- River Heacham
The River Heacham is in the North West of the County of
Norfolk . It source is in the village of [Bircham Newton] (Map reference TF 339 762), 25 meters above sea level. The river is 6.8 miles long from the source to the pools behind the tidal flaps at North beach,Heacham . The pools discharge into theNorth Sea at low tide.ource
From the source at Fring the river is crossed by
Peddars Way and the river run across open countryside in a North Westerly direction. Over the years this part of the river has been heavily modified but without any significantflood defence. After 2 miles the river runs through a shallow wooded valley south of the village ofSedgeford ., and the other for the river to run past the mill.Heacham Watermill
Heacham watermill or Caley Mill, as it is also known, looks very different from most other mills inNorfolk , being Gothic revival in architectural style and built of local carr-stone. It was also unique in Norfolk for having itswaterwheel on the outside of the building. Originally used to grind corn, the building is now owned and has been used byNorfolk Lavender forlavender production since 1932. See Links at the bottom of the page. After the mill the river passes under the A149 coast road and then skirts around the northern side of the village ofHeacham . The river then flows through Heacham Park where the river has been dammed to form a small lake. After the lake the river goes north for a couple of hundred feet before turning west again crossing low-level meadows where the river ends up against the tidal flaps at North Beach betweenHunstanton andHeacham , where the river fills a series of pools that run parallel to the coast. These pools discharge at low tide. The river supports a varied and diverse wildlife population including thewater vole . There is also a small breedingtrout population in the upper reaches, while in the lower reacheseel s can be found.Links
* [http://www.heacham.co.uk/ Heacham – Community website]
* [http://www.heacham-on-line.co.uk/ Heacham Online]* [http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/source/hecham.html Little Domesday entry for Hecham]
* [http://www.origins.org.uk/genuki/NFK/places/h/heacham/white1845.shtml William White's History, Gazetteer, and Directory of Norfolk 1845]
* [http://apling.freeservers.com/1891Census/Heacham.htm 1891 Census of Heacham]
* [http://www.norfolk-lavender.co.uk Norfolk Lavender]
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