by Katie Thompson
Where better to celebrate World Book Day than the City of Stories?
Norwich is rich with incredible literary heritage- from the first woman to be published in English to the UK’s only American Library and a renowned MA Creative Writing programme. And not least being England’s first UNESCO City of Literature.
We’re also home to the National Centre for Writing and plenty of independent bookshops. There’s the Book Hive for a curation handpicked by the booksellers, JR & RK Ellis Bookshop for wall-to-wall secondhand stories, and Tombland Bookshop for antiquarian editions.
So, lose yourself in some fantastical literary worlds right here in Norwich. From fiction fans to biography bookworms, this is how to spend World Book Day here in the City of Stories. Dressing up optional.
For people-watching or reading a good book, try our beautifully crafted book bench trail
You can celebrate Norwich’s UNESCO City of Literature status with our beautifully crafted book bench trail. Across the city, you can watch the world go by sitting on bookmarked tomes, open pages and piles of books engraved with local authors. So, if you have an hour or so to stroll the city, we suggest following the trail to take in our literary history!
And this trail wouldn’t be complete without a visit to our newest marmalade-loving resident. It’s Paddington, of course! You’ll find him perched comfortably on a bench clutching his signature sandwich at the heart of Cathedral Close. Let the marmalade paw prints lead the way!
Dragon Hall is home to the National Centre for Writing
We couldn’t celebrate World Book Day without mentioning the National Centre for Writing! Located in the historic Dragon Hall, everyone is welcome- whether you’re young or old, a keen reader, writer or translator, or just beginning your writing journey.
Here, you can take part in workshops about prose, poetry and more, meet authors at book launches and mentoring sessions, or just drop in and write surrounded by like-minded people. And for families, there’s plenty going on during the school holidays- check out their website to see what takes your fancy!
Visit the site of Julian of Norwich’s cell and learn about her life at The Julian Centre
We think it’s fair to say that Norwich has played host to a long line of pioneering women. And Julian of Norwich is undeniably one of the most important.
During her time as anchoress at St Julian’s Church- coincidentally dedicated to the French (and male!) Saint Julian, Julian of Norwich wrote her famous ‘Revelations of Divine Love’. This medieval text about her mystical visions is the first known book written in English by a woman.
You can visit the site of Julian’s cell and learn more about her life at The Julian Centre– it’s a tranquil oasis in the heart of the city. And if you want to stay a little longer in the City of Stories, All Hallows Guesthouse offers a peaceful retreat just metres from where Lady Julian once lived (from £45 a night).
Follow the footsteps of C.J. Sansom with Paul Dickson’s riveting Shardlake tour
Did you know that Norwich was the scene of Robert Kett’s Rebellion in 1549? This turbulent time is brought to life in the seventh book of C.J. Sansom’s historical Shardlake series, ‘Tombland’.
And thanks to knowledgeable city tour guide Paul Dickson, you can experience this story for yourself with his fascinating 2-hour ‘Shardlake’s Norwich’ tour– no spoilers! You can book your place (£12) via Paul Dickson’s website.
And if you want to follow in the footsteps of other famous authors, why not explore the brutalist architecture of the University of East Anglia? UEA’s renowned MA Creative Writing course boasts award-winning alumni like Ian McEwan, Kazuo Ishiguro and Emma Healey.
At Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library, you can browse tens of thousands of books!
At the heart of our city, you might have noticed The Forum. When you step inside its bright and airy interior, you’ll see the Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library. Its shelves hold tens of thousands of books- enough to last even the most budding book lover!
And that’s not all. Our library is home to the UK’s only American Library. This public war memorial celebrates the US Air Forces who were based here in WWII, where you can explore their lives and culture with its permanent exhibition.
Elsewhere, there’s the Early Years Library, a sensory space for youngsters’ first literary adventures, and the Norfolk Heritage Centre– the most complete collection of Norfolk’s history in print. That’s enough to keep us occupied until the next World Book Day!
