In the mid-19th century, the new Rector of Reepham, Frederick Field, who had been a classical scholar at Trinity College, Cambridge,[1][2] launched an initiative to commission two schools for the area.

It was designed in the Tudor style, built in red brick with stone dressings and opened as Reepham St Mary's School in 1847.

[3][4] The second school was for the small surrounding settlements of Hackford (to the west) and Whitwell (to the southwest): the site he selected was in Back Street on land which was already part of the grounds of his church.

[5] In the early 20th century, the parish council agreed that the former Hackford and Whitwell Parochial School should be converted for community use and was designated Reepham Town Hall.

[14] The town hall was used as a civil defence headquarters in the television programme The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor, part of the series, Agatha Christie's Poirot, which was broadcast in February 1991.