Norfolk () is a
ceremonial and
non-metropolitan county in
East Anglia
East Anglia is an area in the East of England, often defined as including the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. The name derives from the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the East Angles, a people whose name originated in Anglia, in ...
in
England. It borders
Lincolnshire to the north-west,
Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and
Suffolk
Suffolk () is a ceremonial county of England in East Anglia. It borders Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south; the North Sea lies to the east. The county town is Ipswich; other important towns include Lowes ...
to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the
North Sea, with
The Wash to the north-west. The
county town
In the United Kingdom and Ireland, a county town is the most important town or city in a county. It is usually the location of administrative or judicial functions within a county and the place where the county's members of Parliament are elect ...
is the city of
Norwich. With an area of and a population of 859,400, Norfolk is a largely rural county with a population density of 401 per square mile (155 per km
2). Of the county's population, 40% live in four major built up areas:
Norwich (213,000),
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth (), often called Yarmouth, is a seaside town and unparished area in, and the main administrative centre of, the Borough of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, England; it straddles the River Yare and is located east of Norwich. A pop ...
(63,000),
King's Lynn
King's Lynn, known until 1537 as Bishop's Lynn and colloquially as Lynn, is a port and market town in the borough of King's Lynn and West Norfolk in the county of Norfolk, England. It is located north of London, north-east of Peterborough, no ...
(46,000) and
Thetford (25,000).
The Broads is a network of rivers and lakes in the east of the county, extending south into
Suffolk
Suffolk () is a ceremonial county of England in East Anglia. It borders Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south; the North Sea lies to the east. The county town is Ipswich; other important towns include Lowes ...
. The area is protected by the
Broads Authority and has similar status to a
national park
A national park is a nature park, natural park in use for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state dec ...
.
History
The area that was to become Norfolk was settled in pre-Roman times, (there were Palaeolithic settlers as early as 950,000 years ago) with camps along the higher land in the west, where
flints could be quarried. A
Brittonic tribe, the
Iceni, emerged in the 1st century
BC. The Iceni revolted against the
Roman invasion in AD 47, and again in 60 led by
Boudica
Boudica or Boudicca (, known in Latin chronicles as Boadicea or Boudicea, and in Welsh as ()), was a queen of the ancient British Iceni tribe, who led a failed uprising against the conquering forces of the Roman Empire in AD 60 or 61. She ...
. The crushing of the second rebellion opened the area to the Romans. During the
Roman era roads and ports were constructed throughout the area and farming was widespread.
Situated on the east coast, the homelands of the Iceni were vulnerable to attacks from continental Europe and other parts of Britain, and forts were built to defend against raids by the
Saxons and the
Picts. A period of depopulation, which may have been due to these threats, seems to have followed the departure of the Romans. Soon afterward, Germanic peoples from the North Sea area settled in the region. Though they became known as
Angles, they were likely not affiliated to any tribe in particular at the time of their migration. It is thought that the settlement here was early (possibly beginning at the start of the fifth century, thereby preceding the alleged date of
Hengist and Horsa's arrival in Kent) and that it occurred on a large scale.
By the 5th century the Angles had established control of the region and later became the "north folk" and the "south folk"; hence "Norfolk" and "
Suffolk
Suffolk () is a ceremonial county of England in East Anglia. It borders Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south; the North Sea lies to the east. The county town is Ipswich; other important towns include Lowes ...
". Norfolk, Suffolk and several adjacent areas became the kingdom of East Anglia (one of the
heptarchy), which later merged with
Mercia and then with
Wessex. The influence of the early English settlers can be seen in the many place names ending in "-ham", "-ingham" and "-ton". Endings such as "-by" and "-thorpe" are also fairly common, indicating Danish toponyms: in the 9th century the region again came under attack, this time from
Danes
Danes ( da, danskere, ) are a North Germanic ethnic group and nationality native to Denmark and a modern nation identified with the country of Denmark. This connection may be ancestral, legal, historical, or cultural.
Danes generally regard t ...
who killed the king,
Edmund the Martyr
Edmund the Martyr (also known as St Edmund or Edmund of East Anglia, died 20 November 869) was king of East Anglia from about 855 until his death.
Few historical facts about Edmund are known, as the kingdom of East Anglia was devastated by t ...
. Several place names around the Fenland area contain Celtic elements; this has been taken by some scholars to represent a possibly significant concentration of Britons in the area.
In the centuries before the
Norman Conquest the wetlands of the east of the county began to be converted to farmland, and settlements grew in these areas. Migration into East Anglia must have been high: by the time of the
Domesday Book survey it was one of the most densely populated parts of the
British Isles. During the high and late
Middle Ages the county developed arable agriculture and woollen industries. Norfolk's prosperity at that time is evident from the county's large number of medieval churches: out of an original total of over one thousand some 659 have survived, more than in any other county in Britain and the greatest concentration in the world. The economy was in decline by the time of the
Black Death
The Black Death (also known as the Pestilence, the Great Mortality or the Plague) was a bubonic plague pandemic occurring in Western Eurasia and North Africa from 1346 to 1353. It is the most fatal pandemic recorded in human history, causi ...
, which dramatically reduced the population in 1349.
Kett's Rebellion occurred in Norfolk during the reign of
Edward VI, largely in response to the enclosure of land by landlords, leaving peasants with nowhere to graze their animals, and to the general abuses of power by the nobility. It was led by
Robert Kett, a yeoman farmer, who was joined by recruits from Norwich and the surrounding countryside. His group numbered some 16,000 by the time the rebels stormed Norwich on 29 July 1549 and took the city. Kett's rebellion ended on 27 August when the rebels were defeated by an army under the leadership of
John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland
John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland (1504Loades 2008 – 22 August 1553) was an English general, admiral, and politician, who led the government of the young King Edward VI from 1550 until 1553, and unsuccessfully tried to install Lady Ja ...
at the Battle of Dussindale. Some 3,000 rebels were killed. Kett was captured, held in the Tower of London, tried for treason, and hanged from the walls of Norwich Castle.
By the late 16th century Norwich had grown to become the second-largest city in England, but over one-third of its population died in the
plague epidemic of 1579, and in 1665 the
Great Plague again killed around one-third of the population. During the
English Civil War Norfolk was largely
Parliamentarian. The economy and agriculture of the region declined somewhat. During the
Industrial Revolution Norfolk developed little industry, except in Norwich which was a late addition to the railway network.
Early military units included the
Norfolk Militia.
In the 20th century the county developed a role in aviation. The first development in airfields came with the
First World War; there was then a massive expansion during the
Second World War with the growth of the
Royal Air Force and the influx of the American USAAF
8th Air Force which operated from many
Norfolk airfields.
The local
British Army regiments included the
Royal Norfolk Regiment (now the
Royal Anglian Regiment) and the
Norfolk Yeomanry.
During the Second World War agriculture rapidly intensified, and it has remained very intensive since, with the establishment of large fields for growing cereals and
oilseed rape.
Economy and industry
In 1998 Norfolk had a
Gross Domestic Product of
£9,319 million, which represents 1.5% of England's economy and 1.25% of the United Kingdom's economy. The GDP per head was £11,825, compared to £13,635 for East Anglia, £12,845 for England and £12,438 for the United Kingdom. In 1999–2000 the county had an unemployment rate of 5.6%, compared to 5.8% for England and 6.0% for the UK.
Data from 2017 provided a useful update on the county's economy. The median hourly gross pay was £12.17 and the median weekly pay was £496.80; on a per year basis, the median gross income was £25,458. The employment rate among persons aged 16 to 64 was 74.2% while the unemployment rate was 4.6%. The Norfolk economy was "treading water with manufacturing sales and recruitment remaining static in the first quarter of the year" according to research published in April 2018. A spokesperson for the
Norfolk Chamber of Commerce made this comment: "At a time when Norfolk firms face steep up-front costs, the apprenticeship system is in crisis, roads are being allowed to crumble, mobile phone and broadband 'not-spots' are multiplying, it's obvious that the key to improved productivity and competitiveness lies in getting the basics right". The solution was seen as a need for the UK government to provide "a far stronger domestic economic agenda ... to fix the fundamentals needed for business to thrive here..."
In 2017, tourism was adding £3.25 billion to the economy per year and supported some 65,000 jobs, being the fifth most important employment in Norfolk. The visitor economy had increased in value by more than £500 million since 2012.
Important business sectors also include energy (oil, gas and renewables), advanced engineering and manufacturing, and food and farming.
Much of Norfolk's fairly flat and fertile land has been drained for use as
arable land. The principal arable crops are
sugar beet
A sugar beet is a plant whose root contains a high concentration of sucrose and which is grown commercially for sugar production. In plant breeding, it is known as the Altissima cultivar group of the common beet (''Beta vulgaris''). Together wi ...
, wheat,
barley (for brewing) and
oil seed rape. The county also boasts a
saffron grower. Over 20% of employment in the county is in the agricultural and food industries.
Well-known companies in Norfolk are
Aviva
Aviva plc is a British multinational insurance company headquartered in London, England. It has about 18 million customers across its core markets of the United Kingdom, Ireland and Canada. In the United Kingdom, Aviva is the largest general ...
(formerly
Norwich Union),
Colman's (part of
Unilever),
Lotus Cars
Lotus Cars Limited is a British automotive company headquartered in Norfolk, England which manufactures sports cars and racing cars noted for their light weight and fine handling characteristics.
Lotus was previously involved in Formula One r ...
and
Bernard Matthews Farms
Bernard Matthews Holdings Ltd., trading as Bernard Matthews Foods Ltd, is a British farming and food products business with its headquarters in Great Witchingham, Norfolk, England, which specialises in turkey products.
Founded by Bernard ...
. The
Construction Industry Training Board is based on the former airfield of
RAF Bircham Newton. The
BBC East region is centred on Norwich, although it covers an area as far west as
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes ( ) is a city and the largest settlement in Buckinghamshire, England, about north-west of London. At the 2021 Census, the population of its urban area was over . The River Great Ouse forms its northern boundary; a tributary ...
; the BBC does however provide
BBC Radio Norfolk solely for the county. Brewer Greene King, food producer Cranswick and feed supplier ForFarmers were seeing growth in 2016–2017.
A
Local Enterprise Partnership was being established by business leaders to help grow jobs across Norfolk and Suffolk. They secured an
enterprise zone to help grow businesses in the energy sector, and established the two counties as a centre for growing services and products for the green economy.
To help local industry in Norwich, the local council offered a wireless internet service but this was subsequently withdrawn as funding has ceased.
The fishery business still continued in 2018, with individuals such as John Lee, a fifth generation crabman, who sells Cromer Crabs to eateries such as M Restaurants and the Blueprint Café. The problem that he has found is attracting young people to this small industry which calls for working many hours per week during the season. Lobster trapping also continued in North Norfolk, around
Sheringham and
Cromer, for example.
Management of the shoreline
Norfolk's low-lying land and easily eroded cliffs, many of which are composed of chalk and clay, make it vulnerable to weathering by the sea. The most recent major erosion event occurred during the
North Sea flood of 1953
The 1953 North Sea flood was a major flood caused by a heavy storm surge that struck the Netherlands, north-west Belgium, England and Scotland. Most sea defences facing the surge were overwhelmed, causing extensive flooding.
The storm and flo ...
.
The low-lying section of coast between
Kelling
Kelling (also known as ''Low Kelling'' and as ''Lower Kelling'') is a village and a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is west of Cromer, north of Norwich, and northeast of London. The village straddles the A149 Coast ...
and
Lowestoft Ness
Ness Point, also known as Lowestoft Ness, is the most easterly point of England, Great Britain, the United Kingdom and the British Isles. It is located in Lowestoft in the East Suffolk district of the county of Suffolk. The site is located to ...
in Suffolk is currently managed by the British
Environment Agency
The Environment Agency (EA) is a non-departmental public body, established in 1996 and sponsored by the United Kingdom government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with responsibilities relating to the protection and enha ...
to protect the Broads from sea flooding. Management policy for the North Norfolk coastline is described in the "North Norfolk Shoreline Management Plan" published in 2006, but has yet to be accepted by local authorities. The Shoreline Management Plan states that the stretch of coast will be protected for at least another 50 years, but that in the event of
sea level rise and
post-glacial lowering of land levels in the South East, there may a need for further research to inform future management decisions, including the possibility that the
sea defences may have to be
realigned to a more sustainable position.
Natural England have contributed some research into the impacts on the environment of various realignment options. The draft report of their research was leaked to the press, who created great anxiety by reporting that Natural England plan to abandon a large section of the Norfolk Broads, villages and farmland to the sea to save the rest of the Norfolk coastline from the impact of any adverse
climate change.
Education
Primary and secondary education
Before 2011, Norfolk had a completely
comprehensive state education or "maintained" system managed by
Norfolk County Council, with secondary school age from 11 to 16 or in some schools with
sixth forms, 18 years old. Since then,a number of schools formerly in the "maintained" system have left it to become
academies, or members of academy groups. Others have become
free schools. Both academies and free schools are still publicly funded by the Department of Education, but are not with County Council management.
In many of the rural areas, there is no nearby sixth form and so
sixth form colleges are found in larger towns. There are twelve
independent, or private schools, including
Gresham's School
Gresham's School is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school (English Independent school (United Kingdom), independent Day school, day and boarding school) in Holt, Norfolk, Holt, Norfolk, England, one of the top thirty International Bac ...
in
Holt
Holt or holte may refer to:
Natural world
*Holt (den), an otter den
* Holt, an area of woodland
Places Australia
* Holt, Australian Capital Territory
* Division of Holt, an electoral district in the Australian House of Representatives in Vic ...
in the north of the county,
Thetford Grammar School in
Thetford which is
Britain's fifth oldest extant school,
Langley School in
Loddon Loddon may refer to:
*Loddon, Norfolk in England, UK
*Shire of Loddon in Victoria, Australia (since 1995)
**Bridgewater On Loddon, Victoria in Australia
*River Loddon, flows into the River Thames near Reading
*Loddon River, flows north from south of ...
, and several in the city of Norwich, including
Norwich School and
Norwich High School for Girls. The King's Lynn district has the largest school population. Norfolk is also home to
Wymondham College, the UK's largest remaining state
boarding school
A boarding school is a school where pupils live within premises while being given formal instruction. The word "boarding" is used in the sense of "room and board", i.e. lodging and meals. As they have existed for many centuries, and now exten ...
.
Tertiary education
The
University of East Anglia is located on the outskirts of Norwich and
Norwich University of the Arts is based in seven buildings in and around St George's Street in the city centre, next to the
River Wensum.
The
City College Norwich and the
College of West Anglia are colleges covering Norwich and King's Lynn as well as Norfolk as a whole.
Easton & Otley College
Easton College is a college of further and higher education in Norfolk, located on a campus in the village of Easton. The college has specialist facilities for training in agriculture, horticulture, arboriculture, countryside, animal studie ...
, west of Norwich, provides agriculture-based courses for the county, parts of
Suffolk
Suffolk () is a ceremonial county of England in East Anglia. It borders Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south; the North Sea lies to the east. The county town is Ipswich; other important towns include Lowes ...
and nationally.
The
University of Suffolk also runs higher education courses in Norfolk, from multiple locations including
Great Yarmouth College.
Politics
Local
Norfolk is administered by Norfolk County Council which is the top tier local government authority, based at County Hall in Norwich. For details of the authority click on the link
Norfolk County Council.
Below Norfolk County Council the county is divided into seven second tier district councils:
Breckland District,
Broadland District,
Great Yarmouth Borough,
King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough,
North Norfolk District,
Norwich City and
South Norfolk District.
Below the second tier councils the majority of the county is divided into Parish and Town Councils the lowest tier of local government, (the only exceptions being parts of Norwich and King's Lynn urban areas).
As of 2018 the
Conservative Party control six of the seven District Councils:
Breckland District,
Broadland District,
King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough,
North Norfolk District, Great Yarmouth Borough and
South Norfolk District while
Norwich City is controlled by the
Labour Party.
Norfolk County Council has been under
Conservative control since 2017. There have been two periods when the council has not been run by the Conservative Party, both when no party had overall control, these were 1993–2001 and 2013–2017.
For the full County Council election results for 2017 and previous elections click on the link
Norfolk County Council elections.
National
The county is divided into nine parliamentary constituencies:
In the 2010 General Election seven seats were held by the
Conservatives and two by the
Liberal Democrats. The
Labour Party no longer held the urban constituencies they once held in Norwich North and Great Yarmouth, leaving them with no MP's in the whole of
East Anglia
East Anglia is an area in the East of England, often defined as including the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. The name derives from the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the East Angles, a people whose name originated in Anglia, in ...
; the former Labour
Home Secretary Charles Clarke was a high level casualty of that election.
In the 2015 General Election seven seats were won by the
Conservative Party, with
Labour winning Norwich South and the
Liberal Democrats winning North Norfolk.
In the 2017 General Election the 2015 result was repeated.
Norwich Unitary Authority dispute (2006–2010)
In October 2006, the
Department for Communities and Local Government produced a Local Government White Paper inviting councils to submit proposals for unitary restructuring. In January 2007 Norwich submitted its proposal, but this was rejected in December 2007 as it did not meet the criteria for acceptance. In February 2008, the
Boundary Committee for England (from 1 April 2010 incorporated in the
Local Government Boundary Commission for England
The Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) is a parliamentary body established by statute to conduct boundary, electoral and structural reviews of local government areas in England. The LGBCE is independent of government and pol ...
) was asked to consider alternative proposals for the whole or part of Norfolk, including whether Norwich should become a
unitary authority, separate from Norfolk County Council. In December 2009, the Boundary Committee recommended a single unitary authority covering all of Norfolk, including Norwich.
However, on 10 February 2010, it was announced that, contrary to the December 2009 recommendation of the Boundary Committee, Norwich would be given separate unitary status. The proposed change was strongly resisted, principally by Norfolk County Council and the Conservative opposition in Parliament. Reacting to the announcement, Norfolk County Council issued a statement that it would seek leave to challenge the decision in the courts. A letter was leaked to the local media in which the Permanent Secretary for the Department for Communities and Local Government noted that the decision did not meet all the criteria and that the risk of it "being successfully challenged in judicial review proceedings is very high". The Shadow Local Government and Planning Minister,
Bob Neill
Sir Robert James MacGillivray Neill (born 24 June 1952) is a British barrister and Conservative Party politician. He has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bromley and Chislehurst since a by-election on 29 June 2006, following the ...
, stated that should the
Conservative Party win the
2010 general election, they would reverse the decision.
Following the
2010 general election,
Eric Pickles was appointed
Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on 12 May 2010 in a
Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition government. According to press reports, he instructed his department to take urgent steps to reverse the decision and maintain the status quo in line with the Conservative Party manifesto. However, the unitary plans were supported by the Liberal Democrat group on the city council, and by
Simon Wright, LibDem MP for
Norwich South, who intended to lobby the party leadership to allow the changes to go ahead.
The
Local Government Act 2010 to reverse the unitary decision for Norwich (and Exeter and Suffolk) received Royal Assent on 16 December 2010. The disputed award of unitary status had meanwhile been referred to the
High Court, and on 21 June 2010 the court (
Mr. Justice Ouseley, judge) ruled it unlawful, and revoked it. The city has therefore failed to attain unitary status, and the two-tier arrangement of County and District Councils (with Norwich City Council counted among the latter) remains as of 2017.
Emergency services
*
Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service
Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) is the statutory fire and rescue service for the county of Norfolk in the east of England. The county consists of around 870,100 people, covering the 4th largest area in England with 2,074 square miles in ...
*
East of England Ambulance Service
*
East Anglian Air Ambulance
*
Norfolk Constabulary
Norfolk Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing Norfolk in East Anglia, England. The force serves a population of 908,000 in a mostly rural area of , including 90 miles of coastline and 16 rivers, including the B ...
*
British Transport Police
*
HM Coastguard
Settlements
Norfolk's county town and only
city
A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...
is
Norwich, one of the largest settlements in England during the
Norman era. Norwich is home to the
University of East Anglia, and is the county's main business and culture centre. Other principal towns include the port-town of
King's Lynn
King's Lynn, known until 1537 as Bishop's Lynn and colloquially as Lynn, is a port and market town in the borough of King's Lynn and West Norfolk in the county of Norfolk, England. It is located north of London, north-east of Peterborough, no ...
and the seaside resort and Broads gateway town of
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth (), often called Yarmouth, is a seaside town and unparished area in, and the main administrative centre of, the Borough of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, England; it straddles the River Yare and is located east of Norwich. A pop ...
.
Based on the 2011 Census
the county's largest centres of population are:
Norwich (213,166),
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth (), often called Yarmouth, is a seaside town and unparished area in, and the main administrative centre of, the Borough of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, England; it straddles the River Yare and is located east of Norwich. A pop ...
(63,434),
King's Lynn
King's Lynn, known until 1537 as Bishop's Lynn and colloquially as Lynn, is a port and market town in the borough of King's Lynn and West Norfolk in the county of Norfolk, England. It is located north of London, north-east of Peterborough, no ...
(46,093),
Thetford (24,883),
Dereham (20,651),
Wymondham (13,587),
North Walsham (12,463),
Attleborough
Attleborough is a market town and civil parish located on the A11 between Norwich and Thetford in Norfolk, England. The parish is in the district of Breckland and has an area of .
The 2001 Census recorded the town as having a population of 9 ...
(10,549),
Downham Market (9,994),
Diss
Diss or DISS may refer to:
*Diss, Alberta, a place in Canada
*Diss, Norfolk, a market town in England, United Kingdom
**Diss railway station
**Diss Rugby Club
** Diss Town F.C.
*Diss grass, a Mediterranean grass
*Diss (music), a song whose primary ...
(9,829),
Fakenham (8,285),
Cromer (7,749),
Sheringham (7,367)
and
Swaffham (7,258).
There are also several smaller
market towns:
Aylsham (6,016),
Harleston Harleston may refer to:
Places
* Harleston, Devon
*Harleston, Norfolk
*Harleston, Suffolk
People with the surname
*Bernard W. Harleston (born 1930), American college administrator
* Edward Harleston (1794–1826), American planter and politician
...
(4,458) and
Holt
Holt or holte may refer to:
Natural world
*Holt (den), an otter den
* Holt, an area of woodland
Places Australia
* Holt, Australian Capital Territory
* Division of Holt, an electoral district in the Australian House of Representatives in Vic ...
(3,810).
Much of the county remains rural in nature and Norfolk is believed to have around
200 lost settlements which have been largely or totally depopulated since the medieval period. These include places lost to coastal erosion, agricultural
enclosure, depopulation and the establishment of the
Stanford Training Area in 1940.
Transport
Roads
Norfolk is one of the few counties in England that does not have a motorway. The
A11 connects Norfolk to
Cambridge and London, via the
M11. From the west, there are only two routes from Norfolk that provide a direct link with the
A1: the
A47 to the
East Midlands
The East Midlands is one of nine official regions of England at the first level of ITL for statistical purposes. It comprises the eastern half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It consists of Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Li ...
and
Birmingham, via
Peterborough, and the
A17 to the
East Midlands
The East Midlands is one of nine official regions of England at the first level of ITL for statistical purposes. It comprises the eastern half of the area traditionally known as the Midlands. It consists of Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Li ...
, via
Lincolnshire. These two routes meet at
King's Lynn
King's Lynn, known until 1537 as Bishop's Lynn and colloquially as Lynn, is a port and market town in the borough of King's Lynn and West Norfolk in the county of Norfolk, England. It is located north of London, north-east of Peterborough, no ...
, which is also the starting point of the
A10, providing West Norfolk with a direct link with London, via
Ely Ely or ELY may refer to:
Places Ireland
* Éile, a medieval kingdom commonly anglicised Ely
* Ely Place, Dublin, a street
United Kingdom
* Ely, Cambridgeshire, a cathedral city in Cambridgeshire, England
** Ely Cathedral
Ely Cathedral, formal ...
, Cambridge and
Hertford
Hertford ( ) is the county town of Hertfordshire, England, and is also a civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of the county. The parish had a population of 26,783 at the 2011 census.
The town grew around a ford on the River Lea, ne ...
.
Railways
There are two main railway lines that link Norfolk with London. The
Great Eastern Main Line
The Great Eastern Main Line (GEML, sometimes referred to as the East Anglia Main Line) is a major railway line on the British railway system which connects Liverpool Street station in central London with destinations in east London and t ...
hosts inter-city services from
Norwich to
Liverpool Street, via
Ipswich and
Colchester. The
Fen line provides regular services between
King's Lynn
King's Lynn, known until 1537 as Bishop's Lynn and colloquially as Lynn, is a port and market town in the borough of King's Lynn and West Norfolk in the county of Norfolk, England. It is located north of London, north-east of Peterborough, no ...
and
King's Cross, via
Ely Ely or ELY may refer to:
Places Ireland
* Éile, a medieval kingdom commonly anglicised Ely
* Ely Place, Dublin, a street
United Kingdom
* Ely, Cambridgeshire, a cathedral city in Cambridgeshire, England
** Ely Cathedral
Ely Cathedral, formal ...
and
Cambridge.
In addition, the
Breckland line provides access from Norwich and
Thetford to destinations to the west including
Peterborough,
Nottingham,
Sheffield,
Manchester and
Liverpool.
Air
Norwich International Airport
Norwich Airport is an international airport in Hellesdon, Norfolk, England, north of Norwich. In 2017, Norwich Airport was the 28th busiest airport in the UK and busiest in the East Anglia region.
Norwich Airport has a CAA Public Use Aero ...
provides flights to various European destinations, including a link to
Amsterdam which offers onward flights throughout the world.
Dialect, accent and nickname
The Norfolk dialect is also known as "Broad Norfolk", although over the modern age much of the vocabulary and many of the phrases have died out due to a number of factors, such as radio, TV and people from other parts of the country coming to Norfolk. As a result, the speech of Norfolk is more of an
accent Accent may refer to:
Speech and language
* Accent (sociolinguistics), way of pronunciation particular to a speaker or group of speakers
* Accent (phonetics), prominence given to a particular syllable in a word, or a word in a phrase
** Pitch ac ...
than a
dialect, though one part retained from the Norfolk dialect is the distinctive grammar of the region.
People from Norfolk are sometimes known as
Norfolk Dumplings
Norfolk () is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in East Anglia in England. It borders Lincolnshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the west and south-west, and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the ...
, an allusion to the flour dumplings that were traditionally a significant part of the local diet.
More cutting, perhaps, was the alleged pejorative
medical slang term "Normal for Norfolk", alluding to the county's perceived status as a quirky rustic backwater due to a high level of
inbreeding among residents.
Tourism
Norfolk is a popular tourist destination and has several major holiday attractions. There are many seaside resorts, including some of the finest British beaches, such as those at
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth (), often called Yarmouth, is a seaside town and unparished area in, and the main administrative centre of, the Borough of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, England; it straddles the River Yare and is located east of Norwich. A pop ...
,
Cromer and
Holkham. Norfolk contains
the Broads and other areas of outstanding
natural beauty and many areas of the coast are wild bird sanctuaries and reserves with some areas designated as
national park
A national park is a nature park, natural park in use for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state dec ...
s such as the
Norfolk Coast AONB.
File:ElmHill.jpg,
File:Mundesleybeachnorth.jpg,
File:WroxhamBridge.jpg,
File:Peddars Way - Holkham Bay.jpg,
The
Queen's residence at
Sandringham House in
Sandringham, Norfolk provides an all-year-round tourist attraction whilst the coast and some rural areas are popular locations for people from the
conurbation
A conurbation is a region comprising a number of metropolises, cities, large towns, and other urban areas which through population growth and physical expansion, have merged to form one continuous urban or industrially developed area. In most ca ...
s to purchase weekend
holiday homes.
Arthur Conan Doyle
Sir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle (22 May 1859 – 7 July 1930) was a British writer and physician. He created the character Sherlock Holmes in 1887 for ''A Study in Scarlet'', the first of four novels and fifty-six short stories about Ho ...
first conceived the idea for ''
The Hound of the Baskervilles'' whilst holidaying in
Cromer with
Bertram Fletcher Robinson, after hearing local folklore tales regarding the mysterious hound known as
Black Shuck.
Amusement parks and zoos
Norfolk has several amusement parks and zoos.
*Thrigby Hall near Great Yarmouth was built in 1736 by Joshua Smith Esquire and features a zoo which houses a large tiger enclosure, primate enclosures and the swamp house which has many crocodiles and alligators.
*
Holkham Hall is an 18th-century stately home and
visitor attraction, constructed in the
Palladian style and at the centre of a 3,000 acre deer park on the
North Norfolk
North Norfolk is a local government district in Norfolk, England. Its council is based in Cromer. The population at the 2011 Census was 101,149.
History
The district was formed on 1 April 1974, under the Local Government Act 1972. It was a ...
coast with a woodland play area, walled garden and farming exhibition.
*Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure (formerly Dinosaur Adventure) is a
dinosaur themed adventure park in
Lenwade. It is set in 85 acres of parkland and has a dinosaur trail, indoor play area, high ropes course and outdoor water play area.
*
Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach
The Pleasure Beach Great Yarmouth is an amusement park located in the seaside resort town of Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, on the English east coast. It opened in 1909. The largest and most popular ride at the park is the wooden Roller Coaster which o ...
is a free-entry theme park, hosting over 20 large rides as well as a crazy golf course, water attractions, children's rides and "white knuckle" rides.
*
BeWILDerwood is an adventure park situated in the Norfolk Broads and is the setting for the book ''A Boggle at BeWILDerwood'' by local children's author
Tom Blofeld
Thomas Henry Calthorpe Blofeld (born 30 May 1964), known as Tom Blofeld, is a writer of children's books and the owner and CEO of Bewilderwood, an adventure park in Horning, Norfolk. The author of three books for children, '' A Boggle at Bewild ...
.
*Britannia Pier on the coast of Great Yarmouth has rides which include a ghost train. Also on the pier is the famous Britannia Pier Theatre.
*
Banham Zoo
Banham Zoological Gardens is a zoo in Banham, Norfolk, England. The zoo itself, which today is home to more than 2,000 animals, opened to the public in 1968, became a charity in 2013, and has since been often awarded the prize of Norfolk's Top ...
is set amongst of parkland and gardens with enclosures for animals including big cats, birds of prey, siamangs and shire horses. Its annual visitor attendance is in excess of 200,000 people.
*
Pensthorpe Nature Reserve, near the town of Fakenham in north Norfolk, is a nature reserve with many captive birds and animals. Such species include native birds such as lapwing and Eurasian crane, to much more exotic examples like Marabou stork, Greater flamingo, and Manchurian crane. The site played host to BBC's 'Springwatch' from 2008 until 2010. A number of man-made lakes are home to a range of wild birds, and provide stop-off points for many wintering ducks and geese.
*The
Sea Life Centre in Great Yarmouth is One of the biggest sea life centres in the country. The Great Yarmouth centre is home to a tropical shark display, one resident of which is Britain's biggest shark 'Nobby' the Nurse Shark. The same display, with its walk-through underwater tunnel, also features the wreckage of a World War II aircraft. The centre also includes over 50 native species including shrimps, starfish, sharks, stingrays and conger eels.
*The
Sea Life Sanctuary in
Hunstanton
Hunstanton () is a seaside town in Norfolk, England, which had a population of 4,229 at the 2011 Census. It faces west across The Wash, making it one of the few places on the east coast of Great Britain where the sun sets over the sea. Hunstant ...
is Norfolk's leading marine rescue centre and works both as a visitor attraction as well as a location for rescuing and rehabilitating sick and injured sea creatures found in the nearby
Wash and
North Sea. The attractions main features are similar to that of the Sea Life Centre in Great Yarmouth, albeit on a slightly smaller scale.
Theatres
The
Pavilion Theatre (Cromer) is a 510-seater venue on the end of Cromer Pier, best known for hosting the 'end-of-the-pier' show, the Seaside Special. The theatre also presents comedy, music, dance, opera, musicals and community shows.
The Britannia Pier Theatre (Great Yarmouth) mainly hosts popular comedy acts such as the
Chuckle Brothers and
Jim Davidson. The theatre has 1,200 seats and is one of the largest in Norfolk.
The
Theatre Royal (Norwich) has been on its present site for nearly 250 years, the Act of Parliament in the tenth year of the reign of George II having been rescinded in 1761. The 1,300-seat theatre, the largest in the city, hosts a mix of national touring productions including musicals, dance, drama, family shows, stand-up comedians, opera and pop.
The
Norwich Playhouse (Norwich) hosts theatre, comedy, music and other performing arts. It has a seating capacity of 300.
The
Maddermarket Theatre
The Maddermarket Theatre is a British theatre located in St. John's Alley in Norwich, Norfolk, England. It was founded in 1921 by Nugent Monck.
Early history and conversion
The theatre was originally built as a Roman Catholic chapel in 1794. In ...
(Norwich) opened in 1921 and was the first permanent recreation of an Elizabethan theatre. The founder was Nugent Monck who had worked with William Poel. The theatre has a seating capacity of 312.
The
Norwich Puppet Theatre
The Norwich Puppet Theatre is a nationally unique venue dedicated to puppetry housed in the medieval church of Saint James the Less a Grade 1 listed building, in the city of Norwich, England.
It currently houses a 165-seat raked auditorium, a 5 ...
(Norwich) was founded in 1979 by Ray and Joan DaSilva as a permanent base for their touring company and was first opened as a public venue in 1980, following the conversion of the medieval church of St. James in the heart of Norwich. Under subsequent artistic directors – Barry Smith and Luis Z. Boy – the theatre established its current pattern of operation. It is a nationally unique venue dedicated to puppetry, and currently houses a 185-seat raked auditorium, 50 seat Octagon Studio, workshops, an exhibition gallery, shop and licensed bar. It is the only theatre in the Eastern region with a year-round programme of family-centred entertainment.
The Garage studio theatre (Norwich) can seat up to 110 people in a range of different layouts. It can also be used for standing events and can accommodate up to 180 people.
The Platform Theatre (Norwich) is in the grounds of
City College Norwich (CCN), and has a large stage with raked seating for an audience of around 200. The theatre plays host to performances by both student and professional companies.
The
Sewell Barn Theatre
Sewell Barn Theatre is located in the grounds of Sewell Park Academy (formerly the Blyth school, later the Blyth-Jex school and Sewell Park College) on Constitution Hill in Norwich, England. It is home to a popular amateur theatre company, wit ...
(Norwich) is the smallest theatre in Norwich and has a seating capacity of 100. The auditorium features raked seating on three sides of an open acting space.
The
Norwich Arts Centre (Norwich) theatre opened in 1977 in St. Benedict's Street, and has a capacity of 290.
The
Princess Theatre (Hunstanton) stands overlooking the Wash and the
green in the East Coast resort of Hunstanton. It is a 472-seat venue. Open all year round, the theatre plays host to a wide variety of shows from comedy to drama, celebrity shows to music for all tastes and children's productions. It has a six-week summer season plus an annual Christmas pantomime.
Sheringham Little Theatre (Sheringham) has seating for 180. The theatre programmes a variety of plays, musicals and music, and also shows films.
The
Gorleston Pavilion (Gorleston) is an original
Edwardian building with a seating capacity of 300, situated on the Norfolk coast. The theatre stages plays, pantomimes, musicals and concerts as well as a 26-week summer season.
Demography
According to estimates by the
Office for National Statistics, the population of Norfolk in 2018 was 903,680, split almost evenly between males and females. Roughly 24.3% of the population was aged 65 or older, compared to 18.2% for the whole of England.
Source:
Notable people
From Norfolk
*
George VI, King/Emperor of the United Kingdom. Born and died on the
Sandringham Estate.
*
Joseph Ames, naval commander. Born and lived in Great Yarmouth
*
Joseph Ames, bibliographer and antiquary. Born in Great Yarmouth
*
Hannah Amond, pop singer from Norwich.
*
Diana Athill, literary editor and author, South Norfolk and
Ditchingham
*
Alexander Baker (Jesuit), missionary to India
*
Peter Bellamy, folk singer and musician, who was brought up in North Norfolk
*
Henry Blofeld,
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of eleven players on a field at the centre of which is a pitch with a wicket at each end, each comprising two bails balanced on three stumps. The batting side scores runs by striki ...
commentator
*
Henry Blogg, the UK's most decorated
lifeboatman, who was from
Cromer
*
Francis Blomefield, Anglican rector, early topographical historian of Norfolk
*
James Blunt, English acoustic folk rock singer-songwriter who was raised in Norfolk during his childhood
*
Boudica
Boudica or Boudicca (, known in Latin chronicles as Boadicea or Boudicea, and in Welsh as ()), was a queen of the ancient British Iceni tribe, who led a failed uprising against the conquering forces of the Roman Empire in AD 60 or 61. She ...
, scourge of the occupying
Roman Army
The Roman army (Latin: ) was the armed forces deployed by the Romans throughout the duration of Ancient Rome, from the Roman Kingdom (c. 500 BC) to the Roman Republic (500–31 BC) and the Roman Empire (31 BC–395 AD), and its medieval continu ...
in first century Britain and queen of the
Iceni, British tribe occupying an area slightly larger than modern Norfolk
*
Martin Brundle, former
motor-racing driver and now a commentator was born in King's Lynn
*
Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton, writer, born at
Heydon
*
George Russell (racing driver), Formula 1 driver, born in Kings Lynn, and educated at Wisbech grammar school.
*
Dave Bussey
Dave Bussey (born 4 October 1952), is an English radio disc jockey who, until March 2008, presented ''The Dave Bussey Show'' on BBC Radio Lincolnshire.
Early life
He was born in Drayton, Norfolk and grew up in Norwich, attending a secondary mo ...
, former
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It is the most popular station in the United Kingdom with over 15 million weekly listeners. Since launching in 1967, the station broadcasts a wide range of content. ...
and current BBC
Radio Lincolnshire presenter
*
Michael Carroll (29 March 1983–) lottery winner
*
Howard Carter
Howard Carter (9 May 18742 March 1939) was a British archaeologist and Egyptologist who discovered the intact tomb of the 18th Dynasty Pharaoh Tutankhamun in November 1922, the best-preserved pharaonic tomb ever found in the Valley of the K ...
, archaeologist who discovered
Tutankhamun's tomb; his childhood was spent primarily in
Swaffham
*
Edith Cavell, a nurse executed by the Germans for aiding the escape of prisoners in World War I
*
Sam Claflin, actor, grew up in Norwich and studied at
Costessey High School
Ormiston Victory Academy (formerly Costessey High School) is a secondary school and sixth form located in Costessey, Norfolk, England. The Academy has specialisms in Science and Applied Learning.
The Academy catchment area covers Easton, Marl ...
*
Sam Clemmett, actor, from
Brundall known for starring in West End stage play ''Harry Potter and the Cursed Child'', Haribo Tangfastics television advert and the
BBC documentary ''Murder Games: The Life and Death of Breck Bednar'' where he played
Breck Bednar
Breck David LaFave Bednar (17 March 1999 – 17 February 2014) was an English teenager of American descent from Caterham, Surrey, who was murdered by 18-year-old Lewis Daynes on 17 February 2014, at Daynes' flat in Grays, Essex. Bednar knew Day ...
the teen murdered by
Lewis Daynes
*
Edward Coke
Edward is an English given name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortune; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”.
History
The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-Sa ...
, 17th-century jurist and author of the
Petition of Right was born in
Mileham
Mileham is a village approximately midway between East Dereham and Fakenham in Mid Norfolk with a population of 563 people in 2011. The village sits astride the B1145 Kings Lynn to Mundesley road that dissects Mid Norfolk west to east. It is ...
and educated at
Norwich School
*
Olivia Colman
Sarah Caroline Sinclair ( Colman; born 30 January 1974), known professionally as Olivia Colman, is an English actress. Known for her comedic and dramatic roles in film and television, she has received various accolades, including an Academy A ...
, actress, born and educated in Norfolk
* Jamie Cutter, co-founder of
Cutter & Buck, America's largest golf apparel providers, born in Norwich
*
Cathy Dennis, singer and songwriter, from Norwich
*
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William and Harry. Her ac ...
, first wife of
Charles, Prince of Wales, was born and grew up in Park House near the
Sandringham estate
*
Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer brother of
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer; 1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997) was a member of the British royal family. She was the first wife of King Charles III (then Prince of Wales) and mother of Princes William and Harry. Her ac ...
and maternal uncle to H.R.H.
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge
William, Prince of Wales, (William Arthur Philip Louis; born 21 June 1982) is the heir apparent to the British throne. He is the elder son of King Charles III and his first wife Diana, Princess of Wales.
Born in London, William was educat ...
and
Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex
*
Anthony Duckworth-Chad, landowner and Deputy
Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk
*
Sir James Dyson
Sir James Dyson (born 2 May 1947) is a British inventor, industrial designer, farmer, and billionaire entrepreneur who founded Dyson Ltd. He is best known as the inventor of the dual cyclone bagless vacuum cleaner, which works on the princip ...
, inventor and entrepreneur, was born at Cromer, grew up at
Holt
Holt or holte may refer to:
Natural world
*Holt (den), an otter den
* Holt, an area of woodland
Places Australia
* Holt, Australian Capital Territory
* Division of Holt, an electoral district in the Australian House of Representatives in Vic ...
and was educated at Gresham's School
*
Bill (1916–1986),
Brian (1922–2009),
Eric (1914–1993),
Geoff (1918–2004),
John (1937–), and
Justin (1961–)
Edrich, cricketers
*
Nathan Fake, electronic dance music producer/DJ
*
Pablo Fanque, equestrian and popular Victorian circus proprietor, whose 1843 poster advertisement inspired
The Beatles song,
Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!, born in Norwich
*
Natasha and
Ralph Firman
Ralph David Firman Jr. (born 20 May 1975) is a British-born former racing driver who raced under Irish citizenship (his mother Angela is from Ireland) and an Irish-issued racing licence. Earlier in his career he raced under a British licence. H ...
, racing drivers, were both born and brought up in Norfolk and educated at Gresham's School
*
Caroline Flack, television presenter, who grew up in
East Wretham and went to school in
Watton
*
Margaret Fountaine, butterfly collector, was born in Norfolk, and her collection is housed in
Norwich Castle Museum
*
Elizabeth Fry, prominent 19th century
Quaker
Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of Christian denomination, denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belie ...
prison reformer pictured on the
Bank of England £5 note, born and raised in Norwich
*
Stephen Fry, actor, comedian, writer, producer, director and author who was born in London and was brought up in the village of
Booton near
Reepham. He now has a second home near King's Lynn
*
Samuel Fuller
Samuel Michael Fuller (August 12, 1912 – October 30, 1997) was an American film director, screenwriter, novelist, journalist, and World War II veteran known for directing low-budget B movie, genre movies with controversial themes, often ...
, signed the
Mayflower Compact
The Mayflower Compact, originally titled Agreement Between the Settlers of New Plymouth, was the first governing document of Plymouth Colony. It was written by the men aboard the ''Mayflower,'' consisting of separatist Puritans, adventurers, an ...
*
Claire Goose, actress who starred in
''Casualty'', was raised in Norfolk
*
Ed Graham, drummer of
Lowestoft
Lowestoft ( ) is a coastal town and civil parish in the East Suffolk district of Suffolk, England.OS Explorer Map OL40: The Broads: (1:25 000) : . As the most easterly UK settlement, it is north-east of London, north-east of Ipswich and sou ...
band
The Darkness
Darkness is the absence of light.
Darkness or The Darkness may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''Dark'' (TV series), a 2017 German-language TV series produced by Netflix
* Darknss, a character from the film ''Legend'' (1985)
* ''Darkne ...
, was born in Great Yarmouth
*
Sienna Guillory, actress, from north Norfolk, who was educated at Gresham's School
* Sir
Henry Rider Haggard, novelist, author of ''She'', ''King Solomon's Mines'', born
Bradenham 1856 and lived after his marriage at
Ditchingham
*
Lilias Rider Haggard, daughter of Henry Rider Haggard and author of books about Norfolk
*
Lauren Hemp
Lauren May Hemp (born 7 August 2000) is an English professional footballer who plays as a forward for FA WSL club Manchester City. She was named England Young Player of the Year in September 2016, 2017 and PFA Women's Young Player of the Ye ...
, footballer for England, part of the squad that won the
UEFA Women's Euro 2022, was born in
North Walsham and played for
Norwich City Women FC
*
Jake Humphrey,
BBC presenter, spent most of his childhood in Norwich
*
Andy Hunt,
footballer, grew up in
Ashill.
*
Julian of Norwich
Julian of Norwich (1343 – after 1416), also known as Juliana of Norwich, Dame Julian or Mother Julian, was an English mystic and anchoress of the Middle Ages. Her writings, now known as ''Revelations of Divine Love'', are the earlies ...
, mediaeval mystic, born probably in Norwich in 1342; lived much of her life as a recluse in Norwich
*
Robert Kett, leader of
Kett's Rebellion in East Anglia 1549, from Wymondham
*
R. W. Ketton-Cremer
Robert Wyndham Ketton-Cremer, (2 May 1906 – 12 December 1969) was an English landowner, biographer and historian. He bequeathed his family seat, Felbrigg Hall, to the National Trust.
Early life
Robert Wyndham Cremer was born in Plympton, Dev ...
, Norfolk historian and former owner of
Felbrigg Hall
*
Sid Kipper, Norfolk humourist, author, songwriter and singer
*
Myleene Klass, former
Hear'Say singer, comes from
Gorleston
*
Holly Lerski, singer and songwriter, former member of the band
Angelou, grew up and resides in Norfolk
*
Henry Leslie, actor and playwright, born 1830 at Walsoken
*
Samuel Lincoln, ancestor of US President
Abraham Lincoln
*
Matthew Macfadyen
David Matthew Macfadyen (; born 17 October 1974) is an English actor. Known for his performances on stage and screen, he gained prominence for his role as Mr. Darcy in Joe Wright's ''Pride & Prejudice'' (2005). He currently stars as Tom Wambsgans ...
, actor who starred in ''
Spooks'', was born in
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth (), often called Yarmouth, is a seaside town and unparished area in, and the main administrative centre of, the Borough of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, England; it straddles the River Yare and is located east of Norwich. A pop ...
*
Kenneth McKee
George Kenneth McKee CBE (5 January 1906 – 18 July 1991) was an English orthopaedist, one of the pioneers of hip replacement surgery in the 1950s. He is now honoured with a bust at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.
Early life ...
, surgeon who pioneered
hip replacement surgery
Hip replacement is a surgical procedure in which the hip joint is replaced by a prosthetic implant, that is, a hip prosthesis. Hip replacement surgery can be performed as a total replacement or a hemi (half) replacement. Such joint replacement or ...
techniques, lived in
Tacolneston
*
Danny Mills, footballer, born in Norwich
* Sir
John Mills, actor, born in
North Elmham
*
R. H. Mottram, author and former
Lord Mayor of Norwich
This is a list of mayors and the later lord mayors of the city of Norwich.
Norwich had elected a mayor since 1403 when a Charter of Henry IV allowed the Freemen of the City to elect Councillors, Aldermen, Sheriffs and a Mayor serving for one ...
*
Horatio, Lord Nelson, Admiral and British hero who played a major role in the
Battle of Trafalgar, born and schooled in Norfolk
*
Nimmo Twins, sketch comedy duo well known in Norfolk
*
King Olav V of Norway
Olav V (; born Prince Alexander of Denmark; 2 July 1903 – 17 January 1991) was the King of Norway from 1957 until his death in 1991.
Olav was the only child of King Haakon VII of Norway and Maud of Wales. He became heir apparent to the Nor ...
, born at
Flitcham
Flitcham is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is located north-east of King's Lynn and north-west of Norwich, along the River Babingley. Together with the villages of West Newton, Shernborne and Anmer, Fli ...
on the
Sandringham estate
*
Beth Orton
Elizabeth Caroline Orton (born 14 December 1970) is an English musician, known for her "folktronica" sound, which mixes elements of folk and electronica. She was initially recognised for her collaborations with William Orbit, Andrew Weatherall, ...
, singer-songwriter, was born in
Dereham and raised in Norwich
*
Thomas Paine, philosopher, born in
Thetford
*
Ronan Parke,
Britain's Got Talent 2011 finalist and runner up
*
Margaret Paston
The ''Paston Letters'' is a collection of correspondence between members of the Paston family of Norfolk gentry and others connected with them in England between the years 1422 and 1509. The collection also includes state papers and other impor ...
, author of many of the
Paston Letters, born 1423, lived at
Gresham
*
Barry Pinches,
snooker
Snooker (pronounced , ) is a cue sports, cue sport played on a Billiard table#Snooker and English billiards tables, rectangular table covered with a green cloth called baize, with six Billiard table#Pockets 2, pockets, one at each corner and o ...
player who comes from Norwich
*
Matthew Pinsent, Olympic champion
rower, was born in
Holt
Holt or holte may refer to:
Natural world
*Holt (den), an otter den
* Holt, an area of woodland
Places Australia
* Holt, Australian Capital Territory
* Division of Holt, an electoral district in the Australian House of Representatives in Vic ...
*
Prasutagus, 1st-century king of the
Iceni, who occupied roughly the area which is now Norfolk
*
Philip Pullman, author, born in Norwich
*
Miranda Raison, actress, from north Norfolk, who was educated at Gresham's School
*
Anna Sewell
Anna Sewell (; 30 March 1820 – 25 April 1878)''The Oxford guide to British women writers'' by Joanne Shattock. p. 385, Oxford University Press. (1993) was an English novelist. She is known as the author of the 1877 novel ''Black Beauty'', her ...
, writer, author of ''Black Beauty'', born at
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth (), often called Yarmouth, is a seaside town and unparished area in, and the main administrative centre of, the Borough of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, England; it straddles the River Yare and is located east of Norwich. A pop ...
, lived part of her life at
Old Catton near Norwich and buried at
Lamas, near
Buxton
*
Thomas Shadwell, playwright, satirist and
Poet Laureate
*
Allan Smethurst
Allan Francis Smethurst (19 November 1927 – 22 December 2000), aka The Singing Postman was an English folk singer and postman. He is best known for his self-penned novelty song, "Hev Yew Gotta Loight, Boy?", which earned him an Ivor Novello Awa ...
, 'The Singing Postman' who sang songs in his Norfolk dialect, was from
Sheringham
*
Hannah Spearritt, actress and former
S Club 7 singer, who is from
Gorleston
*
Roger Taylor, drummer of the rock band
Queen was born in King's Lynn and spent the early part of his childhood in Norfolk
*
Adam Thoroughgood, colonial leader in Virginia, namer of New Norfolk County, which later became Norfolk, Virginia
*
Peter Trudgill,
sociolinguist
Sociolinguistics is the descriptive study of the effect of any or all aspects of society, including cultural norms, expectations, and context, on the way language is used, and society's effect on language. It can overlap with the sociology of ...
specialising in accents and dialects including his own native Norfolk dialect, was born and bred in Norwich
*
George Vancouver
Captain George Vancouver (22 June 1757 – 10 May 1798) was a British Royal Navy officer best known for his 1791–1795 expedition, which explored and charted North America's northwestern Pacific Coast regions, including the coasts of what a ...
, born King's Lynn. Captain and explorer in the
Royal Navy
*
Stella Vine, English artist, spent many of her early years in Norwich
*
Sir Robert Walpole, first
Earl of Orford, regarded as the first
British prime minister
*
Tim Westwood, rap DJ and
Radio 1 presenter, grew up in and around Norwich
*
Parson Woodforde, 18th century clergyman and
diarist
*
Nick Youngs (1959–) and his two sons,
Ben (1989–) and
Tom
Tom or TOM may refer to:
* Tom (given name), a diminutive of Thomas or Tomás or an independent Aramaic given name (and a list of people with the name)
Characters
* Tom Anderson, a character in ''Beavis and Butt-Head''
* Tom Beck, a character ...
(1987–) were both raised close to the town of
Aylsham on their father's farm
Youngs is a former
rugby union player for
Leicester Tigers
Leicester Tigers (officially Leicester Football Club) are a professional rugby union club based in Leicester, England. They play in Premiership Rugby, England's top division of rugby.
The club was founded in 1880 and since 1892 plays its hom ...
and
England. Both sons went on to represent the national rugby union team.
*
William Gooderham Sr.
William Gooderham Sr. (August 29, 1790 – August 20, 1881) was a British-born Canadians, Canadian distiller, businessman, and banker. He was a founder of the Gooderham and Worts distillery.
Life and career
Born in Scole, Norfolk, England ...
(29 August 1790 – 20 August 1881) was an
English distiller, businessman, and banker. He was a founder of the
Gooderham and Worts distillery in Toronto,Canada.
Associated with Norfolk
The following people were not born or brought up in Norfolk but are long-term residents of Norfolk, are well known for living in Norfolk at some point in their lives, or have contributed in some significant way to the county.
*
Verily Anderson
Verily Anderson (12 January 1915 – 16 July 2010) was a British author, best known for writing the screenplay of the 1960 film '' No Kidding'',Eloise Miller"Verily Anderson obituary" ''The Guardian'' (London), 29 July 2010. based on her 1958 book ...
(1915–2010), writer, lived in North Norfolk
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Stuart Ashen
Dr Stuart Clive Ashen (born 16 December 1976), commonly known by his online alias Ashens ( ), is a British comedian, critic and YouTuber known for reviewing various products; his reviews usually include toys, video games and food. , his main Y ...
, comedian, animator, actor and online reviewer, born and lives in Norfolk
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Julian Assange
Julian Paul Assange ( ; Hawkins; born 3 July 1971) is an Australian editor, publisher, and activist who founded WikiLeaks in 2006. WikiLeaks came to international attention in 2010 when it published a series of leaks provided by U.S. Army inte ...
, Australian publisher, journalist, writer, computer programmer,
Internet activist and editor in chief of
WikiLeaks, lived since 16 December 2010 in
Ellingham Hall, the mansion of
Vaughan Smith, under house arrest whilst fighting extradition to
Sweden
Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
, before relocating to
Kent in December 2011
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Peter Baker (1921–1966), British Conservative MP for South Norfolk
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Mary Bristow (1781–1805), landscape gardener, owner of
Quidenham Hall
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Bill Bryson, writer, has lived in the county since 2003
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Adam Buxton, comedian and one half of Adam and Joe, moved to Norfolk in 2008
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Richard Condon (1937–1991),
Theatre Royal, Norwich and
Pavilion Theatre, Cromer Pier manager
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Revd Richard Enraght (1837–1898), 19th century clergyman, religious controversialist, Rector of St Swithun,
Bintree
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Liza Goddard TV and stage actress, lives in the village of
Syderstone
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Trisha Goddard, TV personality, lives in Norwich and writes a column in the local newspaper the ''
Eastern Daily Press''
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Roderick Gordon, writer of ''Tunnels'' series, lives in North Norfolk
*
Adriana Hunter, translator of French novels, lives in Norfolk
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John Major
Sir John Major (born 29 March 1943) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990 to 1997, and as Member of Parliament ...
, British Prime Minister from 1990 to 1997, has a holiday home in Weybourne, Norfolk, Weybourne
* Alan Partridge, fictional tongue-in-cheek media personality portrayed by Steve Coogan. His feature film ''Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa'' was set, filmed and had its world premiere in Norwich in 2013
* Pocahontas (c. 1596–1617), who lived at Heacham Hall for part of her life when she was married to John Rolfe
* Martin Shaw, stage, television and film actor, is based in Norfolk
* Delia Smith, cookery writer and major Norwich City Football Club shareholder
* John Wilson (angler), John Wilson (1943–2018), Fisherman, angler, writer and broadcaster
Gallery
File:Wells-next-the-Sea 1.jpg, Wells-next-the-Sea
File:The Wensum under trees.JPG, River Wensum, Norwich
File:Norwich Cathedral 2015.jpg, Norwich Cathedral: spire and south transept
File:NorwichRCC.JPG, St John the Baptist Cathedral, Norwich
See also
* Custos Rotulorum of Norfolk – List of Keepers of the Rolls
* Duke of Norfolk
* Earl of Norfolk
* Healthcare in Norfolk
* High Sheriff of Norfolk
* List of parliamentary constituencies in Norfolk
* List of future transport developments in the East of England
* List of places in Norfolk
* Norfolk (UK Parliament constituency) – List of MPs for the Norfolk constituency
* Norfolk Police
* Norfolk Police and Crime Commissioner
* Norfolk Terrier
* Norwich Terrier
* Recreational walks in Norfolk
References
Further reading
*S. K. Baker, ''A Week on the Broads: Four Victorian gents at sail on a Norfolk gaffer in 1889'', Adlard Coles ed. 2017.
*Henry Munro Cautley, ''Norfolk Churches'', Norman Adlard, 1949.
*Thomas Kitson Cromwell, ''Excursions in the County of Norfolk'', 2 vols., Longmans, 1818 & 1819.
*Patsy Dallas, Roger Last & Tom Williamson, ''Norfolk Gardens and Designed Landscapes'', Norfolk Gardens Trust, 2018.
*John A. Davies, ''The Little History of Norfolk'', The History Press, 2020.
*Daniel Defoe, ''Tour through the Eastern Counties'' (1722), East Anglian Magazine ed., 1949.
*David Dymond, ''The Norfolk Landscape'', Alastair Press ed., 1990.
*
Lilias Rider Haggard, ''A Norfolk Notebook'', Faber and Faber, 1946.
*Lilias Rider Haggard, ''Norfolk Life'', Faber and Faber, 1943; written with Henry Williamson.
*Wilhelmine Harrod & C. L. S. Linnell, ''Norfolk. A Shell Guide'' (Shell Guides), Faber and Faber, 1957; reprinted.
*M. R. James, ''Suffolk and Norfolk: A Perambulation of the Two Counties with Notices of their History and their Ancient Buildings'', J.M. Dent & Sons, 1930.
*P. D. James, ''Devices and Desires'', Faber and Faber, 1989.
*
R. W. Ketton-Cremer
Robert Wyndham Ketton-Cremer, (2 May 1906 – 12 December 1969) was an English landowner, biographer and historian. He bequeathed his family seat, Felbrigg Hall, to the National Trust.
Early life
Robert Wyndham Cremer was born in Plympton, Dev ...
, ''A Norfolk Gallery'', Faber and Faber, 1948.
*R. W. Ketton-Cremer, ''Forty Norfolk Essays'', Jarrold and Sons, 1961.
*R. W. Ketton-Cremer, ''Norfolk Assembly, Faber and Faber, 1957.
*R. W. Ketton-Cremer, ''Norfolk in the Civil War: A Portrait of Society in Conflict'', Faber and Faber, 1969.
*R. W. Ketton-Cremer, ''Norfolk Portraits'', Faber and Faber, 1944.
*Arthur Mee, ''Norfolk. Green Pastures and Still Waters'' (The King's England series), Hodder and Stoughton, 1940; reprinted.
*Frank Meeres, ''A History of Norwich'', The History Press, 2016.
*D. P. Mortlock & C. V. Roberts, ''The Guide to Norfolk Churches'', Lutterworth Press, 3rd rev. ed. 2017.
*
R. H. Mottram, ''If Stones Could Speak. An Introduction to an Almost Human Family'', Museum Press, 1953.
*R. H. Mottram, ''Norfolk'' (Vision of England series), Paul Elek, 1948.
*R. H. Mottram, ''The Broads'' (The Regional Books (book series), The Regional Books series), Robert Hale (publishers), Robert Hale, 1952.
*Nikolaus Pevsner, Bill Wilson (ed.), ''Norfolk: North-West and South'' (The Buildings of England), Yale University Press, 2nd rev. ed. 1999.
*Nikolaus Pevsner, Bill Wilson (ed.), ''Norfolk: Norwich and North-East'' (The Buildings of England), Yale University Press, 2nd ed. 1997.
*Matthew Rice, ''Building Norfolk'', Frances Lincoln, 2009.
*Arthur Ransome, ''Coot Club'', Jonathan Cape, 1934; from his Swallows and Amazons series.
*Arthur Ransome, ''The Big Six'', Jonathan Cape, 1940; also from ''Swallows and Amazons''.
*David Robertson, Peter & Susanna Wade-Martins, ''A History of Norfolk in 100 Places'', The History Press, 2022.
*Ali Smith, ''The Accidental'', Hamish Hamilton, 2005.
*Neil R. Storey, ''Norwich in the Second World War'', The History Press, 2022.
*Neil R. Storey, ''The Little Book of Norfolk'', The History Press, 2011.
*Neil R. Storey, ''The Lost Coast of Norfolk'', The History Press, 2006.
*Doreen Wallace & R. P. Bagnall-Oakeley, ''Norfolk'' (County Books series, The County Books), Robert Hale (publishers), Robert Hale, 1951.
*Josephine Walpole, ''Art and Artists of the Norwich School'', Antique Collector's Club, 1999.
*Tom Williamson, Ivan Ringwood & Sarah Spooner, ''Lost Country Houses of Norfolk: History, Archaeology and Myth'', The Boydell Press, 2015.
*Pip Wright, ''I Read it in the Local Rag: Selections from Suffolk and Norfolk Papers 1701-1900'', Poppyland, 2006.
External links
*
Norfolk County CouncilNorfolk tourism (official site)Photos of NorfolkNorfolk E-Map Explorer – historical maps and aerial photographs of Norfolk– Government agency that collects and preserves records of historical significance for Norfolk and makes them publicly accessible – useful for genealogical research
Guide to the Norfolk County, Collection of English Deeds ca. 1409-ca.1826at th
University of Chicago Special Collections Research Center
{{coord, 52, 40, N, 1, 00, E, region:GB_type:adm1st, display=title
Norfolk,
Kingdom of East Anglia
Non-metropolitan counties
Counties of England established in antiquity