Bell Hotel, Thetford

The hotel is located on the corner of King Street and Bridge Street in the centre of Thetford. The hotel is 0.5 miles (0.80 km) south of Thetford railway station.^[5] The hotel is 29.8 miles (48.0 km) south-west of the city of Norwich. The nearest airport is also at Norwich and that is 32.4 miles (52.1 km) north-east of the hotel.

Documentation shows that there has been an Inn on this site since 1493.^[1] The premises served as a principal coaching inn on the London to Norwich mail coach route.^[1] The two storey timber framed building which faces on to King street is the oldest part of the present building.^[1] With the arrival of the railway connections to Thetford, Norwich and wider Norfolk the inn then was turned into a hotel. In the 17th century and 19th century further wings and extensions have been added with the west wing constructed in the late 20th century.^[1] The hotel is reputedly haunted by the ghost of its 18th-century landlady Betty Radcliffe.^[6] Actors associated with the BBC comedy show Dad's Army, stayed at the hotel when filming on location.^[7]