Summary
Throughout the Medieval period and the Early Modern Era, Norwich ranked as the second largest city in England, following London. This city, situated along the River Wensum, thrived on the wool trade and a prosperous weaving industry, supported by an influx of immigrants from the Low Countries. Due to its relative isolation in East Anglia, Norwich was largely overlooked during the Industrial Revolution, which enabled the preservation of its Tudor architecture and numerous Medieval churches.
Norwich is distinctive as the only English city encompassed by a national park—the Norfolk Broads—and boasts two remarkable Norman landmarks at Norwich Cathedral and Norwich Castle. Let us delve into the premier attractions in Norwich:
1. Norwich Cathedral
Measuring 131 meters in length and 54 meters in width, Norwich Cathedral was the most substantial structure in East Anglia upon its completion in 1145. Notably, it was constructed from limestone transported from the Norman city of Caen. The iconic tower above the transept originates from the initial Romanesque building, although the spire dates back to the 15th century after the original was damaged by lightning.
Visitors should take a moment to admire the flying buttresses along the chancel, while numerous intricate details await discovery inside. The choir stalls feature 61 carved misericords, primarily from the 15th and 16th centuries, along with a splendid 14th-century retable in St Luke’s Chapel. Furthermore, the cathedral includes the second-largest cloisters in England, embellished with over 1,000 whimsical bosses.
2. Norwich Castle Museum
The castle’s stone keep, distinguished by its cube-like structure, was erected at the onset of the 12th century and has preserved its Norman Romanesque blind arches. The building’s preservation can be attributed to its role as a gaol for most of the last 900 years, serving in this capacity from 1220 until 1887, with the Norwich Museum relocating here in 1894.
Guests can explore models of the building and city throughout various periods, engage with multimedia exhibits about the castle, and embark on tours of the battlements and dungeons. The museum also hosts impressive exhibitions featuring applied and fine art, including artifacts ranging from the Iron Age Snettisham Hoard to the Anglo-Saxon Harford Farm Brooch, along with English watercolors and ancient Egyptian antiquities.
3. Elm Hill
Winding its way from St Peter Hungate Church down to Wensum Street, the picturesque Elm Hill is the most renowned street in Norwich. The uniformity of its cantilevered houses can be traced back to a devastating fire in 1507 that obliterated Elm Hill and approximately 700 other structures in Norwich. The Tudor merchant houses present were constructed shortly after, showcasing galleries, cafes, and shops that offer antiques, collectibles, and artisanal crafts.
Remarkably, the only building that survived the fire was the Britons Arms, a former inn that has functioned as a coffee house, operated by the same family since the 1950s. Be sure to have your camera ready, as charming courtyards branch off the street, such as Wrights Court, home to the Tea House and Wrights Court Coffee Shop.
4. Norwich Market
Operational from Monday to Saturday beneath the Art Deco City Hall, Norwich Market stands as one of the oldest and largest outdoor markets in the UK. Its origins can be traced back to the end of the 11th century, maintaining a consistent trading position ever since.
Boasting up to 200 stalls, the market offers an impressive range of goods. Fresh produce, including cheese, organic vegetables, herbs, spices, fish, and meats from Norfolk, are prominent attractions. The market also entices visitors with delectable aromas arising from various street food vendors, offering traditional pies, fish and chips, churros, Indian cuisine, hog roasts, paninis, falafel, noodles, and satay chicken.
5. The Forum
A key facility within Norwich, The Forum is a contemporary community center inaugurated in 2001, open every day of the week. It occupies the site of the former Norwich Library, which was destroyed by fire in 1944. Daily activities at The Forum include musical and dance performances, art exhibitions, and outdoor theatrical productions.
Inside, visitors will find England’s most frequented library, accompanied by a cafe, restaurant, and Norwich’s tourist information center, as well as the East Anglian headquarters for the BBC. The venue caters to residents and tourists alike, providing courses in painting and handicrafts, summer activities for children, food and craft markets, film screenings, and even an ice-skating rink in winter.
6. Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts
An initial venture by the husband and wife design duo of Norman Foster and Wendy Cheesman, the Sainsbury Centre for the Visual Arts is a High-Tech museum and art gallery opened in 1978. Located on the University of East Anglia campus, the structure resembles an aircraft hangar more than a traditional museum, featuring an expansive hall measuring 122m by 31m.
This venue houses the Robert and Lisa Sainsbury Collection, which was donated to the university in 1973 and includes works by renowned artists such as Henry Moore, Jacob Epstein, Francis Bacon, and Alberto Giacometti. Additionally, the collection contains ethnographic artifacts from Asia, Oceania, Africa, and the Americas, alongside Greek and Roman antiquities and art from Medieval Europe.
Do not overlook a stroll through the university campus, which also displays several sculptures by Henry Moore.
7. Plantation Garden
Located within walking distance from Norwich city center, Plantation Garden is an exquisite Victorian garden set within the depression of an ancient chalk quarry. Spanning just three acres, visitors can find formal flowerbeds, lush lawns, an elegant Italianate terrace, woodland paths, and a Medieval-style wall.
The garden features various embellishments typical of the mid-19th century, including a neo-Gothic fountain and faux ruins adorned with gargoyles and a traceried Gothic window. After falling into neglect post-World War II, the garden underwent restoration in 1980 and currently charges a £2 entrance fee.
8. Strangers’ Hall
During Norwich’s economic prosperity in the 14th century, this striking half-timbered residence served as a home for mayors and influential merchants. Designated as a Grade I listed building, Strangers’ Hall is now a museum that chronicles domestic life in various periods of Norwich’s history.
The house invites exploration with its intricate network of passageways, featuring a Medieval vaulted undercroft, 17th-century bedchambers, an 18th-century Georgian dining room, and an enchanting formal garden adorned with lavender and topiaries. Highlight features include the grand Great Hall, where historical residents entertained guests, and the 17th-century Walnut Room, finished with luxurious imported walnut panels and two case clocks from the 1600s and 1700s.
9. Wensum River Walk
A superb method to familiarize yourself with Norwich is to embark on this walking route, which commences just outside the main train station. Newcomers often express surprise at the lush greenery and tranquility lining the banks of the Wensum, despite the city’s central location.
The path traverses open green spaces, offering scenic views across cricket fields toward the cathedral’s grandeur. Heritage enthusiasts can also discover notable sites along the way, including Cow Tower, a 14th-century artillery defense standing 15 meters high, strategically located along a bend in the river. The trail later leads toward the cathedral, leading to Tombland, historically the site of Norwich’s Anglo-Saxon market, before culminating in the charming St Ethelbert’s gate, erected in the late 13th century as a penance for civil unrest between citizens and monks in 1274.
10. Pulls Ferry
During your exploration along the Wensum, the most picturesque sight you will encounter is this 15th-century watergate situated on the river’s opposite bank. A Medieval canal, established by monks, once flowed beneath Pulls Ferry’s Tudor arch, facilitating the transportation of building materials for Norwich Cathedral, which were sourced from Caen in Normandy. Named after the 19th-century ferryman John Pull, the house that accompanies the gate dates back to 1647.
11. Museum of Norwich at the Bridewell
Situated in a 14th-century merchant house in the heart of the Norwich Lanes, this museum narrates the history of business and industry in the city over several centuries. Visitors will explore the Medieval wool trade that spurred prosperity in the 13th century, alongside other notable Norwich industries such as shoemaking, chocolate production, and mustard processing.
The museum’s galleries are filled with genuine artifacts, encouraging children’s engagement through interactive displays and costumes. Exhibitions highlighting Norwich’s experiences during the World Wars, an expansive vaulted undercroft beneath street level, and a functional 19th-century Jacquard loom—all remnants of the hundreds once operating in the city—enrich the visitor experience.
12. Blickling Estate
An essential excursion, Blickling Estate is centered around a Jacobean mansion constructed atop the site where Anne Boleyn was born in 1507. The present Blickling Hall, dating from the early 17th century, is renowned for its gables, graceful towers, mullioned windows, and turreted chimneypots. The estate spans 4,777 acres, encompassing 450 acres of parkland.
The formal gardens were originally designed by esteemed 18th-century landscape architect Humphry Repton, though they have undergone some alterations since. Visitors can admire a variety of topiaries, exotic trees, Grade II listed Victorian ornaments, and 18th-century yew hedges, as well as a functional kitchen garden. Inside the hall, one can view an impressive collection of paintings, tapestries, antique furniture, and intricately carved wooden panels.
Furthermore, the estate boasts a library housing one of England’s most significant manuscript and book collections. For instance, the 10th-century Blickling Homilies rank among the oldest surviving collections of sermons from Medieval England.
13. City of Norwich Aviation Museum
Located at the northern extremity of Norwich International Airport, this museum is primarily dedicated to jet-powered fighters and bombers from the latter half of the 20th century. The majority of the aircraft on display are of British origin, including a Hawker Siddeley Harrier, a SEPECAT Jaguar, an immense Avro Vulcan B.2, an English Electric Lightning, two Gloster Meteors, and two Hawker Hunters.
The collection also showcases a French Dassault Mystère IV, a Westland Whirlwind helicopter, and a Dutch Fokker F27 Friendship. During the summer months, the museum opens daily except for Mondays and operates entirely with volunteer support. Interior displays highlight the history of the Second World War when the American Eighth Air Force was stationed at RAF Horsham St Faith, which later evolved into Norwich Airport.
14. Norfolk Broads
Norwich lies within the designated area of the Broads National Park, which features a unique landscape comprising over 200 kilometers of lakes and rivers, unrivaled anywhere in the UK. Historically, the “Broads,” which are navigable lakes, were mistakenly considered to have formed naturally until researchers established in the 1960s that they are man-made.
The Broads originated from low-lying Medieval peat pits that were excavated for fuel, which subsequently flooded as sea levels rose, creating lakes and water channels. From Norwich, one can easily drive eight miles to Wroxham, home to a variety of boat hire companies offering small craft for hourly rental. Thereafter, you are free to explore this enchanting area of winding waterways while enjoying scenic views beneath open skies, passing historic mills, and visiting friendly rural pubs for meals or refreshments.
15. Bewilderwood
Offering engaging activities for families with young children, Bewilderwood is a treetop adventure park inspired by the popular series of children’s books by Tom Blofeld. The park features a sky maze, zip lines, and rope bridges, alongside nature walks and a boat trip on the Bure Marshes.
Open during spring, summer, and autumn, Bewilderwood captivates children under five with areas such as “Toddlewood Valley” and “Toddlewood-on-the-Hill,” featuring friendly characters like Boggles and Twiggles. Young visitors can dress up in costumes, participate in craft activities, build dens with sticks, and enjoy playgrounds designed to accommodate multiple children at once.
