One of these is Melton Constable - the place where hot policemen and women live!
We had never been there - until yesterday that is. So on our way to North Norfolk for the day we decided to make a very short detour and see what this former industrial area of Norfolk is like.
Have to say wasn't greatly impressed by it as we left the car on the main road. There didn't seem to be much to it. But on closer examination there were some areas of interest.
Railways - that was what made Melton Constable well known in the past. Today there is no hint of a railway apart from a coffee and restaurant known as the Sidings where indeed we had coffee and a bun.
We wandered down a side road with rows of houses that quite obviously had been railway cottages during the heyday of the railways. Melton Constable was built in the 1880s as a junction for four railway lines which came from Cromer, North Walsham, King's Lynn and Norwich. Melton Constable Railway Station had a specially constructed waiting room for Lord Hastings who was the local squire. The village also contained the main workshops and factory for the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway. There over 19 steam locomotives were built.
The works were downgraded and closed in 1934. Between 1959 and 1964 British Rail closed the lines going through Melton Constable to both passenger and goods train which meant an obvious decline in the importance of the village. The station was demolished in 1971 and today is an industrial estate. We walked down it but saw very little other than industrial units.
There is a suggestion that the trains may eventually return to Melton Constable as part of a Norfolk Orbital Railway but that seems a long way off for what now has the feel of a rather rundown village.
Mind you the coffee at the Sidings was good and we popped into the local butchers where we were met by a very cheery lady whose beaming smile made us feel very welcome. There we bought some Pork Cheese which I believe is also known as Brawn. It has nothing to do with cheese or dairy products. I won't tell you exactly what it is made of as it might put you off your dinner. But it's very good with crusty bread and pickles. We also bought some Norfolk Haggis. Yes you heard that correctly Norfolk Haggis made in Melton Constable. We haven't tried this yet - a delight for breakfast later today.
I did take a few photographs of Melton Constable of the former school, the war memorial etc. You will see that the village sign also refers to Burgh Parva which is a deserted part of Melton Constable from medieval times.
At least that's another place ticked off our Norfolk bucket list. Today's photos also include a few of the Kelling Heath area.