Norwich is full of nooks and crannies, doorways and ancient paths and alleys leading to places you might not possibly find without a little help. Country and Eastern is a shop and a museum collection with artefacts from around South Asia. Housed in Norwich’s Victorian skating rink you’ll be amazed at the vast historic building as well as it’s beautiful contents.
Upper St Giles in The Norwich Lanes is like a tiny part of Notting Hill with charming shop fronts, cafes and bespoke little independents.
Elm Hill in the Cathedral Quarter is Norwich’s most complete medieval street and a popular film location – when you get there you’ll see why.
Plantation Garden, is Norwich’s secret garden – 3 acres of green space in the city centre – but you would never know it as it’s so quiet and tranquil. Strangers’ Hall museum is a myriad of rooms behind a huge ancient door. Each room is dedicated to a different era giving the feeling of walking through a giant doll’s house.
If you just want to wander around, make sure you look out for:
- Norwich’s Urban Art on walls and buildings across Norwich including Norwich Market.
- Sir Thomas Moore’s Utopia painted in full onto the old Eastern Electricity building on Westwick Street (40,000 words).
- Armada House on the corner of Princes Street and St Andrew’s Street where it is alleged the 16th century building used timber from the Spanish Armada when it was washed up on the shores of Norfolk. The date of 1589 is carved onto the wood which leans towards the story being true.
- And finally, find the remnants of a 15th century 5-bay house set back on St Andrew’s Street just next door to The Gallery at NUA. The building seems to have no name with most of it destroyed only leaving the Carriage entry with arched braces having pierced, carved spandrels supported on carved stone corbels. Between 1970 and 1986 it was the General Post Office Museum. Today it can only be seen from the outside – thank goodness even some of it was saved from demolition.
