Attleborough
Attleborough is located between Norwich and Thetford and is a Norfolk market town and civil parish in the district of Breckland.
The town’s history can be traced back to Saxon times and, sadly, much of the town was destroyed by fire in 1559. It has a fine example of a medieval church with a Norman tower. The traditional industries of turkey-rearing and brush-making still take place. The turkey on the town sign is said to depict the days when Attleborough turkeys had their feet dipped in tar to withstand the journey along roads to the London markets.
Carnival Week takes place in June, when organisations get together to host an array of activities including an excellent parade of floats.
The town has a good selection of shops, a sports hall, doctors’ surgeries, dentists, opticians, health centre, banks and building societies. There is also a weekly market held on Thursdays.
Education facilities cater for pre-school right through to adult education. Attleborough is twinned with the French town of Nevil les Aubiers and many successful visits have taken place between pupils from each high school.
Interesting facts about Attleborough
- Attleborough parish church, St Mary's, is partly Norman and partly 14th century
- Banham Poultry, a British poultry producer, is based in Attleborough
- The late composer Malcolm Arnold lived in Attleborough from the late 1980s until his death in September 2006
- Justin Fashanu, the first openly gay footballer and the first black footballer to command a £1million transfer fee, with his transfer from Norwich City to Nottingham Forest in 1981, went to school in Attleborough
- John Fashanu, television presenter and former footballer and brother of Justin Fashanu, also went to school in Attleborough
- The late Brazilian racing driver Ayrton Senna lived in Attleborough during his early years in international motorsport
Useful links
https://attleboroughtc.org.uk/
Official Attleborough Town Council website
http://www.attleboroughchurch.org.uk/
St Mary's Church Attleborough
Map of Attleborough
Accommodation in Attleborough
Wild With Nature Glamping
Rocklands Road Shropham Attleborough NR17 1DX
01953 525325
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Get startedUpdated November 2026
Attleborough visitor guide 2026
Current places to eat, stay and visit in and around Attleborough, plus practical visitor information. Opening times change through the year, so check with the venue before you travel.
Visitor essentials
- Getting there
- Attleborough lies on the A11 between Norwich and Thetford and has a station on the Norwich to Cambridge line; the station is about a seven-minute walk from the Griffin Hotel in the centre.
- Tourist information
- No staffed tourist information centre was found; Visit Breckland lists a tourist information phone line on 07535 150681.
- Market days
- Thursday charter market in Queen's Square. A monthly farmers' market (first Saturday, 9am to 1pm, Queen's Square) was launched by the town council in late 2024; check it is still running.
- Good to know
- Peter Beales Roses, the town's best-known garden attraction, was bought by Bells Horticultural, which says the garden centre will continue. Sherbourne House Hotel's restaurant has closed, so it is room-only. Banham Zoo and Snetterton Circuit are a short drive away.
Where to eat in Attleborough
The Gamekeeper
Seasonal local dishes, log fires and a summer garden; Norfolk Gastro Pub of the Year 2024 finalist, diner reviews through October 2026.
The White Lodge
15th-century Grade II coaching inn off the A11 serving home-cooked British pub food, dogs welcome.
Rosarium Restaurant at Peter Beales Roses
Meals and refreshments in the rose gardens; hosted a free family weekend in May 2026.
The Griffin Hotel
Historic coaching inn with two bars, a restaurant and cooked-to-order breakfast; guest reviews to September 2026.
The Garden House
Country pub close to Banham Zoo serving classic British dishes and Sunday roasts; reviewed into October 2026.
Breckland Lodge restaurant and bar
On-site restaurant and bar at the roadside hotel, convenient for diners staying locally.
Where to stay in Attleborough
The Griffin Hotel
Six rooms including four-posters above a traditional pub; guests praise the refurbishment and breakfast.
Sherbourne House Hotel
Eight-room Georgian-style hotel with free parking; recent guests report no restaurant or breakfast, so plan to eat out.
Breckland Lodge
32-room hotel with bar and restaurant, free parking, well placed for Snetterton and the Mid-Norfolk Railway.
More things to do around Attleborough
Peter Beales Roses
Two acres of show gardens including a national collection of species roses, plus garden centre and restaurant.
Banham Zoo
Charity-run zoo a short drive away, with a new South American habitat announced for 2026 and a 2026 tourism awards nomination.
Snetterton Circuit
Race meetings through the year, from touring cars to vintage machinery; check the fixture list.
Queen's Square and town green
Central green with a Victorian pump and a milestone marking the 94 miles to London; home of the Thursday market.
Listings are independent suggestions, not paid placements. Spotted something out of date? Let us know.
Live
River levels near Attleborough
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Source: Environment Agency real-time flood-monitoring data (Open Government Licence).
Local information
Attleborough in numbers
Trains from Attleborough
Live departures from Attleborough Live arrivals
Live times from National Rail Enquiries.
Top historic buildings in Attleborough
- Grade I
- Grade II*
- Grade II*
- Grade II
- Grade II
- Grade II
- Grade II
- Grade II
- Grade II
- Grade II
Food hygiene ratings in Attleborough
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- 3/5
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See all 31 ratings in Attleborough
Ratings: Food Standards Agency (Open Government Licence).
Wildlife recorded around Attleborough
The most frequently recorded species within 5 km of Attleborough since 2022 (5,224 records submitted to the National Biodiversity Network).
Birds
- Woodpigeon
- Blue Tit
- Blackbird
- Robin
- Great Tit
- Barn Owl
- Goldfinch
- Dunnock
- Jackdaw
- Greenfinch
- Collared Dove
- Chaffinch
Other wildlife and plants
- Buff-tailed Bumblebee
- Field Grasshopper
- Grey Squirrel
- Common Carder Bee
- Brown Hare
- Red-tailed Bumblebee
- Hedgehog
- Early Bumblebee
- Common Toad
- Dark-edged Bee-fly
- Muntjac
Source: NBN Atlas – records from Norfolk recorders and conservation groups. Please follow the Countryside Code and keep to paths.
Villages around Attleborough
- Attleborough 0.1 miles
- Besthorpe 0.7 miles
- Puddledock 1.9 miles
- Morley 1.9 miles
- Great Ellingham 2.3 miles
- Deopham Green 2.4 miles
- Old Buckenham 2.7 miles
- Deopham 3.1 miles
- Morley St Botolph 3.2 miles
- Spooner Row 3.3 miles
- Wilby 3.4 miles
- Rockland All Saints 3.6 miles
- Little Ellingham 3.7 miles
- Rockland St Peter 3.8 miles
- New Buckenham 3.9 miles
- Carleton Rode 4.1 miles
Live weather
Weather in Attleborough
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Updated every time the page loads · Data: Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0)
Attleborough guide 2026
Where to eat, where to stay and visitor essentials for Attleborough, checked November 2026.
Getting to Norfolk
- Train: Greater Anglia runs direct trains from London Liverpool Street to Norwich, plus lines to Cromer, Sheringham, Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft and Cambridge. National Rail journey planner
- Road: the A11 (from Cambridge and London) and the A47 (east–west) are the main routes.
- Air: Norwich Airport is 4 miles north of the city.
- Bus: plan local journeys on Traveline.
Useful links
- Visit Norfolk – official tourism site
- Visit the Broads – Broads Authority
- Met Office weather warnings
- RNLI beach safety and tide advice
- National Trust in Norfolk
In an emergency
- 999 – police, fire, ambulance and coastguard
- 111 – NHS urgent medical advice
- 101 – Norfolk Police, non-emergency