The Prairie Cottage Sheringham » Norfolk » Fakenham

Fakenham is synonymous with horse racing; the racecourse prides itself on having a friendly casual atmosphere. There is no formal dress code. Children under 17 are admitted free but must be accompanied by an adult.

The town is a nice mixture of modern and old. The centre is largely pedestrianised with plenty of shops to browse and places for refreshment.

For those who want to see local artisans at work, we can recommend Langham Glass. There you can learn the art of glass blowing under expert tutelage or watch export glass blowers demonstrate their skill. There is a shop where you can browse a whole range of goods made in house or from around the country.

Fakenham Parish Church is sited next to the marketplace. The church has medieval origins although a Saxon church is believed to precede it. The interior dates from a major renovation in Victorian times.

There is a weekly market on Thursday and a monthly farmers market on the 4th Saturday of each month with stalls selling fresh produce.

Pensthorpe Wildlife and Gardens may sound familiar. It was the location for the popular BBC wildlife show Springwatch from 2008-2010. It has a pleasant mixture of woodland and nature trails to explore along with some of their conservation work on display.

Finally, for those interested in local history, there is the Museum of Gas and Local History. This is the only surviving town gasworks in England and Wales and is complete with all the original equipment used to refine gas from coal.