What happened to Norfolk's deserted village Little Hautbois?

Many of these once-thriving communities have left behind ruins, with the remains of homes, churches, pubs, merchants and even castles dotted across the countryside.

One such ghost village is Little Hautbois - pronounced 'hobbis' - which lies nine miles north of Norwich and was once an important settlement on the Broads.

The village developed as a result of its location on the River Bure - but never grew too large. In 1845, it was home to just 42 people.

Its name - meaning 'high wood' in French - is thought to have been taken from the de Haut Bois family who acquired the land during the Norman Conquest, although there is an alternative theory they may have taken the name from the settlement.

The River Bure Railway runs through the village. (Image: Evelyn Simak)

Little Hautbois is the sister village to nearby Great Hautbois which was the head of the navigation on the Bure in the Middle Ages. The two have since been consolidated into the parish of Buxton with Lamas.

READ MORE: Do you know about Norfolk's ghost villages now deserted and left to become ruins?

The village's former church, St Mary’s, was abandoned in the early 16th century.

The same century saw the construction of Little Hautbois Hall, which still stands today.

The 10,842 sq ft brick hall was built in 1553, during the reign of King Edward VI.

Its owners are thought to have gone bankrupt around a century later, with the buildings passed into the ownership of a charity in Norwich.

The courtyard at Hautbois Hall, perfect for hosting weddings. (Image: Archant)

Today it serves as a popular wedding venue on the river, one of Little Hautbois' only remaining businesses.

As of 2007, Little Hautbois consisted of eight homes, one is a holiday cottage and another is a former pub, the Adam and Eve, which was popular with airmen from nearby RAF Coltishall during the Second World War.

The Bure Valley miniature railway also runs through the village.