Hethel

Hethel
Hethel is located in Norfolk
Hethel
Hethel
Location within Norfolk
Civil parish
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townNORWICH
Postcode districtNR14
Dialling code01508
List of places
UK
England
Norfolk
52°33′N 1°12′E / 52.55°N 1.2°E / 52.55; 1.2

Hethel is a small village in the civil parish of Bracon Ash, in the South Norfolk district, in Norfolk, England, approximately five miles (8.0 km) southeast of the market town of Wymondham, and approximately ten miles (16 km) south of the city of Norwich. In 1931 the parish had a population of 118.[1] On 1 April 1935 the parish was abolished and merged with Bracon Ash.[2]

The village gave its name to the former RAF Hethel bomber station, which has been the location of the Head Office and factory of Lotus Cars[3] since the 1960s. The Lotus Cars test track uses sections of the old RAF Hethel runway.

Hethel is noted for containing the oldest known living hawthorn tree[4] in East Anglia and possibly in the United Kingdom (reputed to be more than 700 years old). Planted in the 13th century, "Hethel Old Thorn" (a specimen of Common Hawthorn, Crataegus monogyna)[1][2] is in the village churchyard, which is classified as the smallest reserve under the care of the British Wildlife Trusts partnership.[3].

The name 'Hethel' is derived from the older name 'Het Hill'.

  1. ^ "Population statistics Hethel CP/AP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  2. ^ "Relationships and changes Hethel CP/AP through time". A Vision of Britain through Time. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  3. ^ "Contact us". Group Lotus. 2004. Archived from the original on 20 January 2007. Retrieved 19 January 2007.
  4. ^ "Meet The Wildlife Trusts' Remarkable Trees and Woodlands". The Wildlife Trusts. 2002. Retrieved 19 January 2007.