East Harling


East Harling is a village in the English county of Norfolk. The village forms the principal settlement in the civil parish of Harling, and is located some 8 miles east of the town of Thetford and 25 miles south-west of the city of Norwich.
The parish church of Ss Peter and Paul is a Grade I listed building. It was built in the 15th century on the site of an older church and has a magnificent hammerbeam roof which rises to a height of 45 feet above the floor. The building contains many other medieval survivals such as the panels of the chancel screen, an older screen surrounding the Lady Chapel with intricate carvings in its spandrels, choir stalls in the chancel, remains of a mural and the octagonal font. There are also a number of interesting tombs. The most noteworthy feature of the church, however, is the magnificent east window which was donated to the church by Lady Anne Herling and her second husband, Sir Robert Wingfield, in around 1460. Removed for safety, the glass of this notable window was hidden in the attic of the since demolished East Harling Hall. When the manor was sold to Thomas Wright in 1736 he restored the glass to the church. It was removed again during World War II but replaced and re-leaded in 1947.
The village is served by Harling Road railway station, which is situated 2 miles to the north.
From 1808 to 1814 East Harling hosted a station in the shutter telegraph chain which connected the Admiralty in London to its naval ships in the port of Great Yarmouth.