Bodham

Bodham
Village
The Village sign, Bodham, Norfolk
Bodham Location within Norfolk
Area	6.80 km2 (2.63 sq mi)
Population	479 (parish, 2021 census)
• Density	70/km2 (180/sq mi)
OS grid reference	TG120400
• London	131 miles (211 km)
Civil parish	Bodham CP
District	North Norfolk
Shire county	Norfolk
Region	East
Country	England
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Post town	HOLT
Postcode district	NR25
Dialling code	01263
Police	Norfolk
Fire	Norfolk
Ambulance	East of England
UK Parliament	North Norfolk

Bodham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.

Bodham is located 2.6 miles (4.2 km) south-west of Sheringham, 3.1 miles (5.0 km) north-east of Holt and 21 miles (34 km) north of Norwich.

History

Bodham's name is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from the Old English for Boda's homestead or hemmed-in land.

In the Domesday Book, Bodham is listed as a settlement of 21 households in the hundred of Holt. In 1086, the village was divided between the estates of Hugh de Montfort and Walter Giffard.

The village sign shows a representation of a medieval tax collector going about his employment. The tax collector's name was Boda and is mentioned in the Domesday Book, which confirms his existence and the fact that he lived there. Bodham means "Boda's Village".

In the 1980s, a pair of late-Nineteenth Century shoes were found beneath the floorboards of 'Highbury', a cottage within the village. It is speculated that the shoes were left in the house to ward away evil spirits.

Geography

According to data from the 2021 census, Bodham has a population of 479 people which decreased from the 484 people listed in the 2011 census.

The A148, between King's Lynn and Cromer, runs through the village. The nearest railway station is at Sheringham for the Bittern Line which runs between Cromer and Norwich. The nearest airport is Norwich International Airport.

Bodham is located 2.1 miles (3.4 km) south of the North Norfolk Coast.

All Saints' Church

Bodham's parish church appears to be Medieval in origin but is largely what remains of significant restoration in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries. Within the church is a plain font, a set of royal arms from the reign of Queen Anne and stained glass windows designed by J & J King. All Saints' Church has been Grade II listed since 1960.

Village Amenities

Rock Bodham

Rock Bodham is a small music festival that grew from the dissolution of Bodham Big Weekend. In conjunction with the music festival, Rock Bodham also organises the village firework display, liaises with Father Christmas to provide and deliver presents for the village children. Rock Bodham also raises money for local good causes.

Bodham & Beckham Village Hall

Bodham and Beckham Village Hall is a modern hall less than twenty years old. It is regularly used by Bodham Bingo Club, yoga classes, church events. Regular quiz night fundraisers are held four times a year, in February, May, September and December. The hall is heated by electric heaters. Grants from Norfolk Community Foundation have been obtained to put in equipment for film showing and regular monthly shows are held on Friday during the winter. A loop system has also been installed to help the hearing impaired.

Bodham Playing Field

Bodham Playing Field, which is situated on Cromer Road, has a full-size football pitch and a 'juniors' pitch. The Playing Field Committee has had the pavilion refurbished with the help of grants from Bodham Bingo Club, Awards for All Lottery Fund and North Norfolk District Council's Active Communities Fund. There are two changing rooms, showers, toilets and a fully fitted kitchen, all inside the pavilion. Attached is a referees room. An additional facility is a disabled toilet accessible with the use of a RADAR Key. The Playing Field Committee have now taken over responsibility for the floodlights. The Bodham Football Club is made up of players from outside the village. Many fund raising events are held throughout the year to support the playing Field. Grants have been obtained to purchase exercise equipment. This was made possible by grants from Norfolk Community Foundation, Awards for All, Bodham Bingo Club, Sports Relief, Active Norfolk, Bodham Big Weekend and Bodham Horticultural Show.

Other

Also within the village is a Nissan and MG dealership called Crayford & Abbs Ltd. and a pub called the 'Red Hart Inn' on The Street.

Governance

Bodham is part of the electoral ward of Gresham for local elections and is part of the district of North Norfolk.

The village's national constituency is North Norfolk, which has been represented by the Liberal Democrat Steff Aquarone MP since 2024.

War Memorial

Bodham's war memorial takes the form of two plaques, one metal and the other stone, fixed to the outside of All Saints' Churchtower, just outside of the village. The memorial lists the following names for the First World War:

Rank	Name	Unit	Date of Death	Burial / Other Commemoration
Sgt.	William E. Dix	9th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment	25 May 1916	Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery
Pvt.	George C. Tuck	1st Battalion, Royal Norfolks	7 January 1916	Carnoy Military Cemetery
Pvt.	George Nicholls	9th Battalion, Royal Norfolks	2 February 1916	White House Cemetery
Pvt.	Walter Balls	9th Bn., Royal Norfolks	3 March 1917	Vermelles British Cemetery
Pvt.	William Gant	9th Bn., Royal Norfolks	29 November 1917	Cambrai Memorial
Pvt.	William Emery	9th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment	4 November 1918	Cross Roads Cemetery, Fontaine-au-Bois

And, the following for the Second World War:

Rank	Name	Unit	Date of Death	Other Commemoration / Burial
L/Cpl.	Francis W. Digby	5th Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment	7 February 1942	Singapore War Memorial

External links

Media related to Bodham at Wikimedia Commons