Discover Matlaske

Matlaske combines sacred architectural history, traces of a medieval village and the memory of a former military airfield. Anyone looking for a holiday apartment in Matlaske will find a place whose special attractions lie primarily in historical discoveries. The various sites tell the story of several eras and give the trip a cultural focus without requiring every day to be planned in the same way.

Church and medieval traces

A notable landmark is St Peter’s Church in Matlaske. The church dates from the late Saxon period and has a round tower. These two features alone make it interesting for visitors who are interested in the older history of a place and in distinctive sacred architecture. St Peter’s Church can therefore be included as a separate stop on a journey through Matlaske.

The past of the medieval village of Matlask can also still be recognised in the landscape. The earthworks lie in the fields near the Rectory. There is also a hollow way that could be the remains of the medieval village road of Matlask. This careful search for traces is a particularly fitting complement to a visit to the church: the focus is not only on a single building, but also on the question of how an earlier settlement can be discerned in the present-day surroundings.

Barningham Hall and the parkland

Another historical highlight is Barningham Hall. The manor house was built in 1612 for Sir Edward Paston. It is surrounded by a park, a garden and a walled garden dating from the early 19th century, which enclose the early-17th-century manor house. For travellers interested in culture, this creates an illustrative connection between architecture and its landscaped surroundings.

A specific location helps put it into context: the main gates of the park at Barningham Hall lie 600 m south-south-east of the manor house in the village of Matlaske, on the southern boundary. Anyone who likes to plan their days around clear historical reference points can take this information into account when finding their way around. The parkland and manor house form a different focus from the medieval earthworks or the church.

Remembering Matlask Airfield

Matlask Airfield, also known as Matlaske Airfield, is another part of Matlaske’s history. It was a former military airfield from the Second World War, opened in 1940 and closed in 1945. The airfield was built as a satellite airfield for Coltishall. The fighter squadrons stationed at Matlask Airfield carried out missions against enemy ships and aircraft over the North Sea.

This historical layer adds the military history of the 20th century to the picture of the place. Together with the church, the medieval traces and Barningham Hall, it creates a varied range of themes: sacred history, earlier settlement structures, manor-house culture and the history of the Second World War stand alongside one another as different ways of approaching the history of the place.

Find a holiday apartment to suit your travel interests

When looking for a holiday apartment in Matlaske, it is worth clarifying your own focus. If you primarily want to discover historic buildings, traces in the landscape and local history, Matlaske offers several starting points for doing so. Accommodation in the village may then be a sensible direction for your search, while a broader search may be suitable if you want to combine Matlaske with additional destinations. The key question is whether you want to focus your trip more on the history of the place or combine different cultural impressions.

For your further search for suitable destinations, you can also consider Tattersett, Harleston, Hindolveston, Norwich, Thursford, East Barsham, Langham and North Burlingham. This keeps Matlaske as the starting point for individual travel planning with a historical focus, without committing you to just one type of holiday experience.

For the overarching travel overview: Norfolk.