Historic England: Norfolk

This illustrated history portrays one of England’s finest counties. It provides a nostalgic look at Norfolk’s past and highlights the special character of some of its most important historic sites.

The photographs are taken from the Historic England Archive, a unique collection of over 12 million photographs, drawings, plans and documents covering England’s archaeology, architecture, social and local history. Pictures date from the earliest days of photography to the present and cover subjects from Bronze Age burials and medieval churches to cinemas and seaside resorts.

The county of Norfolk has been an important region in England since the Middle Ages. The county was one of the most heavily populated areas in medieval England, growing in prosperity through the wool trade. Norfolk’s major city, Norwich, became one of the leading cities in the country and although the area did not grow as heavily during the Industrial Revolution as other parts of the country, Norwich today retains its position as a major commercial, industrial and cultural centre for East Anglia. Norfolk is still a largely rural county and is renowned for its historical towns and villages, its magnificent historic buildings including large country houses and the royal residence at Sandringham, its long coastline with popular seaside resorts and atmospheric marshlands, and the unspoilt waterways of the Broads.