Gone Medieval Norwich Castle
Dec 12, 2025
Join Dr. Tim Pestell, an archaeologist and curator with deep expertise in medieval sites, as he unravels the secrets of Norwich Castle. Discover the fire-scarred vaults from past sieges and the opulent walrus-ivory bobbin linked to royal needlework. Tim also shares fascinating finds like arrowheads and skeletons from the castle's prison days. Delve into the history of Henry I's feasting hall and the castle's transformation from royal palace to jail, revealing its compelling 900-year story.
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How Norwich Became A Medieval Powerhouse
- Norwich grew from an Anglo-Saxon riverside trading hub into England's 'second city' through wool, cloth and strategic location.
- Its wealth funded spires, friaries and a cathedral, making it a major medieval economic and religious centre.
Castle As Conquest And Control
- Norwich Castle was built quickly after 1066 as a Norman power statement to control a wealthy, partly Scandinavian region.
- Its role combined fortress, royal palace and administrative centre to secure economic and political control.
Victorian Refacing Masks Norman Stonework
- Much of the keep's visible stonework is a 19th-century refacing by the city when it served as a jail.
- Original Norman fabric used imported Caen stone and flint, but Victorian ashlar now masks some medieval surfaces.
