Martham

Martham
St Mary, Martham
Martham is located in Norfolk
Martham
Martham
Location within Norfolk
Area11.84 km2 (4.57 sq mi)
Population3,569 (2011)
• Density301/km2 (780/sq mi)
OS grid referenceTG455185
Civil parish
  • Martham
District
Shire county
Region
CountryEngland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townGREAT YARMOUTH
Postcode districtNR29
PoliceNorfolk
FireNorfolk
AmbulanceEast of England
List of places
UK
England
Norfolk
52°42′30″N 1°37′58″E / 52.70844°N 1.63282°E / 52.70844; 1.63282

Martham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is situated some 10 mi (16 km) north-west of the town of Great Yarmouth and 19 mi (31 km) north-east of the city of Norwich.[1]

The villages name means 'marten homestead/village' or 'weasel/marten hemmed-in land'.

The civil parish has an area of 11.84 km2 (4.57 sq mi) and in the 2001 census had a population of 3,126 in 1,267 households, the population including Cess and increasing at the 2011 Census to 3,569.[2] For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the district of Great Yarmouth. In recent years the population has expanded with considerable housing being constructed. Bus service to Great Yarmouth is regular.[3] There was a station in the village adjacent to a level crossing on Rollesby Road Martham railway station, but this closed in 1959, when the entire line from Great Yarmouth to North Walsham was eliminated.[4] The station buildings stood for another 30 years.

Education is available in the village from Early Years to aged 16. Martham Primary & Nursery[5] caters for children up to Year 6, with Flegg High School taking students from Year 7 to Year 11. Post 16 education is available at other establishments outside of Martham.

The village has several Georgian houses, a large village green, covering three areas of greensward and two duck ponds. Near St Mary's church Church of England, Ferrygate Lane leads to Martham Ferry, where an unusual floating swing bridge crosses the River Thurne. The bridge leads to Heigham Holmes, an island nature reserve, which can only be accessed by the public on special occasions.[6] About 2 km (1.2 mi) to the north of the village is Martham Broad, a 140 acres (57 ha) nature reserve, which is not navigable by boat.[citation needed]

The Saxons settled in Martham around AD601[7] and gave the village its name, "the ham of the martens", the home of the polecats.[8][9]

The Anglican missionary Anna Hinderer died in the village in 1870.[10][11]

  1. ^ Ordnance Survey (2005). OS Explorer Map OL40 - The Broads. ISBN 0-319-23769-9.
  2. ^ "Parish population 2011". Archived from the original on 11 October 2016. Retrieved 25 August 2015.
  3. ^ Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes. Retrieved 2 December 2005.
  4. ^ Wrottlesley, A.J.F. (1970). The Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway. pp. 27, 37, 53, 93, 140, 162, 198, 17. ISBN 0-7153-4340-8.
  5. ^ "Martham Primary & Nursery - Home". Archived from the original on 3 February 2017. Retrieved 27 March 2020.
  6. ^ "Highham Holmes open day". Broads Authority. Archived from the original on 28 September 2011. Retrieved 29 August 2011.
  7. ^ Meakin, Ann (1996). Glimpses into the history of the village of Martham. Ann Meakin. ISBN 0-9529876-0-0.
  8. ^ "Norfolk Parishes".
  9. ^ Women's Institute, Norfolk Federation (1994). The Norfolk Village Book. Countryside Books. p. 142. ISBN 1-85306-092-5.
  10. ^ Anna Hinderer, DACB, Retrieved 19 March 2017
  11. ^ "Author described as cultural gem is celebrated". 16 February 2016.