The Romans had a settlement there, and King Edmund of East Anglia is said to have lived here.
The civil parish includes a significant area of nearby marshland, together with the famously isolated settlement of Berney Arms. It has an area of 12.45 km² and in the 2001 census had a population of 925 in 406 households. For the purposes of local government, the parish falls within the district of Broadland.[2]
Reedham Ferry, a chain ferry just outside the village, is the only road crossing point on the River Yare between Norwich and Great Yarmouth. The railway line between Norwich and Lowestoft crosses the river on Reedham Swing Bridge. Reedham railway station, which serves the village, gives connections to Norwich, Lowestoft, and Great Yarmouth (via Berney Arms).