Aylsham's story stretches back to around 500 AD, when a Saxon named Aegel set up his homestead here. "Ham" in the old tongue means homestead, so the village would have been known as Aegel's Ham. This transformed into Aylsham, a name recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086.

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After the Normans arrived, Aylsham's fortunes rose. The crown held the manor until it passed to John of Gaunt, a powerful nobleman and son of King Edward III.

 

John of Gaunt's influence is evident in the parish church, a grand 13th-14th century cruciform design built partly with flint. Look for the red rose of Lancaster and John of Gaunt's own coat of arms in the north transept window – a testament to his mark on the town.

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John of Gaunt's son, Henry IV, became King, and the Duchy of Lancaster merged with the crown. However, the twists of history continued.

 

When Charles I ascended the throne, Aylsham's manor was mortgaged and eventually sold. It passed through several noble families before landing with the National Trust, which explains why the Buttsland car park and the Market Place remain under their care today.