Norwich ( or ) is a
cityCity status in the United Kingdom is granted by the British monarch to a select group of communities. The holding of city status gives a settlement no special rights other than that of calling itself a "city". Nonetheless, this appellation carries its own prestige and, consequently, competitions...
in
NorfolkNorfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast, including The Wash. The county town is Norwich...
,
East AngliaEast Anglia is a traditional name for a region of eastern England, named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Angles took their name from their homeland Angeln, in northern Germany. East Anglia initially consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk, but upon the marriage of...
which is in Eastern England. It is the regional administrative centre and county city of
NorfolkNorfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast, including The Wash. The county town is Norwich...
. During the 11th century Norwich was the second largest city in England, after
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
, and one of the most important places in the kingdom.
The suburban area expands far beyond its boundary, with extensive suburban areas outside the city on the western, northern and eastern sides, including
CostesseyCostessey is a civil parish situated west of Norwich in Norfolk, England. The parish comprises two settlements: the long-established village of Costessey , and New Costessey , which developed during the first half of the twentieth century and has become a suburb of Norwich...
,
HellesdonHellesdon is a thriving suburb of Norwich in the District of Broadland in Norfolk, England. It lies approximately 4 miles north-west of Norwich and has 11,177 inhabitants.- History :...
,
Old CattonOld Catton is a suburban village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk, to the north-east of Norwich.It covers an area of and had a population of 5,954 in 2,512 households as of the 2001 census....
,
SprowstonSprowston is a suburban village bordering Norwich in Norfolk, England. It is bounded by Heartsease to the east, Mousehold Heath and the suburb of New Sprowston to the south , Old Catton to the west, and by the open farmland of Beeston St Andrew to the north.It is the largest parish in Norfolk and...
and
Thorpe St AndrewThorpe St Andrew is a small town and suburb of Norwich in the English county of Norfolk.It is situated about two miles east of the city centre, outside the city boundary in the district of Broadland...
. The Parliamentary seats cross over into adjacent local government districts. 135,800 (2008 est) people live in the Norwich City Council area and the population of the Norwich Travel to Work Area (i.e. the area of Norwich in which most people both live and work) is 367,035 (the 1991 figure was 351,340). Norwich is the fourth most densely populated
local governmentLocal governments are administrative office that are smaller than a state. The term is used to contrast with offices at nation-state level, which are referred to as the central government, national government, or federal government....
districtDistricts are a type of administrative division, in some countries managed by a local government. They vary greatly in size, spanning entire regions or counties, several municipalities, or subdivisions of municipalities.-Austria:...
within the
East of EnglandThe East of England is one of the nine official regions of England. It was created in 1994 and was adopted for statistics from 1999. It includes the ceremonial counties of Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk....
with 3,480 people per square kilometre (8,993 per square mile).
The
Department for Communities and Local GovernmentThe Department for Communities and Local Government is the UK Government department for communities and local government in England, since May 2006...
recently considered whether Norwich should become a
unitary authorityA unitary authority is a type of local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area or performs additional functions which elsewhere in the relevant country are usually performed by national government or a higher level of sub-national...
, separate from Norfolk County Council. It was not selected as one of the new creations in July 2007 as its proposals did not meet the strict criteria.
Roman
The
RomansRoman Britain was those parts of the island of Great Britain controlled by the Roman Empire between AD 43 and about 410. The Romans referred to their province as Britannia...
had their regional capital at
Venta IcenorumVenta Icenorum, probably meaning "Market Town of the Iceni", located at modern-day Caistor St Edmund in the English county of Norfolk, was the civitas or capital of the Iceni tribe, who inhabited the flatlands and marshes of that county and earned immortality for their revolt against Roman rule...
on the
River TasThe River Tas is a river which flows northwards through South Norfolk in England - towards Norwich. The area is named the Tas Valley after the river. The origin of the name of the river is uncertain - it may have taken it from the village of Tasburgh or vice versa.Tributaries which have their...
to the south which is near modern-day Caistor St Edmund, about 5 miles to the south of Norwich. This fell into disuse around 450 AD, before the
Anglo-SaxonsAnglo-Saxons is the term usually used to describe the invading Germanic tribes in the south and east of Great Britain from the early 5th century AD, and their creation of the English nation, to the Norman conquest of 1066...
settled on the site of the modern city, founding the towns of Northwic (from which Norwich gets its name), Westwic (at Norwich-over-the-Water) and the secondary settlement at Thorpe.
Early English/Norman Conquest
There are two suggested models of development for Norwich. It is possible that three separate early Anglo-Saxon settlements, one on the north of the river and two either side on the south, joined together as they grew or that one Anglo-Saxon settlement, on the north of the river, emerged in the mid-
7th centuryThe 7th century is the period from 601 to 700 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian/Common Era.-Overview:The Muslim conquests began after the death of Muhammad in 632. Islam expanded beyond the Arabian Peninsula under the Rashidun Caliphate and the Umayyad Caliphate...
after the abandonment of the previous three. The ancient city was a thriving centre for trade and commerce in
East AngliaEast Anglia is a traditional name for a region of eastern England, named after an ancient Anglo-Saxon kingdom, the Kingdom of the East Angles. The Angles took their name from their homeland Angeln, in northern Germany. East Anglia initially consisted of Norfolk and Suffolk, but upon the marriage of...
in 1004 AD when it was raided and burnt by
Swein ForkbeardSweyn I Forkbeard, in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, in English Sven the Dane, also known as Swegen and Tuck , was king of Denmark and England, as well as parts of Norway. He was a Viking leader and the father of Cnut the Great...
the
VikingA Viking is one of the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided and colonized wide areas of Europe from the late eighth to the early eleventh century. These Norsemen used their famed longships to travel as far east as Constantinople and the Volga River in Russia, and as far...
.
MerciaMercia was one of the kingdoms of the Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy. It was centred on the valley of the River Trent and its tributaries in the region now known as the English Midlands...
n coins and shards of pottery from the
RhinelandThe Rhineland is the general name for the land on both sides of the river Rhine in the west of Germany. After the collapse of the French Empire in the early 19th century, the German and Dutch speaking regions at the middle and lower course of the Rhine were annexed to the kingdom of Prussia...
dating to the
8th centuryThe 8th century is the period from 701 to 800 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian/Common Era.-Overview:During this century, the Middle East, the coast of North Africa and the Iberian Peninsula rapidly come under Islamic Arab domination...
suggest that long distance trade was happening long before this. Between 924-939 AD Norwich became fully established as a town due to the fact that it had its own mint. The word
Norvic appears on coins across Europe minted during this period, in the reign of King Athelstan. The Vikings were a strong cultural influence in Norwich for 40–50 years at the end of the
9th centuryThe 9th century is the period from 801 to 900 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian/Common Era.- Britain :Britain experienced a great influx of Viking peoples in the ninth century as the Viking Age continued from the previous century. The kingdoms of the Heptarchy were gradually...
, setting up an
AngloThe term Anglo is used as a prefix to indicate a relation to the Angles, England or the English people, as in the terms Anglo-Saxon, Anglo-American, Anglo-Celtic, Anglo-African and Anglo-Indian. It is often used alone, somewhat loosely, to refer to people of British Isles descent in The Americas,...
-Scandinavian district towards the north end of present day King Street.
At the time of the Norman Conquest the city was one of the largest in England. The
Domesday BookThe Domesday Book is the record of the great survey of England completed in 1086, executed for William I of England, or William the Conqueror...
states that it had approximately twenty five churches and a population of between five and ten thousand. It also records the site of an Anglo-Saxon church in Tombland, the site of the Saxon market place and the later Norman cathedral. Norwich continued to be a major centre for trade, the
River WensumThe River Wensum is a river in Norfolk, England and a tributary of the River Yare despite being the larger of the two rivers. The complete river is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest and Special Area of Conservation . .- Etymology :...
being a convenient export route to the
River YareThe River Yare is a river in the English county of Norfolk. In its lower reaches the river connects with the navigable waterways of The Broads....
and
Great YarmouthGreat Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, 20 miles east of Norwich....
, which served as the port for Norwich. Quern stones, and other artefacts from Scandinavia and the Rhineland have been found during excavations in Norwich city centre which date from the 11th century onwards.
The main area of Saxon settlement south of the Wensum was destroyed by the construction of the Norman castle (see
Norwich CastleNorwich Castle, in Norwich, England, was built in 1067 when William the Conqueror ordered its construction because he wished to have a fortified place in the important city of Norwich. In the event, it proved to be his only castle in East Anglia. Ninety-eight Saxon homes were demolished to make...
) during the 1070s. The
NormansThe Normans were the people who gave their names to Normandy, a region in northern France. They descended from Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of mostly Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
established a new focus of settlement around the Castle and the area to the west of it: this became known as the "New" or "French" borough, centred on the Norman's own Market Place which survives to the present day as the City's Provision Market.
In 1096,
Herbert de LosingaHerbert de Losinga was the first Bishop of Norwich. He founded Norwich Cathedral in 1096 when he was Bishop of Thetford.-Life:...
, the Bishop of Thetford, began construction of Norwich Cathedral. The chief building material for the Cathedral was limestone, imported from Caen in Normandy. To transport the building stone to the cathedral site, a canal was cut from the river (from the site of present-day Pulls Ferry), all the way up to the east wall. Herbert de Losinga then moved his
SeeAn episcopal see is, in the original sense, the official seat of a bishop. This seat, which is also referred to as the bishop's cathedra, is placed in the bishop's principal church, which is therefore called the bishop's cathedral...
there to what became the cathedral church for the
Diocese of NorwichThe Diocese of Norwich forms part of the Province of Canterbury in England.It traces its roots in an unbroken line to the diocese of Dunwich founded in 630. In common with many Anglo-Saxon bishoprics it moved, in this case to Elmham in 673...
. The bishop of Norwich still signs himself
Norvic.
Norwich received a royal charter from
Henry IIHenry II, called Curtmantle ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France...
in 1158, and another one from
Richard the LionheartRichard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death in 1199.He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Ireland, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
in 1194.
Middle Ages
The engine of trade was
woolWool is a fibrous protein derived from the specialized skin cells called follicles. The wool is taken from animals in the Caprinae family, principally sheep, but the hair of certain species of other mammals including: goats, llamas, and rabbits may also be called wool...
from Norfolk's sheepwalks. Wool made England rich, and the
staple portA staple port is a port designated by a government or monarch as a place where specific goods may be exported or imported.The most famous example was the English wool staple, often simply known as 'the staple', which was exclusively designated by the English crown as the port of import to...
of Norwich "in her state doth stand With towns of high'st regard the fourth of all the land", as
Michael DraytonMichael Drayton was an English poet who came to prominence in the Elizabethan era.-Early life:He was born at Hartshill, near Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England. Almost nothing is known about his early life, beyond the fact that in 1580 he was in the service of Thomas Goodere of Collingham,...
noted in
Poly-OlbionThe Poly-Olbion is a topographical poem describing England and Wales. Written by Michael Drayton and published in 1612, it was reprinted with a second part in 1622. Drayton had been working on the project since at least 1598....
(1612). The wealth generated by the wool trade throughout the
Middle AgesThe Middle Ages of European history is a period of European history covering roughly a millennium in the 5th century through 16th centuries. More specific starting and ending points are sometimes adopted by scholars to suit their respective specializations or current focus...
financed the construction of many fine churches; consequently, Norwich still has more medieval churches than any other city in
Western EuropeWestern Europe is the collection of countries in the westernmost region of Europe, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a cultural entity—the region lying west of Central Europe...
north of the
AlpsThe Alps are one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east; through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany; to France in the west....
. Throughout this period Norwich established wide-ranging trading links with other parts of Europe, its markets stretching from
ScandinaviaScandinavia is a geographical region in northern Europe that includes, and is named after, the Scanian Province. It consists of the kingdoms of Norway, Sweden, and Denmark...
to
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
. To organise and control its export to the
Low CountriesThe Low Countries, the historical region of de Nederlanden, are the countries on low-lying land around the delta of the Rhine, Scheldt, and Meuse rivers...
,
Great YarmouthGreat Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, 20 miles east of Norwich....
, as the port for Norwich, was designated one of the
staple portA staple port is a port designated by a government or monarch as a place where specific goods may be exported or imported.The most famous example was the English wool staple, often simply known as 'the staple', which was exclusively designated by the English crown as the port of import to...
s under terms of the 1353
Statute of the StapleThe Statute of the Staple was a statute passed in 1353 by the parliament of England. It aimed to regularise the status of staple ports in England, Wales, and Ireland. In particular, it designated particular ports where specific goods could be exported or imported...
.
By the middle of the 14th century the city walls, about two and a half miles (4 km) long, had been completed. These, along with the river, enclosed a larger area than that of the
City of LondonThe City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
. However, when the city walls were constructed it was made illegal to build outside them, inhibiting expansion of the city.
Around this time, the city was made a
county corporateA county corporate or corporate county was a type of subnational division used for local government in England, Ireland and Wales.Counties corporate were created during the Middle Ages, and were effectively small self-governing counties...
and became capital of one of the most densely populated and prosperous
countiesThe historic counties of England are ancient subdivisions of England established for administration by the Normans and in most cases based on earlier Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and shires. They were used for various functions for several hundred years and continue to form, albeit with considerably...
of England.
In 1144, the Jews of Norwich were accused of ritual murder after a boy (
William of NorwichSaint William of Norwich was an English boy whose violent death was attributed to the entire Jewish community of Norwich...
) was found dead with stab wounds. This was the first incidence of
blood libel against JewsBlood libels against Jews are false accusations that Jews use human blood in certain aspects of their religious rituals and holidays. Although the first known instance of blood libel against Jews was in the writings of Apion, an early 1st century pagan Greco-Egyptian who claimed that the Jews...
in England. The story was turned into a cult, William acquiring the status of martyr and subsequently being canonized. The cult of St. William attracted large numbers of pilgrims, bringing wealth to the local church. On 6 February, 1190, all the Jews of Norwich were massacred except for a few who found refuge in the castle.
The great immigration of 1567 brought a substantial
FlemishFlanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France, and the Netherlands...
and
WalloonWalloons are a Romance-speaking people partly from Germanic origin and Celtic origin; in any case a melting-pot speaking French, living in Belgium principally in Wallonia, more generally the inhabitants of Wallonia...
community of Protestant
weaverThe Ploceidae, or Weavers, are small passerine birds related to the finches.These are seed-eating birds with rounded conical bills, most of which breed in sub-Saharan Africa, with fewer species in tropical Asia and also in Australia. The weaver group is divided into the buffalo, sparrow, typical,...
s to Norwich, where they were known locally as 'Strangers', but made welcome. Norwich has been the home of various dissident minorities, notably the French
HuguenotThe Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries. Since the eighteenth century, Huguenots have been commonly designated "French Protestants", the title being suggested by their German co-religionists or "Calvinists"...
and the Belgian Walloon communities in the
16thAs a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century lasted from 1501 through 1600.During the 16th century, Spain and Portugal explored and conquered the world seas. Latin America became a Spanish colony, while Portugal became the master of the Indian Ocean.In Europe, the Protestant...
and
17thThe 17th Century was that century which lasted from 1601 to 1700 in the Gregorian calendar.The 17th Century falls into the Early Modern period of Europe and was characterized by the Baroque cultural movement, the French Grand Siècle dominated by Louis XIV, and the beginning of modern science and...
centuries. The merchant's house - now a museum - which was their earliest base in the city is still known as 'Strangers' Hall'. It seems that the Strangers were integrated into the local community without a great deal of animosity, at least among the business fraternity who had the most to gain from their skills. The arrival of the Strangers in Norwich bolstered trade with mainland Europe, fostering a movement toward religious reform and radical politics in the city. During this time Norwich became the fourth largest city in the country, according to
Michael DraytonMichael Drayton was an English poet who came to prominence in the Elizabethan era.-Early life:He was born at Hartshill, near Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England. Almost nothing is known about his early life, beyond the fact that in 1580 he was in the service of Thomas Goodere of Collingham,...
's
Poly-OlbionThe Poly-Olbion is a topographical poem describing England and Wales. Written by Michael Drayton and published in 1612, it was reprinted with a second part in 1622. Drayton had been working on the project since at least 1598....
.
English Civil Wars to Victorian Era
The eastern counties were profoundly Parliamentarian in nature and Norwich followed suit, at the cost of some discomfort to the Lord Mayor, a Royalist, and the bishop, Joseph Hall, a moderate who was targeted because of his position as bishop.
The
Norwich CanaryThe Canary , also called the Island Canary, Atlantic Canary or Common Canary, is a small passerine bird belonging to the genus Serinus in the finch family, Fringillidae. It is native to the Azores, the Canary Islands, and Madeira. Wild birds are mostly yellow-green, with brownish streaking on the...
was first introduced into England by Flemish refugees fleeing from Spanish persecution in the 1500s. They brought with them not only advanced techniques in textile working but also their pet canaries, which they began to breed locally. The canary is the emblem of the city's football club,
Norwich City F.C.Norwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk.Norwich are currently members of League One, having been relegated from the Championship in 2008–09...
, nicknamed "The Canaries".
In 1797
Thomas BignoldThomas Bignold was the founder of Norwich Union, now known as Aviva plc, one of the United Kingdom's largest insurance businesses.-Career:...
, a 36-year-old wine merchant and banker, founded the first
Norwich Union SocietyNorwich Union was the name given to insurance company Aviva's British arm before June 2009. It was originally established in 1797. It is the biggest life insurance provider in the United Kingdom, and has a strong position in motor insurance...
. Some years earlier, when he moved from Kent to Norwich, Bignold had been unable to find anyone willing to insure him against the threat from highwaymen. With the entrepreneurial thought that nothing was impossible, and aware that in a city built largely of wood the threat of fire was uppermost in people's minds, Bignold formed the "Norwich Union Society for the Insurance of Houses, Stock and Merchandise from Fire". The new business, which became known as the Norwich Union Fire Insurance Office, was a "mutual" enterprise. Norwich Union was later to become the country's largest insurance giant.
From earliest times, Norwich was a centre of textile manufacture. Towards the end of the
18th centuryThe 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini/Common Era numbering system.However, Western historians sometimes specifically define the 18th century otherwise for the purposes of their work...
, in the 1780s, the manufacture of Norwich
shawlA shawl is a simple item of clothing, loosely worn over the shoulders, upper body and arms, sometimes also over the head. It is usually a rectangular or square piece of cloth, that is often folded to make a triangle but can also be triangular in shape...
s became an important industry and remained so for nearly one hundred years. The shawls were a high-quality fashion product and rivalled those made in other towns such as
PaisleyPaisley is a town and a former burgh in the west-Central Lowlands of Scotland. It is situated on the northern edge of the Gleniffer Braes, straddling the banks of the River Cart...
(which entered shawl manufacture in about 1805, some 20 or more years after Norwich). With changes in women's fashion in the later Victorian period, the popularity of shawls declined and eventually manufacture ceased. Examples of Norwich shawls are now highly sought after by collectors of textiles.
Until the
Industrial RevolutionThe Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, and transport had a profound effect on the socioeconomic and cultural conditions in the United Kingdom. The changes subsequently spread throughout Europe, North...
, as the capital of England's most populous and prosperous county, Norwich vied with
BristolBristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, west of London, and east of Cardiff.With an estimated population of 416,400 for the unitary authority in mid-2007, and a surrounding urban area with an estimated 561,500 residents, it is England's sixth, and...
as England's second city.
Norwich's geographical isolation was such that until 1845 when a railway connection was established, it was often quicker to travel to
AmsterdamAmsterdam is the capital and largest city of the Netherlands, located in the province of North Holland in the west of the country...
by boat than to London. The railway was introduced to Norwich by
Morton PetoSir Samuel Morton Peto, 1st Baronet was an English entrepreneur in the 19th century. Initially he constructed prestigious buildings in London before becoming one of the major contractors for the growing railways of the time.-Early life:He was born in Woking, Surrey, and was apprenticed as a...
, who also built the line to
Great YarmouthGreat Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, 20 miles east of Norwich....
.
From 1808 to 1814 Norwich hosted a station in the shutter telegraph chain which connected the
AdmiraltyThe Admiralty was formerly the authority in the United Kingdom responsible for the command of the Royal Navy. Originally exercised by a single person, the office of Lord High Admiral was from the 18th century onward almost invariably put "in commission", and was exercised by a Board of Admiralty.In...
in London to its naval ships in the port of
Great YarmouthGreat Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, 20 miles east of Norwich....
.
20th century
In the early part of the 20th century Norwich still had several major manufacturing industries. Among these were the manufacture of shoes (for example the
Start-riteStart-rite is a brand of children's footwear.The shoemaker, purportedly Britain's oldest and one of the first manufacturers in Norfolk, was established in 1792 in Norwich, England, by James Smith....
brand), clothing, joinery, and structural engineering as well as aircraft design and manufacture. Important employers included Boulton & Paul, Barnards (inventors of machine produced wire netting), and electrical engineers Laurence Scott and Electromotors.
Norwich also has a long association with chocolate manufacture, primarily through the local firm of Caley's, which began as a manufacturer and bottler of mineral water and later diversified into making chocolate and Christmas crackers. Caley's was acquired by Mackintosh in the 1930s. It merged with
Rowntree'sRowntree's was a confectionery business based in York, England. It is now a historic brand currently owned by Nestlé that is used to market a range of fruit gums and pastilles formerly owned by that business. The Company, which after its merger with John Mackintosh & Co...
in 1969 to become Rowntree-Mackintosh; it finally was bought by
NestléNestlé S.A. is a multinational packaged food company founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, and listed on the SWX Swiss Exchange with a turnover of over 87 billion Swiss francs...
and closed down in 1996 with all operations moved to
YorkYork is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence....
, ending a 120-year association with Norwich. The factory existed on the site of what is now the Chapelfield development. Caley's chocolate has since made a reappearance as a brand, and is still produced in Norwich.
HMSO, once the official publishing and stationery arm of the British government and one of the largest print buyers, printers and suppliers of office equipment in the UK, moved most of its operations from London to Norwich in the 1970s.
JarroldsJarrolds is a large, family run department store in Norwich, England, on the corner of Exchange Street and London Street, and in a corner of the Market Place. It was founded in 1823 and is a well known name in Norwich. The building was designed by George John Skipper between 1903-5...
, established in 1810, was a well-known printer and publisher.
The city was home to a long-established tradition of
brewingBrewing is the production of alcoholic beverages and alcohol fuel through fermentation. The term is used for the production of beer, although the word "brewing" is also used to describe the fermentation process used to create wine and mead. It can also refer to the process of producing sake and soy...
, with several large
breweriesA brewery is a dedicated building for the making of beer, though beer can be made in the home, and has been for much of beer's history. A company which makes beer is called either a brewery or a brewing company....
continuing in business into the second half of the century. The main brewers were Morgans, Steward and Patteson, Youngs Crawshay and Youngs, Bullard and Son, and the Norwich Brewery. Despite takeovers and consolidation in the 1950s and 1960s in attempts to remain viable, by the 1970s only the Norwich Brewery (owned by
Watney MannWatney Combe & Reid was a leading brewing business in London. At its peak in the 1930s it was a constituent of the FT30 index of leading companies on the London Stock Exchange. It produced the beer brand Watney's Red Barrel.-The Stag Brewery:...
and on the site of Morgans) remained. In 1985 the Norwich Brewery closed, and was subsequently demolished. Small-scale brewing continues in Norwich in
"microbreweries"A microbrewery, or craft brewery, is a brewery which produces a limited amount of beer. The maximum amount of beer a brewery can produce and still be classed as a microbrewery varies by region and by authority, though is usually around 15,000 barrels a year.A brewpub is a microbrewery which serves...
.
Norwich suffered extensive bomb damage during
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, affecting large parts of the old city centre and Victorian terrace housing around the centre. Industry and the rail infrastructure also suffered. The heaviest raids occurred on the nights of 27/28th and 29/30 April 1942; as part of the Baedeker raids (so called because Baedeker's series of tourist guides to the
British IslesThe British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include Great Britain, Ireland and numerous smaller islands. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and Ireland...
were used to select propaganda rich targets of cultural and historic significance rather than strategic importance).
Lord Haw-HawLord Haw-Haw was the nickname of several announcers on the English language propaganda radio program Germany Calling, broadcast by Nazi German radio to audiences in Great Britain on the medium wave station Reichssender Hamburg and by shortwave to the United States...
made reference to the imminent destruction of Norwich's new
City HallNorwich City Hall is an Art Deco building completed in 1938 which houses the city hall for the city of Norwich, East Anglia, in Eastern England. It is one of the Norwich 12, a collection of twelve heritage buildings in Norwich deemed of particular historical and cultural importance.Norwich City...
(completed in 1938), although in the event it survived unscathed. Significant targets hit included the Morgan's Brewery building, Coleman's Wincarnis works,
City Station-History:|}The station was opened in 1882 by the Lynn and Fakenham Railway, and later became the southern terminus of the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway line from Melton Constable...
, the Mackintosh chocolate factory, and shopping areas including St. Stephen's Street, St. Benedict's Street, the site of Bond's
department storeA department store is a retail establishment which specializes in satisfying a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
and Curl's department store (now
DebenhamsDebenhams plc is a Britishretailer operating under a department store format in the UK and franchise stores in other countries. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the FTSE 250 Index.- History :...
).
Leisure
Norwich's night-time economy of bars and nightclubs is mainly located in Tombland, Prince of Wales Road and the Riverside area adjacent to Norwich railway station.
Shopping
Norwich was the eighth most prosperous shopping destination in the UK in 2006. Norwich has an ancient market place, established by the Normans between 1071 and 1074, which is today the largest six-days-a-week open-air market in England. The market has recently been downsized and undergone redevelopment, and the new market stalls have proved controversial: with 20% less floorspace than the original stalls, higher rental and other charges, and inadequate rainwater handling, they have been unpopular with many stallholders and customers alike. Indeed, the local
Norwich Evening NewsThe Norwich Evening News is a daily local newspaper published in Norwich, Norfolk, England. It covers the city and the surrounding suburbs, and is published by Archant. It is the best-selling newspaper in Norwich.-External links:*...
characterises Norwich Market as an ongoing conflict between the market traders and Norwich
City CouncilA city council is the legislative body that governs a city, municipality or local government area.-Australia:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council may vary slightly...
, which operates the market.
The Mall Norwich (Castle Mall until 2007), a shopping mall designed by local practice Lambert, Scott & Innes and opened in 1993, presents an ingenious solution to the problem of sensitively accommodating new retail space in a historic city-centre environment - the building is largely concealed underground and built into the side of a hill, with a public park created on its roof in the area south of the Castle.
The new
ChapelfieldChapelfield is a large indoor shopping mall located on the edge of Norwich city centre, on the site previously occupied by the Caleys chocolate factory....
shopping mall has been built on the site where the Caleys (later Rowntree Mackintosh and
NestléNestlé S.A. is a multinational packaged food company founded and headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, and listed on the SWX Swiss Exchange with a turnover of over 87 billion Swiss francs...
) chocolate factory once stood. Chapelfield opened in September 2005, featuring as its flagship department store
House of FraserHouse of Fraser is a British department store group with 62 stores across the United Kingdom and Ireland. The flagship London store is House of Fraser on Oxford Street in London whilst the retailer has recently undertaken its largest new store opening in Belfast.Over the years House of Fraser has...
. Detractors have criticised Chapelfield as unnecessary and damaging to local businesses; its presence has prompted smaller retailers to band together to promote the virtues of independent shops. Despite this in August 2006 it was reported by the Javelin Group that Norwich was one of the top five retail destinations in the UK, and in October 2006 the city centre was voted the best in the UK, in a shopping satisfaction survey run by Goldfish
Credit CardA credit card is part of a system of payments named after the small plastic card issued to users of the system. It is a card entitling its holder to buy goods and services based on the holder's promise to pay for these goods and services...
.
To the north of the city centre is the
Anglia SquareThe Anglia Square shopping centre is located to the north of Norwich city centre. It is bounded by historic Magdalen and St Augustines streets.- History :...
shopping centre. The centre and the surrounding area is to be redeveloped; demolition work will commence in 2010 after an archaeological dig is conducted in 2009. The new development will be a mixture of shops and housing, unlike the original which consisted of offices, shops and a cinema. In February, 2009, it was announced due to the economic climate that plans for the area have been delayed and developers are unable to say when work will commence.
Business
The city's economy, originally chiefly industrial with shoemaking a large sector, has changed throughout the eighties and nineties to a service-based economy. Aviva (formerly known as
Norwich UnionNorwich Union was the name given to insurance company Aviva's British arm before June 2009. It was originally established in 1797. It is the biggest life insurance provider in the United Kingdom, and has a strong position in motor insurance...
) still dominates these, but has been joined by other insurance and financial services companies.
New developments on the former Boulton and Paul site include the Riverside entertainment complex with nightclubs and other venues featuring the usual national leisure brands. Nearby, the football stadium is being upgraded with more residential property development alongside the river Wensum.
ArchantArchant is a publishing company, based in Norwich, England. The group publishes four daily newspapers, around 75 weekly newspapers, and 75 consumer and contract magazines....
, formerly known as Eastern Counties Newspapers (ECN) is a national publishing group that has grown out of the city's local newspaper, the
Norwich Evening NewsThe Norwich Evening News is a daily local newspaper published in Norwich, Norfolk, England. It covers the city and the surrounding suburbs, and is published by Archant. It is the best-selling newspaper in Norwich.-External links:*...
and the regional
Eastern Daily PressThe Eastern Daily Press, commonly referred to as the EDP, is a regional newspaper covering Norfolk, and northern parts of Suffolk and eastern Cambridgeshire, and is published daily in Norwich, UK....
(EDP).
Norwich has long been associated with the manufacture of mustard. The world famous
Colman'sColman's is a UK manufacturer of mustard and various other sauces, based in Norwich, Norfolk.-History:Colman's of Norwich was founded in 1814 and is one of the oldest existing food brands. Colman's is now owned by Unilever...
brand, with its yellow packaging, was founded in 1814 and continues to operate from its factory at Carrow. Colman's is now being exported world wide by its parent company
UnileverUnilever is a multinational corporation, formed of British and Dutch parentage, that owns many of the world's consumer product brands in foods, beverages, cleaning agents and personal care products...
(Unilever UK Export) putting Norwich on the map of British heritage brands. The Colman's Mustard Shop, which sells Colman's products and related gifts, is located in the Royal Arcade in the centre of Norwich.
Culture
The
University of East AngliaThe University of East Anglia is a public research university in Norwich, England. It was established in 1963, and is a founder-member of the 1994 Group of research-intensive universities. The University was ranked 20th in the The Times Good University Guide 2008, and joint first for student...
on the outskirts of Norwich was one of the so-called plate glass universities founded in 1963, following the
Robbins ReportThe Robbins Report was commissioned by the British government and published in 1963. The Committee met from 1961 to 1963...
. UEA adopted the city's motto of independence
Do different and is especially well-known for its creative writing programme; established by
Malcolm Bradbury Sir Malcolm Stanley Bradbury CBE was a British author and academic.-Life:Born in 1932 in Sheffield, Bradbury was the son of a railwayman; his family moved to London in 1935, but returned to Sheffield in 1941 with his brother and mother...
and
Angus WilsonSir Angus Frank Johnstone Wilson, CBE was an English novelist and short story writer. He was awarded the 1958 James Tait Black Memorial Prize for The Middle Age of Mrs Eliot and later received a knighthood for his services to literature.-Biography:Wilson was born in Bexhill, Sussex, England, to...
, its graduates including
Kazuo IshiguroKazuo Ishiguro OBE is a British novelist. He was born in Nagasaki, Japan, and his family moved to England in 1960. Ishiguro obtained his Bachelor's degree from University of Kent in 1978 and his Master's from the University of East Anglia's creative writing course in 1980...
and
Ian McEwanIan Russell McEwan, CBE, FRSA, FRSL, is a Booker Prize-winning English novelist and screenwriter.-Early life:McEwan was born in Aldershot, the son of Rose Lilian Violet and David McEwan. He spent much of his childhood in East Asia, Germany and North Africa, where his father, a Scottish army...
. The university campus is the home of the
Sainsbury Centre for Visual ArtsThe Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts is an art gallery and museum located on the campus of the University of East Anglia, Norwich in the United Kingdom...
which houses a number of important art collections in many media. It is also well known for staging exhibitions of work on a wide range of diverse themes. The city also has a long-established (since 1845) art college, the Norwich University College of the Arts (formerly Norwich School of Art and Design), which is situated in the city centre. Additionally, the
Norfolk and Norwich University HospitalThe Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital is a National Health Service academic teaching hospital located on the off the A11 road and the Watton Road on the southern outskirts of Norwich, England....
on the city's periphery at
ColneyColney is a village in the western outskirts of Norwich in Norfolk, England. It resides in the administrative district of South Norfolk. It covers an area of and had a population of 124 in 35 households at the 2001 census....
was opened in 2001.
Norwich Theatre Royal has been on its present site for nearly 250 years, the Act of Parliament in the tenth year of the reign of George II having been rescinded in 1761. The 1300-seat theatre hosts a mix of national touring productions including musicals, dance, drama, family shows, stand-up comedians, opera and pop.
The ForumThe Forum is a community building in Norwich, Norfolk. It stands opposite from the St. Peter Mancroft Church. Designed by Michael Hopkins and Partners, the Forum was built as a millennium project for the East of England...
, designed by
Michael HopkinsSir Michael Hopkins, CBE, RA, AADipl is an English architect. He studied at the Architectural Association and after working for Frederick Gibberd and a spell in partnership with Norman Foster he set up his own practice with his wife, Patricia...
and Partners and opened in 2002 is a building designed to house the Millennium Library, a replacement for the Norwich Central Library building which burned down in 1994, and the regional headquarters and television centre for
BBC EastBBC East is the BBC English Region serving Norfolk, Suffolk, north Essex, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, south Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and south Lincolnshire.-Television:...
. The building provides a venue for exhibitions, concerts and events, although the city still lacks a dedicated concert venue.
The Millennium Library contains the
2nd Air DivisionThe 2d Air Division is an inactive United States Air Force organization. Its last assignment was with Military Airlift Command, assigned to Twenty-Third Air Force, being stationed at Hurlburt Field, Florida...
Memorial Library, a collection of material about American culture and the American relationship with East Anglia, especially the role of the
United States Air ForceThe United States Air Force is the aerial warfare branch of the U.S. armed forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on 18 September 1947 under the National Security Act of 1947 - 80 P.L....
on UK air bases throughout the Second World War and
Cold WarThe Cold War was the continuing state of political conflict, military tension, and economic competition existing after World War II , primarily between the USSR and its satellite states, and the powers of the Western world, including the United States...
. Much of the collection was lost in the 1994 fire, but the collection has been restored by contributions from many veterans of the war, both European and American.
Recent attempts to shed the backwater image of Norwich and market it as a popular
touristTourism is travel for recreational, leisure or business purposes. The World Tourism Organization defines tourists as people who "travel to and stay in places outside their usual environment for more than twenty-four hours and not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other...
destination, as well as a centre for science, commerce, culture and the arts, have included the refurbishment of the
Norwich Castle MuseumNorwich Castle, in Norwich, England, was built in 1067 when William the Conqueror ordered its construction because he wished to have a fortified place in the important city of Norwich. In the event, it proved to be his only castle in East Anglia. Ninety-eight Saxon homes were demolished to make...
and the opening of the Forum. The proposed new slogan for Norwich,
England's Other City, has been the subject of much discussion and controversy - and it remains to be seen whether it will be finally adopted.
A number of signs at the approaches to the city still display the traditional phrase - "Norwich - a fine city".
As part of ambitious aims to promote Norwich's heritage internationally, Norwich 12 has been launched - a collection of
listed buildings in Norwich. The group consists of:
Norwich CastleNorwich Castle, in Norwich, England, was built in 1067 when William the Conqueror ordered its construction because he wished to have a fortified place in the important city of Norwich. In the event, it proved to be his only castle in East Anglia. Ninety-eight Saxon homes were demolished to make...
, Norwich Cathedral, The
Great HospitalThe Great Hospital is a medieval hospital that has been serving the people of Norwich, Norfolk, England, since the 13th century. It is situated on a site in a bend of the River Wensum to the north-east of Norwich Cathedral. Bishop Walter de Suffield founded St. Giles's Hospital, as the hospital...
,
The Halls - St Andrew's and Blackfriars'St. Andrew's Hall and the adjoining Blackfriars' Hall is a Grade I listed building in Norwich, Norfolk dating back to the 14th century. It has been used regularly for civic occasions since 1544, when the first Mayor's feast was held for the inauguration of Henry Fuller...
, The Guildhall,
Dragon HallDragon Hall is a medieval building located in King Street, Norwich, Norfolk close to the River Wensum. Although some parts, such as the undercroft, are earlier, the Hall as seen today dates from works carried out by merchant Robert Toppes from 1427 onwards. It is a unique survival of a trading hall...
, The Assembly House, St James Mill,
St John the Baptist RC CathedralThe Cathedral Church of St John the Baptist is the Roman Catholic cathedral of the city of Norwich, Norfolk, England.The Cathedral, located on Earlham Road, was constructed between 1882 and 1910 to designs by George Gilbert Scott, Jr. as a parish church dedicated to John the Baptist. The funds for...
, Surrey House,
City HallNorwich City Hall is an Art Deco building completed in 1938 which houses the city hall for the city of Norwich, East Anglia, in Eastern England. It is one of the Norwich 12, a collection of twelve heritage buildings in Norwich deemed of particular historical and cultural importance.Norwich City...
and
The ForumThe Forum of an ancient Roman city was the central meeting place of a city, around which stood the most important public buildings. The Forum of Rome itself was considered the centre of the entire Roman Empire....
.
Art and music
Each year the
Norfolk and Norwich FestivalInternational arts festival for the East of England held in and around Norwich every May. The Norfolk & Norwich Festival was established in 1772 to support the building of the Norfolk & Norwich Hospital...
celebrates the arts, drawing many visitors into the city from all over eastern England. The
Norwich Twenty GroupThe Norwich Twenty Group is a group of artists based in Norwich, England. The organization was formed in 1944 after a touring modern art exhibition came to Norwich Castle Museum. Spurred by the public outcry, twenty local young artists created the group to promote understanding of modern art in...
, founded in 1944, presents exhibitions of its members to promote awareness of modern art.
Norwich Arts CentreNorwich Arts Centre is a live music venue, concert hall and theatre located in St. Benedict's Street in Norwich, Norfolk, England. It has a capacity of 290 for standing music concerts....
is a notable live music venue, concert hall and theatre located in St. Benedict's Street.
British artist
Stella VineStella Vine is an English artist, who lives and works in London. Her work is figurative painting with subject matter drawn from either her personal life of family, friends and school, or rock stars, royalty and celebrities.After a difficult relationship with her stepfather, she left home and in...
lived in Norwich during her childhood, from the age of 7, and again later in her life with her son Jamie. Vine included the city in her large painting
Welcome to Norwich a fine city (2006).
Museums
Norwich has a number of important museums which reflect both the rich history of the City and of Norfolk, as well as wider interests.
The largest is
Norwich Castle MuseumNorwich Castle, in Norwich, England, was built in 1067 when William the Conqueror ordered its construction because he wished to have a fortified place in the important city of Norwich. In the event, it proved to be his only castle in East Anglia. Ninety-eight Saxon homes were demolished to make...
. This contains extensive collections of archaeological finds from the county of Norfolk, art (including a fine collection of paintings by the Norwich School of painters), ceramics (including the largest collection of British teapots), silver, and Natural History. Of particular interest are dioramas of Norfolk scenery, showing wildlife and landscape. The Museum has been extensively remodelled to enhance the display of the many collections.
The
BridewellBridewell Palace, London, originally a residence of Henry VIII, later became a poorhouse and prison. Its name has come to be synonymous with police stations and detention facilities in England and Ireland....
Museum, in Bridewell Alley, is currently (2009) closed for a major redevelopment, and is not expected to re-open until Summer 2011. Previously, it was mainly devoted to displaying exhibits connected with the historic industries of Norwich. These include weaving, shoe and boot making, iron foundries and the manufacture of metal goods, engineering, milling, brewing, chocolate making and other food manufacturing.
Strangers’ Hall, at Charing Cross, is one of the oldest buildings in Norwich, and is a merchant's house dating to the early
Fourteenth CenturyAs a means of recording the passage of time, the 14th century was the century which lasted from 1301 to 1400.-Events:* The transition from the Medieval Warm Period to the Little Ice Age...
. The many rooms are furnished and equipped in the styles of different eras, from the
Early TudorThe Tudor period usually refers to the period between 1485 and 1603, specifically in relation to the history of England. This coincides with the rule of the Tudor dynasty in England whose first monarch was Henry VII...
to the
Late VictorianThe Victorian era of the United Kingdom was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from June 1837 until her death on the 22nd of January 1901. The reign was a long period of prosperity for the British people, as profits gained from the overseas British Empire, as well as from industrial improvements...
. Exhibits include costumes and textiles, domestic objects of all sorts, and collections of children's toys and games, and of children's books. The latter two collections are considered to be of national importance.
The
Royal Norfolk Regimental MuseumThe Royal Norfolk Regiment, originally formed as the Norfolk Regiment, was an infantry regiment of the British Army. The Norfolk Regiment was created on 1 July 1881 as the county regiment of Norfolk. It was formed from the 9th Regiment of Foot and covered the local militia and volunteer infantry...
is housed in a part of what was the Shirehall, close to the Castle. Its exhibits illustrate the history of the Regiment from its formation to its incorporation into the
Royal Anglian RegimentThe Royal Anglian Regiment is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queen's Division.The regiment was formed in 1964 as the first of the new large infantry regiments, through the amalgamation of the four regiments of the East Anglian Brigade.* 1st Battalion from the 1st Bn of the...
. There is an extensive and representative display of medals awarded to soldiers of the Regiment, including two of the six
Victoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration which is, or has been, awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories. It takes precedence over all other orders, decorations and medals...
es won.
The
City of Norwich Aviation MuseumThe City of Norwich Aviation Museum is voluteer run museum and charitable trust dedicated to the preservation of the Aviation History of the county of Norfolk, England. The museum is located on the northern edge of Norwich International Airport and is reached by road through the village of Horsham...
is located at Horsham St. Faith, on the northern edge of the City and close to
Norwich AirportNorwich International Airport , also known as Norwich Airport, is an airport in the City of Norwich within Norfolk, England north of the city centre and on the edge of the city's suburbs....
. There are static displays of both military and civil aircraft, together with various collections of exhibits, including one concerned with the
United States 8th Army Air ForceThe Eighth Air Force is a Numbered Air Force of the United States Air Force Air Force Global Strike Command. It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, and is one of three active-duty numbered air forces in Air Combat Command....
.
The John Jarrold
PrintingPrinting is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing.-History:...
Museum, at Whitefriars, is dedicated to the history of printing and contains many examples of printing machinery, presses, books, and related equipment. Exhibits range in date from the early Nineteenth Century to the present day. Many were donated by Jarrold Printing.
Dragon HallDragon Hall is a medieval building located in King Street, Norwich, Norfolk close to the River Wensum. Although some parts, such as the undercroft, are earlier, the Hall as seen today dates from works carried out by merchant Robert Toppes from 1427 onwards. It is a unique survival of a trading hall...
, in King Street, is a fine example of a medieval merchants trading hall. Mostly dating from about 1430, it is unique in Western Europe. The building has recently undergone an extensive restoration, re-opening in 2006. Its magnificent architecture is complemented by displays showing the history of the building and its role in the life of Norwich.
Architecture
Norwich has a wealth of historical architecture. The medieval period is represented by the
11th centuryAs a means of recording the passage of time, the 11th century is the period from 1001 to 1100 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian/Common Era.
...
Norwich CathedralNorwich Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral in Norwich in Norfolk, England dedicated to the Holy and Undivided Trinity.-Construction:...
,
12th centuryAs a means of recording the passage of time, the 12th century is the period from 1101 to 1200 in accordance with the Julian calendar in the Christian/Common Era. In the history of European culture, this period is considered part of the High Middle Ages and is sometimes called the Age of the...
castleA castle is a defensive structure seen as one of the main symbols of the Middle Ages. The term has a history of scholarly debate surrounding its exact meaning, but it is usually regarded as being distinct from the general terms fort or fortress, in that it describes a residence of a monarch or...
(now a museum) and a large number of
parish churchA parish church, in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
es. During the
Middle AgesThe Middle Ages of European history is a period of European history covering roughly a millennium in the 5th century through 16th centuries. More specific starting and ending points are sometimes adopted by scholars to suit their respective specializations or current focus...
, 57 churches stood within the city wall; 31 still exist today. This gave rise to the common regional saying that it had a church for every week of the year, and a pub for every day. Most of the medieval buildings are in the city centre. Notable examples of
secularSecularity is the state of being separate from religion.For instance, eating and bathing may be regarded as examples of secular activities, because there may not be anything inherently religious about them...
medieval architecture are
Dragon HallDragon Hall is a medieval building located in King Street, Norwich, Norfolk close to the River Wensum. Although some parts, such as the undercroft, are earlier, the Hall as seen today dates from works carried out by merchant Robert Toppes from 1427 onwards. It is a unique survival of a trading hall...
, built in about 1430, and the Guildhall, built 1407-1413, with later additions. From the 18th century the pre-eminent local name is Thomas Ivory, who built the Assembly Rooms (1776), the Octagon Chapel (1756), St Helen's House (1752) in the grounds of the
Great HospitalThe Great Hospital is a medieval hospital that has been serving the people of Norwich, Norfolk, England, since the 13th century. It is situated on a site in a bend of the River Wensum to the north-east of Norwich Cathedral. Bishop Walter de Suffield founded St. Giles's Hospital, as the hospital...
, and innovative speculative housing in Surrey Street (c. 1761). Ivory should not be confused with the Irish architect of the same name and similar period.
The
19th centuryThe 19th century was a period in history marked by the collapse of the Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Ottoman, Holy Roman and Mughal empires...
saw an explosion in Norwich's size and much of its housing stock, as well as commercial building in the city centre, dates from this period. The local architect of the
VictorianThe Victorian era of the United Kingdom was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from June 1837 until her death on the 22nd of January 1901. The reign was a long period of prosperity for the British people, as profits gained from the overseas British Empire, as well as from industrial improvements...
and Edwardian periods who has continued to command most critical respect was George Skipper (1856–1948). Examples of his work include the headquarters of
Norwich UnionNorwich Union was the name given to insurance company Aviva's British arm before June 2009. It was originally established in 1797. It is the biggest life insurance provider in the United Kingdom, and has a strong position in motor insurance...
on Surrey Street; the
Art NouveauArt Nouveau is an international movement and style of art, architecture and applied art—especially the decorative arts—that peaked in popularity at the turn of the 20th century . The name 'Art nouveau' is French for 'new art'...
Royal Arcade; and the Hotel de Paris in the nearby seaside town of
CromerCromer is a coastal town and civil parish in the north of the English county of Norfolk. The local government authority is North Norfolk District Council, whose headquarters is in Holt Road in the town. The town is situated 23 miles north of the county town, Norwich, and is 4 miles east...
. The neo-Gothic Roman Catholic
cathedralThe Cathedral Church of St John the Baptist is the Roman Catholic cathedral of the city of Norwich, Norfolk, England.The Cathedral, located on Earlham Road, was constructed between 1882 and 1910 to designs by George Gilbert Scott, Jr. as a parish church dedicated to John the Baptist. The funds for...
dedicated to St John the Baptist on
Earlham RoadEarlham Road is a road in Norwich, England linking the city centre to the area of Earlham to the west of the city and the Norwich southern bypass beyond.-Details:...
, begun in 1882, is by
George Gilbert Scott JuniorGeorge Gilbert Scott, Jr. was an English architect. He was the son of Sir George Gilbert Scott, brother of John Oldrid Scott and father of Sir Giles Gilbert Scott and Adrian Gilbert Scott, all also architects....
and his brother,
John Oldrid ScottJohn Oldrid Scott was an English architect. He was the son of Sir George Gilbert Scott, brother to George Gilbert Scott Junior and uncle to Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, all also architects.-Works:...
.
The city continued to grow through the
20th centuryThe 20th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1901 and ended on December 31, 2000, according to the Gregorian calendar.The British Empire, the Russian Empire, the German Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire dissolved in the first half of the century, with all but the...
and much housing, particularly in areas further out from the city centre, dates from that century. The first notable building post-Skipper was the
city hallNorwich City Hall is an Art Deco building completed in 1938 which houses the city hall for the city of Norwich, East Anglia, in Eastern England. It is one of the Norwich 12, a collection of twelve heritage buildings in Norwich deemed of particular historical and cultural importance.Norwich City...
by CH James and SR Pierce, opened in 1938. Bombing during the
Second World WarWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including all great powers, organized into two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, while resulting in relatively little loss of life, caused significant damage to housing stock in the city centre. Much of the replacement postwar stock was designed by the local authority architect, David Percival. However, the major postwar development in Norwich from an architectural point of view was the opening of the
University of East AngliaThe University of East Anglia is a public research university in Norwich, England. It was established in 1963, and is a founder-member of the 1994 Group of research-intensive universities. The University was ranked 20th in the The Times Good University Guide 2008, and joint first for student...
in 1964. Originally designed by
Denys LasdunSir Denys Lasdun CH was an eminent English architect of the 20th century. Probably his best known work is the Royal National Theatre, on London's South Bank of the River Thames, which is a Grade II listed building and one of the most notable examples of Brutalist design in the United...
(his design was never completely executed), it has been added to over subsequent decades by major names such as
Norman FosterNorman Robert Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank, OM, FRIBA, FCSD, RDI, is a English architect whose company maintains an international design practice. He is Britain's most prolific builder of landmark office buildings.-Biography:...
and
Rick MatherRick Mather is an American-born architect working in England. Born in Portland, Oregon and awarded a B.Iarch. at the University of Oregon in 1961, he came to London in 1963 where he founded his own practice, Rick Mather Architects, a decade later....
.
Media
Satirical comedian
Steve CooganStephen John "Steve" Coogan is an English comedian, actor, writer and producer. His best known character in the United Kingdom is Alan Partridge, the grotesque sports reporter-turned-television chat show host-turned-regional radio presenter who featured in several television series, such as The...
decided to base his unbearably vain, cheesy broadcaster character '
Alan PartridgeAlan Gordon Partridge is a fictional television and radio presenter portrayed by English comedian Steve Coogan and invented by Coogan, Armando Iannucci, Stewart Lee and Richard Herring for the BBC Radio 4 programme On The Hour...
' in Norfolk, specifically hosting the pre-breakfast show on the fictitious independent station 'Radio Norwich'. It exploited the county's reputation as being somewhat detached from modern trends, past its prime, and rather peripheral to national life. Since then Radio Norwich has ceased to be a fictitious station - it began broadcasting in 2006 - although, unsurprisingly, "Up With The Partridge" does not feature in its schedule.
Other comic entertainers who have drawn comedy from that stereotype include Allan Smethurst 'The Singing Postman' and
The Kipper FamilyThe Kipper Family were a two-man parody folk group played by Chris Sugden and Dick Nudds .-History:The group performed as the Kipper Family throughout the 1980s and released several cult albums...
lately represented by 'son'
Sid KipperChris Sugden is a Norfolk humorist, best known for his portrayal of fictional folk singer Sid Kipper, the younger half of The Kipper Family.-Personal life:...
, though these are associated with Norfolk in general and not just the City. These have been joined by
The Nimmo TwinsThe Nimmo Twins are a sketch comedy duo from Norfolk, UK comprising Owen Evans and Karl Minns. Formed in 1996 in Norwich, they first came to national attention after their show Posh Spice Nude was a sell-out success at the 1997 Edinburgh Festival...
.
Independent radioIndependent radio indicates a radio station that is run in a manner different from usual for the country it broadcasts in. In countries where there exist government-run stations that served as the primary or only the variety of licensed broadcaster, the term independent radio generally means...
stations include Heart FM, Classic Gold Amber, and
99.9 Radio Norwich99.9 Radio Norwich is a British radio station in Norwich, Norfolk.The station — not to be confused with the Alan Partridge parody Radio Norwich — is part of Tindle Radio Group, owner of neighbouring North Norfolk Radio and 103.4 The Beach...
.
BBC Radio NorfolkBBC Radio Norfolk is the BBC Local Radio service for the English county of Norfolk, broadcasting since 11 September 1980. It broadcasts from the studios of BBC East in The Forum, Norwich on 95.1 FM , 104.4 FM , 95.6 FM , 855 kHz AM/MW , 873 kHz AM/MW BBC Radio Norfolk is the BBC Local Radio service...
and the University of East Anglia's Livewire 1350 also broadcast to the city. A community station,
Future RadioFuture Radio is a local community radio station serving the City of Norwich in Norfolk and based in the West Norwich suburb of Earlham. The station is part of Future Projects a local development and educational charity...
, was launched on 6 August 2007.
ITV Anglia, formerly
Anglia TelevisionAnglia Television is the ITV franchise holder for the East Anglia franchise region. Although Anglia Television takes its name from East Anglia, its transmission coverage extends beyond the generally accepted boundaries of that region. The station is based at Anglia House in Norwich, with regional...
, is based in Norwich. Although one of the smaller ITV companies, it supplied the network with some of its most popular shows such as
Tales of the UnexpectedTales Of The Unexpected is a British television series originally aired between 1979 and 1988, made by Anglia Television for ITV.The series was an anthology of different tales, initially based on short stories, collected in a book of the same title, by the author Roald Dahl...
,
SurvivalSurvival is one of the the longest-running nature documentary series on British television. By 2001 over 500 episodes have been screened in 100 countries. The programme attracted large UK audiences of 10 million or more with one episode documenting the Galápagos Islands being watched by 18 million...
and
Sale of the CenturySale of the Century was a UK game show based on a US game show of the same name. It was first shown on ITV from 1972 to 1983, hosted by Nicholas Parsons...
(1971-83), which began each edition with
John BensonJohn Benson was a British television announcer, best known for saying "And Now ... from Norwich, it's the quiz of the week" at the start of each edition of the UK's long running Sale of the Century, which ran on ITV from 1971 to 1983....
's enthusiastic announcement "And now from Norwich, it's the quiz of the week!" The company also had a subsidiary called Anglia Multimedia which produced educational content on CD and DVD mainly for schools, and was one of the three companies, along with Granada TV and the BBC vying for the right to produce a digital television station for English schools and colleges.
Launched in 1959, Anglia Television lost its independence in 1994 following a takeover by
MAI-Name:*Mai, old French for Maia, the Italic goddess of spring, the daughter of Faunus, and wife of Vulcan **Mak, the transliteration of the same name pronounced in Cantonese*Omai, aka Mai, the first person from the Pacific Islands to visit Europe...
and subsequent mergers have seen it reduced from a significant producer of programmes to a regional news centre. The company is still based in the former Norfolk and Norwich Agricultural Hall, on Agricultural Hall Plain, near Prince of Wales Road. However, despite the contraction of Anglia, television production in Norwich is by no means ended.
Anglia's former network production centre at Magdalen Street has been taken over by Norfolk County Council and extensively re-vamped. After total investment of £4m from EEDA - the regional development agency - it has re-opened as EPIC - the East of England Production Innovation Centre. It is now a creative industries enterprise hub, providing office space for local production companies and giving them access to state of the art production facilities, including one of the best equipped High Definition TV Studios in Europe. Degree courses in film and video are also run at the centre by NUCA (Norwich University College of the Arts, formerly Norwich School of Art and Design.) EPIC has commercial, broadcast quality post production facilities, a real-time virtual studio and a smaller HD discussion studio. The main studio opened as an HD facility in November 2008. Throughout 2008, the centre has concentrated on the development of new TV formats and has worked on pilots shows with, among others, Les Dennis, Gaby Roslin and Christopher Biggins.
Norwich has a thriving music scene based around local venues such as the
University of East AngliaThe University of East Anglia is a public research university in Norwich, England. It was established in 1963, and is a founder-member of the 1994 Group of research-intensive universities. The University was ranked 20th in the The Times Good University Guide 2008, and joint first for student...
,
Norwich Arts CentreNorwich Arts Centre is a live music venue, concert hall and theatre located in St. Benedict's Street in Norwich, Norfolk, England. It has a capacity of 290 for standing music concerts....
, The Waterfront, The Queen Charlotte and the Marquee. The city is host to many artists that have achieved national and international recognition such as Goober Patrol,
CordCord were a four-piece band from Norfolk, UK. Originally signed by Island Records on a five album deal they were released from their contract in March 2007. The band's song "Go Either Way" is featured on the soundtrack for EA's video game Madden NFL 07...
,
Tim BownessTim Bowness is a singer/songwriter primarily known for his work as part of the band No-Man, a long-term project with Porcupine Tree's Steven Wilson.-Career:...
,
SennenSennen are a shoegazing band from Norwich, UK. They currently release records on the Hungry Audio label in the UK. They have also appeared on compilations on the Club AC30 and NROne record labels.-Biography:...
,
MagooMagoo are an indie rock band who formed in Norfolk, England in 1992.-Biography:The band give their influences as Guided by Voices, Stereolab, Pavement, The Flaming Lips, and John Peel, and spent their early years playing local venues in the Norwich area....
,
KaitOKaitO were an English indie rock band from Norwich.Their music consists of loud, pop-punk melodies combined with a unique mix of guitar effects.-History:...
, Mantoid, Teknikov and The Sadtowns.
Established record labels in Norwich include;
Hungry AudioHungry Audio is a Norwich/London based independent record label whose roster includes The Telescopes, Sennen, The Walk Off, The Aprons, Stuffy / The Fuses, My favorite, Mia Vigar and Master Solo....
,
Burning ShedBurning Shed is an independent record label established in April, 2001 by musicians Tim Bowness and Peter Chilvers, in association with duplication company manager and former Noisebox Records boss, Pete Morgan....
, MQ Projects, Wilde Club Records and Mummy Where's The Milkman.
Sport
The principal local football club is
Norwich CityNorwich City Football Club is an English professional football club based in Norwich, Norfolk.Norwich are currently members of League One, having been relegated from the Championship in 2008–09...
, also known as the Canaries, who play in the
Football League OneFootball League One is the second-highest division of The Football League and third-highest division overall in the English football league system....
. Majority-owned by celebrity chef
Delia SmithDelia Smith CBE is an English cook and television presenter, known for her interest in teaching basic cookery skills. She is the UK's best-selling cookery author, with more than 18 million copies sold....
and her husband Michael Wynn-Jones, their ground is at
Carrow RoadCarrow Road is a British football stadium in Norwich, England, and is the home of Norwich City Football Club. The stadium is located centrally in the city, not far from Norwich railway station and the River Wensum....
. They have a strong
East Anglian rivalryThe East Anglian derby is a sobriquet used to describe football matches held between Ipswich Town and Norwich City. It is also described humorously as the Old Farm derby, a reference to the Old Firm derby played between Celtic and Rangers...
with
Ipswich TownIpswich Town Football Club are an English professional football club based in Ipswich, Suffolk...
. The club has enjoyed considerable success in the past, having played in the top division for a collective total of 19 seasons since 1972, their longest spell being a nine-year spell from 1986 to 1995. They have also won two
Football League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or for sponsorship reasons the Carling Cup, is an English football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
s, and finished third in the inaugural Premier League in 1993. Perhaps their most famous result to date came later in 1993 when they eliminated
GermanGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
giants Bayern Munich from the
UEFA CupThe UEFA Europa League is a competition for eligible European football clubs; the second most prestigious European football contest after the UEFA Champions League. It is an annual football cup competition for European club teams organised by the Union of European Football Associations...
. Before emerging as a top division club, they famously eliminated
Manchester UnitedManchester United Football Club is an English football club, one of the most popular football clubs in the world, based at Old Trafford in Greater Manchester. The club was a founding member of the Premier League in 1992, and has played in the top division of English football since 1938, with the...
from the FA Cup in 1959, and went on to reach the semi-finals of the competition, a run they achieved again in 1989 and most recently in 1992. In the 1980s and early 1990s, the club produced some of the most highly rated talent of that era, including striker
Chris SuttonChristopher Roy "Chris" Sutton is an English football manager and former player.In his career, Sutton played for Norwich City, Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea, Celtic, Birmingham City and Aston Villa. Sutton scored over 150 career goals in over 400 league appearances spanning 16 years in the English...
, winger
Ruel FoxRuel Adrian Fox is a former English football player of Montserratian and Antiguan descent who played for Norwich City, Newcastle United, Tottenham Hotspur, and West Bromwich Albion from 1986 to 2002....
, defender
Andy LinighanAndrew "Andy" Linighan is a former English football player.Linighan was born in Hartlepool into a footballing family – his brothers David and Brian were also professional footballers. He first played for his local side, Hartlepool United, before spells at Leeds United , Oldham Athletic and...
, midfielder
Mike PhelanMichael Christopher "Mike" Phelan , also known as Mick Phelan or Micky Phelan, is an English football coach and former player....
, midfielder
Tim SherwoodTimothy "Tim" Sherwood is an English former professional footballer who was captain of Blackburn Rovers' Premiership title-winning side...
and striker
Justin FashanuJustinus Soni "Justin" Fashanu was an English footballer, who played for a variety of clubs between 1978 and 1997...
. The club's most successful managers have included Ken Brown,
Dave StringerDave Stringer , is a former player and manager of Norwich City football club.As a player, he won the fans' vote to be Norwich City player of the year in 1972 and made a total of 499 appearances for the club. He ended his playing career with Cambridge United before returning to Norwich city to coach...
,
Mike WalkerMike Walker is the name of:*Mike Walker , gossip columnist for the National Enquirer*Mike Walker , jazz guitar player from Salford in England*Mike Walker , American football player...
and
Nigel WorthingtonNigel Worthington is a Northern Irish football manager and former player. He is currently manager of the Northern Ireland national team....
.
The city's second club,
Norwich UnitedNorwich United F.C. is a football club based in Blofield, England. The club currently plays in the Premier Division of the Eastern Counties League.-History:Founded in 1903, the club joined Division One of the Eastern Counties Football League in 1989...
(who are based in
BlofieldBlofield is a village and civil parish in the Broadland district of Norfolk, England. The parish includes Blofield and the hamlets of Blofield Heath and Blofield Corner and, according to the 2001 census, had a population of 3,221. It is on the A47, five miles east of Norwich and 14 miles west of...
some 5 miles east of the city) play in the
Eastern CountiesThe Eastern Counties Football League is an English football league at Levels 9 and 10 of the English football league system. It contains teams from Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, and is a feeder to the regional divisions of either the Isthmian League or the Southern League, depending...
league, whilst AFC Norwich play in the
Anglian CombinationThe Anglian Combination Football League is an English football league that operates in the East Anglia area. The league specifically covers Norfolk and northern Suffolk and is also known as the Dolphin Autos Anglian Combination Football League after its principal sponsor...
. The now-defunct
Gothic F.C.Gothic F.C. was a football club from Norwich, England. They were members of the Eastern Counties League between 1963 and 1978.-History:The club was the works team of Laurence, Scott and Electromotors. The company's main factory was located next to Norwich City's Carrow Road ground and was known as...
were also based in Norwich.
Norwich also has an athletics club, City of Norwich AC (CoNAC), a rugby club, the
Norwich Lions, an
ice hockeyIce Hockey is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use sticks to direct a puck into the opposing team's goal. It is a fast-paced and physical sport...
team, the Norwich North Stars, and five
field hockeyField hockey is a team sport in which a team of players attempt to score goals by hitting, pushing or flicking the ball with hockey sticks into the opposing team's goal. Its official name is simply hockey, and this is the common name for it in many countries...
clubs,
University of East Anglia Hockey Club,
Norwich City Hockey Club,
Norwich Dragons Hockey Club, Norfolk Nomads Hockey Club and the Veterans only side Norwich Exiles. Outside the city boundary, the dry ski and snowboarding slopes of
Norfolk Ski Club is located at Whitlingham Lane in
TrowseTrowse, also called Trowse with Newton, is a village in South Norfolk which lies about south-east of Norwich city centre on the banks of the River Yare. It covers an area of and had a population of 479 in 233 households as of the 2001 census....
, which is also used by scuba divers from one of the city's 3 diving schools.
SpeedwayMotorcycle speedway, usually referred to as speedway or flat track motorcycle racing , is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit...
racing was staged in Norwich both before and after WWII at The Firs Stadium on the Holt Road,
HellesdonHellesdon is a thriving suburb of Norwich in the District of Broadland in Norfolk, England. It lies approximately 4 miles north-west of Norwich and has 11,177 inhabitants.- History :...
. The
Norwich StarsNorwich Stars were a motorcycle speedway team based in Norwich, England which operated from 1930 until their closure in 1964.-History:Speedway racing was staged in Norwich both before and after World War II at The Firs Stadium in Aylsham Road, Hellesdon. Pre-War Norwich were members of the National...
raced in the Northern League of 1946 and the
National League Division TwoThe National League Division Two was the second tier of Speedway league competition in the United Kingdom. The competition was founded in 1938 following a competition named "The National Provincial League". Following World War II the second tier of racing was entitled "The Northern League" in 1946...
between 1947 and 1951, winning it in 1951. They were subsequently elevated to the
Speedway National LeagueThe National League was the top division of Speedway in the United Kingdom from 1932 until 1965 when it became known as the British League. Prior to 1932 there were only small regional leagues competeting within the sport in the UK. The National League was re-incarnated in 1975 as the second...
and raced at the top flight until the stadium was closed at the end of the 1964 season. One meeting was staged at a venue at
HevinghamHevingham is a Norfolk village and civil parish situated between the A140 road Norwich to Cromer Road and the B1149 road Norwich to Holt Road. It is seven miles from the city of Norwich and four miles from the market town of Aylsham....
but the event, staged without an official permit, did not lead to a revival of the sport in the Norwich area.
In the world of
boxingBoxing is a combat sport where two participants, generally of similar weight, fight each other with their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee and is typically engaged in during a series of one to three-minute intervals called rounds. There are three ways to win...
, Norwich can boast former
EuropeanThe European Boxing Union is an organization that oversees competition in that sport over the continent of Europe.-History:The EBU started life as the International Boxing Union in Paris in 1910...
and British lightweight champion
Jon ThaxtonJonathan Thaxton is a former English professional lightweight boxer. He held European and British lightweight boxing titles in a 17-year career...
, reigning English light heavyweight champion
Danny McIntoshDanny McIntosh is a British light heavyweight boxer based in Norfolk. He is the current holder of the English light heavyweight title and former British title challenger.-Early Professional Career:...
and heavyweight
Sam SextonSam Sexton is a British heavyweight boxer based in Norwich, Norfolk, England. He was the winner of the second Prizefighter tournament held in Newcastle and is the current holder of the British Commonwealth and BBBofC Southern Area heavyweight titles.-Early professional career:Sexton started his...
, a former winner of the
PrizefighterThe Prizefighter series is a knock out boxing tournament created by boxing promoter Barry Hearn and aired on Sky Sports. The format has an initial eight fighters, who compete in four quarter-finals of 3 x 3 minute rounds...
tournament.
Perception
Norwich is sometimes portrayed in the UK media as a place which is remote, unsophisticated, gauche, and out-of-step with national trends (see Alan Partridge, who once described Norwich as "the
ProvenceProvence is a region of southeastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative région of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur...
of Great Britain"). This is perhaps primarily due to its geographical isolation, and an identification of Norwich as the epitome of Norfolk, a largely rural county.
Statistics
Norwich was the second city of England (after London) for several centuries before industrialisation, which came late to Norwich due to its isolation.
Norwich also has a long history of political radicalism and is by no means a conservative city. With 13 seats,
Green PartyThe Green Party of England and Wales is the principal Green political party in England and Wales which includes among its regional divisions the semi-autonomous Wales Green Party. The party is unrepresented in the House of Commons, but did have a life peer in the House of Lords until his death...
councillors make up the official opposition on Norwich City Council. The largest number of seats, however, is held by the Labour Party with 15; the Liberal Democrats are in third place with 6. The Conservative Party is currently in fourth place with 5 councillors.
In November 2006 the city was voted the greenest in the UK. There is currently an initiative taking place to make it a transition town. Norwich has recently been the scene of open discussions in public spaces, known as 'meet in the street', that cover social and political issues.
According to the 2001 census, 27.8% of respondents in Norwich stated that they were of "no religion", the highest percentage in England.
There are rail links from
Norwich railway stationNorwich railway station is a railway station serving the city of Norwich in the English county of Norfolk. The station is the terminus of the Great Eastern Main Line from London Liverpool Street. It is also the terminus of railway lines from Ely, Sheringham, Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft.-History:At...
to
PeterboroughPeterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of as of June 2006. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. The Town Hall is north of London at Charing Cross...
and London, and direct services to
CambridgeThe city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. It is also at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen....
were added in 2004. It is a commuter city, with services running on the train route between Norwich and London. Travelling by train to London from Norwich, travellers arrive at
Liverpool Street StationLiverpool Street station, also known as London Liverpool Street, is a major railway station and connected London Underground station in the north eastern corner of the City of London in England...
, in the heart of the 'City of London', the central financial district.
A large proportion of the population of Norwich are users of the Internet. A recent article has suggested that, compared with other UK cities, it is top of the league for the percentage of population who use the popular Internet auction site
eBayeBay Inc. is an American Internet company that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide. A majority of the sales take place through a set-time auction format, but subsequent methods include...
. The city has also unveiled the biggest free
Wi-FiWi-Fi is a trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance for certified products based on the IEEE 802.11 standards. This certification warrants interoperability between different wireless devices....
network in the UK, which opened in July 2006.
Open LinkNorfolk Open Link was a free wireless service offered by Norfolk County Council in Norwich city centre, and areas of South Norfolk. Norfolk Open Link was the first community wireless network in the UK to provide free internet access for the public sector, the business community and the general...
will be undergoing essential work during August.
In August 2007 Norwich was shortlisted as one of nine finalists in its population group for the International Awards for Liveable Communities
LivCom Awards The city eventually won a silver award in the small city category."
Transport
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Road
Norwich sits astride the
A47The A47 is a trunk road in England originally linking Birmingham to Great Yarmouth. Most of the section between Birmingham and Nuneaton is now classified as the B4114.-Route:...
(bypassed to the south of the city) which connects it with
Great YarmouthGreat Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, 20 miles east of Norwich....
to the east and with Kings Lynn to the west, which ultimately connects to
PeterboroughPeterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of as of June 2006. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. The Town Hall is north of London at Charing Cross...
. At present the A47 is in the planning stages of upgrades, largely to sections which are still single-carriageway and with much focus on improving the road network in conjunction with the in-construction Great Yarmouth Outer Harbour. Norwich is linked to
CambridgeThe city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. It is also at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen....
via the A11, which leads to the
M11 motorwayThe M11 motorway in England is a major road running approximately north from the North Circular Road in South Woodford in north-east London to the A14, north-west of Cambridge.-Route:...
for London and the
M25The M25 motorway is a 117 mile orbital motorway which encircles Greater London, United Kingdom except for the tolled Dartford Crossing where it crosses the River Thames to the east of London...
. It is linked to
IpswichIpswich is a non-metropolitan district and the county town of Suffolk, England on the estuary of the River Orwell. Nearby towns are Felixstowe in Suffolk and Harwich and Colchester in Essex...
(to the south) by the A140 and to
LowestoftLowestoft is a town on The Sunrise Coast in the county of Suffolk, England, lying between the eastern edge of Suffolk Broads on Oulton Broad and Lake Lothing which heads towards North Sea within the parliamentary constituency and District of Waveney...
(to the south-east) by the
A146The A146 is a road that runs between two of East Anglia's largest population centres - Norwich in Norfolk and Lowestoft in Suffolk.The entire route has primary classification and as such has been improved over the years but due to the high traffic volumes progress is usually slow.- Norwich :Before...
. Norwich is currently the largest population centre in the UK not to be connected to any other centre by an unbroken
dual carriagewayA dual carriageway or divided highway is a road or highway in which the two directions of traffic are separated by a central barrier or strip of land, known as a central reservation or median...
.
Norwich Northern Distributor Road
A controversial proposed new 7 mile road to the north of Norwich linking to
Norwich International AirportNorwich International Airport , also known as Norwich Airport, is an airport in the City of Norwich within Norfolk, England north of the city centre and on the edge of the city's suburbs....
, the A47 and the
A1067 roadThe A1067 is an English A road entirely in the county of Norfolk. It runs from Fakenham Northern By-Pass to Norwich inner ring road .-A47 to A1067 Link Road:...
.
Rail
Norwich railway station is situated to the east of Norwich city centre and is managed by National Express East Anglia. It forms the northern terminus of the
Great Eastern Main LineThe Great Eastern Main Line is a major railway line of the British railway system, which connects Liverpool Street station in the City of London with destinations in east London and the East of England, including Ipswich, Norwich and several coastal resorts such as Clacton-on-Sea and...
with half hourly services to London Liverpool Street provided by
British Rail Class 90The British Rail Class 90 electric locomotives were built by BREL at Crewe from 1987-1990. Each locomotive weighs 84.5 tonnes and has a top speed of . They operate from 25 kV AC overhead wires and produce...
locomotives. It is also linked to the
MidlandsThe English Midlands, or the Midlands is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
with hourly services to Liverpool Lime Street and are operated by
East Midlands TrainsEast Midlands Trains is a train operating company operating in the United Kingdom. Based in Derby, it provides train services in the East Midlands and surrounding areas, chiefly in the counties of Lincolnshire, South Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Northamptonshire...
Class 158
DMUA diesel multiple unit or DMU is a multiple unit train consisting of multiple carriages powered by one or more on-board diesel engines. They may also be referred to as a railcar or railmotor, depending on country.-Design:...
s via
PeterboroughPeterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of as of June 2006. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. The Town Hall is north of London at Charing Cross...
,
NottinghamNottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire, England and is one of only eight members of the English Core Cities Group....
and
ManchesterManchester is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. In 2007, the population of the city was estimated to be 458,100...
. These additional hourly regional services to
CambridgeThe city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. It is also at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen....
, and out of Norwich as far as
ElyEly is a cathedral city in Cambridgeshire, England. It is 14 miles north-northeast of Cambridge.Ely has been informally accounted a city by virtue of being the seat of a diocese. Its status was confirmed by Royal Charter in 1974, when the parish council of the single civil parish that makes up...
, are run by
National ExpressNational Express is the brand under which the majority of long distance bus and coach services in Great Britain are marketed, and also the company that manages this network and operates some of the services...
using the
Breckland LineThe Breckland Line runs from Cambridge in Cambridgeshire to Norwich in Norfolk, in East Anglia, England. It is so called because it runs through the Breckland region of Norfolk. The line also passes through Thetford Forest. The line is part of the Network Rail Strategic Route 5, SRS 05.09 and part...
which can be considered a line of major economic importance but not a mainline. National Express also runs hourly local services to
Great YarmouthGreat Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, 20 miles east of Norwich....
and
LowestoftLowestoft is a town on The Sunrise Coast in the county of Suffolk, England, lying between the eastern edge of Suffolk Broads on Oulton Broad and Lake Lothing which heads towards North Sea within the parliamentary constituency and District of Waveney...
, using the
Wherry LinesThe Wherry Lines are railway lines in England, from Norwich to Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft. These lines pass through The Broads. The line is part of the Network Rail Strategic Route 7, SRS 07.11 and is classified as a rural line...
, and to
SheringhamSheringham is a seaside town in Norfolk, England, located west of Cromer.Historically, the parish of Sheringham comprised the two villages of Upper Sheringham, a farming community, and Lower Sheringham, which combined farming with fishing....
, using the
Bittern LineThe Bittern Line is a railway line from Norwich to Cromer and Sheringham in Norfolk, England. It is one of the most scenic in the East of England traversing the Norfolk Broads on its route to the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the North Norfolk Coast. The line is part of the Network Rail...
. These all use either Class 156 or Class 170 DMUs. Norwich is also the site of
Norwich Crown PointCrown Point was originally the name given to an area within the city of Norwich in the United Kingdom.The name is now more commonly associated with the Crown Point Traction Maintenance Depot operated by National Express East Anglia. Intercity and Diesel Multiple Unit trains are serviced and...
Traction Maintenance Depot (
TMDTMD may refer to:Medicine and science* Temporomandibular joint disorder* Transmembrane domain* Tuned mass damperOther* Tip-Magnetic Driving* Thorn Microwave Devices Ltd.* Toshiba Matsushita Display Technology Co., Ltd.* Traction Maintenance Depot...
).
Bus and coach
Norwich is served by many bus operators including
AnglianAnglian Bus is a large independent bus operator based in Beccles in Suffolk, England. The company operates services over a wide area in both Norfolk and Suffolk, running a fleet of around 63 buses and coaches...
, First,
KonectbusKonectbus is a bus operator based in Dereham in Norfolk, England. It operates a number of services, including two Norwich Park & Ride routes with a fleet of almost 40 buses, the majority of which were built by Optare. They won the "Independent Operator of the Year" award at the 2007 UK Bus Awards...
,
Norfolk GreenNorfolk Green is a bus operator based in King's Lynn in Norfolk, England. It operates a number of services across Norfolk, Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire with a fleet of 51 buses, including the Coasthopper service between King's Lynn and Cromer...
and Sanders. The biggest bus operator is First with their Overground network normally served by low floor buses and other routes served with a mixture of low floor and standard floor vehicles. Destinations throughout Norfolk are served and some beyond including
PeterboroughPeterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of as of June 2006. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. The Town Hall is north of London at Charing Cross...
, and
LowestoftLowestoft is a town on The Sunrise Coast in the county of Suffolk, England, lying between the eastern edge of Suffolk Broads on Oulton Broad and Lake Lothing which heads towards North Sea within the parliamentary constituency and District of Waveney...
.
National ExpressNational Express is the brand under which the majority of long distance bus and coach services in Great Britain are marketed, and also the company that manages this network and operates some of the services...
also run ten coaches a day to Stansted Airport, five a day to London, and one a day to
BirminghamBirmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands county of England. Birmingham is the second-most populous British city, with a population of 1,006,500 ....
. Most bus and coach services, run from
Norwich bus stationNorwich Bus Station is situated in Surrey Street, Norwich, Norfolk, England. It is served by a number of bus companies as well as National Express and the open top Norwich Tour bus.-Statistics:It was opened on 30 August 2005 at a cost of £5 million and two months later than planned...
in Surrey Street or from Castle Meadow.
Park and Ride
As of 2005, Norwich had the biggest
Park and RidePark and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and others wishing to travel into city centres to leave their personal vehicles in a car park and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip...
operation in the UK. Run by Norfolk County Council it runs from six purpose-built sites into Norwich bus station using colour-coded buses:
- Norwich International Airport
Norwich International Airport , also known as Norwich Airport, is an airport in the City of Norwich within Norfolk, England north of the city centre and on the edge of the city's suburbs....
(off the A140) to the north via AylshamAylsham is a historic market town and civil parish on the River Bure in north Norfolk, England, about 15 km north of Norwich. The river rises near Aylsham and continues to Great Yarmouth and the North Sea, although it was only made navigable after 1779, allowing grain, coal and timber to be...
Road; 620 spaces, yellow buses.
- Sprowston
Sprowston is a suburban village bordering Norwich in Norfolk, England. It is bounded by Heartsease to the east, Mousehold Heath and the suburb of New Sprowston to the south , Old Catton to the west, and by the open farmland of Beeston St Andrew to the north.It is the largest parish in Norfolk and...
(off the A1151The A1151 is an A road, running entirely in the English County of Norfolk, in the East Anglia region of England. The road runs from the city of Norwich, and terminates at a junction with the A149, near Smallburgh.-Route:...
) to the northeast via WroxhamWroxham is a small town and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It situated on the south side of the River Bure, within the Norfolk Broads, and some eight miles north-east of Norwich...
Road; 788 spaces, purple buses.
- Postwick (off the A47) to the east via Thorpe Road; 525 spaces, red buses.
- Harford Bridge (off the A140
The A140 is an 'A-class' road in Norfolk and Suffolk, East Anglia, England partly following the route of the roman Pye Road. It runs from the A14 near Needham Market to the A149 south of Cromer. It is of primary status for the entirety of its route. It is approximately 56 miles in length...
) to the south via IpswichIpswich is a non-metropolitan district and the county town of Suffolk, England on the estuary of the River Orwell. Nearby towns are Felixstowe in Suffolk and Harwich and Colchester in Essex...
Road; 1088 spaces, blue buses.
- Thickthorn (off the A11) to the southwest via the Newmarket Road; 786 spaces, pink buses.
- Costessey
Costessey is a civil parish situated west of Norwich in Norfolk, England. The parish comprises two settlements: the long-established village of Costessey , and New Costessey , which developed during the first half of the twentieth century and has become a suburb of Norwich...
(off the A47) to the west via DerehamDereham, also known historically as East Dereham, is a town and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is situated on the A47 road, some 15 miles west of the city of Norwich and 25 miles east of King's Lynn. The civil parish has an area of and in the 2001 census had a...
Road; 710 spaces, green buses.
Altogether nearly 5000 parking spaces are provided and in 2006 3.4 million passengers used the service. Services begin running into the city at 06:40 Monday to Friday, with the last buses returning from 19:25 (20:30 on Thursday).
Air
Norwich International AirportNorwich International Airport , also known as Norwich Airport, is an airport in the City of Norwich within Norfolk, England north of the city centre and on the edge of the city's suburbs....
is a feeder to KLM's Schiphol hub.
FlyBeFlybe Limited is a British airline headquartered at the Jack Walker House at Exeter International Airport in Devon, England. It operates around 180 routes between 55 European airports...
,
Eastern AirwaysEastern Airways is an airline based at Humberside Airport, England. It operates scheduled domestic services and private charters . Around 700,000 passengers a year are carried on the scheduled route network....
, and
Bristow HelicoptersBristow Helicopters is a British helicopter airline originally based at Aberdeen Airport, Scotland, part of the Bristow Group based in Houston, Texas....
all serve Norwich, in addition to a strong holiday charter flight business. The airport was originally the airfield part of the former
RAFThe Royal Air Force is the United Kingdom's air force, the oldest independent air force in the world. Formed on 1 April 1918, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history ever since, playing a large part in World War II and in more recent conflicts.The RAF operates almost 1,109...
Horsham St Faith. One of the former RAF hangars was once the home of Air UK, which grew out of
Air AngliaAir Anglia was a wholly privately owned, independent regional British airline formed in 1970. It was based at Norwich Airport. Created as a result of a merger of three smaller operators, the new entity became an important regional scheduled carrier during the 1970s, serving the Eastern half of...
and was then absorbed by the Dutch airline KLM.
Bicycle
National Cycle Route 1 passes through Norwich, linking
BecclesBeccles is a market town and civil parish in the Waveney District of Suffolk, England, within an area known as The Broads. The town is shown on the milestone as from London via the A145 Blythburgh and A12 road, northeast of London as the crow flies, southeast of Norwich, and north northeast of...
and
FakenhamFakenham is a town and civil parish in Norfolk, England. It is situated on the River Wensum, some north east of King's Lynn, south west of Cromer, and north west of Norwich....
(and eventually
DoverDover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; west of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
and the
Shetland IslandsShetland is an archipelago in Scotland, off the northeast coast. The islands lie to the northeast of Orkney, from the Faroe Islands and form part of the division between the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the North Sea to the east. The total area is approximately 1,466 km²...
).
Water
The
River YareThe River Yare is a river in the English county of Norfolk. In its lower reaches the river connects with the navigable waterways of The Broads....
is navigable from the sea at
Great YarmouthGreat Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, 20 miles east of Norwich....
all the way to Trowse, south of the city. From there the
River WensumThe River Wensum is a river in Norfolk, England and a tributary of the River Yare despite being the larger of the two rivers. The complete river is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest and Special Area of Conservation . .- Etymology :...
is navigable into Norwich, and is crossed by the Novi Sad Friendship Bridge. Scheduled trips through the city and out to the nearby
The BroadsThe Broads is a network of mostly navigable rivers and lakes in the English counties of Norfolk and Suffolk. The Broads, and some surrounding land was constituted as a special area with a level of protection similar to a UK National Park by The Norfolk and Suffolk Broads Act of 1988...
are run by City Boats
http://www.cityboats.co.uk from outside Norwich Station and also Elm Hill.
Tourism
Norwich is a popular destination for a city break; attractions include
Norwich CathedralNorwich Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral in Norwich in Norfolk, England dedicated to the Holy and Undivided Trinity.-Construction:...
, the cobbled streets and museums of old Norwich,
The CastleNorwich Castle, in Norwich, England, was built in 1067 when William the Conqueror ordered its construction because he wished to have a fortified place in the important city of Norwich. In the event, it proved to be his only castle in East Anglia. Ninety-eight Saxon homes were demolished to make...
,
Cow TowerCow Tower is an historic military tower which stands by the River Wensum in Norwich, Norfolk.It was built in the 14th century and was badly damaged in the rebellion led by Robert Kett - whose men were camped on Mousehold Heath on the other side of the river....
,
Colman'sColman's is a UK manufacturer of mustard and various other sauces, based in Norwich, Norfolk.-History:Colman's of Norwich was founded in 1814 and is one of the oldest existing food brands. Colman's is now owned by Unilever...
Mustard Shop,
Dragon HallDragon Hall is a medieval building located in King Street, Norwich, Norfolk close to the River Wensum. Although some parts, such as the undercroft, are earlier, the Hall as seen today dates from works carried out by merchant Robert Toppes from 1427 onwards. It is a unique survival of a trading hall...
and
The ForumThe Forum is a community building in Norwich, Norfolk. It stands opposite from the St. Peter Mancroft Church. Designed by Michael Hopkins and Partners, the Forum was built as a millennium project for the East of England...
. Norwich is also one of the UK's top ten shopping destinations, with a mix of chain retailers and independent stores as well as one of the largest outdoor markets in England. It is currently ranked the 147th biggest city in Europe.
Travellers' comments
In
1507 the poet
John SkeltonJohn Skelton, also known as John Shelton , possibly born in Diss, Norfolk, was an English poet.-Education:...
(1460–1529) wrote of two destructive fires in his
Lament for the City of Norwich.
- All life is brief, and frail all man's estate. City, farewell: I mourn thy cruel fate.
Thomas FullerThomas Fuller was an English churchman and historian. He is now remembered for his writings, particularly his Worthies of England, published after his death...
in his
The Worthies of England described the City in
1662 as -
- Either a city in an orchard or an orchard in a city, so equally are houses and trees blended in it, so that the pleasure of the country and the populousness of the city meet here together. Yet in this mixture, the inhabitants participate nothing of the rusticalness of the one, but altogether the urbanity and civility of the other.
Celia FiennesCelia Fiennes was an English traveller. Born in Wiltshire, she was the daughter of an English Civil War Roundhead Colonel, who was in turn the second son of the William Fiennes, 1st Viscount Saye and Sele...
(1662–1741) visited Norwich in 1698 and described it as
- a city walled full round of towers, except on the river side which serves as a wall; they seem the best in repair of any walled city I know.
She also records that held in the City three times a year were-
- great fairs...to which resort a vast concourse of people and wares a full trade.
Norwich being
a rich, thriving industrious place full of weaving, knitting and dyeing.
Daniel DefoeDaniel Defoe , born Daniel Foe, was an English writer, journalist, and pamphleteer, who gained enduring fame for his novel Robinson Crusoe. Defoe is notable for being one of the earliest proponents of the novel, as he helped to popularise the form in Britain, and is even referred to by some as one...
in his Tour of the whole Island of Great Britain (1724) wrote of the City-
- the inhabitants being all busy at their manufactures, dwell in their garrets at their looms, in their combing-shops, so they all them, twisting-mills, and other work-houses; almost all the works they are employed in being done within doors.
John EvelynJohn Evelyn was an English writer, gardener and diarist.Evelyn's diaries or Memoirs are largely contemporaneous with those of the other noted diarist of the time, Samuel Pepys, and cast considerable light on the art, culture and politics of the time John Evelyn (31 October 1620 – 27 February...
(1620–1706) Royalist, Traveller and Diarist wrote to Sir Thomas Browne-
- I hear Norwich is a place very much addicted to the flowery part.
He visited the City as a courtier to
King Charles IICharles II was the King of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father King Charles I was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War. The English Parliament did not proclaim Charles II king at this time. Instead they passed a statute making such a...
in 1671 and described it thus -
- The suburbs are large, the prospect sweet, and other amenities, not omitting the flower-garden, which all the Inhabitants excel in of this City, the fabric of stuffs, which affords the Merchants, and brings a vast trade to this populous Town.
George BorrowGeorge Henry Borrow was an English author who wrote novels and travelogues based on his own experiences around Europe. Over the course of his wanderings, he developed a close affinity with the Romani people of Europe. They figure prominently in his work...
in his semi-autobiographical novel Lavengro (1851) wrote of Norwich as-
- A fine old city, perhaps the most curious specimen at present extant of the genuine old English Town. ..There it spreads from north to south, with its venerable houses, its numerous gardens, its thrice twelve churches, its mighty mound....There is an old grey castle on top of that mighty mound: and yonder rising three hundred feet above the soil, from amongst those noble forest trees, behold that old Norman master-work, that cloud-enriched cathedral spire ...Now who can wonder that the children of that fine old city are proud, and offer up prayers for her prosperity?
Borrow wrote far less favourably of the City in his translation of
FaustFaust or Faustus is the protagonist of a classic German legend who makes a pact with the Devil in exchange for knowledge...
-
- They found the people of the place modelled after so unsightly a pattern, with such ugly figures and flat features that the devil owned he had never seen them equalled, except by the inhabitants of an English town, called Norwich, when dressed in their Sunday's best.
In 1812, Andrew Robertson wrote to the painter
ConstableA constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.- Etymology :...
-
- I arrived here a week ago and find it a place where the arts are very much cultivated....some branches of knowledge, chemistry, botany, etc. are carried to a great length. General literature seems to be pursued with an ardour which is astonishing when we consider that it does not contain a university, as is merely a manufacturing town.
In 1962,
Sir Nikolaus PevsnerSir Nikolaus Bernhard Leon Pevsner, CBE, was a German-born British scholar of history of art and, especially, of history of architecture. He is best known for his 46-volume series of county-by-county guides, The Buildings of England .-Life:The son of a Jewish merchant, Pevsner was born in Leipzig,...
stated in his North-West Norfolk and Norwich volume of
The Buildings of England that
- Norwich is distinguished by a prouder sense of civic responsibility than any other town of about the same size in Britain.
Notable people
Throughout its history, Norwich has been associated with
radicalRadicalisation or Radicalization is the transformation from passiveness or activism to more revolutionary, militant or extreme postures...
politics, nonconformist religion,
political dissentPolitical dissent refers to any expression designed to convey dissatisfaction with or opposition to the policies of a governing body. Such expression may take forms from vocal disagreement to civil disobedience to the use of violence. Historically, repressive governments have sought to punish...
and
liberalismLiberalism is the belief in the importance of individual freedom. This belief is widely accepted today throughout the world, and was recognized as an important value by many philosophers throughout history...
. It has also produced notable people in many other walks of life, particularly
the ArtsThe arts is a broad subdivision of culture, composed of many expressive disciplines. It is a broader term than "art", which as a description of a field usually means only the visual arts...
. Famous past names associated with the City include:
- Michael Andrews
Michael Andrews was a British painter.-Life and work:Michael Andrews was born in Norwich, England. He completed his National service between 1947 and 1949, part of which he spent in Egypt. From 1949-53 he studied at the Slade School of Fine Art under William Coldstream, Lucian Freud, William...
(1928–1995), twentieth century British painter.
- Elizabeth Bentley
Elizabeth Bentley was a poet born in Norwich to Elizabeth Lawrence and Daniel Bentley. The latter, a journeyman cordwainer who had himself received a good education, educated Elizabeth, his only child. The family faced financial difficulties after he had a stroke in 1777 and was unable to work at...
(1767–1839), author of "Tales for Children in Verse", lived at 45 St Stephen's Square, Norwich.
- Billy Bluelight
Billy Bluelight pseudonym of William Cullum. . A much loved legendary figure in Norwich and well known for his races against steam pleasure boats in the 1920/30s along the River Wensum and River Yare....
(1859/1863?–1949). Pseudonym of William Cullum, legendary folk-hero, well known for his races against steam pleasure boats.
- George Borrow
George Henry Borrow was an English author who wrote novels and travelogues based on his own experiences around Europe. Over the course of his wanderings, he developed a close affinity with the Romani people of Europe. They figure prominently in his work...
(1803–1881), writer and traveller. In his youth Borrow was resident at Willow Lane. He attended the Norwich King Edward school. Borrow recollects his youth in the city and conversations with the philologist and translator of German Romantic literature, William Taylor in his semi-autobiographical novel Lavengro.
- Sir Thomas Browne
Sir Thomas Browne was an English author of varied works which disclose his wide learning in diverse fields including medicine, religion, science and the esoteric....
(1605–1682), medical doctor, polymathA polymath is a person whose expertise fills a significant number of subject areas. In less formal terms, a polymath may simply refer to someone who is very knowledgeable...
scholar, encyclopedist and philosopher with interests in BiblicalThe Bible contains the central religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. Modern Judaism generally recognizes a single set of canonical books known as the Tanakh, or Hebrew Bible, as it is written almost entirely in the Hebrew language, with some small portions in Aramaic...
scholarship and the esoteric. The stylistic purity and stupendous learning displayed in Browne's varied prose in the spheres of religionA religion is a system of human thought which usually includes a set of narratives, symbols, beliefs and practices that give meaning to the practitioner's experiences of life through reference to a higher power, deity or deities, or ultimate truth...
, scienceScience is in its broadest sense to any systematic knowledge-base or prescriptive practice that is capable of resulting in a prediction or predictable type of outcome...
and artArt is the process or product of deliberately arranging elements in a way that appeals to the senses or emotions. It encompasses a diverse range of human activities, creations, and modes of expression, including music, literature, film, sculpture, and paintings...
are minor classics of World literatureLiterature is the art of written works. Literally translated, the word means "acquaintance with letters" , and therefore the academic study of literature is known as Letters...
.
- Edith Cavell
Edith Louisa Cavell was a British nurse and humanitarian. She is celebrated for helping some 200 Allied soldiers escape from German-occupied Belgium during World War I, for which she was executed...
(1865–1915) was born in SwardestonSwardeston is a village four miles south of Norwich in Norfolk, England, on high ground above the Tas valley. It covers an area of and had a population of 540 in 246 households as of the 2001 census.-History:...
, 4 miles south of Norwich. She was a World War IWorld War I , also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All Wars, was a global military conflict which involved most of the world's great powers, assembled in two opposing alliances: the Triple Entente and the Triple Alliance...
nurseA nurse is a healthcare professional who, in collaboration with other members of a health care team, is responsible for: treatment, safety, and recovery of acutely or chronically ill individuals; health promotion and maintenance within families, communities and populations; and, treatment of...
who was executed by firing squadExecution by firing squad is a method of capital punishment, particularly common in times of war. The firing squad is generally composed of several soldiers or peace officers. The method of execution requires all members of the group to fire simultaneously, thus preventing both disruption of the...
by the GermansThe German people are an ethnic group, in the sense of sharing a common German culture, descent, and speaking the German language as a mother tongue. Within Germany, Germans are defined by citizenship , distinguished from people of German ancestry...
for helping allied prisoners escape in violation of military law. She is buried on Life's Green, on the east side of Norwich Cathedral.
- William Calthorpe
Sir William Calthorpe, , Knight of the Bath, and Lord of the Manors of Burnham Thorpe, and Ludham, in Norfolk. He is on record as High Sheriff of Norfolk and Suffolk in 1442, 1458 and 1469 and 1479....
who purchased Erpingham manor in St.Martin's at the Palace, Norwich in 1447.
- John Crome
John Crome was an artist in the Romantic era. Born in the English city of Norwich, John Crome is also known as Old Crome to distinguish him from his son, John Berney Crome, who was also a well-known artist....
(1768–1821) and Joseph StannardJoseph Stannard was a prominent member of the Norwich school of artists , which also included John Crome and John Sell Cotman....
(1797–1830), along with John Sell CotmanJohn Sell Cotman was an artist of the Norwich school and an associate of John Crome. He was born in Norwich, England and worked mainly in watercolour, but also produced architectural etchings. He spent virtually all his life in England, apart from three trips to Normandy financed by rich patrons...
(1782–1842), established the first British art movement outside of London. The Norwich schoolThe Norwich School of painters were the first provincial art movement in Britain that began in 1803. They were inspired by the natural beauty of the Norfolk landscape and influenced stylistically through the cultural affinity of Norwich and Norfolk to the Benelux countries by Dutch masters of...
of painters were influenced by the achievements of Dutch landscape paintingPainting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . In art, the term describes both the act and the result, which is called a painting. Paintings may have for their support such surfaces as walls, paper, canvas, wood, glass, lacquer, clay or concrete...
and the beauty of the rural hinterland surrounding Norwich.
- William Crotch
William Crotch was an English composer, organist and artist.Born in Norwich to a master carpenter he showed early musical talent . The three and a half year old Master William Crotch was taken to London by his ambitious mother, where he not only played on the organ of the Chapel Royal in St....
(1775–1847). ComposerA composer is a person who creates music, usually by musical notation, for interpretation and performance. The level of distinction between composers and other musicians varies, which affects issues such as copyright and the deference given to individual interpretations of a particular piece of...
, artist and teacher. Norwich's MozartWolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as...
. He gave daily public organ recitals aged two and a half. Crotch played God Save the King before the King aged three. He had performed at every major town in England and Scotland by the age of seven. Crotch became Organist of Christ ChurchThis article is about the Oxford college. For other uses, see Christ Church or Christchurch .Christ Church , is one of the largest constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England...
, OxfordThe University of Oxford , located in the UK city of Oxford, is the oldest surviving university in the English-speaking world and is regarded as one of the world's leading academic institutions. Although the exact date of foundation remains unclear, there is evidence of teaching there as far back...
and for fifty years he was OxfordThe University of Oxford , located in the UK city of Oxford, is the oldest surviving university in the English-speaking world and is regarded as one of the world's leading academic institutions. Although the exact date of foundation remains unclear, there is evidence of teaching there as far back...
's Professor of Music. Unlike Mozart, however, his precocious musical talents failed to mature to genius.
- Sir Thomas Erpingham (1357–1428), officer in the Battle of Agincourt
The Battle of Agincourt was an English victory against a much larger French army in the Hundred Years' War. The battle occurred on Friday 25 October 1415 , in northern France...
and Knight of the Garter
- Pablo Fanque
Pablo Fanque was the first black circus proprietor in Britain.A famous showman in his time, he is best known today from the lyrics of the Beatles song Being for the Benefit of Mr...
(1796–1871). The first blackThe term black people usually refers to a racial group of humans with skin colors that range from light brown to nearly black. It also has been used to categorize a number of diverse populations into a common group. Some definitions of the term include only people of relatively recent Sub Saharan...
circusA circus is commonly a travelling company of performers that may include acrobats, clowns, animals, trapeze acts, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, unicyclists and other stunt-oriented artists. The word also describes the performance that they give, which is usually a series of acts that are...
proprietor in Britain was born in the city.
- Elizabeth Fry
Elizabeth Fry was an English prison reformer, social reformer and, as a Quaker, a Christian philanthropist....
(1780–1845). The prison reformPrison reform is the attempt to improve conditions inside prisons, aiming at a more effective penal system.-Theory:A precise definition refers to attempts to change the penal system, typically from one model of penology to another. Reverting to an earlier model is frequently also characterized as...
er and leading QuakerThe Religious Society of Friends is a religious movement, whose members are known as Friends or Quakers. The roots of this movement are with some 17th century Christian English dissenters, but today the movement has branched out into many independent national and regional organizations, called...
was born in Gurney Court in Magdalen Street and was one of several philanthropists associated with the city. Her portrait is upon the Series E (2005) Bank of EnglandThe Bank of England is, despite its name, the central bank of the whole of the United Kingdom and is the model on which most modern, large central banks have been based. It was established in 1694 to act as the English Government's banker, and to this day it still acts as the banker for the UK...
£5 note.
- Charles Suckling Gilman (1807–1888). Businessman, philanthropist. Founder, General Hailstorm Insurance Society, Norwich Mutual Marine Assurance Society, founder (with Joseph John Gurney) Norwich District Visiting Society.
- Sir Charles Rackham Gilman (1833– ). Businessman, politician, philanthropist. Son of Charles Suckling Gilman. Mayor of Norwich, 1882; founder of the Norwich and London Accident Insurance Association, chairman of the conservators of Mousehold Heath. (Norwich's Gilman Road named for this family.)
- Joseph John Gurney
Joseph John Gurney was a banker in Norwich, England and an evangelical Minister of the Religious Society of Friends , whose views and actions led, ultimately, to a schism among American Quakers.-Biography:...
(1788–1847) was a banker and philanthropistA philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
who worked with his sister Elizabeth Fry (see above) in prison reformPrison reform is the attempt to improve conditions inside prisons, aiming at a more effective penal system.-Theory:A precise definition refers to attempts to change the penal system, typically from one model of penology to another. Reverting to an earlier model is frequently also characterized as...
. He was also active in the movement to abolish the slave trade and a member of the temperance movementA temperance movement is a social movement against the use of Alcoholic beverages. Temperance movements may criticize excessive alcohol use, promote complete abstinence, or pressure the government to enact anti-alcohol legislation....
.
- Robert William Bilton Hornby
Robert William Bilton Hornby was an antiquarian, priest and Lord of the Manor of Heworth York, England.- Ancestry :...
(1821–1884) was a noted local antiquarian, priest and lord of the manor from the City of York. He was ordained a deaconDeacon is a role in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
at Norwich in 1844.
- Julian of Norwich
Julian of Norwich is thought of as one of the greatest English mystics. Little is known of her life aside from her writings. Even her name is uncertain, the name "Julian" coming from the Church of St Julian in Norwich, where she was an anchoress...
. Medieval ChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic, religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth, who Christians believe was the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament/Hebrew Bible, and the Son of God.The term "Christian" is also used adjectivally to...
mysticMysticism is the pursuit of communion with, identity with, or conscious awareness of an ultimate reality, divinity, spiritual truth, or God through direct experience, intuition, instinct or insight. Mysticism usually centers on a practice or practices intended to nurture those experiences or...
and contemporary of Chaucer. Julian is the author of The revelations of Divine Love the first book written by a woman in the English languageEnglish literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; Joseph Conrad was born in Poland, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, V.S....
. Julian's writings are well-represented by the scholarly website www.umilta.net.
- Robert Kett. Norwich's very own Robin Hood
Robin Hood is a hero in English folklore, a highly-skilled archer and outlaw. In particular, he is known for "stealing from the rich and giving to the poor," assisted by a group of fellow outlaws known as his "Merry Men"...
or Wat TylerWalter Tyler, commonly known as Wat Tyler was the leader of the English Peasants' Revolt of 1381.- Early life :Knowledge of Tyler's early life is very limited, and derives mostly through the records of his enemies...
. Kett was a Norfolk landowner from WymondhamWymondham is an historic market town and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It lies 9 miles to the south west of the city of Norwich, on the A11 road to Thetford and London.- Before The Great Fire :...
who lead the Kett's RebellionKett's Rebellion was a revolt in Norfolk beginning in July 1549 instigated by Robert Kett of Wymondham, Norfolk. Robert Kett himself had been a tanner and owned the manor of Wymondham making him a wealthy man.-First rebellions:...
in 1549 in the name of the common man against the corrupt Norfolk landowners. This eventually lead to the Battle of Dussindale against the King's forces on the 27 August 1549 in which 3000 of Kett's men were killed. He was hanged for Treason at Norwich CastleNorwich Castle, in Norwich, England, was built in 1067 when William the Conqueror ordered its construction because he wished to have a fortified place in the important city of Norwich. In the event, it proved to be his only castle in East Anglia. Ninety-eight Saxon homes were demolished to make...
on the 7 December 1549.
- James Martineau
James Martineau was an English philosopher.-Early life:He was born in Norwich, the seventh child of Thomas Martineau and Elizabeth Rankin, the sixth, his senior by almost three years, being his sister Harriet. They were descended from Gaston Martineau, a Huguenot surgeon and refugee, who married...
(1805–1900) Philosopher and brother to Harriet.
- Harriet Martineau
Harriet Martineau was an English writer and philosopher, renowned in her day as a controversial journalist, political economist, abolitionist and life-long feminist....
(1802–1876). The daughter of a Norwich manufacturer of HuguenotThe Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries. Since the eighteenth century, Huguenots have been commonly designated "French Protestants", the title being suggested by their German co-religionists or "Calvinists"...
descent, she suffered from ill-health and deafness throughout her life. A devout UnitarianUnitarianism as a theology is the belief in the single personality of God, in contrast to the doctrine of the Trinity ....
, her writings include Illustrations of political economy (1832–34). Harriet Martineau supported the abolitionist campaign in the United States writing Society in America (1837). She translated writings by Auguste Comte Auguste Comte was a French philosopher, the founder of sociology and sociological positivism.Comte developed sociologie in an attempt to remedy the social malaise left by the French revolution. The discipline was later formally and academically established by Émile Durkheim...
. Her first novel was entitled Deerbrook (1839). A radical in religion she published the anti-theological Laws of Man's Social Nature (1851) and Biographical sketches (1869).
- Bernard Meadows
Bernard Meadows was a British modernist sculptor.- Early life :He was educated at the City of Norwich School and Norwich School of Art and became Henry Moore's first assistant.- Career :...
, (1915–2005), modernistModernism, in its broadest definition, is modern thought, character, or practice. More specifically, the term describes both a set of cultural tendencies and an array of associated cultural movements, originally arising from wide-scale and far-reaching changes to Western society in the late...
sculptorSculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard and/or plastic material, sound, and/or text and or light, commonly stone , metal, glass, or wood. Some sculptures are created directly by finding or carving; others are assembled, built together and fired, welded, molded,...
.
- Sir John Mills, (1908–2005), was born in North Elmham
North Elmham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk.It covers an area of and had a population of 1,428 in 624 households as of the 2001 census. For the purposes of local government, it falls within the district of Breckland....
in NorfolkNorfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast, including The Wash. The county town is Norwich...
. Mills was educated at the Norwich High School for BoysNorwich High School for Boys was an independent school in Norwich, England. Founded in 1910, it became the Langley School shortly after World War II.-History:...
. He also had Football (Soccer)Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of eleven players using a spherical ball...
trials with Norwich City F.C. in the 1920s before moving into actingActing is the work of an actor or actress, which is a person in theatre, television, film, or any other storytelling medium who tells the story by portraying a character and, usually, speaking or singing the written text or play...
.
- R. H. Mottram (1883–1971), novelist and Lord Mayor
The Lord Mayor is the title of the Mayor of a major city, with special recognition.* In England, Wales and Northern Ireland it is a purely ceremonial post, see Mayors in the United Kingdom, list of cities in the United Kingdom, especially Lord Mayor of the City of London The Lord Mayor is the title...
of Norwich.
- Admiral Horatio Nelson
Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronté, KB was a British flag officer famous for his service in the Royal Navy, particularly during the Napoleonic Wars...
attended the Norwich SchoolNorwich School in Norwich, Norfolk, England, previously King Edward VI’s Grammar School, is one of the oldest schools in the world, with a traceable history as far back as 1096....
from 1767 to 1768. He was born in nearby Burnham ThorpeBurnham Thorpe is a small village and civil parish on the River Burn and near the coast of Norfolk in the United Kingdom. It is famous for being the birthplace of Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson, victor at the Battle of Trafalgar and one of Britain's greatest heroes...
.
- Amelia Opie
Amelia Opie, née Alderson , was an English author who published numerous novels in the Romantic Period of the early 19th century, through 1828.-Life and work:...
(1769–1853), Norwich author and QuakerThe Religious Society of Friends is a religious movement, whose members are known as Friends or Quakers. The roots of this movement are with some 17th century Christian English dissenters, but today the movement has branched out into many independent national and regional organizations, called...
. In 1825 she drastically changed her life as a socialiteA socialite is a person who is known to be a part of fashionable high society because of their regular participation in social activities and fondness for spending a significant amount of time entertaining and being entertained. Some socialites may choose to use their social skills and connections...
, party-goer and attendant at literary soirées, to become a Quaker.
- Matthew Parker
Matthew Parker was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1559 until his death in 1575. He was also an influential theologian and arguably the co-founder of Anglican theological thought....
(1504–1575), Archbishop of CanterburyAlso see Leaders of ChristianityThe Archbishop of Canterbury is the chief bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury, the see that churches must be in communion with in order to be...
.
- William H. Scott (1863–1938), electrical engineer and founder of the Norwich-based firm Lawrence Scott & Electromotors Ltd.
- Sir James Edward Smith botanist, natural historian and one-time owner of the Linnean collection of Carolus Linnaeus
Carl Linnaeus was a Swedish botanist, physician, and zoologist, who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of binomial nomenclature...
- William Smith
William Smith was a British politician and dissenter and Member of Parliament for Norwich.-Early life:William Smith was born on 22 September 1756 at Clapham , the son of Samuel Smith...
(1756–1835), WhigThe Whigs are often described as one of the two original political parties in England and later the United Kingdom from the late 17th to the mid-19th centuries. The Whigs' origin lay in constitutional monarchism and opposition to absolute rule...
politician, dissenterThe term dissenter , labels one who disagrees in matters of opinion, belief, etc. in the social and religious history of England and Wales, however, it refers particularly to a member of a religious body in England or Wales who has, for one reason or another, separated from the Established...
and abolitionist, M.P.A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a parliament. In many countries the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a unique title, such as senate, and thus also have unique titles for its members, such as senators. Members of...
for Norwich from 1807.
Contemporary names associated with Norwich include:
- Bill Bryson
William McGuire "Bill" Bryson, OBE, is a best-selling American author of humorous books on travel, as well as books on the English language and on scientific subjects. Born an American, he was a resident of North Yorkshire, England, for most of his professional life before moving back to the US in...
, American writer and humorist, lives near WymondhamWymondham is an historic market town and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It lies 9 miles to the south west of the city of Norwich, on the A11 road to Thetford and London.- Before The Great Fire :...
, near Norwich.
- Martin Burgess
Edward Martin Burgess FSA FBHI, born 21 November 1931, known as Martin Burgess, is an English horologist and master clockmaker.-Early life:Burgess was educated at Gresham's School, Holt, between 1944 and 1949, where he was a member of Farfield...
, builder of the famous Gurney Clock in the Castle Mall
- Adam Buxton
Adam Offord Buxton is a British comedian and with Joe Cornish forms the duo Adam and Joe. The pair currently present Adam and Joe on BBC 6 Music.-Major work:...
, BBC 6Music DJ lives near Norwich.
- Charles Clarke
Charles Rodway Clarke is a British Labour politician, who has been the Member of Parliament for Norwich South since 1997, and served as Home Secretary from December 2004 until May 2006.-Early life:...
, Labour MP and former Home Secretary, lives in Norwich.
- Cathy Dennis
Cathy Dennis is a British dance-oriented pop singer–songwriter, record producer and actress...
, Singer/Songwriter who was born in Norwich in 1969.
- Ralph Firman
Ralph David Firman Jr. is a racing driver from the United Kingdom, who now races under Irish citizenship and an Irish-issued racing licence. Earlier in his career he raced under a British licence...
, former Formula OneFormula One, also known as Formula 1 or F1, and currently officially referred to as the FIA Formula One World Championship, is the highest class of auto racing sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile . The "formula" in the name refers to a set of rules to which all participants...
Driver was born in Norwich in 1975. He and his family live in nearby AttleboroughAttleborough is a market town and civil parish in Norfolk, England situated between Norwich and Thetford. The parish falls within the district of Breckland and has an area of 21.90 km² with a Mainline to both Norwich and Cambridge....
, and he was educated at Gresham's SchoolGresham’s School is an independent coeducational boarding school at Holt in North Norfolk, England, a member of the HMC.The school was founded in 1555 by Sir John Gresham as a free grammar school for forty boys, following King Henry VIII's dissolution of the Augustinian priory at Beeston Regis...
. Currently racing in the A1 Grand PrixA1 Grand Prix is a 'single make' open-wheel auto racing series. It is unique in its field in that competitors represent their nation as opposed to themselves or a team, the usual format in most formula racing series. As such, it is often promoted as the "World Cup of Motorsport"...
series for IrelandIreland is a country in north-western Europe. The modern sovereign state occupies about five-sixths of the island of Ireland, which was partitioned on 3 May 1921. It is a parliamentary democracy and a republic...
, for which he qualifies through his Mother's Irish nationalityNationality is the relationship between a person and their state of origin, culture, association, affiliation and/or loyalty. Nationality affords the state jurisdiction over the person and affords the person the protection of the state....
.
- Stephen Fry
Stephen John Fry is a British actor, writer, comedian, author, television presenter and film director. With Hugh Laurie, as the comedy double act Fry and Laurie, he co-wrote and co-starred in A Bit of Fry and Laurie, and the duo also played the title roles in Jeeves and Wooster...
, comedian, author, actor and filmmaker, studied at City College NorwichCity College Norwich is a college which is located on Ipswich Road, in Norwich, Norfolk, UK. Another new campus for Business Students is based at St Andrews House in Norwich City Centre. It was founded in 1891 and has been situated in its current location since 1953...
, and is a Norwich City F.C. fan.
- Trisha Goddard
Patricia "Trisha" Goddard is an English television presenter well known for her morning talk show Trisha Goddard, which was broadcast on a mid morning slot on Channel Five in the UK. In Australia she is known as a long time presenter of Play School.-Background:Goddard was born in London, England...
, talk show host lived in Norwich.
- Andy Green
Wing Commander Andy D. Green OBE BA RAF is a British Royal Air Force pilot and World Land Speed Record holder.-RAF career:...
OBEThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. The Order includes five classes in civil and military divisions...
, a Wing Commander in the Royal Air ForceThe Royal Air Force is the United Kingdom's air force, the oldest independent air force in the world. Formed on 1 April 1918, the RAF has taken a significant role in British military history ever since, playing a large part in World War II and in more recent conflicts.The RAF operates almost 1,109...
, is the current holder of the world land speed record, having piloted the ThrustSSCThrust SSC is a British-designed and built jet-propelled car developed by Richard Noble, Glynne Bowsher, Ron Ayers and Jeremy Bliss....
to the first ever supersonicThe term supersonic is used to define a speed that is over the speed of sound . In dry air at 20 °C , the threshold value required for an object to be traveling at a supersonic speed is approximately 343 m/s, . Speeds greater than 5 times the speed of sound are often referred to as hypersonic...
speed on land in the Black Rock DesertThe Black Rock Desert is a dry lake bed and the surrounding endorheic basin in northwestern Nevada in the United States. The flat expanse of dry lake, or playa, is a remnant of the prehistoric Lake Lahontan, which existed between 18,000 and 7,000 BC during the last ice age...
, USA on 25 September 1997.
- Alan Heath
Alan Heath is a British publisher and writer, chiefly noted as a Holocaust historian.Heath was born in Chelmsford, Essex on 9 November 1961. His childhood was spent in Lanchester and Consett, County Durham and he went to school at Lanchester EP School and Greencroft Comprehensive School where he...
, holocaust historianAn historian is an individual who studies and writes about history, and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all events in time...
has his UK residence in Norwich.
- Greg James
Greg James is an English radio DJ. Having previously had experience at BBC Radio Norfolk and Galaxy North East, he is now a DJ at BBC Radio 1 in London. He started presenting the Early Breakfast show 4.00-6.30am Monday-Friday from 8 October 2007, replacing the previous incumbents of the slot, JK...
, BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the BBC which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock or interviews. It is aimed...
presenter, studied at UEA.
- Ian McEwan
Ian Russell McEwan, CBE, FRSA, FRSL, is a Booker Prize-winning English novelist and screenwriter.-Early life:McEwan was born in Aldershot, the son of Rose Lilian Violet and David McEwan. He spent much of his childhood in East Asia, Germany and North Africa, where his father, a Scottish army...
Author, Booker Prize-winning English novelist and screenwriter, perhaps best known for his novel "AtonementThe atonement is a doctrine found within both Christianity and Judaism. It describes how sin can be forgiven by God. In Judaism, Atonement is said to be the process of forgiving or pardoning a transgression. This was originally accomplished through rituals performed by a high priest on the holiest...
". McEwan was educated at the University of East AngliaThe University of East Anglia is a public research university in Norwich, England. It was established in 1963, and is a founder-member of the 1994 Group of research-intensive universities. The University was ranked 20th in the The Times Good University Guide 2008, and joint first for student...
, located in Norwich, and was the first graduate of its pioneering Creative Writing course.
- Jane Manning
Jane Marian Manning OBE is an English concert and opera soprano, writer on music, and Visiting Professor at the Royal College of Music....
, opera sopranoA soprano is a singing voice with a vocal range from approximately middle C to "high A" in choral music, or to "soprano C" or higher in operatic music...
, was born and brought up in Norwich and attended Norwich High SchoolNorwich High School for Girls is an independent fee-paying school with selective entry located in Norwich, Norfolk, England. The school has one of the best academic records in Norfolk. The school was founded in 1875 and is now one of twenty-nine schools of the Girls' Day School Trust...
- Becky Mantin
Rebecca "Becky" Mantin is an English television presenter.Born to Wendy and Richard Mantin in Norwich, Mantin attended Norwich High School for Girls and the Sixth Form at Norwich School.-Career:...
, ITVITV is a public service network of British commercial television broadcasters, set up under the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC. ITV is the oldest commercial television network in the UK...
weather presenter and This MorningThis Morning is a British daytime television programme created by Granada Television and broadcast on ITV. It first aired from Granada's Albert Dock Studios in Liverpool on 3 October 1988. It features celebrity guests, entertainment, advice on health and well-being, competitions, cookery and more...
reporter.
- Bernard Matthews
Bernard Matthews is a British farming and food products business, which specialises in the farming of turkeys. Founded by Bernard Trevor Matthews in 1950, the company is headquartered in Norwich, Norfolk, England,and has 56 farms throughout Norfolk, Suffolk and Lincolnshire...
, founder of the eponymous meat company.
- Beth Orton
Elizabeth Caroline Orton, commonly known as Beth Orton, , is a BRIT Award–winning English singer-songwriter. Known for her "folktronica" sound, which mixes elements of folk and electronica, she was initially recognised for her collaborations with William Orbit and the Chemical Brothers in the mid...
, award-winning singer/songwriter was born in DerehamDereham, also known historically as East Dereham, is a town and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. It is situated on the A47 road, some 15 miles west of the city of Norwich and 25 miles east of King's Lynn. The civil parish has an area of and in the 2001 census had a...
, spent much of her childhood in Norwich and attended The Hewett SchoolThis secondary school is based on a 64 acre site in Norwich, England. The school has Arts Mark Gold, Eco School Silver and is a Creative Partnership School.The Hewett School is a member of OpenOpportunity, a partnership of eight schools and City College, Norwich...
.
- Steve Osborne
Steve Osborne is a music producer. He has worked with many bands and musicians, such as New Order. During most of the 1990s he was part of Perfecto Records, a production and remix collaboration with Paul Oakenfold; the artists they worked with include Happy Mondays and U2. He was part of the 1990s...
, musicianA musician is a person who performs or writes music. Musicians can be classified by their roles in creating or performing music:* An instrumentalist plays a musical instrument.* A singer uses his or her voice as an instrument....
and record producer - grew up in Norwich, left in 1986 to join Trident StudiosTrident Studios was a British recording facility, originally located at 17 St. Anne's Court in London's Soho district. It was constructed in 1967 by brothers Barry and Norman Sheffield. The first major hit recorded at Trident was "My Name's Jack" by Manfred Mann in March 1968, which launched its...
- now lives near Bath and has produced both KT TunstallKate Victoria Tunstall better known as KT Tunstall is a singer-songwriter and guitarist. She broke into the public eye with a live solo performance of her song "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" on Later... with Jools Holland...
albums amongst many others.
- Emma Pooley
Emma Jane Pooley is an English professional cyclist and Olympic silver medallist currently riding for .-Biography:Born in Wandsworth, London, Pooley grew up in Norwich before attending Cambridge university....
, British OlympicThe Olympic Games are a major international event of summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes compete in a wide variety of events. The Games are currently held every two years, with Summer and Winter Olympic Games alternating. Originally, the ancient Olympic Games were held in...
silver medal winning cyclist and winner of the 2009 Woman's Tour De France, attended Norwich SchoolNorwich School in Norwich, Norfolk, England, previously King Edward VI’s Grammar School, is one of the oldest schools in the world, with a traceable history as far back as 1096....
and her family are from Norfolk.
- Philip Pullman
Philip Pullman CBE is an English writer. He is the best-selling author of His Dark Materials , and a number of other books.- Biography :...
, British writer was born in Norwich on 19 October 1946. Best-selling author of the His Dark MaterialsHis Dark Materials is a trilogy of fantasy novels by Philip Pullman comprising Northern Lights , The Subtle Knife and The Amber Spyglass...
trilogy of fantasy novels and a number of other books.
- Colin Self
Colin Self is a British Pop Artist, whose work has addressed the theme of the Cold War.As a student at the Slade School of Fine Art from 1961 to 1963 Colin Self received encouragement for his drawings and collages from the artists David Hockney and Peter Blake...
, pop artist
- Delia Smith
Delia Smith CBE is an English cook and television presenter, known for her interest in teaching basic cookery skills. She is the UK's best-selling cookery author, with more than 18 million copies sold....
, celebrity chef and joint majority owner of Norwich City F.C.
- Chris Sutton
Christopher Roy "Chris" Sutton is an English football manager and former player.In his career, Sutton played for Norwich City, Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea, Celtic, Birmingham City and Aston Villa. Sutton scored over 150 career goals in over 400 league appearances spanning 16 years in the English...
, football player (striker); joint top scorer for the Premier League in 1997/8; formerly the record English transfer (at £5 million from Norwich to Blackburn in 1994); was brought up in Norwich, attending HellesdonHellesdon is a thriving suburb of Norwich in the District of Broadland in Norfolk, England. It lies approximately 4 miles north-west of Norwich and has 11,177 inhabitants.- History :...
High School where his father, Mike Sutton (footballer)Mike Sutton is a former English professional footballer. He played in The Football League for three clubs. Two of his sons, Chris and John, have also played professionally.-Playing career:...
, was also a teacher.
- Stella Vine
Stella Vine is an English artist, who lives and works in London. Her work is figurative painting with subject matter drawn from either her personal life of family, friends and school, or rock stars, royalty and celebrities.After a difficult relationship with her stepfather, she left home and in...
lived in Norwich during her childhood, from the age of 7, during which time she performed at the Norwich Theatre Royal. Vine moved back to live in Norwich again later in her life with her son. Vine painted a large painting Welcome to Norwich a fine city (2006) which depicts Vine with her son and family cat in Norwich, against a clear blue sky. Her first job was at age 14 in a local Norwich cake shop.
- Tim Westwood
Timothy Westwood is an English DJ and presenter of radio and television. He also presents the UK version of the MTV show Pimp My Ride...
, BBC Radio 1 Rap DJ and presenter of popular MTV show "Pimp My Ride (UK)". Grew up in and around Norwich (his father was the bishop of Peterborough, in the neighbouring county of CambridgeshireCambridgeshire is a county in England, bordering Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the northeast, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west...
) and attended Norwich School and The Hewett SchoolThis secondary school is based on a 64 acre site in Norwich, England. The school has Arts Mark Gold, Eco School Silver and is a Creative Partnership School.The Hewett School is a member of OpenOpportunity, a partnership of eight schools and City College, Norwich...
.
Twinned cities
Officially:
Novi SadNovi Sad is the capital of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina, and the administrative centre of the South Bačka District. The city lies in the southern part of Central Europe's Pannonian Plain, on both banks of the Danube river.Novi Sad is Serbia's second largest city, after Belgrade...
,
SerbiaSerbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a country located in both Central and Southeastern Europe. Its territory covers the southern part of the Pannonian Plain and central part of the Balkans...
RouenRouen is the historical capital city of Normandy, in northern France on the River Seine, and currently the capital of the Haute-Normandie region. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe, Rouen was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
,
FranceFrance , officially the French Republic , is a country located in Western Europe, with several overseas islands and territories located on other continents. Metropolitan France extends from the Mediterranean Sea to the English Channel and the North Sea, and from the Rhine to the Atlantic Ocean...
KoblenzKoblenz is a city situated on both banks of the Rhine at its confluence with the Moselle, where the Deutsches Eck and its monument are situated.As Koblenz Koblenz (also Coblenz in pre-1926 German spellings; French Coblence) is a city situated on both banks of the Rhine at its confluence with the...
,
GermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a country in Central Europe. It is bordered to the north by the North Sea, Denmark, and the Baltic Sea; to the east by Poland and the Czech Republic; to the south by Austria and Switzerland; and to the west by France, Luxembourg, Belgium,...
Unofficially:
El ViejoEl Viejo is a municipality in the Chinandega department of Nicaragua.El Viejo is a small city near the city of Chinandega, noted for its particular gastronomic specialties, which include rosquillas , cajetas , bollitos de leche , and a fruit particular to the region called the toncua, which is...
,
NicaraguaNicaragua officially the Republic of Nicaragua , is a representative democratic republic. It is the largest country in Central America with an area of 130,373 km
2. The country is bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The Pacific Ocean lies to the west of...
.
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