If you expect quality, excellence and great customer service you will enjoy the shopping experience Aldiss has to offer. Don't hesitate to come and pay us a visit.

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Fakenham is an English market town situated in the East Anglian county of Norfolk between King's Lynn 34km (22m) to the west and the pity of Norwich 40km (25m) to the southeast.

Fakenham is surrounded by lovely heath land and dominated by the 115ft tower of St. Peter and St Paul's church. The church dates back to the 14th century but its tower, replete with superb clock and eight bells, was built a century later. There is evidence that an earlier ecclesiastical building once stood upon the current site, and the records for the vicar go back to the 1200's. The name of an early rector Wymerus is known from 1226.

Although records from the early history of Fakenham are unclear, there is strong evidence of a Saxon settlement in the 6th century Indeed it is believed that the name Fakenham probably derives from the Saxon period meaning 'Fair Place, but possibly 'Place on the Fair River'. Fakenham or Fakenham Lancaster, to give it its full name, is well know for its lively market which we know was trading from as early as 1250. In the 19th century the main trade, was typically buying and selling agricultural produce from the surrounding areas For In 1837 a cattle market was built trading for many years alongside a separate pig market.

Fakenham has been well known down the years for its mills and at one stage, there were three water mills Fakenham Mill, Sculthorpe Milt and Hempton Mill dating from 1620. Fakenham Mill was about one mile downstream from the Hempton Mill, which was about two miles downstream from Sculthorpe Mill. This meant that the three mills had to work in conjunction. When Sculthorpe open its wheel sluice and started to use its store head of water, the overflow would head towards Hempton's dam, ready for use before passing down to Fakenham.

In the 1800's, a man by the name of Thomas Miller came to the town and set up a printing business that was to grow and flourish well into the 20th century. The printing industry fn Fakenham became very reputable with many leading printers of today having roots associated with Fakenham printing like Cox and Wymans. The industry lives on today in a number of busy printing companies embracing the latest digital technology.

Another successful gentleman was James Aldiss who started a drapery shop in Norwich Street in Fakenham, W J Aldiss Ltd was established in 1892 and since that date the Company has moved several times in town, expanding to several large premises including Norwich Strut, Upper Market Place and a superstore in Old Lane which use to be The 'Millers' Wharedale Works in Old Lane. The company has grown to become one of Norfolk biggest home furnishing companies, selling fashion, drapery, carpets, furniture, homewares and various household accessories.

Railways arrived in Fakenham in 1848 and there were two stations during the heyday of the trains - but they were closed in 1959 and 1989. There is still plenty of Fakenham's history still to be seen, including the old gas works which has been restored as a Museum of Gas and Local History.

The Market Place and The Square form an irregular group of buildings that can be a little confusing to the motorist at times. The Market Place is just a widening of Norwich Street the building that spring to mind when you enter the square are The Crown Hotel, Midland bank and the former Corn Hall which was the old Bingo Hall and now after being refurbished a successfully operating cinema (Fakenham Hollywood).

The Market Square has are unusual design on the pavement, which mirrors some of the symbols on the village sign and celebrates Fakenham being one of east England’s leading centres of printing since the 18th century. Large metal print plates are set into the paving; streetlights are designed to took like pens while seats with wavy lines represent paper spewing from a printing press.

Located on the corner of Holt Road and Norwich Street is the town signpost. The main panel facing the street is a reminder of the town's printing history. The plough represents the farm workers leader Sir George Edwards who became a local MP. The wagon is for the Reverend Henry Buckingham, a Methodist missionary in Africa The Penny Farthing is for John Garrood, an engineer and bicycle maker. The ship is for Sir Robert Seppings, who was a master shipwright and surveyor for the navy.

The Quaker on the reverse side is Edmund Peckover, who was one of the descendants who opened Fakenham’s first bank. The coat of arms is for the Duchy of Lancester, a former holder of the manor;
Nearby is Fakenham racecourse. Since 1905, there has been uninterrupted racing at Fakenham (except for during the two World Wars), and today's race-goers continue to rash the excitement and buzz of a day at the races. Surrounded by the hustle and bustle of modern life, the rural setting and simple charm of Fakenham Racecourse create a unique and convivial atmosphere undoubtedly one of the country's most friendly racecourses.

Although It has been said in the past that Fakenham has nothing to offer to put it politely, the town has grown and moved with the times with business growth and expansion, businesses represent an extremely broad range of activities. The more usual retail outlets concentrated in town centre like Aldiss, Woolworth's, Budgens are enhanced by the Thursday market, as well as a lot big business enterprises like Safeways, Focus have set up 'shop' in the Fakenham area.

Besides establish companies like Aldiss expanding, a number of smaller Business’s, Fakenham Superbowl indoor bowling and Fakenham Hollywood Cinema are very successful business's having brought good family entertainment to the town removing the hassle of having to go to a bigger town or city to have a family night.

The Fakenham Town is a fine place to live or visit, with good amenities - a racecourse , golf course, football pitch cinema, tennis courts, indoor and tenpin bowling, and a market every Thursday , not to mention the Museum of Gas
and Local history.

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You can always find great brands and great savings at our Aldiss stores in Fakenham, Norwich and Bettys at Holt.
Tel: 0845 130 3388
Fax: 01328 855327