The A148 is an English
A road entirely in the
county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
of
Norfolk
Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the No ...
. It runs from
King's Lynn
King's Lynn, known until 1537 as Bishop's Lynn and colloquially as Lynn, is a port and market town in the borough of King's Lynn and West Norfolk in the county of Norfolk, England. It is located north of London, north-east of Peterborough, no ...
to
Cromer
Cromer ( ) is a coastal town and civil parish on the north coast of the English county of Norfolk. It is north of Norwich, north-northeast of London and east of Sheringham on the North Sea coastline.
The local government authorities are Nor ...
via
Fakenham
Fakenham is a market town and civil parish in Norfolk, England. It is situated on the River Wensum, about north west of Norwich. The town is the junction of several local roads, including the A148 from King's Lynn to Cromer, the A1067 to Norw ...
, which it bypasses to the north.
Route
King’s Lynn starting point
Starting at the western end, A148 starts as an exit from a roundabout on the
A47. It runs in a northerly direction, as Saddlebow Road, through the
King’s Lynn
King's Lynn, known until 1537 as Bishop's Lynn and colloquially as Lynn, is a port and market town in the borough of King's Lynn and West Norfolk in the county of Norfolk, England. It is located north of London, north-east of Peterborough, nor ...
suburb of South Lynn. In just over Saddlebow Road becomes
Wisbech
Wisbech ( ) is a market town, inland Port of Wisbech, port and civil parish in the Fenland District, Fenland district in Cambridgeshire, England. In 2011 it had a population of 31,573. The town lies in the far north-east of Cambridgeshire, bord ...
Road and crosses the
River Nar
A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of wate ...
. The road now joins a roundabout at the bottom end of King's Lynn. At this roundabout the
A149, Hardwick Road, runs of to the right whilst the B1144 is straight across the island and runs around the eastern skirt of the town. The A148 turns right and northward and is now called
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
Road. The road soon passes under the South Gate of what were once the town's defences. This gateway was built during the Reign of Edward III. It is brick built with stone surrounds to the arches. The gate only straddles the northbound carriage way and was restored at a cost of £80,000 in 1982. The road now takes a route through the heart of King's Lynn as St James Road and after enters a one way system as Railway Road. At the road turns right into Austin Road and at its
junction
Junction may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Junction'' (film), a 2012 American film
* Jjunction, a 2002 Indian film
* Junction (album), a 1976 album by Andrew Cyrille
* Junction (EP), by Basement Jaxx, 2002
* Junction (manga), or ''Hot ...
with Littleport Road it reverts to a two way carriageway again, and after a short distance crosses a bridge over the
Gaywood River
Gaywood River (sometimes known as the River Gay or River Gaywood or, in King's Lynn, as the Fisher Fleet) is a tributary of the River Great Ouse in the west of the county of Norfolk.Ordnance Survey (2002). ''OS Explorer Map 250 - Norfolk Coast W ...
and becomes Gaywood Road. The road soon passes the
King Edward VII School on the right and on out into the Suburb of Gaywood. Gaywood road then becomes Lynn Road and now after from the start the road takes a left turn into Wooton Road. The road direction is now to the north east towards South Wooton. At the road comes to a 'T' Junction controlled by traffic lights. From the left is the A1078 which terminates at this junction and to the right the A148 continues on its way out of King's Lynn. Now Grimston Road, the road inclines towards a large roundabout.
King’s Lynn to Hillington
It is now since the start and the roundabout is the junction with the
A149 Queen Elizabeth Way. The A148 continues on over the roundabout now signposted to Fakenham and Cromer. The road is now characterised by long straights through dense woodland on both sides of the carriageway. After the road crosses the
River Cong, and a turning on the left which is the B1440 to
Sandringham Sandringham can refer to:
Places
* Sandringham, New South Wales, Australia
* Sandringham, Queensland, Australia
* Sandringham, Victoria, Australia
**Sandringham railway line
**Sandringham railway station
**Electoral district of Sandringham
* Sand ...
and the
Royal Estate there. At the village of
Hillington is reached. On the left as you enter the village is a filling station and the three-hundred-year-old
coaching inn called the Ffolkes Arms Hotel. Many years ago the attic rooms of this Inn were used to lock up prisoners overnight who were being transported to Norwich Prison. further on from the hotel is the gatehouse entrance to Hillington Hall. This estate once extended over of the Norfolk Countryside and was the home Ffolkes family who purchased it in 1678. The purchaser was Martin Ffolkes who was the Attorney-General to
Queen Catherine who was the wife of
Charles II.
Hillington to Fakenham
The road now skirts the boundary wall of Hillington Park on its left and passes the B1153 (southbound) to
Grimston on the right. At the end of the wall on the left the road passes the junction with the northbound B1153 to
Flitcham. The road now heads in an easterly direction over undulating
West Norfolk countryside towards
Harpley. At the mark, the long distant footpath
Peddars Way
The Peddars Way is a long distance footpath that passes through Suffolk and Norfolk, England.
Route
The Peddars Way is 46 miles (74 km) long and follows the route of a Roman road. It has been suggested by more than one writer that it was n ...
cross the road south to north at Harpley Dams just before the village. Peddars way is an old
Roman road. From here the road inclines sharply. The road has an overtaking lane on the Eastbound carriage way which allows passing only on that carriage way and is marked with double white lines on the westbound carriageway. The village Harpley is bypassed on the right hand side. A brown
tourist signpost on the left points out the road to nearby
Houghton Hall
Houghton Hall ( ) is a country house in the parish of Houghton in Norfolk, England. It is the residence of David Cholmondeley, 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley.
It was commissioned by the ''de facto'' first British Prime Minister, Sir Robert Wa ...
just out of the village. The next section of the road towards the villages of
East
East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth.
Etymology
As in other languages, the word is formed from the fac ...
and
West Rudham
West Rudham is a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village straddles the A148 King's Lynn to Cromer road.
It covers an area of and had a population of 213 in 97 households at the 2001 census, the population including Houghto ...
are characterised by long straight sections of road. Now having travelled from the beginning the road reaches West Rudham. In the heart of the village on the left is a 17th-century Inn called the Duke’s Head. The pub is a free house and has log fires. At the road passes through East Rudham passing on the left side of the village green and the Crown public house which is located on the eastern side of the green. On the way out of the village the road also passes a pub on the left called the Cat and Fiddle but was formally the Bakers Arms. Further on the road reaches the villages of
Tattersett
Tattersett is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.
It covers an area of and had a population of 902 in 390 households at the 2001 census, the population increasing to 962 at the 2011 Census.
For the purposes of local go ...
on the left and
Coxford on the right and crosses the
Culvert of the
River Tat
The River Tat is a short river in the County of Norfolk, England. It is an important headwater for the River Wensum of which it is a tributary. Its source is on Syderstone Common, just north of the village of Tattersett. The marshes and pools of ...
a
tributary
A tributary, or affluent, is a stream or river that flows into a larger stream or main stem (or parent) river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean. Tributaries and the main stem river drain the surrounding drainage ...
of the
River Wensum
The River Wensum is a chalk river in Norfolk, England and a tributary of the River Yare, despite being the larger of the two rivers. The river is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest and Special Area of Conservation.
The Wensum is ...
although you can not see the river from the road. After passing the junction of the B1454 to
Docking on the left (), the road now crosses an area of rolling hills and dips and passes the former airbase of
RAF Sculthorpe
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
on left. The road then drops down towards the village of
Sculthorpe by-passing it on the left. At the road passes the junction of the B1355 to
South Creake and the Burnhams on the left. This stretch of road between this junction and before reaching a traffic island which marks the start of the
Fakenham
Fakenham is a market town and civil parish in Norfolk, England. It is situated on the River Wensum, about north west of Norwich. The town is the junction of several local roads, including the A148 from King's Lynn to Cromer, the A1067 to Norw ...
by-pass, is called Creake Road.
Fakenham to Cromer
At the roundabout the A1065 from
Swaffham
Swaffham () is a market town and civil parish in the Breckland District and English county of Norfolk. It is situated east of King's Lynn and west of Norwich.
The civil parish has an area of and in the 2001 census had a population of 6,9 ...
joins from the right. Straight across is the old route of the road called Wells Road which takes you into the center of Fakenham. The A148 bares left and now by-passes the town swinging around to the north passing the B1105 to
Wells-next-the-Sea
Wells-next-the-Sea is a port town on the north coast of Norfolk, England.
The civil parish has an area of and in 2001 had a population of 2,451,Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). Census population and household c ...
on the left. Now at the road comes to another roundabout. The road to the right is A1067 from
Norwich
Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the See of Norwich, with ...
which terminates at the island. Straight over the island is the continuing A148.
The next stretch of road sees the first
speed camera
In everyday use and in kinematics, the speed (commonly referred to as ''v'') of an object is the magnitude of the change of its position over time or the magnitude of the change of its position per unit of time; it is thus a scalar quantit ...
at from the King's Lynn start point. According to the Norfolk Safety Camera Partnership, the siting of this camera has resulted in only 1% of drivers breaking the speed limit along this section of the road, although before and after accident figures are not available. The Junction right to
Kettlestone just past this site has always been a notorious accident Black Spot, as has the staggered cross road Junction at
Little Snoring just beyond. At the road passes through part of Little Snoring and through a cross road junction with Snoring Road. On the right just past the junction is
the Green Man Public House
A pub (short for public house) is a kind of drinking establishment which is licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term ''public house'' first appeared in the United Kingdom in late 17th century, and was ...
. For the next the road dips and rise through scenic woodland on either side of the road crossing the
River Stiffkey
The River Stiffkey is a chalk stream running through an area of north Norfolk, England from its source near Swanton Novers to flow out into the North Sea on the north Norfolk coast near the village of Stiffkey. The river has been dredged histori ...
at Brookhill plantation. On the right at Thursford is another filling station and a restaurant called the Old Forge. Dating from the 14th century the old forge was once a coaching station and many years ago was a resting place for
pilgrim
A pilgrim (from the Latin ''peregrinus'') is a traveler (literally one who has come from afar) who is on Pilgrimage, a journey to a holy place. Typically, this is a physical journey (often on foot) to some place of special significance to the a ...
s making their way to
Walsingham Abbey. Today it is a popular
seafood
Seafood is any form of sea life regarded as food by humans, prominently including fish and shellfish. Shellfish include various species of molluscs (e.g. bivalve molluscs such as clams, oysters and mussels, and cephalopods such as octopus an ...
restaurant. Now at since the start, the road emerges from the woodland and reaches a junction where the B1354 sweeps away to the right towards
Melton Constable
Melton Constable is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It covers an area of and had a population of 518 in 225 households at the 2001 census. The population had increased to 618 at the 2011 Census. For the purposes of ...
. The A148 swings northeast up an incline over a crossroads and past the
Crawfish public house on the left which serves Thai food. The route now inclines and straightens out passing through more
woodland
A woodland () is, in the broad sense, land covered with trees, or in a narrow sense, synonymous with wood (or in the U.S., the ''plurale tantum'' woods), a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade (see ...
before entering an area of open countryside. This long straight takes you to another filling station on the left.
Bale Filling station marks from the start.
The road takes a long sweeping bend toward the north east and once again the road is characterised by long straight section across open countryside. At the road to the left at the crossroads is the
B1156 to the village of
Langham, the right hand lane leads to the village of
Sharrington
Sharrington is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Brinton, in the North Norfolk district, in the county of Norfolk, England. The village is laid out on the southern edge of the A148, 3.5 miles west of Holt. The village is ...
. further on from the crossroads the road narrows in width and enters a section that is undulating and includes some very sharp blind bends. Drivers should be mindful of the fact that this road is used considerably by HGVs and this section should be driven with great care. At the road passes through the village of
Letheringsett. On the right in the centre of the village is the Kings Head Public House which is a fine example of a Georgian Building. Also on this junction is one of two Watermills in the village. The road crosses the
River Glaven
The River Glaven in the eastern English county of Norfolk is long and flows through picturesque North Norfolk countryside to the North Sea. Rising from a tiny headwater in Bodham the river starts miles before Selbrigg Pond where three sma ...
next to this redundant mill and 100 m further on passes a Brown Tourist sign locating the second Watermill on the right. Letheringsett Watermill is the last remaining watermill in Norfolk to produce flour. From Letheringsett the road inclines towards the Town of
Holt reaching the western end of the town center at . In the past the A148 passed through the center of this Georgian town but today it by-passes the center. At the next roundabout the road turns left on to the bypass. The road to the right is the B1110 to
Melton Constable
Melton Constable is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It covers an area of and had a population of 518 in 225 households at the 2001 census. The population had increased to 618 at the 2011 Census. For the purposes of ...
, the road straight over the island is the
B1149 to
Norwich
Norwich () is a cathedral city and district of Norfolk, England, of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about north-east of London, north of Ipswich and east of Peterborough. As the seat of the See of Norwich, with ...
. The by-pass was built on the old track bed of the
Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway
The Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway (M&GNJR) was a railway network in England, in the area connecting southern Lincolnshire, the Isle of Ely and north Norfolk. It developed from several local independent concerns and was incorporated i ...
. At the road from the left marks the point were the by-pass rejoins the old route of the A148. Just before this junction is Holt Station on the preserved part of the afore mentioned railway. It is the
North Norfolk Railway
The North Norfolk Railway (NNR) – also known as the "Poppy Line" – is a heritage steam railway in Norfolk, England, running between the towns of Sheringham and Holt. The North Norfolk Railway is owned and operated as a public limite ...
which runs from
Holt via
Weybourne to
Sheringham
Sheringham (; population 7,367) is an English seaside town within the county of Norfolk, United Kingdom.Ordnance Survey (2002). ''OS Explorer Map 252 - Norfolk Coast East''. . The motto of the town, granted in 1953 to the Sheringham Urban Distr ...
. The road now passes through
High Kelling
High Kelling is a village and civil parish in the north of the English county of Norfolk. The village is located on the A148 road which links Cromer to King's Lynn. The village is 1.7 miles east of the town of Holt, and 7.8 miles west of Cromer ...
and out into the open countryside. Glimpse of the sea can now be seen on the left as the road heads towards the village of
Bodham at .
further on is the junction with the road on the left which takes travellers to the village of
Upper Sheringham
Upper Sheringham is a village and a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is north-north-west of Norwich, west of Cromer and north-north-east of London. The village is from the town of Sheringham. The nearest railway sta ...
. Also at this junction there is a brown Tourist Sign indicating the entrance, 10 m from the junction, to Sheringham Park which is a
National Trust
The National Trust, formally the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, is a charity and membership organisation for heritage conservation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, there is a separate and ...
property. The roads route now takes the high ground parallel with the coast. This high ground is called the Cromer Ridge and is on average about 90 meters above sea level, the highest point of Norfolk is located on this ridge at Beacon Hill at 105 meters above sea level. At 39½ is the left hand junction to
Sheringham
Sheringham (; population 7,367) is an English seaside town within the county of Norfolk, United Kingdom.Ordnance Survey (2002). ''OS Explorer Map 252 - Norfolk Coast East''. . The motto of the town, granted in 1953 to the Sheringham Urban Distr ...
on the
A1082. At is the left hand turn to
Beeston Regis
Beeston Regis is a village and civil parish in the North Norfolk district of Norfolk, England.Ordnance Survey (2002). ''OS Explorer Map 252 – Norfolk Coast East''. . It is about a mile (2 km) east of Sheringham, Norfolk and near the coas ...
(the location of the top picture of the road sign). Continuing on and the road passes a public house called the Roman Camp Inn on the right hand side of the road. There is a filling station here also on the right. Beacon Hill is a on the left but is not visible as the road here is shrouded with dense woodland on both verges. The woodland on the right hand side of the road marks the boundary of the Felbrigg Estate, also in the hands of the
National Trust
The National Trust, formally the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, is a charity and membership organisation for heritage conservation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. In Scotland, there is a separate and ...
. After the next junction at a roundabout is the
B1436 to
Roughton Roughton, as a person, may refer to:
*Roughton "Rou" Reynolds, English musician in the post hardcore band Enter Shikari
*Julian Roughton, the current Chief Executive of Suffolk Wildlife Trust
Roughton, as a place, may refer to:
*Roughton, Linco ...
. Reaching the final part of the road the route now crosses the bridge of the
Bittern Line railway that links Norwich to Cromer and
Sheringham
Sheringham (; population 7,367) is an English seaside town within the county of Norfolk, United Kingdom.Ordnance Survey (2002). ''OS Explorer Map 252 - Norfolk Coast East''. . The motto of the town, granted in 1953 to the Sheringham Urban Distr ...
, and drops down the Cromer Ridge, past the
North Norfolk District Council Headquarters on the right into the town of Cromer. At this section, the road has the designation of Holt road before becoming West Street after a Mini roundabout as it approaches the town Center. There is a Public House called the White Horse on the Left and just 50 m further on the A148 reaches its Terminus/Start at a junction with the
A149.
Mileage
The total length of the road from the A47 roundabout to the junction with the A149 in Cromer town centre is .
[Measured using ]Google
Google LLC () is an American multinational technology company focusing on search engine technology, online advertising, cloud computing, computer software, quantum computing, e-commerce, artificial intelligence, and consumer electronics. ...
Pedomete
/ref>
Gallery
Image:Safety Cameras at Bale Norfolk 22nd Oct 2007 (1).JPG, The speed camera on the A148 at Bale.
Image:Milestones on the A148 22nd October 2007 (6).JPG, A mile stone on the old route of the A148, close to the center of Holt. Note the measurement in furlong
A furlong is a measure of distance in imperial units and United States customary units equal to one eighth of a mile, equivalent to 660 feet, 220 yards, 40 rods, 10 chains or approximately 201 metres. It is now mostly confined to use in hor ...
s.
Image:Milestones on the A148 22nd October 2007 (5).JPG, The other side of the same mile stone in Holt.
Image:Milestones on the A148 22nd October 2007 (2).JPG, A mile stone on the A148 in the village of High Kelling
High Kelling is a village and civil parish in the north of the English county of Norfolk. The village is located on the A148 road which links Cromer to King's Lynn. The village is 1.7 miles east of the town of Holt, and 7.8 miles west of Cromer ...
Image:Milestones on the A148 22nd October 2007 (4).JPG, The other side of the same mile stone in High Kelling.
Image:Letheringsett Watermill and the River Glaven 22nd Oct 2007 (4).JPG, A section of the road with sharp double 'S' bends, in the village of Letheringsett.
Image:Letheringsett Watermill and the River Glaven 22nd Oct 2007 (1).JPG, The bridge over the River Glaven
The River Glaven in the eastern English county of Norfolk is long and flows through picturesque North Norfolk countryside to the North Sea. Rising from a tiny headwater in Bodham the river starts miles before Selbrigg Pond where three sma ...
which carries the A148 in the village of Letheringsett.
In popular culture
*The protagonist of Elly Griffiths
Elly Griffiths is the pen name of Domenica de Rosa (born 17 August 1963, in London), a British crime novelist. She has written three series as Griffiths, one featuring Ruth Galloway, one featuring Detective Inspector Edgar Stephens and Max Meph ...
' Ruth Galloway series teaches at the University of North Norfolk and lives in remote seaside college near King's Lynn. She and other characters in the series regularly face challenges navigating that road in the fog, slippery road conditions, and blinding inclement weather.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:1-0148
Roads in England
Transport in Norfolk
Roads in Norfolk