Norwich
Norwich is one of England ’s finest medieval cities, with a winding street plan and a splendid cathedral, while the nearby waterways of the Norfolk Broads encompass one of Britain’s premier wildlife habitats.
Situated around the valley of the River Wensum, Norwich was established by the Anglo-Saxon’s who fortified the city in the 9th Century. From the 12th Century the city prospered through textile trade with the Flemish and Dutch and throughout the Middle Ages Norwich was England’s second city. Today Norwich is the main city for the East Anglia region, which incorporates gentle countryside and the famous waterways of the Norfolk Broads.
Norwich encompasses an intricate plan of narrow medieval cobbled streets around Elm Hill, the former centre of the Anglo-Saxon town lined with historic buildings dating from the 16th Century, while in the market place is situated the fine 15th Century Guildhall. The city’s most domineering features are its castle and the tall spire of its magnificent cathedral.
This spire is the second tallest in England, after Salisbury and the cathedral is a fine example of Norman Gothic architecture with vast pillars and arches. Established in the 13th Century the spire was added in the 15th Century and measures some 96m, the cathedral’s interiors are noted for their 400 carved and painted bosses outlining Biblical texts.
Standing at the centre of Norwich on a commanding hilltop, the castle was built in 1160 and served as a prison for 650 years until 1894 when it became a museum. Today this museum offers tours around the battlements, outlining the history of Norwich and houses art works from East Anglian artists such as John Crome.
Covering 117 sq miles of navigable waterways, lakes, marshland and nature reserves, the Norfolk Broads are teeming with wildlife and are one of the few man made areas of natural beauty in the world, created accidentally by medieval peat cutters. The Broads are a huge draw for boating enthusiasts and in the summer are filled with boats of all types and sizes, their colourful sails billowing from strong breezes coming in from the sea. Taking a slow cruise is without a doubt the best way of exploring these winding broads and misty wooded fens.
