Pennoyers - the heart of Pulham St Mary

Pulham St Mary village has a local shop with post office, a local pub, a garage and an animal feed store. Pulham Market has a local shop with post office, a hairdresser's and two pubs, centred around a pretty village green bounded by thatched cottages. There is a children's playground, and playing fields in Pulham St Mary, and a recreation ground in Pulham Market. Starston has no shops, and its school closed many years ago.

Children from the villages go to Pulham Primary school in Pulham Market, and to secondary schools in Diss, Harleston, Long Stratton or Norwich. Pre-school children mostly attend Pulhams Playgroup in Pulham Market.

There is a village hall in Pulham St Mary that is due to close within two years, as it requires a total rebuild. In Pulham Market, a more modern Memorial Hall has a stage, traditional hall space for activities such as badminton, and a small meeting room. Starston has its Jubilee Hall, a small building acquired by the village some 30 years ago to give a meeting place independent of the parish council and church.

All three villages have their own beautiful medieval churches, each with its own character and history. There are limited bus links between the villages to Harleston, Diss and Norwich, but none run in the evenings.