Approached from any direction, Norfolk’s capital announces itself with a sign that says, Norwich: A Fine City. The phrase is a quote from the 1851 book Lavengro by Norfolk author George Borrow, in which he describes Norwich as being ‘a fine old city’. It’s a simple appraisal that is hard to disagree with.
Because the city lies out on a limb, some way east of England’s main transport routes, Norwich is often overlooked by visitors. This is a pity because it can compare favourably with more popular destinations like Cambridge, York and Durham. Although relatively small with just 144,000 inhabitants, Norwich was England’s second-largest city during the medieval period. Originally an Anglo-Saxon settlement, the Normans developed the city at the end of the 11th century by building the castle and cathedral that both still stand today. The castle, which surveys the city from the top of a lofty mound that was once a Saxon settlement, was in use as a royal palace for
