Waxham Barn
Coast Rd Waxham NR12 0EE
Sheltering just behind the dunes just to east of the Broads proper, there are just two reasons to come to the village of Waxham: for the beach, which is a glorious long sandy stretch, popular with seals, and Waxham Great Barn, a huge sixteenth-century thatched barn, recently restored, that was built by the influential and wealthy Wodehouse family in the mid-sixteenth century. The Wodehouses built their barn extra-long to outdo their rivals, the Paston family, who had erected a similarly vast structure a few miles north – and which also still stands today (it's a just a few metres shorter). Entrance is free, and includes an informative and entertaining audio tour, which guides you around the building, after which you can stop for a drink or something to eat at the attached café. There's bike hire here too – useful for exploring the surrounding countryside and coast.
