John A. Davies - The Little History of Norfolk

First published 2020

The History Press

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John A. Davies, 2020

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ISBN 978 0 7509 9447 7

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John A. Davies was, until December 2018, Chief Curator for Norfolk Museums Service and Director of the Norwich Castle: Gateway to Medieval England project, based at Norwich Castle Museum & Art Gallery. He has worked as an archaeologist in Norfolk since 1984, specialising in the Roman and late prehistoric periods. He undertook his doctoral research into aspects of Roman coinage and has published widely on the subject of coinage from British archaeological sites. Since 1997, in his role as Keeper of Archaeology for Norfolk Museums Service, he has been involved in many archaeological discoveries. His publications include Land of the Iceni: The Iron Age in Northern East Anglia (1999), Venta Icenorum: Caistor St Edmund Roman Town (2001), The Land of Boudica: Prehistoric and Roman Norfolk (2009), Boudica: Her Life, Times and Legacy (2009), The Iron Age in Northern East Anglia: New Work in the Land of the Iceni (2011), Castles and the Anglo-Norman World (2015) and A History of Norfolk in 100 Objects (2015). He is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.

This work owes a debt to the many authors, historians, archaeologists, archivists, local enthusiasts, metal detectorists and other finders of archaeological objects, who have contributed so much to our understanding of Norfolks past. I owe a particular debt to colleagues at Norfolk Museums Service throughout my career with whom I have benefitted from discussions about the countys history, natural environment and cultural context. With regard to this publication, I would particularly like to thank Jan Pitman for his invaluable discussions and advice. I would also like to thank my colleague in the Department of Archaeology, Tim Pestell, whose regular discussions and encouragement towards all aspects of my work have been much appreciated. As always, the views expressed here remain the responsibility of the author.

Norfolk, Englands easternmost county, is an area of great and still unspoiled natural beauty. Bounded by a long coastline, golden sandy beaches, panoramic skyscapes; its countryside provides a haven for wildlife. It is populated with elegant stately homes and parklands, charming historic market towns and villages, and bejewelled with a wealth of historic buildings, notably its many medieval churches. It possesses an exceptional wealth of archaeological riches that continue to be discovered daily in the open fields of its widespread agricultural land. The county combines a uniquely varied landscape and geology, while strong maritime influences link it with the North Sea world and beyond. Today, its historic role remains largely forgotten beyond the county borders.

This short history will look at the full span of human occupation in the area now defined as the county of Norfolk. Its origin as a political entity is a comparatively recent imposition, dating back some 970 years, with the first documentary mention of the county in the years 104345. The county as a unit was thus in use for the purposes of the new administration, with the arrival of the Normans in 1066. Unlike many counties, Norfolk is well defined geographically, comprising almost an island, with water on all sides. The Wash and the Fens form the western boundary, with the rivers Little Ouse and Waveney in the south and the North Sea in the east and north. This book will look at this geographical area back through deeper history. It will consider the relationship between the people who have inhabited it and the natural landscape, from the arrival of the very first humans to the present day, and just how this interaction has defined Norfolks role in national events.

It is not possible, nor is it desirable, in a work of this size, to attempt to cover everything of note that has happened in the county. Neither is it intended to provide a full political history. This account is necessarily a selective interpretation of the flow of events and the reasons underlying them. In particular, I wish to reflect Norfolks relationship with other areas, which was a changeable interaction. At times the county was at the forefront of innovation and experienced episodes of national prominence. At others, it has been more inward-looking, isolated, and less involved with other regions. Norfolks role has always been influenced by its unique geographical situation.

Throughout this work I would like to view, perhaps define, Norfolk through its geographical position in two ways. Firstly, the role of water, which has sculpted both its landscape and its character. As well as the sea forming its external borders, Norfolks rivers have acted as foci for settlement, while providing the means for communications and trade. Waterways have also provided natural routeways, guiding people to and from the county. In respect of its underlying significance, I would term Norfolk as a waterland.

The second definition I wish to apply to Norfolk is as a borderland, situated on the periphery, both geographically and in relation to events, which may be further qualified as a form of edgeland. Although not adhering to its strict definition, the latter term does in a simple sense describe Norfolks location on the eastern extremity of England. We shall see how these three terms remain appropriate for the countys interaction with other parts of the country over time.

Noel Cowards famously dismissive description of Norfolk as very flat, in his play Private Lives, has long fed perceptions of the county as dull and featureless, and a sleepy quiet backwater, belying its truly diverse landscape and the richness of its history. The quiet rural nature of Norfolk in the twenty-first century also disguises its long and busy past. The county was once one of the most heavily populated parts of England. The county town of Norwich was the largest walled town in the country during the Middle Ages; bigger than London and Southwark combined. As the richest provincial city for much of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, it was then recognised as Englands second city.