From a high vantage point the magnificent cathedral city of Norwich looks very much like a medieval painting of a city, with its Norman Cathedral, Castle, twisting narrow streets and the towers of more than thirty ancient churches.

Norwich is a mixture of both old and new and has the most complete medieval street pattern in England, with over 1500 historic buildings all contained within its walled centre. When you explore Norwich you will find a wealth of historic sights. Its cobbled streets boast a variety of speciality shops, restaurants and inns. There are museums, galleries, visitor attractions, theatres and cinemas.

A lively open air market has been a feature of Norwich life since Norman times, and these brightly coloured stalls are very much a part of Norwich life today. There are stalls selling brassware, herbal remedies, hardware, books, leather goods and local vegetables. You can also enjoy your lunch from one of the many food vendors who are located in the centre of the market and who serve hot and cold food all day. Or try one of the many varied eating places scattered throughout the city.

There is plenty of live entertainment to be enjoyed in Norwich, which also boasts an outstanding regional theatre as well as a league football. Norwich cathedral was started between 1094-96 by Herbert de Losinga, the first Bishop of Norwich. Norfolk flints formed the core of the building, but the beautiful white stone of the exterior came all the from Caen in Normandy, reaching Norwich by way of Great Yarmouth and the River Wensum. A unique collection of 1930s parks and 150 acres of heath are all within the built up area of Norwich.

Nestling in the shadow of the castle is the four acre castle park which has water features and promenades. The park is, located on top of the discretely designed castle mall shopping centre. This extensive indoor shopping centre is naturally lit by an elegant glass and iron roof and has many levels all of which link directly into the city’s extensive outdoor shopping centre. All the well known high street retailers are represented in Norwich along with the historic Jarrolds department store.

A wonderful place for the ‘walker’, with its atmospheric medieval streets and miles of riverside walks. You can chose to explore the River Wensum either on foot or why not board a boat tour and cruise the river that way. For holiday accommodation in Norwich or close by visit our extensive accommodation pages.

The name of Norwich appears on coins minted during the reign of King Athelstan at the beginning of the 10th century AD At the time of the Norman Conquest the city was one of the largest in England with a population of 5500.

In the 19th century there were railway excursions from outlying areas into Norwich for day trippers to witness the spectacle of public executions the death masks of some of these staring participants can be seen in the dungeons of Norwich castle museum.

The Norwich city wall was started in 1294 and completed in 1343 the walls were about two and a half miles long in all and stood 20 foot high and contained 37,000 tonnes of masonry.

Norwich dates back to Saxon times, by 1066 Norwich was one of the largest towns in England and in 1096 work started on the cathedral.

In Norwich castle museum there is a gibbet which still has bits of skull sticking to it.

In Magdalen Street is Gurney Court, birthplace of Elizabeth Fry 1780, the Quaker and prison reformer.

Ber Street in Norwich was known for many years as Blood and Guts Street from the high number of butchers shops and slaughter houses near the old cattle market.

The Castle Museum has the severed hand of Norfolk squire Sir John Hayden who lost it in a duel near Norwich in 1600 (careless!)

In 1349 the Black Death claimed roughly one third of the entire population of Norwich.

If you leave the Cathedral by the south door you will see the simple grave of Nurse Edith Cavell who was executed by the Germans in 1915 for helping allied prisoners to escape from occupied Brussels.

Elizabeth I visited Norwich for a five day stay in 1578 she was entertained and feasted at the Guildhall Bishops Palace and by various city guilds it is not know if she visited Blickling Hall the birth place of her mother Anne Boleyn.

The occasional bus has disappeared in Norwich in the past. Under the west side of Norwich streets there are old chalk workings of Saxon origin which occasionally open up and swallow double deckers!

The Cathedral is floodlit by night and makes quite a picture with its beautiful gleaming spires.

There was a bloody riot in 1272 when the citizens fought with the cathedral monks who tried to impose tolls on the annual fair held at Tombland an earlier market place.