Wymondham facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wymondham
Wymondham Market Place in September 2017
Wymondham
Area	44.31 km2 (17.11 sq mi)
Population	17,496 (2021 Census)
• Density	395/km2 (1,020/sq mi)
OS grid reference	TG1101
District	South Norfolk
Shire county	Norfolk
Region	East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	WYMONDHAM
Postcode district	NR18
Dialling code	01953
Police	Norfolk
Fire	Norfolk
Ambulance	East of England
EU Parliament	East of England
UK Parliament	South Norfolk
List of places UK England Norfolk 52°34′12″N 1°06′58″E / 52.570°N 1.116°E / 52.570; 1.116

Wymondham (pronounced WIN-dum) is a lively market town in Norfolk, England. It's located in the South Norfolk area, about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) southwest of the city of Norwich. The town sits by the River Tiffey and is close to the A11 road, which connects to London. Wymondham is quite a large parish, including smaller areas like Suton, Silfield, Spooner Row, and Wattlefield. In 2011, the town had a population of over 13,500 people.

Growing Over Time

New-build houses on the outskirts of Wymondham

Wymondham started as a community during the Anglo-Saxon period. It grew bigger when a priory (a type of monastery) was built in 1107. The town also became more important when it was given permission to hold a market in 1204.

For a long time, Wymondham was known for making things from wood, especially turning wood and making brushes. Brush factories were here until the late 1900s.

Today, Wymondham is expanding quickly with new homes being built. It's now a "commuter town," meaning many people live here and travel to nearby cities like Norwich and Cambridge for work. Big employers nearby include the main office for the Norfolk Constabulary (the police) and the Lotus Cars factory.

The old part of Wymondham was badly damaged by a fire in 1615. But many historic buildings, like the famous Wymondham Abbey with its two towers, still stand. The town plans to build even more homes by 2026, while keeping its special identity.

A Look Back in Time

Before the Big Fire

Wymondham has a long history. There's a place called Moot Hill with old earthworks, which might have been a large medieval fort. People think it was built by a family called the D'Albinis a long time ago.

One of Wymondham's most famous people was Robert Kett. In 1549, he led a group of farmers and peasants in a protest. They were upset because wealthy landowners were taking over common land that everyone used. Robert Kett and his followers bravely took control of Norwich for six weeks. However, they were eventually defeated by the King's army, and Robert Kett sadly lost his life. You can still see Kett's Oak today, which is said to be where the rebellion started. It's on the B1172 road between Wymondham and Hethersett.

The Great Fire of 1615

A huge fire broke out in Wymondham on Sunday, June 11, 1615. It affected two parts of the town at once, suggesting there might have been two separate fires. About 300 buildings were destroyed, including the old Market Cross and the schoolhouse.

The fire was started by four people: William Flodder, John Flodder, Ellen Pendleton, and Margaret Bix. John Flodder and others were punished for starting the fire later that year.

The town quickly started rebuilding. A new Market Cross was finished by 1617, and it's still standing today. However, some buildings took longer to rebuild, possibly because of tough economic times.

After the Big Fire

After the fire, Wymondham continued to change. In 1785, a new type of prison was built here, based on ideas from a reformer named John Howard. It was special because it was one of the first prisons in England with separate cells for prisoners, and its design was copied in many other places.

In the mid-1800s, the wool industry, which was important to Wymondham, declined. This led to many people becoming poor. The town didn't grow much during the Victorian times. Because of this, Wymondham's town center still looks a lot like it did in the mid-1600s, with narrow medieval streets and buildings rebuilt after the Great Fire.

World War Two History

Wymondham played a secret role in World War II. It was home to a special station that helped the British intelligence service (MI6) find enemy radio signals. This station was located just north of Tuttles Lane.

How Wymondham is Governed

Wymondham has a town council that makes decisions about local issues, like town planning. It has 14 members who are elected every four years. The town is divided into four areas: North, East, Central, and South.

Wymondham is also part of the South Norfolk district, which has its own councillors. After elections in May 2023, the Town Council had a mix of Liberal Democrat, Labour, Green, and Conservative councillors. In 2023, for the first time ever, Wymondham elected two women to be the mayor and deputy mayor!

For national elections, Wymondham is part of the South Norfolk area, which elects a Member of Parliament (MP) to the UK Parliament.

Where is Wymondham?

Wymondham is located about 91 miles (146 km) north-north-west of London. It sits about 134.5 feet (41 meters) above sea level. The town is where two small rivers meet. The areas around Wymondham are mostly farmland.

Wymondham has a mild maritime climate, like most of the UK. This means it has cool summers and mild winters, with some rain throughout the year. On November 23, 1981, a small tornado (an F1/T2 tornado) even hit Wymondham!

The landscape around Wymondham is mostly flat, with river meadows and agricultural land. The River Tiffey flows north and separates the town center from the more rural southern parts of the parish.

The town center has many buildings from the early modern period, including some that survived the 1615 fire. Much of the center is a special "conservation area" to protect its historic look. Outside the center, you'll find newer homes built in the 20th and 21st centuries.

Climate

People of Wymondham

In 2011, Wymondham had a population of 14,405 people. Most of the people living in Wymondham (94.5%) were White British. About 60% of the people were Christian, and almost 30% said they had no religious beliefs.

The census also showed that most adults (72.6%) were working. Wymondham has a well-educated population, with 27% having qualifications from college or university.

The town's population has changed a lot over time. It grew slowly at first, then declined in the 1800s, but has grown very quickly since the late 1900s.

Wymondham's Economy

The Wymondham town sign

Wymondham is mostly a commuter town. This means many people who live here travel to jobs in Norwich, Cambridge, and London. The most common jobs in Wymondham are in shops and sales (15.4%), health and social work (13.6%), and education (11.3%).

A big employer in the area is the Norfolk Constabulary, which has its main office here. The town center has many shops, including both big chain stores and smaller local businesses.

Historically, Wymondham was famous for making things from wood and brushes. The town sign even shows a spigot (a type of wooden tap) and a spoon to remember this history. Large brush factories used to be here, but they closed in the late 1900s and were turned into homes.

Cool Places to See

War Memorial

Wymondham's war memorial is a tall stone monument, about 7.5 meters (25 feet) high. It stands where Vicar Street, Town Green, and Middleton Street meet. It was first shown to the public on July 24, 1921. After World War II, it was updated to remember 189 soldiers and civilians who lost their lives in both World Wars. It's a special historic building.

Wymondham Abbey

Wymondham Abbey was started in 1107. It's a very important historic building. It began as a Benedictine priory and became an independent abbey in 1449. The abbey is known for its two towers. The east tower was built first around 1409, and the west tower was finished in 1498.

In 1538, the abbey was closed down, and many of its buildings were destroyed. What's left, like an arch from the old chapter house, can still be seen around the church. The open land south of the church also has remains of the medieval abbey underground. The eastern part of the church was knocked down. The building you see today is about 70 meters (77 yards) long, which is only about half of its original size.

The remaining part of the abbey continued to be used as a local Church of England parish church. You can still see parts of the original Norman design from outside. Inside, there's a beautiful 15th-century wooden roof and a special altar screen.

Cavick House

Cavick House is a grand red-brick building from the early 1700s. It has special painted corners and some original decorations inside. It was in bad shape by 1999 but has since been beautifully restored. The nearby Cavick House Farmhouse is also an old, important building from the same time.

Beckett's Chapel

Beckett's Chapel is thought to have been built in the late 1100s. The chapel you see today was mostly rebuilt around 1400. After the Reformation, it was used as a school and even a temporary jail. It was restored in 1873 and then used as a public hall, a school, and Wymondham's library. In 1999, a plaque was put on it to mark 450 years since Kett's Rebellion. Since 2008, it has been the Wymondham Arts Centre. Inside, you can still see parts of the original chapel, like its special wooden roof. It's a very important historic building, but it needs some repairs to fix damp and decay.

The Market Cross

The Market Cross was built in 1617–1618, after the first one was destroyed in the 1615 fire. It's an eight-sided wooden building with an upper floor. It used to be the center for the town's weekly market. Later, it became a reading room. After being restored in 1989, it reopened as the town's Tourist Information Centre. It's also a very important historic building.

Other Interesting Places

The old jail, called Wymondham Bridewell, was built in 1787. It now holds the Wymondham Heritage Museum. It used to be a police station and a court. It's a historic building.

Wymondham railway station, built in 1844, still has a lot of its old charm. It has a wooden signal box from 1877, which was used until 2012. The station was almost falling apart by 1988, but a local businessman restored it. The station was even voted "Best Small Station" in 2006! Both the station and the signal box are historic buildings.

Toll's Meadow is a nature reserve with paths along the River Tiffey. You might see kingfishers, herons, deer, and water voles there. The Lizard is another nature area managed for the enjoyment of Wymondham's people. The Tiffey Trails offer easy walks with interesting signs and wood carvings. In 2022, a new Ketts County trail was added, which is a 16-mile walk starting near the Abbey.

Getting Around Wymondham

Flint was used in many types of buildings around Wymondham, including this 19th-century crossing keeper's hut on the Mid-Norfolk Railway

The main train line, called the Breckland line, runs through Wymondham. There are stations at Wymondham and Spooner Row. You can catch a train every hour to Norwich or to Cambridge and Stansted Airport. Some longer-distance trains also stop here.

The Mid-Norfolk Railway runs special heritage trains from Wymondham Abbey to Dereham.

Buses are also available, with frequent services to Norwich and Attleborough. You can also catch long-distance coaches to London.

The A11 road, which connects Norwich to London, used to go right through the town center. Now, it bypasses the town.

Sports in Wymondham

Wymondham Town Football Club was started in 1883. The men's team plays in a local league and has won it five times. The women's team plays in a higher league and has won the County Cup twice.

Wymondham Town United Football Club is one of Norfolk's biggest youth teams, with over 600 young players!

Wymondham Rugby Club started in 1972. The men's team plays in a regional league, and the women's team, called Wymondham Wasps, plays in a national league.

Wymondham Dell Bowls Club is a very successful bowls club. It has won more county championships than any other club in Norfolk. A famous player, John Ottaway, who won a gold medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games, is a member here.

Media and News

You can get local news and TV programs from BBC East and ITV Anglia. Local radio stations include BBC Radio Norfolk and Heart East. Wymondham also has its own community radio station, South Norfolk Radio. The local newspaper is The Wymondham and Attleborough Mercury, and the regional newspaper is the Eastern Daily Press.

Education and Schools

Browick Road School, Wymondham

Wymondham Grammar School was founded in 1567. It closed in 1903.

Today, Wymondham High Academy is located near the town center. Wymondham College is a large state boarding school (where students live at the school) just outside the parish.

There are four state primary schools in Wymondham: Ashleigh Primary School and Nursery, Browick Road Primary and Nursery School, Robert Kett Primary School, and Spooner Row Primary School.

Public Services

The police in Wymondham are part of the Norfolk Constabulary, which has its main office in the town. The Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service provides fire and rescue services.

The closest hospital is Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital in Norwich. In Wymondham itself, there are two health centers for general doctor's care. Ambulance services are provided by the East of England Ambulance Service.

Waste management (like trash collection) is handled by South Norfolk Council. Your drinking water and wastewater are managed by Anglian Water.

Community and Culture

Culture

Plaque commemorating links with Votice on Wymondham Town Hall

The Wymondham Heritage Museum is in the old prison building. It has exhibits about Robert Kett, brush-making, and the history of the building itself. The Wymondham Arts Centre, located in Beckett's Chapel, hosts free art shows by local artists. You can also find arts and theater events at Wymondham Central Hall.

Wymondham has some very old pubs, like The Green Dragon, which has been open since about 1371! The Cross Keys Inn is also in a historic building from the early 1600s.

Local volunteers, called the Wymondham Town Team, used to organize fun community events like Wynterfest and carnivals. There are also many community groups and charities where you can get involved.

The Wymondham Music Festival, which started in 1996, used to have many free summer music events.

Wymondham doesn't have a twin town right now. However, in the 1990s, the town had connections with Votice in the Czech Republic. There's a plaque on the old Wymondham Town Hall that remembers these links.

Community Facilities

Wymondham has many parks and playgrounds. Toll's Meadow is a special nature area with rare lowland meadows. Kett's Park has a modern artificial sports pitch, which was opened in 2019 by a famous football player. Browick Road Recreational Park has a skatepark and a cycle pump track, and it's getting a revamp soon. Volunteers are also developing a community orchard there.

The public library moved to a new building in 2008. It holds events to encourage reading and learning, like weekly "Bounce and Rhyme" sessions for younger children.

Places of Worship

Wymondham has several churches. The two Church of England churches are Wymondham Abbey and Holy Trinity Church in Spooner Row.

There's an old Quaker meeting house from the 1600s that is now a private home. Fairland United Reformed Church was founded in 1652 and holds regular Sunday services.

Other churches include the Wymondham Methodist Church, Wymondham Baptist Church, and the Roman Catholic Church of Our Lady and St Thomas of Canterbury. The Catholic church has a special memorial for World War II prisoners of war. There are also Hope Community Church, Alive Church, and a Kingdom Hall for Jehovah's Witnesses.

Famous People from Wymondham

People from Wymondham are sometimes called Wymondhamers!

• Robert Kett (around 1492–1549), who led Kett's Rebellion, was a farmer from Wymondham. Roads in the town are named after him and his brother.
• John Wodehouse, 1st Earl of Kimberley (1826–1902), a politician, was born in Wymondham. A town in South Africa is named after him.
• John Ottaway (born 1955), a bowls player, won a gold medal at the 2002 Commonwealth Games.
• James Hubbard (born 1992), a professional darts player, was the 2012 World Youth champion.
• Aimee Palmer (born 2000), a professional footballer, plays in the Super League.
• Harry Daniels (1884–1953), a soldier who won the Victoria Cross (a very brave award) in World War I, was born here. A road in Silfield is named after him.
• Ethel Gooch (1887–1953) was Wymondham's first woman councillor and the first woman to lead the Wymondham Urban District Council. Roads are named after her and her husband.
• W. G. Sebald (1944–2001), a German writer, lived in the town.
• George Szirtes (born 1948), a poet, lives in the town.
• Adam Buxton (born 1969), a comedian and actor, has lived in Wymondham since 2004.

Images for kids

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  A sign about The Lizard conservation area

See also

In Spanish: Wymondham para niños