B1354 road
Encyclopedia
The B1354 runs for about 8.2 miles (13.2 km) between the A148
at Thursford
and the B1149
at Saxthorpe , and is entirely within the county of Norfolk. The road is the main route of access to Norwich
and to Fakenham
for the large villages of Melton Constable
and Briston
.
of the early 19th century the route has changed very little. Much of the route on the map is highlighted in a pale pink which marks it out as an important artery of the time. In recent years the roads route has been redirected from its junction with the A148 at Thursford for a distance of 1.7 miles (2.7 km) and now takes the route of the old track bed of the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway
route between Melton Constable and Fakenham.
level crossing gatehouse and signal box on the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway
, which has been restored to its former glory and is now a tea room.
Heading from the West-north-west end, 3 miles (4.8 km) on the road reaches Melton Constable
and on the south side of the road there is an industrial area that was once the site of the busy junction of four railway lines. The lines which came from Cromer
, North Walsham
, King's Lynn
and Norwich
and linked Norfolk
to the Midlands
. There was once a station with a platform 800 feet (243.8 m) long and Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway
's main workshops and factory were also situated here. This made this road a busy and important part of Norfolk’s transport infrastructure.
A148 road
The A148 is an English A road entirely in the county of Norfolk. It runs from King's Lynn to Cromer via Fakenham which it bypasses to the north.-King’s Lynn starting point:...
at Thursford
Thursford
Thursford is a village and a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is 16.3 miles south-west of Cromer, 24.5 miles north-west of Norwich and 121 miles north-east of London. The village lies 6.9 miles north-west of the nearby town of Fakenham. The nearest railway station is at...
and the B1149
B1149 road
The B1149 is the most direct route between the town of Holt and the city of Norwich in the county of Norfolk, England. There is no direct A-road alternative...
at Saxthorpe , and is entirely within the county of Norfolk. The road is the main route of access to Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
and to Fakenham
Fakenham
Fakenham is a town and civil parish in Norfolk, England. It is situated on the River Wensum, some north east of King's Lynn, south west of Cromer, and north west of Norwich....
for the large villages of Melton Constable
Melton Constable
Melton Constable is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.It covers an area of and had a population of 518 in 225 households as of the 2001 census.For the purposes of local government, it falls within the district of North Norfolk...
and Briston
Briston
Briston is a village and a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is east north east of the town of Fakenham, west south west of Cromer, north north west of the city of Norwich, and north north east of London. The nearest railway station is at Sheringham for the Bittern...
.
The route
The route of this old thoroughfare can be clearly made out on William Faden’s map of Norfolk which was surveyed between 1790 and 1794. This map, the first large-scale map (at one inch to the mile) of the whole county, is a record of the landscape and transport system of the county of Norfolk in late 18th century, and shows that despite the Parliamentary EnclosureInclosure Act
The Inclosure or Enclosure Acts were a series of United Kingdom Acts of Parliament which enclosed open fields and common land in the country. They removed previously existing rights of local people to carry out activities in these areas, such as cultivation, cutting hay, grazing animals or using...
of the early 19th century the route has changed very little. Much of the route on the map is highlighted in a pale pink which marks it out as an important artery of the time. In recent years the roads route has been redirected from its junction with the A148 at Thursford for a distance of 1.7 miles (2.7 km) and now takes the route of the old track bed of the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway
Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway
The Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway, was a joint railway owned by the Midland Railway and the Great Northern Railway in eastern England, affectionately known as the 'Muddle and Get Nowhere' to generations of passengers, enthusiasts, and other users.The main line ran from Peterborough to...
route between Melton Constable and Fakenham.
Points of interest
At the point on the route were the road leaves the old track bed and returns to its original course the road passes the old GunthorpeGunthorpe, Norfolk
Gunthorpe is a village and a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is 8.6 miles east north east of the town of Fakenham, 14.9 miles west south west of Cromer and 122 miles north north east of London. The nearest railway station is at Sheringham for the Bittern Line which runs...
level crossing gatehouse and signal box on the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway
Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway
The Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway, was a joint railway owned by the Midland Railway and the Great Northern Railway in eastern England, affectionately known as the 'Muddle and Get Nowhere' to generations of passengers, enthusiasts, and other users.The main line ran from Peterborough to...
, which has been restored to its former glory and is now a tea room.
Heading from the West-north-west end, 3 miles (4.8 km) on the road reaches Melton Constable
Melton Constable
Melton Constable is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.It covers an area of and had a population of 518 in 225 households as of the 2001 census.For the purposes of local government, it falls within the district of North Norfolk...
and on the south side of the road there is an industrial area that was once the site of the busy junction of four railway lines. The lines which came from Cromer
Cromer
Cromer is a coastal town and civil parish in north Norfolk, England. The local government authority is North Norfolk District Council, whose headquarters is in Holt Road in the town. The town is situated 23 miles north of the county town, Norwich, and is 4 miles east of Sheringham...
, North Walsham
North Walsham
North Walsham is a market town and civil parish in Norfolk, England in the North Norfolk district.-Demographics:The civil parish has an area of and in the 2001 census had a population of 11,998. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the district of North...
, King's Lynn
King's Lynn
King's Lynn is a sea port and market town in the ceremonial county of Norfolk in the East of England. It is situated north of London and west of Norwich. The population of the town is 42,800....
and Norwich
Norwich
Norwich is a city in England. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom...
and linked Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
to the Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
. There was once a station with a platform 800 feet (243.8 m) long and Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway
Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway
The Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway, was a joint railway owned by the Midland Railway and the Great Northern Railway in eastern England, affectionately known as the 'Muddle and Get Nowhere' to generations of passengers, enthusiasts, and other users.The main line ran from Peterborough to...
's main workshops and factory were also situated here. This made this road a busy and important part of Norfolk’s transport infrastructure.
Destinations
Travelling from West-north-west East-south-east the road passes through :- ThursfordThursfordThursford is a village and a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is 16.3 miles south-west of Cromer, 24.5 miles north-west of Norwich and 121 miles north-east of London. The village lies 6.9 miles north-west of the nearby town of Fakenham. The nearest railway station is at...
- Melton ConstableMelton ConstableMelton Constable is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.It covers an area of and had a population of 518 in 225 households as of the 2001 census.For the purposes of local government, it falls within the district of North Norfolk...
- BristonBristonBriston is a village and a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is east north east of the town of Fakenham, west south west of Cromer, north north west of the city of Norwich, and north north east of London. The nearest railway station is at Sheringham for the Bittern...
- Saxthorpe