Peddars Way: Rhubarb Cottage to Fring Cross
From the junction of the B1145. the track crosses, in fairly quick succession, three small roads south-west from the pretty villages of Great and Little Massingham. The former once boasted an Augustinian
priory, fragments of which remain, and was the home of the late-Elizabethan physician Stephen Perse, who founded the Perse School at Cambridge. It is an attractive village, with a large pond and two greens at its heart. There was once both a market and a fair here.
The route leads downhill to cross the busy A148 at Harpley Dams. The former house of the crossing-keeper of the old railway line is now the ‘Dogotel Kennels and Cattery’.
The Way then climbs up towards Harpley Common. To the east, beyond the woods, is Houghton Hall, a great Palladian house (the biggest in Norfolk) built for Sir Robert Walpole, chief minister to the first two King Georges. Built of Yorkshire stone, it was designed by Colin Campbell with a fine interior by Kent, and was completed in 1735.
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Been on this walk?
Send us photos or a comment about this route. Or recommend a route of your own.
Walking in Safety
Read our tips to look after yourself and the environment when following this walk.
Get an AA guide
Explore our range of ‘50 Walks in’ guides - they’re the ideal companion for a ramble.
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