From Anglo-Saxon England to influential Norman icons, booming medieval trade to ornate architecture. Not forgetting our rich literary heritage and the people who make it.
Tombland was the original heart of Norwich
During the Roman conquest of Britain, the Celtic Iceni tribe occupied East Anglia. Boudicca, queen of this ancient tribe, was a fiercely strong, independent woman who led an uprising against the Romans. Although the uprising failed, she’s still considered a local heroine and symbol of independence.
The Romans established their regional capital at Venta Icenorum on the River Tas (a few miles south of Norwich at Caistor St Edmund). The ruins of this site form part of the Boudicca Way- a 36-mile footpath from Norwich to Diss.
Between the 5th and 7th centuries, Anglo-Saxon ‘Norvic’ formed around the confluence of the Rivers Wensum and Yare, which Anglo-Saxon King Uffa made a royal city and capital of East Anglia with its own mint. The city was centred around Tombland, meaning ‘open space’, where the marketplace was located. Today, this area is the Cathedral Quarter.
In the late 800s, the Vikings arrived on our shores. After killing King Edmund in 869AD, they ruled the Kingdom of the East Angles and settled in large numbers. You can see their influence today in place names like Pottergate and Finkelgate in the Norwich Lanes. Across Norfolk there are also names of Viking origin.
The Iron Age Today: Why not discover the Iceni gallery at Norwich Castle before a visit to Tombland in Norwich’s Cathedral Quarter, once the thriving marketplace and centre of the city (before it was moved to the current location of our 900-year-old Norwich Market)?
Norwich Castle is an undeniable icon of Norman history
1066, the year of the Norman Conquest. Here in Norwich, the invaders established their authority by building a royal castle, clearing the original Saxon area of housing in the centre of the city to construct a mound. The original castle was made of wood, before being replaced by a stone building in around 1100 and was held on behalf of William the Conqueror by the Earl of Norwich.
Under the Normans, Norwich grew, becoming an important medieval city. In 1345, the castle became the county gaol with regular hangings outside. In 1549, Robert Kett, leader of a rebellion against the enclosure of common lands, was hung in chains from the walls.
The newly converted Castle Museum & Art Gallery opened in 1894 and remains so to this day.
Around the same time as Norwich Castle’s founding, construction of Norwich Cathedral began. A canal was dug from the River Wensum at Pull’s Ferry to bring in limestone from Caen in Normandy. This was an enormous undertaking, taking 200 years to complete
Norwich Cathedral boasts a glorious 96m high spire (second only to Salisbury) and has the largest monastic cloisters in the country, housing more than 1,000 beautiful medieval roof boss sculptures. Remember to look up when you visit!
It was also the Normans who moved the Saxon marketplace to the Mancroft area, where it has endured in the heart of the city for almost 950 years. Norwich Market is one of the largest and oldest open-air markets in the country with nearly 200 diverse stalls, giving it the accolade of ‘Best Outdoor Market’ in the UK.
Norman Norwich Today: It’s hard to miss our iconic castle keep, but did you know Norwich Cathedral was also built by the Normans? Wander through Cathedral Close to Pull’s Ferry, where the Caen stone was brought along to build its foundations. Follow this with a wonderful walking tour courtesy of Paul Dickson and a stay at the historic Maids Head Hotel.
Dragon Hall: from medieval trading hall to the home of the National Centre for Writing
Medieval Norwich thrived- it was the second city in the UK only to London. The city walls were begun in 1297 and encircled 2.5 miles of the city, with 12 defensive gates fortified with great catapults. You can still see the ruins of the walls today.
Norwich has long had ancient bonds with the Netherlands, which flourished through trade and cultural exchange during the 16th century. The persecution of Protestants in the Spanish Netherlands led to the Norwich authorities endorsing immigration to our fine city. These refugees from Europe were known as ‘Strangers’. Many were weavers bringing their valuable skills with them, but they also brought us the famous yellow canaries of Norwich football fame and are the reason our city squares are known as ‘plains’.
During this time, a wealth of buildings were constructed, including The Guildhall, Dragon Hall, Strangers’ Hall and St. Andrew’s Hall. In The Lanes, The Museum of Norwich at the Bridewell originated as a merchant’s house, later becoming the Bridewell- a ‘house of correction’ for women and vagrants.
Today, the museum tells the story of the city and its people. Here, you can explore exhibits of local industries from the textile trade, shoemaking, chocolate and, of course, mustard.
Medieval Norwich Today: Where to start? Explore our age-old lanes, ensuring a visit to the Guildhall, St Andrew’s Hall, and Elm Hill. Take a trip past some of our many church spires like St Peter Mancroft, St Peter Hungate and St Julian’s on your way to Dragon Hall, home to the National Centre for Writing. At Christmastime, Strangers’ Hall is a must.
The Royal Arcade is just one of George Skipper’s architectural gems in Norwich
In Georgian and Victorian times, the city transformed and expanded rapidly. During the 1700s, a Cattle Market was established around the Norwich Castle mound, and the banking and insurance industries began to emerge with force.
With the growing population of 19th century Norwich, massive slum clearance was undertaken and Victorian terraced housing introduced. The Royal Arcade opened in 1899- a beautiful, covered shopping street designed by George Skipper in the ornate Art Nouveau style. Elsewhere, a thriving shoe industry established and new ventures, such as Colman’s Mustard, became enduring legacies of Victorian Norwich.
Georgian & Victorian Norwich Today: While you’re here, a stay at one of our best Georgian buildings, The Assembly House, is a must. Think characterful features with modern luxury. When it comes to incredible architecture, take a look at Skipper’s masterpieces- the Royal Arcade, Marble Hall and Jarrolds, before a visit to traditional shoemaker Bowhill & Elliott.
The Sainsbury Centre is a futuristic Norman-Foster designed art museum
Throughout the 20th century to today, Norwich has continued to evolve.
Overlooking the marketplace, our Art Deco City Hall was completed in 1938, while in 1963, the Brutalist University of East Anglia (UEA) welcomed its first students. UEA brought more extraordinary architecture to Norwich, in the pyramidal shape of Denys Lasdun’s ‘ziggurats’. This was followed by the striking structure of the Sainsbury Centre, designed in the 1970s by Norman Foster – his first commercial building that’s now Grade II listed.
In 1988, the Norfolk Broads (one of the area’s greatest natural assets) became a protected area, making Norwich the only English city located in a national park!
With the beginning of the 21st century, the landmark Forum building, home to the Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library and the UK’s only American Library, was opened in the city centre.
Then in 2012, Norwich became England’s first UNESCO City of Literature, thanks to our long literary history. From Julian of Norwich, the first woman to be published in English in the 14th century, to the establishing of UEA’s renowned Creative Writing MA, whose graduates include Ian McEwan, Kazuo Ishiguro and Emma Healey.
Today’s To Dos: The Sainsbury Centre is an art museum bursting with culture, including their Sculpture Park, surrounded by UEA’s brutalist architecture. Closer to the centre, take a guided tour of NCFC’s Carrow Road home, visit The Forum for year-round public events, and the Museum of Norwich for our recent social history.
Discover Norwich’s rich history. Walk in the footsteps of visitors from a thousand years. Or paddle along a medieval trade route and stop at one of our many long-standing pubs.
