century.^[6]

All Saints' Church is of Norman origin and was heavily remodelled in the 14th century, with further minor alterations in the 19th century.^[7]

St Henry Walpole Catholic Church, Burnham Market's Catholic Church, was constructed in 1959 and is dedicated to Henry Walpole, an Elizabethan Catholic martyr.^[8] The church conducts weekly Mass on a Friday and Sunday.^[9]

Notable people

• Sir Mordaunt Martin, 4th Baronet (1740-1815) nobleman, lived in Burnham Market.
• Sir Roger Martin, 5th Baronet (1778-1854) nobleman, lived in Burnham Market.
• Anne Elliot (1856-1941) novelist, lived in Burnham Sutton.^[10]
• Emma Elliot – English writer and novelist^{[citation needed]}
• Lady Margaret Douglas-Home (1906-1996) musician and writer, lived in Burnham Market.
• Major David Jamieson VC CVO (1920-2001) Army officer, died in Burnham Market.
• Patricia Rawlings, Baroness Rawlings (b.1939) politician, lives in Burnham Market.
• Sandra Chick (b.1947) hockey player, born in Burnham Market.
• Sonia Robertson (b.1947) hockey player, born in Burnham Market.
• Steve Deere (b.1948) footballer, born in Burnham Market.