Bale, Norfolk
| Bale | |
|---|---|
 The Village sign, Bale, Norfolk. |
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 Bale
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| Bale shown within Norfolk | |
| Population | 261 (parish, 2001 census) |
| OS grid reference | TG008363 |
| • London | 123 miles (198 km) |
| Civil parish | |
| District | |
| Shire county | |
| Region | |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | Fakenham |
| Postcode district | NR21 |
| Dialling code | 01328 |
| Police | Norfolk |
| Fire | Norfolk |
| Ambulance | East of England |
| EU Parliament | East of England |
| UK Parliament | |
Bale is a village within the civil parish of Gunthorpe in the English county of Norfolk. The village is on the north side of the A148 King's Lynn to Cromer road.The village is 9 miles east north east of the town of Fakenham, 14.3 miles west south west of Cromer and 125 miles north north east of London. The nearest railway station is at Sheringham for the Bittern Line which runs between Sheringham, Cromer and Norwich. The nearest airport is Norwich International Airport.
Bale has an entry in the Domesday Book of 1085. In the great book Bale is recorded by the name ‘’Bathele’’ and it is said to be in the ownership of the King. The main tenant was Harold holding his land from Count Alan.
The Parish Church is called All Saints and dates back to the middle of the 14th century. The chancel is slightly older and there is a north transept which indicates that another was planned but never built. The windows have impressive tracery around them. The church has a collection of Norwich School stained glass in one of the south nave windows.
The Bale Oak was a large oak tree which once stood in the village. The tree measured 36 feet in circumference, was over 500 years old and, reportedly, featured branches over 70 feet long.
In the middle of the 14th century, All Saints church was erected immediately east of the site of the tree. According to folk legend, the tree had previously been a site for pre-Christian worship and may have been a part of a larger grove. In 1795, the oak was severely damaged. The oak was heavily pollarded and the removed bark and some of the wood was sold to the Hardys of Letheringsett for tanning. Norfolk historian Francis Blomefield recorded use of the oak in the 18th century:
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