Farm Stay East Anglia

A Day out in Norwich

Use either the Park & Ride bus or St Andrews car park (entrance on Duke St), but do check the hourly rate as it can be expensive. Take St Andrews St, passing St Peters Hungate Church's brass rubbing centre - on you left & turn left into Queen St. Go over the next road & enter the CATHEDRAL CLOSE by St Ethelbert's Gate. The Close is a tranquil haven in the middle of the city with fine houses around it. The CATHEDRAL is a must with 800 roof bosses, the largest cloisters in Britain and a magnificent spire. The excellent REFECTORY is a good place for coffee.

Leave by the Erpingham Gate crossing Tombland & turn right passing the Maids Head Hotel into Wensum St. The KING OF HEARTS on the right does good light lunches & sometimes has a musical event or an art exhibition. Cross over into ELM HILL, the famous cobbled street with fine old buildings and unusual shops. At the end of Elm Hill rejoin St Andrews St and at the zebra crossing go over to Bridewell Alley, home of the C14 BRIDEWELL MUSEUM with its interesting display of local industries & crafts. At the top of the Alley is HOVELLS, famous for its basketware and craftwork.

Wander along the pedestrianised London St with its excellent range of shops and go into the CASTLE MALL SHOPPING CENTRE, a vast new 3 level centre buried under the castle mound which was formerly the cattle market.

The CASTLE (re-opening June 2001 after major restoration), built by the Normans, is now a museum housing collections on local history, the Norwich School of painters and the Twinings Teapot Gallery. Take a tour of the battlements and down to discover the dark secrets of the Dungeons.

Wander through the narrow medieval streets following signs for the Market Place and do walk through the ROYAL ARCADE where there are some very nice shops with Colemans Mustard Shop, Marmalades Patisserie, Abraxas silversmiths & Langley's toyshop to name but a few. The colourful OPEN MARKET which has been the bustling heart of the city for nearly 900 years is a permanent fixture, open every day except Sundays.

Jarrolds, owned by the family run printing business, is at one corner of the Market Place and City Hall with the clock tower is at the top. To its left is St Peters Mancroft, a fine civic church completely built in mid perpendicular style.

To its right is the C13 GUILDHALL, formerly the court house & gaol and now the Tourist Information Centre - call in for information on guided city & riverside walks and boat trips. St Giles St up hill from the Guildhall has a wealth of interesting specialist shops including antiques & second hand bookshops.

Another place to tempt you is THE CHAPELFIELD SHOPPING CENTRE with over 90 shops to browse around!

Theatre St is only a short walk from the market and is home to the THEATRE ROYAL which presents National productions of opera, ballet & theatre. Next door are the beautifully restored Georgian ASSEMBLY ROOMS which are excellent for lunch or tea (Mon to Fri).

If you have time & are going back to St Andrews St, do pop in to the STRANGERS HALL MUSEUM just round the corner in Charring Cross. It is a delightful medieval town house illustrating costumes, furnishings & textiles from Tudor to Victorian times. Open for guided walking tours (Weds & Sat only). Tickets from Bridewell Museum.

Another gem a little out of the centre is the DRAGON HALL in King Street which is a magnificent medieval merchant's hall with crown post roof and screens passage. Open 1pm to 4pm Mon - Fri. Opposite is the small church of JULIAN OF NORWICH which is well worth a visit. Take the Earlham Rd out of the city to the University to see the award winning SAINSBURY CENTRE for the visual arts there.

If you enjoy cycling you may like to explore the North Sea Cycle Route which takes you through some lovely Norfolk Countryside.

We have B&B accommodation and holiday cottages just outside Norwich in Spixworth, Aylsham, Frettenham, Booke, Great Plumstead, Sloley, Hingham and Stoke Holy Cross.

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