The Historic Cathedral City of Norwich

Welcome to Norwich

For over 900 years, the spire of Norwich Cathedral has risen high above the fine City of Norwich skyline and its ancient architecture echoes with stories.

History

From its beginnings as an 11th century Benedictine monastery to its role as a 21st century Cathedral today, there is so much to explore.

The Cathedral dates back to 1096, when it was founded by Herbert de Losinga, the first Bishop of Norwich, and over the last nine centuries this magnificent place of worship has been at the heart of Norwich and its people.

Construction of the building was begun in 1096  and the crossing  tower measuring 461 ft was the last piece of the Norman cathedral to be completed; The cathedral was then  the largest building in East Anglia and The cathedral Close occupied a tenth of the total area of the medieval city.

The present structure of Norwich Cathedral is primarily Norman, being made of flint and mortar and faced with Caen Limestone The cathedral was damaged by rioters in 1272 and repairs were completed in 1278. The cloisters begun in 1297 and are the fourth largest  in England. The present spire being the second tallest in England is now a stone structure built in 1480 and replaced the one that was originally made of wood.

In about 1830, the south transept was re-modelled and in the 20th century  a new hospitality and education facility was added and  opened in 2010 by the late Queen Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh.

Norwich Cathedral once had the earliest astronomical clocks in England and the 'Cathedral Bosses'  are one of the world's greatest mediaeval sculptural treasures, having survived the destructions of icons by the Tudors  and English  Civil War periods.

While there is a lot to see both in the city and surrounding areas take a little time to try and understand the skills and physical endeavors of the generations that have created these magnificent structures and embedded them with centuries of history that we can all too often take for granted .

have a short break in the City and really enjoy 

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Getting there

Norwich is accessible by train, plane bus or car so getting to Norwich is easier than you think. There is  a train station, bus station, plenty of car parks and an international airport close to the city center. 

Getting here by road

Norwich is a place you don’t pass by, but go to by choice. This is where the road leads – whether you're coming north from London and the South, east from the rest of the UK or south and west from the rest of Norfolk.

By Train 

With advance fares much cheaper than you think and journeys via Greater Anglia and East Midlands Railway, leave the car at home and get the train straight to our central railway station. Your city visit starts the moment you step aboard.

Where to stay

From elegant country houses - luxury hotels or self catering

there are lots of great places to stay in Norwich

There is a great selection of hotels both in the city and close by and you can check these out with Hotels.com  If you prefer self catering then why not book with with VBRO

For more historic Cities in the North visit -

Our selection of hotels in the Midlands 

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Things to do

There are many things to do in and around Norwich but the first place to start is the magnificent Norwich Cathedral and castle then explore the many worders of this historic city 

Places to see

Norwich  has many wonderful places for you to see that can make for a really enjoyable stay. after exploring the Cathedral see the Norwich Guide then travel around to see the delights of the County.

Norwich Castle

Is a medieval royal fortification built by  William the Conqueror  in the aftermath of the Norman Conquest of England and was used as a jail from 1220 to 1887.   In 1894 the Norwich Museum was moved to Norwich Castle and holds significant objects from the region, especially works of art, archaeological finds and natural history specimens.

The Castle became a listed monument in 1916 and the castle buildings,  gatehouse and former prison wings, were given Grade I listed building status in 1954.The castle is one of the twelve heritage sites in the City and the interior of the keep was reconstructed over five years and was fully opened in 2025  to show how it would have looked in the early 12th century.

Norfolk Broads

Locals often refer to the area of the Norfolk Broads as 'Broadland' which, could be considered a more inclusive name for this beautiful part of England. A boating holiday on the Norfolk Broads will leave you with wonderful holiday memories.  No boating experience is necessary so just hire a boat and fall in love with this  wonderful place that will keep you enthralled and returning time after time for a perfect boating holiday on the Broads.​​​​​​​

Short Break in Norwich and enjoy

If you love visiting historic cities then have some fun with family and friends with Historic Mystery Tours