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Horning, River Bure

Around 3 miles down river from Wroxham is the village of Horning the origins of which date back to Roman times. Roys of Wroxham had a provisions store in Lower Street until the late 1960's when it became a small supermarket, it is now a Restaurant.

The Swan Hotel built in 1897 is a popular venue with its gardens overlooking the river. Next to the Hotel moorings you can board a replica paddle steamer for a trip on the river and broads.

Free 24hr moorings are available on the village staithe by the green, if you can find one that is! Further down river is the Horning Ferry Inn where you pay a fee for mooring overnight but can claim it back at the bar, a good excuse for a quick one!

1906

Edwardian couples look at the scene from the Swan Hotel staithe while a yacht and two Wherries sail away down the river. The malthouses on the left were demolished in 1928, on the left farther down river can be seen the yard of R.C. Lockett who was a merchant selling reeds, coal, hay and forage, reeds can be seen stacked ready for transportation. Today in Lower Street there is a house called Locketts on the site where the yard was.

2003

The same view as above, the gardens of the Swan Hotel on the left. Boats are moored on the village staithe by the green.

1909

A scene a lot more tranquil than today, fishermen try their luck on Swan reach. The low building attached to the right of the Swan Hotel was replaced with a two storey building c1965, the white cottage was built in 1695 and is still there although it has been extended to the right and is no longer white. The building alongside the cottage is what is now called St Benets Hall and is next to the Green.

1906

Horning Broad today is a mooring basin for private boats and is opposite the village staithe although the riverside moorings on the front of the basin are available free to hire craft for 24hrs. Above the roofs of the buildings just to left of centre, the windmill that stood above the village can just be seen.

c1968

A view of the village staithe and Green, Southgates boatyard on the right was demolished in the 1970's and houses were built on Lower Street with their gardens down to the river front. Horning Broad would have been to the extreme right of the picture.

1966

View from one of the entrances to the private mooring basin that once was Horning Broad. The staithe and Green is shown with the Swan Hotel in the background. The boatyard on the right belonged to Southgates and was demolished in the 1970's and houses built on the site. The house alongside the sheds still exists and is now a tea room and cafe.

2005

Swan Hotel and village staithe from the river, the sailing clubs pavilion can be seen in the background.

c1960

Taken from the staithe, the Swan Hotel is on the right. A Broads Tours boat heads back up river to Wroxham with a party of trippers.

c1968

A private cruiser makes its way down river past the Swan Hotel on a pleasant summers day.

c1970

Lower Street in Horning runs parallel with the river with the gardens of the houses on the right extending to the river front.

The cottage in the picture is dated 1615, the B.P. garage belonged to Horning Motors Ltd. What looks like a Riley motor car stands by the fuel pumps with a Rover P5 behind it, on the other side is a Morris Minor.

1905

A moonlight yacht race on what looks like Horning Reach.

c1920

Looking upstream on Horning Reach, the Swan Hotel is in the background, to the right the building with the flag pole is the New Inn and next to it Southgates other yard. The New Inn is still there today as is the boatyard, now Norfolk Broads Yachting Co. A steam launch takes trippers down river, moored to the left is an early Houseboat.

2003

Southgates Lower Street is still on the right next to the ' New Inn '. Today the yard belongs to The Norfolk Broads Yachting Co.

1905

Just up river from the Ferry Inn stood Horning smock mill, it was used as a drainage mill, also known as a windpump, to control the level of the water on the low lying land or marshes. When it closed it became a private residence which can be seen today but is very much different to the original mill.

1976

What used to be Horning smock mill is now converted into a private residence.

2005

A similar view of the Windmill house as the above image, it is now a holiday hire home.

1919

A hired Wherry yacht approaches Horning Ferry whilst another is moored alongside the staithe of the Ferry Inn. The punt like ferry was pulled by hand on chains laid across the river.

1956

The Ferry Inn has had a rather mixed history, it has always been a popular venue for yachtsmen and fishermen. During World War 2 it was popular with airmen from R.A.F Coltishall and in April 1941 it was hit by bombs from a German bomber jettisoning his load while being stalked by a British night fighter, 42 civilians and airmen were killed or injured. The pub was rebuilt in 1956 but disaster struck again in 1965 when it was destroyed by fire, it was rebuilt in the same style but tiles replaced the thatched roof of the original.

2003

The Ferry Inn is still a popular venue today with moorings crowded in the summer and Bank holidays, a small boat still ferries passengers across the river from Woodbastwick Nature Reserve in the summer.

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