Whether you are arriving by car, bicycle, tricycle, tandem, on foot, or even flying (local airstrip available by prior arrangement), you can be very sure of a warm welcome - especially from Effie, our ever watchful and very friendly border collie (if you don't like dogs don't worry, she is kept quite separately from the guest accommodation!). 

There is secure storage for bikes and if you have wet kit to dry out we'll do that for you too!
Further down this page there is information on local attractions (click here) and a section on bird-watching (click here) in the area.

We hope you will find it useful.

   What do you get?   

 Tariff  

Guest bathroom  - corner bath, shower, toilet and wash basin. 

Shaver socket provided and plenty of ‘smellies’ to pamper yourself and relax in the bath with!                      

We are happy to accept payment by

                 or by             

or by cheque supported by Bank Card 

 

The farm is in a rural Fenland location in West Norfolk, as the crow flies 3 miles from Downham Market, 7 miles from Wisbech, and 10 miles from Kings Lynn.  The nearest station is Downham Market.  There is an hourly service to/from London Kings Cross via Cambridge and Ely both of which provide frequent connections to other parts of the UK.  March station is 20 minutes drive away with excellent connections countrywide.

Places to visit  

We are ideally situated for touring West Norfolk, the Wash and North Norfolk coasts.  Sandringham is just 30 minutes away by car as is Ely, with its magnificent cathedral and compact city centre.  Denver Windmill just outside Downham Market, where you can buy bread from flour ground at the windmill, is also well worth a visit. 

St Edmunds Church in nearby Emneth has a window dedicated to Rev Wilbert Awdry, author of the Thomas The Tank Engine books, who was Vicar of Emneth and wrote the last 7 books in Emneth. 

There are many historic churches in the area. Because of its originally wealthy agricultural heritage the area abounds more than any other with historic churches. The stone for building them was easily brought inland by the many navigable waterways. 

    Denver Windmill

Other local attractions, in Wisbech; Elgoods Brewery & Gardens, Wisbech & Fenland Museum, Octavia Hill Birthplace House ( founder of the National Trust ). Within 30 minutes driving time Caithness Crystal, Hunstanton Sea Life Sanctuary, Church Farm Rare Breeds Centre, the Butterfly and Wildlife Park, the African Violet Centre, Norfolk Lavender, and the Ecotech Wind Turbines and Centre for Sustainability are all well worthwhile visits.

Bird Watching

For birdwatchers Marshland Fen attracts many species. .   The Wildlife and Wetlands Trust reserve at Welney is close by, and within easy reach are the RSPB reserves at Snettisham and Titchwell where you will see large numbers of splendid seabirds. Within half and hours' drive are the Nene and Ouse Washes reserves. On top of that the Norfolk Wildlife Trust maintain many reserves in the area.

 

What do we see at Bodger's Farm? 

Well we are especially proud of our large colony of rare tree sparrows. They nest in the hedges around the house and in our nest boxes and seem to be thriving.

 

Tree Sparrow               Swallows outside your bedroom window

 

 

 

Other species noted (in alphabetical order) are: Barn owl, Black headed gull, Blackbird, Blue tit, Bullfinch (seen nearby), Buzzard, Carion crow, Chaffinch, Collared dove, Common Gull, Coot, Cormorant, Crane, Dunnock, Fieldfare, Goldfinch, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great tit, Greenfinch, Green Woodpecker, Grey Heron, Herring gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Kingfisher, Lapwing, Lesser Spotted Woodpecker, Linnet, Little Owl, Magpie, Mallard, Marsh Harrier, Mistle Thrush, Moorhen, Mute swan, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Red legged partridge, Redstart, Reed bunting, Reed Warbler, Robin, Rook, Shellduck, Skylark, Song Thrush, Sparrow hawk, Starling, Swallow, Swift, Tawny Owl, Tree sparrow, Turtle Dove, Whinchat, Wood pigeon, Wren

 

How to find us

Bodgers Farm House can be found 1 mile south of Rungays Bridge on Marshland Fen.  Black Drove is the continuation of School Road out of Marshland St James.  To find our location click here and when the map comes up on screen zoom out by clicking on the next upright arrow down to the right of the words ‘large map’(under the actual map graphic) and you will see Bodgers Farm.  

Postal Address Only  

Howard & Kate Phillips

Bodgers Farm                                      

Black Drove

St Johns Fen End                                

Norfolk

PE14 8JU                                               

Tel: 01945 430880 International: +44 1945 430 880

Fax: 01945 430228 International: +44 1945 430 228

Email: info@bodgersfarmpottery.co.uk

Answer to 'what is a bodger?'

While the name of the farm no doubt derives from a previous owner (Bodger is a local surname) the trade of bodger is in the furniture industry.  A bodger turned the spindles that formed the legs, arms, and support struts of chairs.  The term 'bodged-up' derived from the time when chairs were delivered by horse and cart in pieces (the original flat pack?) and knocked or 'bodged' together, usually by the bodger who made and delivered them. If you would like to know more visit the Association of Pole-Lathe Turners and Greenwood Workers web site www.bodgers.org.uk

Real Norfolk sky - sunset view at Bodgers Farm