Ditchingham

If you’re looking for hotels in Ditchingham, a thematic overview can help with planning your trip. Local highlights include Neolithic burial mounds and settlement remains, 19th-century historic buildings, the gardens of Ditchingham Hall, and a walking link through the open space at Ditchingham Maltings. You can tailor your stay to your interests, whether you’re more interested in archaeology, architectural history, garden design or outdoor walks.

Archaeology on Broome Heath

The long barrow and round barrows on Broome Heath are designated as a Scheduled Monument. The visible Neolithic long barrow is about 50 metres long and about 25 metres wide. The Ditchingham barrow is about 30 metres in diameter and about 2 metres high. The measurements show two distinct profiles: length and width for the long barrow, and diameter and height for the Ditchingham barrow.

Broome Heath was also the site of a rare Neolithic settlement. Excavations there uncovered Neolithic flints and postholes. These finds add a different archaeological perspective to the burial mounds: they come from a settlement site, not a burial monument.

Architectural history and architecture

St Mary’s Church has a tall, elegant west tower with pinnacles, slender, tapering decorative elements. The former House of Mercy is considered an important early example of a building purpose-built as a House of Mercy. It was built in 1859 to designs by Henry Woodyer. The former Community House, a convent, was built in 1876 for the Sisters of Mercy. The dates refer to distinct building histories: 1859 for the House of Mercy and Woodyer’s design, and 1876 for the Community House and its construction for the Sisters of Mercy.

The entrance arch, walled garden and glasshouse of the former All Hallows Convent are listed as Grade II buildings. Here, the focus is on three specifically named structures; at St Mary’s Church, it is the west tower, while the details about the House of Mercy and the Community House concern their construction dates and history.

Gardens of Ditchingham Hall

The gardens and grounds of Ditchingham Hall extend over about five hectares around the manor house. The garden includes an old walled garden with colour-themed gardens, a rose garden and a pergola. The area gives an idea of the scale of the grounds, while the individual features offer a closer look at their design.

Planning a visit and walking routes

The Ditchingham Estate is open to the public for certain events; dates vary. Check the event dates if you’re planning a visit to the Estate.

The open space at Ditchingham Maltings provides a pedestrian link between Ditchingham Dam and Ditchingham, and offers residents and visitors informal opportunities for recreation. If you’re planning a walking route, bear in mind that path conditions can change, and check them before your walk.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Freethorpe, Attleborough, Edgefield, Hockering, Potter Heigham, Outwell, Sheringham, Castle Acre

For the main travel overview: Norfolk.