Saxlingham


Saxlingham is a village located in the civil parish of Field Dalling in the English county of Norfolk. It lies 13.1 miles west of Cromer, 26 miles north-west of Norwich, 3.6 miles west of the town of Holt and 126 miles north-east of London.

Transport and governance

The nearest railway station is at Sheringham, on the Bittern Line, which provides trains about once an hour between Sheringham, Cromer and Norwich. The nearest air services are at Norwich International Airport.
The village lies in North Norfolk district. For Westminster elections, it is in the constituency of North Norfolk, currently represented by Norman Lamb, a Liberal Democrat.

History

Saxlingham is mentioned in the 1086 Domesday Book, under the names ‘Saxelinghham' and 'Saxelingaham'. The main tenant of the manor at that time was Bishop William Peter de Valognes.

Historic buildings

The Parish Church of Saint Margaret was constructed mainly in the 15th century. It was extensively restored by a benefactor, Sir Alfred Jodrell, in 1896, giving it an appearance of far more recent construction.
Inside the church is a font dating from the 15th century and an ironbound chest of the same period. In a niche is an alabaster figure of an Elizabethan lady kneeling on a tasselled cushion, the daughter of Sir Christopher Heydon.
To the east of the church stands the once ruined Heydon Hall, built in 1581–1584 and home of Sir John Heydon before he decamped to Baconsthorpe Castle. It is Grade I listed and its gardens Grade II* listed on the National Heritage List for England. The house was recently restored and renamed and is now a private residence.
Saxlingham Rectory and Saxlingham House are Grade II listed.