Our Norfolk parish of Cranworth is made up of the villages and hamlets of Cranworth, Southburgh, Woodrising, Letton, Letton Green, High Common and Cranworth Common and is one of Breckland District Council’s parishes.

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Shipdham Airfield Industrial Estate lies to the north of the area and is home to several key businesses and Letton Hall, a building of significant historic interest, is situated in the west of the parish. We have livestock, poultry and arable farming, livery yards, a farm services company, and various other types of businesses within the parish.

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In 2020 the population was 470 and about a third of residents were over 61 years old. We have 200 dwellings in the 8 square miles of land that the parish covers and three functioning churches, Cranworth, Southburgh, and Woodrising.

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Your parish council meets every two months usually at the Jubilee Hall in Cranworth. Councillors are residents who are elected to the council and give their time freely. Residents and members of the public are welcome and encouraged to attend the meetings when time is set aside for public participation.

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Cranworth is a small village and began as a small settlement of 42 households located in the Hundred of Mitford according to the Domesday Book. In 1086, the village formed part of the estates of King William. Cranworth's name is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from the Old English for an enclosed part of land with cranes and herons. 

Woodrising, located just a short distance from Cranworth, is a small village that joined Cranworth Parish Council in April 1935. The village's name means 'Risa's people' or perhaps, 'Brushwoods place'; or 'people of the brushwood'. 'Wood' was a 13th century addition. The lords of the manor were the De Rising family, followed by the Southwell family, owners of Woodrising Hall. The old Hall was demolished in the 18th-century leaving a moated site. Queen Elizabeth stayed at the Hall for four days in 1578. 

Southburgh is a parish of scattered houses, near the Blackwater rivulet. It was also contained in the Hundred of Mitford and joined Cranworth Parish Council. Not much is known about the history of Southburgh, but St. Andrew's Church has a distinctive tower and spire that stands proud above the trees.