Pennoyers - the heart of Pulham St Mary

Pulham St Mary is a large parish, principally a farming community, with around 365 houses and 800 inhabitants. A significant number of self-employed people live and work in the area. The nearest large town is Diss (8 miles) with the City of Norwich, 16 miles away to the North.

Pulham St Mary with Pulham Market to the west and Starston to the east together make up the ward of Beck Vale. In total, just over 2,100 people live in Beck Vale (2004 data), with Pulham Market having the largest population of the three villages.

The three villages as they exist today all date back to medieval times, and each has a wealth of interesting buildings offering glimpses of the past. However, archaeological evidence suggests occupation of the sites since at least Bronze Age times.