The River Waveney
The source of the River Waveney is a ditch on the east side of the B1113 between the villages of Redgrave, Suffolk and South Lopham, Norfolk. The ditch on the other side of the road is the source of the River Little Ouse which continues the county boundary and, via the Great Ouse, reaches the sea at King's Lynn. It is thus claimed that during periods of heavy rainfall Norfolk almost be considered to be an island.
Below is information on some of the places the river passes though:
SCOLE is a village lying on the old Roman road to Venta Icenorum, which was the main road until it was bypassed with a dual carriageway. It lies on the North bank of the River Waveney. Scole is the birthplace of William Gooderham (b.1792), founder of the Gooderham and Worts distillery in Toronto, Canada, later to be the largest in the British Empire. More...
HOMERSFIELD - South Elmham St Mary, now known generally as Homersfield, is a small village on the banks of the River Waveney in Suffolk, on the border with Norfolk. It is the home of the oldest surviving concrete bridge in Britain, a 50-foot span built in 1870 by the Adair estate. It was restored during the 1990s by a partnership between the parish council and various local authorities and heritage bodies. The village is centred around a small green, around which lie houses from various periods, including a number of traditional thatched houses. More...
BUNGAY. The origin of the name of Bungay is thought to derive from the Anglo-Saxon title ‘Bunincga-haye’, signifying the land belonging to the tribe of Bonna, a Saxon chieftain. Due to its high position, protected by the River Waveney and marshes, the site was in a good defensive position and attracted settlers from early times. Roman artifacts have been found in the region. Bungay Castle was built by the Normans, but was later rebuilt by Roger Bigod and his family, who also owned Framlingham Castle. Bungay’s village sign shows the castle. More...
Recent photos of Bungay
To move through the slideshow use the arrows to the left and right on the photo or select one of the circles at the bottom.
GELDESTON. The parish of Geldeston is right on the Norfolk and Suffolk border, about ten miles southwest of Great Yarmouth, its southern boundary defined by the River Waveney. The name comes from the Old English for ‘Gyldi’s enclosure’, but while the neighbouring parishes of Ellingham and Gillingham are mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, Geldeston first appears in documentary records somewhat later, in 1242. More...
BECCLES is a market town lying on the River Waveney on the edge of The Broads National Park and is a popular boating centre. It was once a flourishing Saxon riverport. The name is conjectured to be derived from Becc-Liss (Brittonic=Small-court). However, also offered is Bece-laes (Old English=Meadow by Stream). More...
BURGH St. PETER. By the river Waveney at Burgh St. Peter is the Waveney River Centre, a multi-award winning Holiday Park & Marina. It is set in the beautiful surroundings of South Norfolk’s Waveney Valley, with stunning south and west facing views across marshes and river. The Park is a wildlife haven, where hours can be spent watching birds, insects and other wildlife. The marina offers permanent berths and visitor moorings. The Park has a family-friendly pub, indoor heated swimming pool & café, children’s play areas, a convenience store, launderette and information centre. The Centre has been awarded 4 Stars by Visit Britain, 4 anchors by The Yacht Harbour Association and in 2009 received David Bellamy’s Gold Conservation accolade.
St. OLAVES is situated on the River Waveney, 6 miles south-west of Great Yarmouth. It is within The Broads National Park. St. Olaves Bridge, a suspension bridge, is the first bridging point on the Waveney above Great Yarmouth. On the site of the priory dedicated to St Olaves, there is Priory Mill, a drainage windpump. More...
Page last updated: 4 May 2022© Nigel Peacock 2022
