The Village Hall was built in 1905/06 following a campaign by the Reverend Dr. Jessop of Scarning. He wrote an article in a newspaper in 1900 about improving the life of working countrymen, in reply to this he was given £1000 per year for four years by an anonymous lady to spend on his ideas. The only condition was that her name was not to be revealed until after her death.

Dr. Jessop chose to promote his ideas by building halls for working countrymen and their families to use for lectures, as Libraries, for games and social entertainment. The first one he had built was at Scarning, the next one was at Long Stratton.

Work began on building the Hall in 1905 by Mr. W. S. Larner of East Dereham and was completed in 1906.
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The Village Hall was opened on Wednesday 30th May 1906 and was a grand affair with many local dignitaries attending. Prince Frederick Duleep Singh, who lived near Thetford, being the most famous of the party.

​Later Dr. Jessop wrote to the Village Hall managers to say that the benefactress had died and her name was Mrs. Evans. He sent the manager a picture of Mrs Evans and one of himself, they still hang in the Village Hall.