Norman Church Trails – Heckingham to Aldeby

Car and Bike Route – Approximate distance: 8 miles (Route between Heckingham and Hales can be on foot)

From Heckingham Church turn left out of driveway onto Norton Road to crossroads, turn right. Continue along this road for about 1.5 miles to junction with B1136 Yarmouth Road.

Turn left and then right onto Beccles Road (signed to Raveningham Centre). Continue for a few 100 yards to a turn on the right, Church Lane, and signed to Hales Church. Continue down to church, about half a mile.

To go on to Aldeby: turn round and go up Church Lane to top, turn right and follow sign to Maypole Green, past Raveningham Park. After about a quarter of a mile, Beccles Road goes right and the road to Maypole Green goes straight on.

At next crossroads go straight on and onto junction with Green Lane; go right, past Toft Monks Church, through Maypole Green, along Pound Lane to junction with A143. Turn right and at crossroads by The White Hart, turn left, signed to Aldeby.

Continue along to end, at junction turn left and down towards Aldeby. Turn right at Aldeby Street for the church.

Heckingham and Hales Churches are cared for by the Churches Conservation Trust and are excellent examples of Norman Churches with apses. Another wonderful apse is to be found at St Edmund, Fritton. Between Hales and Aldeby, the churches at Raveningham, and Toft Monks are worth visiting.

Aldeby is linked to Norwich Cathedral, through Herbert de Losinga, first Bishop of Norwich. What would have been a Norman Priory, is now a farm and a church. Like other churches in the area, such as Chedgrave, Aldeby has a superb Norman West Door. From Aldeby, visit Burgh St Peter and Wheatacre.