River Nar - Route

Route

The river rises from springs on the chalk uplands close to the 200-foot (60 m) contour to the south-west of Tittleshall. It initially flows to the east and then to the south to cross under the B1145 Litcham Road to the west of Mileham. Turning to the west, it passes through the south of Litcham and enters a series of lakes at Lexham Hall, where it is joined by Broad Water. Lexham Hall is a large grade I listed mansion, which was built around 1700. During the Second World War, the estate was occupied by the army, and the grounds and house were severely damaged. It was bought by William Foster in 1946, who gradually restored it, assisted by the architect Jim Fletcher Watson. The gardens are open to the public on selected weekends during the year, although the house is not. Continuing westwards, the river reaches the lakes of West Lexham Hall. It is joined by a stream flowing northwards from Little Dunham before it crosses under the A1065 road and flows through Emanuel's Common. The disused Newton water mill is passed before the river reaches the village of Newton. By the time it reaches Castle Acre it is below the 100-foot (30 m) contour.

The river is now wider and starts to form meanders. It passes more lakes at South Acre Hall, a large farmhouse parts of which date from the sixteenth century, and then crosses Castle Acre Common, and there are several lakes in Big Wood. A mill was located at the end of the wood. The main channel and the mill bypass both cross a minor road at fords. At West Acre the river passes the remains of an Augustinian priory and then Narford Lake, by Narford Hall. The remains of the priory are grade II listed and a scheduled ancient monument. The Hall is grade I listed, and was built between 1690 and 1704 by Andrew Fountaine of Salle in Norfolk. It was enlarged in the 1830s. The river passes to the north of Narborough, where there are lakes and a fish farm. The A47 Narborough Bypass crosses, as does the original main road to Narborough, beside which is a former water mill, built in the eighteenth century and repaired in the late twentieth, which still contains much of the milling machinery. The Lynn and Dereham Railway line used to cross to the west of Narborough, but it is now dismantled. The Nar Valley Way, a long-distance footpath which has been following the valley for most of the length of the river now runs along the river bank. Numerous drainage ditches are associated with the next stretch of the river, and after passing Abbey Farm, where there are the remains of another Augustinian Priory, the river is embanked, with flood banks on both sides. The Nar Valley Way crosses from the south bank to the north at the start of the embanking.

Some large lakes are located to the north of the channel, which were formerly a sand and gravel pit. High Bridge carries the road from Blackborough End to Wormegay over the river, and Setchey Bridge carries the A10 road at Setchey. A little to the west, the channel turns to the north, where it is crossed by the railway line from Downham Market to Kings Lynn. The A47 road, the A148 road and another minor road cross at South Lynn, and the river then joins the River Great Ouse at a sluice.