Wighton

{{Short description|Village in Norfolk, England}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}

{{Use British English|date=May 2025}}

{{Infobox UK place

| country = England

| coordinates = {{coord|52.92146|0.88433|display=inline,title}}

| os_grid_reference = TF940399

| official_name = Wighton

| population = 222

| population_ref = (2011)

| area_total_km2 = 11.93

| static_image_name = SignpostAtCopysGreenWighton(RonStrutt)Jun1999.jpg

| static_image_width =

| static_image_caption = Road intersection in Copy's Green, a hamlet in the parish, with signs for National Cycle Route 1

| shire_district = North Norfolk

| shire_county = Norfolk

| region = East of England

| civil_parish = Wighton

| constituency_westminster = North Norfolk

| postcode_district = NR23

| postcode_area = NR

| post_town = WELLS-NEXT-THE-SEA

| dial_code = 01328

| london_distance =

}}

Wighton is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is situated some {{convert|3.7|mi|abbr=on}} south of the town of Wells-next-the-Sea, {{convert|7.5|mi|abbr=on}} north of the town of Fakenham, and {{convert|28|mi|abbr=on}} north-west of the city of Norwich. The medieval pilgrimage centre of Walsingham lies {{convert|3|km|abbr=on}} to the south.Ordnance Survey (2002). OS Explorer Map 251 - Norfolk Coast Central. {{ISBN|0-319-21887-2}}.

The villages name means 'Farm/settlement with a dwelling'.{{Cite web|url=http://kepn.nottingham.ac.uk/map/place/Norfolk/Wighton|title=Key to English Place-names}}

The civil parish has an area of {{convert|11.93|km2|abbr=on}} and in the 2001 census had a population of 203 in 92 households, the population increasing to 222 at the 2011 Census.{{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=11130656&c=NR23+1AL&d=16&e=62&g=6449821&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&m=0&r=0&s=1441288752797&enc=1|title=Civil Parish population 2011|access-date=3 September 2015}} For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the district of North Norfolk.Office for National Statistics & Norfolk County Council (2001). [http://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls Census population and household counts for unparished urban areas and all parishes] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170211032229/https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/consumption/groups/public/documents/general_resources/ncc017867.xls |date=2017-02-11 }}. Retrieved 2 December 2005.

Wighton is on the River Stiffkey and used to have a watermill, but this was demolished in May 1866.{{cite web | url=http://www.norfolkmills.co.uk/Watermills/wighton.html | access-date=2006-04-15 | title=Wighton Mill | work=Norfolk Mills | year=2006 | author=Jonathan Neville}} The Wells and Walsingham Light Railway runs close to the village, to the west, and there is a halt called Wighton Halt. A regular bus service is provided as the village is on the Coastliner bus route (service number 36) with destinations including Fakenham, Wells, Hunstanton and King's Lynn.[https://www.lynxbus.co.uk/bus-routes/coastliner-36/ LynxBus] Coastliner 36

The village was used as the location shooting for "Little Bazeley by the Sea" in the 1965 "The Avengers" episode entitled The Town of No Return with intrepid agents Patrick Macnee (John Steed) and Diana Rigg (Emma Peel.) The local pub featured in the episode was called "The Inebriated Gremlin".{{fact|date=May 2021}}