Docking was and remains a thriving North Norfolk village. It is displayed on the map as the center point & lt; branching in all directions to the resorts and places of beauty of North Norfolk. These include the beautiful beaches of North Norfolk, such as Hunstanton, Brancaster, Thornham, Holm, Bernom Overy Stade, Holham Beach, Wells and before Blekney and Clay. The local Brancaster Beach is just five minutes away by car. Sandringham, Houghton Hall, Holkham Hall are located near the Staely Hotel. The charming market town of Burnham Market (sometimes called Chelsea-on-Sea) with its exquisite independent shops for every taste is just ten minutes away by car. There are walks and walks in all directions, starting from or near the docking station. Pedder path is very close.
The docking is first mentioned in the Doomsday Book, so its history lasts a long time! Originally known as “Dry Docking”, being on a hill without a natural source of water and water that needs to be transported to the village from below, it was the center of the local agricultural community and was renamed its wool and other agricultural products.
The Great Eastern Railway (GER) built a railway line in the 1840s connecting Kings-Lynn-Hunstanton with Wells near the sea on the coast, and along the road passed through Docking and Stanho villages.
The construction of the railway provided jobs for the residents of the Docking village, and we know that the original row of terraced houses, known then and now as “Oddfellows Row”, was built in 1850 and was a railroad cottage.
In the 1800s, there were many shops in Docking, including banks, grasshoppers, grasshoppers, forges, a post office, several pubs, and a village hall called Oddfellows Hall (now Rippers Hall), a church, and so on. Next to today was a busy railway station. Stroll through the village and you will see many cottages named after the original merchant or business that was there (banks, butchers, bakers, blacksmiths, etc.).
During World War II, the governments of Great Britain and the United States at that time feared that the German invasion of Great Britain would come from the East Coast. For this reason, the RAF and USAF built airfields and bases in Dock and in the surrounding area and became a meeting place and social place for US and British military personnel and civilians. Many American gi married places from Docking. Actors Richard Burton and Warren Mitchell were in attendance, as well as footballer Danny Blanchflower.
After the war, the airbases fell into disrepair and were eventually closed, and the US military and women returned home. In the 1950s, the infamous Beeching report decided to recommend that more than half of the UK rail network be closed as part of cost savings. The docking station fell under the hammer and was sadly closed as a result, despite strong protests from the local community. All that remains today on the railway line is the “Railway”, a beautiful pub and restaurant. The station has been replaced by a modern residential complex.
A modern docking station is perhaps unique in the sense that it still has a thriving local community. There is a school in the village that is visited by children from Docking and the surrounding villages. There is a lively village hall (Rippers Hall) where the community often meets. There is a church, doctors' surgery, bowling club, darts club, VI, etc. Residents and vacationers go well with visitors who contribute to the local economy. Today you can stay at Oddfellows Row, as one of the original cottages is now offered as a beautiful cottage.
