In 1086, the village was part of the estates of Roger Bigod, St. Etheldreda's Abbey in Ely, Eudo Dapifer and John, Nephew of Walderan.

[8] The church was significantly remodelled in the 1850s by Samuel Sanders Teulon at great expense and with stained-glass installed by A. L.

Minor repairs were made in 1991, however one of the foundation beams was determined to be weaker than originally thought, thus ringing was stopped.

The village's national constituency is South West Norfolk which has been represented by Labour's Terry Jermy since 2024.

Brettenham's war memorial is a brass plaque located in the Church of St. John the Evangelist in Rushford.