Great Snoring: Discover Church Art and Walking Routes

Great Snoring combines an impressive church history with routes through the countryside. Anyone planning a trip that combines culture and activity will find several very different points of interest here: St Mary with its remarkable furnishings, the historic Old Rectory, the Great Snoring War Memorial, and the “Green Way circular walk to Great Snoring”. The pilgrimage route from Norwich to Walsingham also passes through the village. This makes it possible to shape your stay according to your interests without having to commit to just one way of exploring the area.

St Mary: medieval architectural history and special details

St Mary dates from the 13th century and includes additions from the 14th and 15th centuries. The chancel contains a 15th-century rood screen with two painted panels that survived the Reformation. There is also a rare royal coat of arms of James II and a preserved battlefield cross brought back from the battlefields of France. These details make the church a destination for visitors who would like to take a closer look at architectural history, religious art and individual historical artefacts.

The view from the churchyard is also part of the character of this visit: on most sides, it extends far across the fields. St Mary's Church is normally open every day from approximately 10 am to 4 pm. This is a useful guide for planning your day if you would like to combine a visit to the church with further experiences in Great Snoring.

Old Rectory and War Memorial

The Old Rectory is a Grade II* listed building. Its original form was unusual: it was a hexagonal house built around an open courtyard. The building was originally constructed as the Shelton family's manor house. Anyone interested in historic houses and their architectural features will find a different focus here from that offered by St Mary.

The Great Snoring War Memorial dates from 1921 and was extended with additions commemorating the Second World War. It remembers 22 local soldiers who died in the First World War, as well as two men who fell in the Second World War. The memorial complements the church and architectural history with a place of remembrance.

Circular walks and pilgrimage route

Great Snoring lies on Walk 3, the “Green Way circular walk to Great Snoring”. The pilgrimage route from Norwich to Walsingham also passes through Great Snoring via The Street and Barsham Road. On leaving the village along Barsham Road, pilgrims turn onto the Greenway towards Walsingham. The circular walk represents a tour with Great Snoring as its destination; the pilgrimage route passes through the village as part of the longer connection from Norwich to Walsingham.

Further historical traces

A new workhouse of the Walsingham Union was built on the outskirts of Great Snoring in 1836. The complex soon became known as “Thursford Castle”; a stone at the southern entrance still bears this name today. The ruined chapel of the Walsingham Union workhouse is the largest surviving structure in the complex. The village's history therefore extends beyond its church and memorial to include a group of buildings with a changing historical name.

Great Snoring as a holiday destination

When looking for holiday accommodation in Great Snoring, you can use the blend you want for your stay as a guide. If the trip is mainly to include medieval church art and historic buildings, St Mary and the Old Rectory will be the focus. Those who want to concentrate on walking can include the Green Way or the pilgrimage route in their plans. When different interests come together, culture, places of remembrance and walking routes can be combined conceptually within the same destination. Choosing accommodation therefore begins with the question of what character should define your stay.

If you would then like to discover further places, you can find Corpusty, Burnham Market, Sedgeford, Sheringham, Saham Toney, St Ouen's, Taverham and Wighton here.

Corpusty, Burnham Market, Sedgeford, Sheringham, Saham Toney, St Ouen's, Taverham and Wighton offer further stops to include in your travel plans.

For the higher-level travel overview: Norfolk.