Visit to Norwich, 30-03-24: very long post alert!

On Saturday, March 30th I went on a Broomfield Coach Trips jolly to Norwich.  Alex was at UEA, Norwich and, had lockdown not been a thing, I'd probably have spent more than a few weekends there but, as it was, I'd never been so it was all new to me.

It didn't start that well.  Over Friday evening it seemed as if I was getting some dental pain (brilliant for a long weekend/bank holiday) and I slept very badly overnight, despite taking the meds.  In the end, I bit the bullet (metaphorically) and took some co-codamol which helped a bit.
By the morning, it was obviously not dental but my sinuses playing up as they occasionally do and it was all just bad timing.  So that did cast a bit of a shadow on the whole day but it was manageable and I kept taking the tablets.
And by this morning (Sunday), after dealing with a threatened associated migraine, it's all fine again. although I'm continuing to apply hot flannels now and again.

Anyway, enough whinging.  
The coach turned up, we all piled on, I sat with Helen, the friend I made when we went to the Cursed Child shows, and off we set.  I managed to sleep quite a bit on the way which was brilliant.

At the other end, we all piled off again outside the theatre and there was a really nice lady with leaflets, maps and information for anyone who asked.  She oriented me with the map and off we all set in our various directions.

I'll post some photos, some with comments and some just photos when it is obvious.

First, we headed to the Forum.  This is a public building, open to all, an inside space that can be hired, and containing the big library, a coffee shop, tourist centre and some very decent loos - which is what we were heading for!

There was a small art display in the centre of the space but through the year there are all sorts of things going on.  For example, next week there's a Spring Craft Fair there.

It's a lovely space.

Helen met up with her friend and I set off to explore.

My idea was to go through the market and head up to the castle and on to the Anglican Cathedral (there are two cathedrals in Norwich).  At around ten, the market had hardly started so it was a bit of a dead space, sadly, but you could see it would be interesting when all the little covered stalls were open.  There were some stalls I was interested in - herbs and spices, a cheese stall, yarn, fabric, that sort of thing and there were also an awful lot of fast/street food stalls too.  If I'd lived locally, I'd have spent at the fruit and veg and the meat and cheese stalls but, as it was, I just looked!

I found it a bit difficult to get my bearings.  As you go up the map you go down hill which confused me at the start and, also, some streets were not obviously named and the map was a very basic one, but people were happy to help and point me in the right direction.

The morning was rather dull so the photos aren't brilliant but you'll get the idea,

This is the castle - shame about the crane!

Norwich is a very old city - the Cathedral and Castle are both Norman - but there was a startling mix of old and modern in places

Can't avoid the crane!

Parts of the Castle are closed for refurbishment at present thanks to a National Lottery Heritage Find project .  It's due to open again in August this year so, seeing as there's the castle, a museum and an art gallery, I decided that I would defer a visit until another time.

Here's the Wiki entry for the castle and its history, if you're interested.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norwich_Castle

So I walked further on to the Cathedral (getting a bit - er, let's call it 'confused - on the way and being put right by a lovely, friendly lady) and spent most of the time I had there.  There's a lot to see.

The entrance is through a new-ish build, a really nice reception space with some very helpful people there to welcome, explain and direct.  From there you can enter the cathedral, the cloisters and the refectory.

Every hour, on the hour, they run guided tours of the cathedral (free) so I attached myself to one.  It was really very good indeed, very informative and interesting.

There were some lovely wall paintings around the cloisters

I think church organs look as majestic as they sound.  It's not my favourite instrument by a long shot but there's no doubt they are perfect for big church buildings.

Budge, the Cathedral Cat.  He's waiting at the door when it opens each day and prowls around surveying his domain.

Our guide said she has an 'ambivalent' relationship with Budge.  As soon as anyone it the group spots him, everyone stops listening to her - and that's exactly what happened.  

He looked very at home in the pulpit, that's for sure.

The misericords, literally 'act of mercy'.

These fold down to make seating but, in the Middle Ages, monks were expected to stand during service times and, as these could be very long and wearisome, these were shaped to give the monkly bottoms something to rest against.

Aaaaw, bless!

A modern sculpture of Mary.  I just thought it was lovely.

The pelican lectern has an interesting history.  

It is a14th century Flemish bronze lectern and escaped the fate of many religious artefacts during the Reformation (when many items were destroyed) by being buried in the Bishop’s garden. It was uncovered many years later when they were digging some foundations, I believe!

I'm so glad it escaped.

The copper baptismal font, standing on a moveable base in the nave, was fashioned from bowls previously used for making chocolate in the Norwich Rowntree's factory, and was given to the cathedral after the factory closed in 1994.

Osbert Parsley's memorial (he's not buried here).
He must have been quite something, both as a human and as a musician, to survive so many religious changes of direction at a very volatile time.

A bit about him.

I dearly love English Renaissance music, I think it can be hauntingly lovely.

There's some performances of his music on YouTube.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-zNMDl-VaA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpDXFoGUWT0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPabBrUXSUc

Coincidentally, Lindsey and husband are staying at the Maids Head Hotel this weekend to celebrate their wedding anniversary.  It's just outside the Cathedral grounds.

Also just outside is a memorial to Edith Cavell, a nurse who worked in German occupied Belgium during WWI, nursing soldiers from both sides.
She was quite a character by all accounts and her pioneering work led her to be considered the founder of modern nursing education in that country.

She also helped British soldiers, trapped behind German lines and often wounded, to safety.  She was arrested, tried at Court Martial, sentenced to execution and was shot at dawn on October 7th, 1915, alongside others who had been engaged in the same work.
Her execution was legal but cause outrage in the UK - well, it would really.  After the war, her body was returned to the UK and is buried just outside the cathedral building.

Her words are well knows but always bear repeating, especially that last bit - many would do well to take them on board, I think.

I spend ages in the Cathedral.  There was so much to see and so much to think about as I went round.  I found the museum on the way back but decided I just didn't have time to do it justice - another reason to go back again.

There are some lovely, quirky little roads and corners in Norwich - I could have explored loads more if I'd had time.

Just one of many interesting little shops.  It was packed from floor to ceiling with teddies of all shapes and sizes, none of them cheap and some eye-wateringly expensive.  But cute, very cute.

(and I loved the cobbled streets, even if they were a bit ankle-risky!)

By the time I got back to the area around the market, everything had woken up, the market was a-buzzing, the sun was shining and there was a vibrant street cafe feel to everything.  It was lovely but very busy.  

I spend a short quiet time back in the Forum in the library as I was a bit early for the coach.  It came, we all piled on and after a very easy journiny, we were home again - and I was absolutely shattered.  In bed by eight and fast asleep soon afterwards.

I fell in love with Norwich.  There's so much to see and do there and I would love to spend several days exploring.  Maybe I will - maybe, once the castle is fully open again.  Beth had told me Stranger's Hall is well worth a visit but it was closed and, anyway . . . no time.  There's a lovely walk along the river too and I believe they do river cruises.

Watch this space.