The fact that the ‘wich’ in its name means it was originally a salt-mining settlement, is just one of the curious facts about Norwich.
The history of Norwich is a long and fascinating one, which can be comprehensively traced all the way back to the 11th century when it was the capital of the most populated county in England. As the impressive Norman-built Norwich Cathedral and the 12th century keep of Norwich Castle remind its residents and visitors every day, Norwich has a long and important role in the history of the British Isles. These days, it combines the grandeur of its historic buildings with a modern, vibrant atmosphere in its friendly city centre.
The Capital that Never Was
In the 11th century Norwich was every bit as big, bustling and important a city as London, thanks to its flourishing wool trade fed by the surrounding county. It was only the advent of the industrial revolution hundreds of years later in in the 1760s that firmly established London as the most populous city in the UK. But Norwich doesn’t just boast a first in terms of sheer numbers of people – it was also the first place in England to introduce a local newspaper in 1701 and postcodes in 1959.
A Surprising Arts Scene
Norwich is home to six theatres and one of only two dedicated puppet theatres in the UK. The Theatre Royal is a stunning and recently renovated art deco building that plays host to a huge range of theatre, comedy, musical and kids’ shows every year. The city also has a rich literary heritage with Revelations of Divine Love by Julian of Norwich being the first book written and published by an English woman in 1395. Norwich also became an official city of refuge for persecuted writers in 2007 and was named the world’s sixth UNESCO City of Literature in 2012.
Famous Faces
In recent years, Alan Partridge has been one of Norwich’s most famous faces, but there are many more non-fictional famous sons and daughters of Norwich. Legendary theatre actor Sir John Mills was born in Norwich, attended Norwich High School for Boys and nearly took a very different career path when he tried out for Norwich City FC in the 1920s. Acclaimed His Dark Materials author, Philip Pullman, is also a Norwich native, and certainly two of its most famous national treasures are its two most avid football fans, Delia Smith and Stephen Fry.
To Market, to Market
Founded when the conquering Normans arrived in the 11th century, Norwich Market is one the oldest and certainly the largest open air market in the country. Located on Gentleman’s Walk, the 200 stalls of Norwich market are where the city has traded, gossiped and simply wandered around for many a century. These days the market is open six days a week from 8.30am-5.30pm, and offers a dazzling array of excellent local produce including meat, fish, cheese and breads, plus tasty treats to eat on the go. There are also stalls with everything from toys, to clothes, to crafts and jewellery to browse. During the festive season, Norwich celebrates in style with a variety of themed Christmas markets.
A Safe City
Norwich has the enviable title of being the one of the safest cities in the UK, with a history of having some of the lowest crime rates recorded. This wasn’t always the case though – Norwich also bears the questionable honour of being the only UK city to have been excommunicated by the Pope, who was angry with the city’s unruly residents after rioting in 1274. The good behaviour of the residents can’t just be accredited to an older population – the city has a high and healthy youth population, thanks in part to students who come to study at the University of East Anglia and don’t want to leave. This combination of youth and safety make it a fantastic place to visit.
