Please note that the postcard from series
ended in 2004 and that descriptions of shops and services were correct at
time of going to press
Where
is it:
Take the A148 Cromer road from King's Lynn, and turn off at the
roundabout and head towards the town centre; or travel from Norwich
along the A1067.
What's the population:
Around 7800, but growing, with new housing developments in the
town and surrounding villages.
Best-known landmarks:
Fakenham racecourse, with its royal patronage, has brought national
prominence to the town.The Prince of Wales is the current patron
and visited in March last year to officially open a new £1.2
million stand named after him. The preserved Fakenham Gasworks on
Hempton Road is the only complete non-operational works remaining
in England, and is now open as a museum.
Fakenham's Market Square
Defining
moment in history:
The name of Fakenham is recorded in the Domesday Book (1068 AD)
spelt Faganham; it probably means the "ham" or dwelling
of one Facca. The first settlement was in Tunn Street, and the Anglo-Saxon
invaders arrived via the River Wensum. In 1998, it hit national
headlines and outraged locals when it was described by a spin doctor
as the most boring place on earth. This view was balanced last year
when it was voted the seventh best place to live in the country
by Country Life magazine.
Most likely to see:
People from surrounding villages shopping on Thursday market day;
and eyeing up a bargain at the popular market and James Beck's auction
house.
Best place for a drink:
Traditional bar at the Market Place Crown Hotel, or the fun and
funky surroundings of the Gallery Bistro, also in
the Market Place. There are also various pubs.
And a bite to eat:
Selection of eating venues to suit most tastes, including, Thai,
Chinese takeaway and pizza. Restaurants include Fakenham Wine bar,
Old Stable Restaurant, the Crown Hotel and the Gallery Bistro. There
are also restaurants within both the traditional Aldiss department
and home-style furniture superstore.
The Corn Hall in Fakenham
Any opportunities for retail therapy:
The Aldiss home-style superstore, which offers an amazing range
of furniture, carpets and house wares all on one ground floor attracts
customers from all over East Anglia. Privately-owned specialist
shops, including The Dancing Goat second-hand book store and café,
and Get Smart and Fugli, are among its individual fashion shops
What to do after dark:
Three-screen Hollywood cinema in old Corn Exchange; or meet friends
for cocktails in the stylish Gallery Bistro, and go bowling at Fakenham
Superbowl.
Must see before you leave:
The award-winning Market Place following its major makeover with
reminders in its design of the town's heyday as a major centre of
the printing industry.
