Brundall

Known in the Domesday Book as 'Brundala' meaning 'Broomy Nook' Brundall is a thriving village situated in the Norfolk Broads National Park. Lying on the banks of the River Yare, Brundall is six or seven miles east of Norwich. Being positioned on the northern bank of the Yare, and exposed to a 150 mile network of waterways stretching down river, it cannot fail to attract the many visitors to this tranquil and picturesque area.

Brundall was supposed to have taken it's name from Southern Italy's Roman coastal town Brundisium, which nowadays is known as Brindisi. Brundisium, whose main industry was naval maritime port and ship building, was captured by the Romans during the Punic War. It is well-known that men were shipped over from Brundisium to help with the building of small river boats on the Brundall riverside. From the Greek word Bundisium, meaning 'under the Romans' it could very well be that the area of Brundall at that time was under the command of the Romans.

Brundall at the end of the 5th century was known to be home to the Anglo Saxons. By 1086 it had progressed into a thriving village. Remains of the Roman and Saxon periods can be found in the Norwich Castle Museum.

There are many period buildings in the village, with the Ram public house probably being the oldest.

St Laurence Church at the very core of Brundall dates back to 1250. However, there have been additions and extensions to the building since then. There are a couple of specialist items to be found in the church. A small roundel of St. Laurence set in the stain glass windows and notably a 13th century lead case font, the only one of its kind in Norfolk.

A tragic railway accident happened between Brundall and Norwich in September 1874. Due to the wrong information being given to the drivers involved, two trains collided on a single line which resulted in the worst head-on collision of the time.

The River Yare is now home to a popular boating centre with many amenities in the way of shops and public houses. Being situated next to the Yare, Brundall with its small summer houses and plenty of places for mooring makes it the perfect spot for tourists and visitors alike. There are number of water sports activities on offer too.

There are marinas that cater for private craft as well as the boatyards in Brundall offering small day boats as well as luxurious cruisers for hire.

Two famous people having made Brundall their home are Colin Chapman founder of Lotus Cars and Bruce Rushin designer of the £2 coin.

More and more people are moving to Brundall and this could very well be due to the extremely good road access and regular bus and train services. Brundall and Brundall Gardens railway stations are both on the Norwich to Gt.Yarmouth and Lowestoft Wherry lines.

There is a close-knit community spirit in the village offering a warm and friendly welcome to all.

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