Home of heritage Norfolk contains the greatest concentration of medieval churches in the world. Of the 921 that were originally built, 699 remain. Pack a picnic and head out for a countryside walk to see some of the unique historic churches including Wymondham Abbey, the remains of St Benets Abbey near Horning and the uniquely designed St Mary’s church at Burgh St Peter. If you’re in Norwich take a look inside St Peter Mancroft Church, opposite The Forum, it’s internationally known for its historic bell ringing tower; the first bell peal ever to be rung came from this tower in 1715. Elm Hill
Heritage Open Days Celebrate the city’s fine heritage as historic buildings and sites open their doors for free tours, walks, talks and more, between 8th and 11th September. Heritage Open Days is England's biggest heritage festival, discover the delights on our doorstep with hundreds of events take place around Norwich and Norfolk. Go to heritageopendays.org.uk to see the event programme. Burgh St Peter
Caistor Roman Town Three miles south of Norwich you can see the remains of the Roman regional capital, ‘Venta Icenorum’ (town of the Iceni) at Caistor St Edmund. Dating from around AD60, the settlement belonged to the Iceni tribe who were mostly destroyed by the Romans following a revolt led by Queen Boudicca. In dry weather you can still make out the lines of the old streets through the grass. When you’re there, download the free augmented reality app which allows visitors to see a reconstruction of the town and to examine some of the important artefacts that were found on the site.
The Norwich 12
If you love to explore heritage and want to get your bearings in the city at the same time, discover the Norwich 12. These 12 iconic landmarks form the UK's finest collection of individually outstanding heritage buildings spanning the Norman, medieval, Georgian, Victorian and modern eras. The collection includes The Forum, Dragon Hall, The Assembly House and the Guildhall. You can reach all 12 on foot around the city and many are open to the public. Download a map at norwich12.co.uk
The prettiest street in England? Norwich is the most complete medieval city in the UK and is a delightful jumble of medieval streets, lanes, cobbles and alleys, all enclosed in the ancient city walls. For a photo opportunity, head to historic Elm Hill where the street is lined with halftimbered houses, this beautiful street is loved by locals and tourists and even featured in the Hollywood blockbuster, Stardust. The hill leads down to the Fye Bridge and Tombland areas in the Cathedral Quarter which is well worth exploring.
The City of Stories In 2012 Norwich became England’s first UNESCO City of Literature, recognised for its world leading literary contributions. Norwich has been home to many prize-winning writers including Louis de Bernieres, Angela Carter, Amit Chaudhuri and George Szirtes. Julian of Norwich (1342-1416) was the first woman to be published in the English language. More recently, Norwich has made a name for itself as the City of Stories; tales of old and new combine to give the city its unique charm and character. Start your Norwich story at CityofStories.co.uk 13