1. Diss Mere

The name Diss comes from the six-acre body of water known as the Mere at its heart. It is one of the deepest natural inland lakes in the country and Dic or Disce is the Saxon word for ‘ditch of standing water’.

There has been much speculation about its origins over the centuries – including that it was a flooded natural volcano crater.

However, there are no records of volcanic activity in Norfolk and the UK has not had active volcanoes for around 55 million years.

Another tale claims that it was created by a meteor which fell from the sky before burning away and leaving a hole which was filled with rain water.

But the most likely explanation is that it is a natural basin caused by the collapse of the chalk bedrock at the end of the Ice Age.

During the 19th century the Mere would freeze during the harsh winters and residents would wear fancy dress and carry Chinese lanterns as they walked on the ice – and in 1827 a cricket match was famously played on it.

Diss Corn Hall. Photo: Sonya Duncan 2. Diss Corn Hall

Diss Corn Hall was one of the last corn markets trading in the country – the last sale was held in 1998.

Now the Grade II listed building is the town’s cultural heart with a packed programme of theatre, live music, stand-up, film and much more.

Highlights of the spring/summer 2025 programme include comedians Ivo Graham, Angela Barnes, Esther Manito and Peter Flanagan on April 11, John Osborne's spoken word show Norwich: A Love Story on April 26 and Mark Watson and Friends on July 26.

Bressingham Gardens. Photo: Getty Images 3. Bressingham Steam and Gardens

Bressingham Steam and Gardens is a legacy of Alan Bloom’s two passions – railways and horticulture.

He bought Bressingham Hall and its land in the late 1940s and........

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