Wayland is an area in the district

Non-metropolitan district

Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...

 of Breckland

Breckland (district)

Breckland District is a local government district in Norfolk, England. Its council is based in East Dereham.Breckland District derives its name from the Breckland landscape region, a gorse covered sandy heath of south Norfolk and north Suffolk...

 within the English

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

 county of 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...

. It is situated approximately 20 miles west of Norwich.

The area is a historic Hundred, and was originally called Wanelunt, or Waneland. It centres on the town of Watton, and encompasses the villages of Ashill, Carbrooke, Caston

Caston

Caston is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.It covers an area of and had a population of 459 in 174 households as of the2001 censusFor the purposes of local government, it falls within the district of Breckland.- History :...

, Great Cressingham, Great Hockham, Griston, Little Cressingham

Little Cressingham

Little Cressingham lies south east by road from Great Cressingham, west of Watton and south of Swaffham in the Breckland District of Norfolk...

 with Threxton

Threxton, All Saints

Threxton All Saints is a round-tower church at Threxton Hill situated east of the village of Little Cressingham and west of the town of Watton in the English county of Norfolk. The church is medieval with a late 13th century tower as well as a 14th century octagonal font and remnants of medieval...

, Merton, Ovington, Saham Toney

Saham Toney

Saham Toney is a village and a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is North of Thetford, west of Norwich and north-east of London. The village lies west of the town of Attleborough.The nearest railway station is at Attleborough for the Breckland Line which runs between...

, Scoulton, Stow Bedon

Stow Bedon

Stow Bedon is a village of 287 inhabitants in the Breckland district of the English county of Norfolk.The Domesday Book mentions Stow Bedon, but in limited detail....

 with Breckles

Breckles

The church of Breckles St Margaret is an Anglican church near Stow Bedon, Norfolk, England. It is one of 124 existing round-tower churches in Norfolk. The church is an active parish church in the Diocese of Norwich. It has been designated a Grade I listed building by English Heritage.-External...

, and Thompson

The area is crossed by Peddars Way

Peddars Way

The Peddars Way is a long distance footpath in Norfolk, England. It is 46 miles long and follows the route of a Roman road. It has been suggested by more than one writer that it was not created by the Romans but was an ancient trackway, a branch or extension of the Icknield Way, used and...

, a 46 mile footpath that follows the route of a Roman road

Roman road

The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...

, and is the location of Wayland Wood

Wayland Wood

Wayland Wood is an ancient woodland near to Watton in Norfolk, England. Although the name has been claimed as a corruption of 'Wailing Wood', Wayland is the name of an historic Norfolk hundred, within the area of which the wood stands.- Habitat :...

, famed as the setting for the Babes in the Wood

Babes in the Wood

Babes in the Wood is a traditional children's tale, as well as a popular pantomime subject. It has also been the name of some other unrelated works. The expression has passed into common language, referring to inexperienced innocents entering unawares into any potentially dangerous or hostile...

legend.