Our Aims

Our Club's aims are to:

Learn collaboratively about the history, heritage and archaeology of Norwich and Norfolk

Develop resources and activities that contribute to the wider community’s understanding of history and archaeology

Develop activities that enhance/maintain the wellbeing and emotional resilience of club members

Be actively inclusive – open, accessible and welcoming to all


Sunday, 26 January 2025

Photos From Guildhall Tour

I attended a tour of the above on Friday and here are some photos that I took.  The first is of some medieval graffiti which are love hearts carved into the crypt where Kett and other prisoners were kept.  These may well have been messages to loved ones in the prisoners' final days.  





Here is some graffiti of a boat from the same crypt.  It doesn’t seem certain whether the boats represented a vocation or whether they were a vessel of travel (e.g. escape or means of travel through purgatory), we will probably never know.  






The final photo is a picture of the wall around Norwich.  We are all aware that the wall didn’t extend to the area behind the cathedral and Bishop’s Bridge but I wasn’t aware that the gap in the wall was so large at St Martin’s Gate (top left in the photo) which in my view would make the city vulnerable to attack.  Obviously the river was the defensive barrier in these areas but as we know from Kett’s rebellion, a committed force could get over the river.  Anyway the other main purpose of the wall was for the collection of tolls and this along with the river performed an excellent perimeter for this purpose.  




 

Sunday, 19 January 2025

Watts Naval School

I had a Ramblers walk at North Elmham a couple of weeks ago and I came across the remains of the Watts Naval School.  The County School station on the Mid Norfolk Heritage Railway also takes the name from this school.  It started off as a Naval College and then was taken over by Barnardo’s, one of its famous pupils was Sir John Mills, the actor who was born there.  Here is a link to learn more:  

http://www.pwsts.org.uk/watts.htm

Monday, 13 January 2025

Undercrofts of Norwich

We enjoyed an excellent film on the undercrofts today.  I didn't realise that there are at least 60 in Norwich.  To supplement the film, if you would like to learn more about the undercrofts of Norwich here is a website called Norwich Underground:

http://www.norwichunderground.xyz/undercrofts/

Sunday, 5 January 2025

Lazar House

We had a talk about leprosy in Norwich by Peter Balcombe a few weeks ago so I thought an article about Lazar House would be of interest.  It dates back to late 11th and early 12th century but what was its original purpose?  Magdalen House was built beside Lazar House but who did it house?  What happened to Lazar House under the dissolution of the monasteries and what was it known as?  And what is it used for now?  To find out the answers to these questions and more related information please select the following link:

http://www.sprowstonheritage.org.uk/Lazar_House