The small village of Holkham is next to the Earl of Leicester’s estate Holkham Hall and Holkham National Nature Reserve. The nature reserve is the biggest nature reserve in England incorporating extensive salt marshes backed by corsican pines and grazing marshes.

The 10 mile stretch of Holkham sands known as the Holkham Meals, are in summer a popular place for the family with its extensive golden sands on which can be found at low tide, a number of pretty purple and orange shells. At all other times of the year bird watchers congregate to admire the huge flocks of winter migrating birds. On the Holkham Estate is the Bygones Museum and nearby the Holkham Pottery and tea shop, and also a large village inn.

Round the coast is Wells-Next-The-Sea where working fishing boats can be seen on its small picturesque harbour front, here you will find a few amusement arcades, lots of fish and chips and good general shops. A single track train runs you down to the beach or you can walk along the pretty causeway admiring the boats on the quayside.  Stalls selling local mussels, dressed crab, cockles and samphire are on the quay.

When Horatio Nelson was back in his home village of Burnham Thorpe he wo^/uld visit Thomas William Coke at Holkham who would sign his pension forms. 

The oscar winning film Shakespeare in Love used Holkham Beach for some of its scenes.


There is a prehistoric fort on these marshes believed to have been used by the Iceni.