Aylsham Town Council

05/09/2026

Lovely article in September’s Norfolk magazine.

Why Aylsham is the place to be

We’re delighted to see Aylsham featured in the September edition of Norfolk Magazine, under the heading “Why Aylsham is the place to be.”

The article features an interview with Town Councillor and Visit Aylsham Working Group member Mitchell Philpott, who reflects on his love of the town after almost 20 years of calling Aylsham home.

For Mitchell, Aylsham is his “happy place” – and it’s easy to understand why. From our wonderful sense of community and beautiful surroundings, to our location at the heart of North Norfolk, there are endless opportunities to walk, cycle, explore and enjoy the countryside.

Add in Aylsham’s fascinating heritage and a thriving town centre full of independent shops, cafés and businesses, and there’s plenty to discover.

It’s wonderful to see someone who knows and loves Aylsham sharing what makes our town so special. ❤️

📖 Pick up the September edition of Norfolk Magazine and discover why Aylsham really is the place to be.

03/09/2026

A building with a past… that now tells Aylsham’s story.

Tucked away beside St Michael’s Church, the Aylsham Heritage Centre is housed in the old Parish Rooms, built in 1890 by Benjamin Cooke, a local miller, at a cost of £400 before being donated to the church.

But the building has seen plenty of life since then. It has hosted choir practices, WI meetings, wedding receptions, children’s parties and even a temporary library. Local memories include the choir gathering around an organ with a stove for warmth — and one particularly memorable occasion when the vicar had to lift someone through a window to unlock the door after a group found themselves locked out!

After years of use as storage, the building fell into disrepair before being transformed into the Heritage Centre we know today. It opened its doors in 2011, and now brings Aylsham's fascinating past to life through changing exhibitions, photographs, archives, talks, walks, crafts and events.

Today, the Centre is quite literally a place where Aylsham's history lives on — and it's also one of 22 fascinating locations on Aylsham's Heritage Snail Trail.

🐌 Follow the trail. Discover the stories. See Aylsham through new eyes.

Explore the Heritage Centre and all 22 locations at www.visitaylsham.org

📷 Historical images: Aylsham Town Archive

28/08/2026

Clarke’s of Aylsham - from ironmongery to boutique hotel.

Standing proudly between the Market Place and Red Lion Street, The Ironmongers has been at the heart of Aylsham’s commercial life for centuries. But look beyond its elegant Georgian frontage and you’ll discover that the building is much older than it appears - behind it lie two medieval timber-framed buildings, later remodelled in the 18th century.

Over the centuries it has been a grocer’s, a militia depot, a tailor’s, a china and glass shop and, for generations of Aylsham residents, Clarke’s Ironmongers. Charles Clarke established the business in the 1930s, and Alan Clarke became legendary for stocking almost everything imaginable - from paint, tools and gardening equipment to kitchenware, curtain poles and key cutting. Locals joked that if Alan didn’t have it, you probably didn’t need it! The shop finally closed in 2012.

Then came another chapter. After standing empty for several years, the building was sensitively restored, revealing 17th-century timber beams, wattle-and-daub walls, concealed Victorian shoes and the iron safe that once held Clarke’s takings.

Today, that remarkable history has been given a new lease of life as the award-winning Ironmongers Boutique Hotel. Its eight individually designed bedrooms celebrate Aylsham’s historic trades - from the Haberdashery and Florists to the Tailors and Confectioners - combining original features with contemporary comfort.

So the building that once helped Aylsham’s residents find the things they needed is now helping visitors discover Aylsham itself.

🐌 One building. Centuries of stories. And one of 22 fascinating locations on Aylsham’s Heritage Snail Trail.

Follow the trail, discover the stories and see Aylsham through new eyes.

👉 Explore The Ironmongers and all 22 locations at www.visitaylsham.org

📷 Historical images: Aylsham Town Archive

28/08/2026

27/08/2026

Step back in time at Aylsham History Day!

What was childhood like in Aylsham in years gone by? What games did children play, what did they do for fun, and what did the town look like when today's grandparents were growing up?

Join Aylsham Heritage Centre at the Town Hall on Saturday 26 September, 10am–3pm, for a fascinating day celebrating the people, places and memories that make Aylsham's history so special.

👧 Childhood in Aylsham
📷 Historic photographs & exhibitions
🏺 Artefacts from Aylsham's past
🎲 Games & family activities
📚 Books and prints to purchase
💭 Share your own photographs and memories
☕ Refreshments available
🎟️ FREE admission

Whether you have memories to share, enjoy local history, or simply want to discover what life was like in Aylsham in years gone by, there's something for everyone.

Come along, explore the past and perhaps recognise a familiar face, place or memory!

22/08/2026

📢 ROAD CLOSURES 📢
**SUNDAY, 23RD AUGUST**
The Market Place and Red Lion Street will be closed from 06:30-21:00 for the town's Street Party. The bus stops in the Market Place will not be serviced during these times. Alternative bus stops are located on Norwich Road (Tesco) and Burgh Road. If you are visiting the town on Saturday, 22nd August, please do not leave your vehicle parked overnight in the Market Place, as it will get blocked in and you will not be able to retrieve it until the event has finished.

21/08/2026

💚 How well do you know Aylsham?

Whether you've lived here all your life, have recently moved to the area, or are planning your first visit, there’s a good chance Visit Aylsham has something you haven't discovered yet.

From what’s on this week to fascinating local history, independent shops, places to eat and drink, walks, things to do, places to stay and stories about the people who make Aylsham special — we're bringing it all together in one place.

And it doesn't stop with the website. Follow Visit Aylsham on social media for regular inspiration, news and event updates, and subscribe to our fortnightly email to get the latest What's On in and around Aylsham delivered straight to your inbox.

📱 Follow us
🌐 Explore the website
📧 Subscribe to the newsletter

👉 www.visitaylsham.org

Visit Aylsham — discover the town you thought you knew. 💚