Norfolk

Norfolk is a county in England, in the East of England region. It is next to Lincolnshire and The Wash to the northwest, the North Sea to the north and east, Cambridgeshire to the west, and Suffolk to the south. The biggest city is Norwich.

The county covers 2,074 square miles and had about 940,359 people in 2024. It is mostly countryside, with Norwich in the middle-east. Other important towns are Great Yarmouth on the east coast, Thetford in the south, and King's Lynn in the northwest.

Norfolk has different kinds of land. The middle part is gently rolling hills, while the east has the northern half of the Broads, a group of rivers and lakes. The west has part of the Fens, and the south has Thetford Forest. The county's geology, with clay and chalk, makes its coast prone to erosion.

People have lived in Norfolk since ancient times. During the Roman era, the Iceni tribe lived there, led by Boudica. Later, the Angles came and it became part of the Kingdom of East Anglia. In the Middle Ages, Norfolk was rich because of the wool trade. The county’s work today is mostly agriculture and tourism.

History

Main articles: Prehistoric Norfolk and History of Norfolk

The land that is now Norfolk was settled a very long time ago, even before the Romans came. Early people lived on higher ground where they could find stone for tools. Later, a group called the Iceni lived there. They fought against the Romans, but were defeated.

After the Romans left, new people called Angles came from near the North Sea and settled in Norfolk. They named the area “Norfolk,” which means “north folk.” During this time, many places got names ending in “-ham” or “-ton.” Later, Vikings from Denmark attacked and gave some places names ending in “-by” or “-thorpe.”

In the middle ages, people in Norfolk grew crops and made wool. The county had many churches, more than any other place in Britain. In 1349, a sickness called the Black Death killed many people.

In the 1500s, some farmers took land that others used for their animals. This made many people unhappy, and they followed a leader named Robert Kett. They took over the city of Norwich but were later defeated. Sadly, many of the rebels lost their lives.

Norwich became an important city by the late 1500s, but sicknesses killed many people. During the two World Wars, Norfolk became important for flying planes, with many airfields built for the Royal Air Force and American forces.

Economy and industry

Norfolk has many different kinds of jobs. Tourism is very important because it brings money and creates jobs. Other important areas are energy, engineering, farming, and food production. The land in Norfolk is flat and good for growing crops like sugar beet and wheat and barley.

Some famous companies have offices in Norfolk. There are also projects to help make new jobs and support small businesses, especially in green energy and technology. Local leaders work together to make the area better for everyone.

Media

Television

Norfolk gets its TV from BBC East and ITV Anglia, both based in Norwich. The TV signal comes from the Tacolneston TV transmitter. In the northwest, places like King's Lynn, Hunstanton, and Wells-next-the-Sea get their TV from BBC Yorkshire and Lincolnshire and ITV Yorkshire, using the Belmont TV transmitter.

Radio

For radio, Norfolk listens to BBC Radio Norfolk from BBC Local Radio. Other stations include Heart East, Greatest Hits Radio East, Amber Radio, and Kiss. Community stations serve different areas, like Future Radio in Norwich and Poppyland Community Radio in North Norfolk.

Newspapers

Norfolk has several local newspapers, such as the Eastern Daily Press, Norwich Evening News, Great Yarmouth Mercury, Lynn News, Diss Express, and North Norfolk News.

Education

Norfolk has many schools for children. Before 2011, all schools were managed by Norfolk County Council. After that, some schools became academies or free schools. These schools are still paid for by the government but have different management.

There are special schools called sixth form colleges in larger towns for older students. Norfolk has twelve private schools, including famous ones like Gresham's School in Holt and Norwich School in Norwich.

Norfolk is home to the University of East Anglia and Norwich University of the Arts. There are also colleges like City College Norwich and College of West Anglia where students can learn many subjects.

Politics

Local

Norfolk is managed by Norfolk County Council, the main local government group, based in Norwich. The county is split into seven smaller councils: Breckland District, Broadland District, Great Yarmouth Borough, King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough, North Norfolk District, Norwich City and South Norfolk District.

Most areas also have smaller parish and town councils.

National

The county has ten areas for national elections.

Norwich unitary authority dispute (2006–2010)

In 2006, Norwich asked to become its own local government area, separate from Norfolk County Council. This was suggested but later rejected. In 2010, a plan to make Norwich separate was ruled unlawful in court, so the current system stayed the same.

Upcoming local government reorganisation

In 2028, Norfolk's local government will change. There will be three new authorities: West Norfolk, East Norfolk, and Greater Norwich. There will also be a new group for Norfolk and Suffolk.

Emergency services

Norfolk has services to help keep people safe. These include the Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service for firefighting and emergencies, the East of England Ambulance Service for medical help, and the East Anglian Air Ambulance for quick medical transport. There is also the Norfolk Constabulary to maintain order and safety, the British Transport Police to watch over trains and other transport, and HM Coastguard to help near the coast.

Settlements

See also: List of places in Norfolk and List of settlements in Norfolk by population

Norfolk's main city is Norwich. Long ago, Norwich was one of England's biggest towns. Today, Norwich has a large university and is important for business and culture in the area. Other important towns are King's Lynn, a place where ships arrive and leave, and Great Yarmouth, a town close to the sea.

Many parts of Norfolk are still quiet and look like the countryside. Some old villages are gone now because of changes over many years.

Transport

Roads

Norfolk is one of the few counties in England without a motorway. The A11 connects Norfolk to Cambridge and London, using the M11. From the west, two routes link Norfolk to the A1: the A47 to the East Midlands and Birmingham through Peterborough, and the A17 to the East Midlands through Lincolnshire. Both routes meet at King's Lynn, where the A10 starts, linking West Norfolk to London through Ely, Cambridge, and Hertford.

Railways

Main article: Railways in Norfolk

Two main railway lines connect Norfolk to London. The Great Eastern Main Line offers services from Norwich to London Liverpool Street through Ipswich and Colchester. The Fen line runs regular services between King's Lynn and London King's Cross through Ely and Cambridge.

Additionally, the Breckland line links Norwich and Thetford to places like Peterborough, Nottingham, Sheffield, Manchester Piccadilly, and Liverpool Lime Street.

Air

Main article: List of Norfolk airfields

Norwich Airport offers flights to many European cities, including a connection to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol for travel worldwide.

Dialect, accent and nickname

The Norfolk dialect, called "Broad Norfolk," has changed a lot. Many of its special words and phrases have gone away because of radio, television, and people moving in from other places. Now, people often think of Norfolk speech more as a regional accent rather than a separate dialect. It still has some unique grammar features.

People from Norfolk are sometimes called Norfolk Dumplings, a fun name that comes from the flour dumplings that were popular local food in the past.

Tourism

Norfolk is a popular place for visitors. It has beautiful beaches at spots like Great Yarmouth, Cromer, and Holkham. The area also has special natural places, such as the Broads and the Norfolk Coast AONB, where many birds live.

The home of Charles III at Sandringham House is open to visitors all year. Norfolk has many fun places to visit, including zoos and amusement parks.

Amusement parks and zoos

Norfolk has several exciting places to explore:

• Thrigby Hall near Great Yarmouth has a zoo with tigers, primates, and crocodiles.
• Holkham Hall is a grand home from the 1700s with gardens, a play area, and farm exhibits.
• Roarr! Dinosaur Adventure in Lenwade is a park with dinosaur trails and play areas.
• Great Yarmouth Pleasure Beach offers many rides and games.
• BeWILDerwood is an adventure park based on a children’s book.
• Britannia Pier in Great Yarmouth has rides and a theatre.
• Banham Zoo has many animals and welcomes visitors each year.
• Pensthorpe Nature Reserve lets you see many birds and animals.
• The Sea Life Centre in Great Yarmouth shows sharks and other sea creatures.
• The Sea Life Sanctuary in Hunstanton cares for sick sea animals.

The Pavilion Theatre in Cromer offers many kinds of shows. The Britannia Pier Theatre in Great Yarmouth is large and popular. The Theatre Royal in Norwich is the city’s biggest theatre. Other theatres in Norfolk include the Norwich Playhouse, the Maddermarket Theatre, the Norwich Puppet Theatre, and many more places to watch plays and performances.

Demography

The Office for National Statistics says that in 2018, Norfolk had 903,680 people. There were almost the same number of men and women. About 24.3% of the people were 65 years old or older. This is more than the 18.2% for all of England.

Notable people

From Norfolk

Further information: Category:People from Norfolk

Norfolk has been home to many famous people. Some were born there, like George VI, the king and emperor of the United Kingdom, who lived on the Sandringham estate. Others grew up there, such as James Blunt, the singer-songwriter, and Olivia Colman, the actress.

The county also has famous people in sports, like Martin Brundle, a former motor racing driver, and Lauren Hemp, an England footballer. Historical figures such as Boudica, a queen who led a rebellion, and Horatio, Lord Nelson, a famous admiral, are also linked to Norfolk.

Associated with Norfolk

Some well-known people have lived in Norfolk at different times. For example, Bill Bryson, the writer, lives in the county. John Major, the former British prime minister, has a holiday home in Weybourne. Others, like Delia Smith, the cookery writer, live in Norfolk and help with its culture and community.