Norwich is stuffed with the biggest, finest, oldest and firsts in all the realm. There’s a gem on virtually every corner. These are a few of my favourites. Hover over the image for a brief hint and click for more scintillating facts that you never knew you wanted to know.
The Millennium Library is a fitting successor to the first provincial municipal library – the most visited outside London. And guess what? They stock my book
The largest lips in the East and a great kisser
Church of St John Maddermarket
England’s first provincial newspaper founded in 1701. It didn’t last long. The newspaper closed in 1713 after the Great Carrier Pigeon Hacking Scandal of 1712 (I’m kidding)
Lollards Pit is the only gay pub in the world to be found on the very site where heretics (the Lollards) were once burned to death. A delicious irony, don’t you think?
The first all-metal aeroplane in the world (1919)
Elm Hill is reputed to be the most complete medieval street in England, with buildings dating back to Tudor times. There’s not an elm tree to be seen, though.
The first municipal computer was delivered to Norwich City Hall in 1957 – with the brain power of a Casio pocket calculator (probably)
With thanks to Visit Norwich for much of this treasure trove.
Perking the Pansies 
Thanks for the tour, Jack. I need to sit down after all that walking.
😀
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Plenty of pubs along the way 😉
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Perfect. I should have followed more than my nose. 🙂
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😀
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😀
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And I think I saw you in several of them Tess. 🙂
Beautiful city and I’m always amazed by the medieval elements that still exist. In the same time period, Canada was one big forest.
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Yes, but a stunning, pristine forest, no doubt. 🙂
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True enough–and we’re still mostly forest!
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You’re making me homesick!
Thanks for raising the cultural profile of our beautiful city 🙂
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It’s an easy job to do 😀
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A really nice collection of Norwich superlatives, Jack. Quite a few of which, if you’ll forgive the plug, are mentioned in my forthcoming book Slow Travel Norfolk -http://www.bradtguides.com/Book/627/Norfolk-Slow-Travel.html. I didn’t know about some of these though (the City Hall computer for example). I have lived in the city so long that I can remember the elm tree at Elm Hill.
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Plug away 🙂 I’ll get hold of a copy when it’s released. And where was the elusive elm tree?
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Thanks, Jack. The tree was right at the top of Elm Hill in the same place where the replacement tree is now (you can see one its branches in your photo). I remember they had lots of tubes going into it at one pont in an attempt to put the old elm on a life support system – sadly it didn’t work.
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Thanks. I’ll take a look next time I’m walking up there. Shame it didn’t take.
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Quit boasting!
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I can’t help it 😉
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Looks like a fascinating town centre… And the sun seems to be always shining! Thanks for the guided tour.
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The old city is full of surprises and an easy walk. I’d like to think that the sun always shines but, although this is the driest part of Britain, we do get the odd grey sky, particularly at this time of year.
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