Hedenham

The little village spreads itself across the main Bungay to Norwich road just as it has done since Roman times when it was a small settlement centred on the rich seam of brick-making clay. The highway connected the important Roman strongholds in Bungay and Caister. A Roman kiln was discovered close to the road in 1858.

When the Normans came, the village was recorded in the Domesday Book and was given by William the Conqueror to his nephew.

The lovely old church of St Peter is first recorded as having a rector in 1245. However the small lancet windows in the north wall were common in the late 12th century. The church is situated on a sharp rise above the stream, along which ran the ancient pack-horse trail. The heavy oak, iron-studded door has a sanctuary ring, rather useful in the days when sheep-stealing was punished by hanging.