Over the last five years, East Anglia’s Norwich Castle has been quietly undergoing a serious renovation.
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After revamping all five floors of Norwich Castle thanks to funding upwards of $37 million from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the location has become one of England’s most accessible and dynamic castles.
In fact, it’s the first time that all five floors have been open to the public. That might not sound like a big deal, but the construction of this former prison-castle began in 1067, meaning the inner workings of some floors of Norwich Castle have been closed to the public for almost a millennium.
If you like castles, history, and a few macabre tales, it’s easily one of the coolest day trips you can take from London, so long as you’re willing to spend the night. Here’s what to expect from the newly reopened Norwich Castle.
New exhibits and galleries at Norwich Castle
William the Conqueror, the first Norman king of England, ordered the construction of Norwich Castle following the Norman Conquest of England. Despite its large size and grandeur, it was used as a prison (aka a ‘gaol’) up until the late 1800s.
By 1915, Norwich Castle had become a scheduled monument, and was then made a ‘listed building’ in 1954. In English parlance, that means that it’s protected and managed by national entities; currently, it’s managed by Norfolk Museums Service.
Despite its role as a prison, Norwich is also home to many artworks and archaeological finds from the region. In short, visitors won’t be bogged down with dark topics—at least, not for the whole visit.
Norwich Galleries are home to artifacts, natural history specimens, regimental history, and decorative and contemporary art. Currently, there are also four exhibits open to the public, mostly focused on contemporary art, and multiple events and workshops scheduled for the rest of the year.
But the main star of the show is the renovated Castle Keep, which showcases the grounds’ role as a medieval gaol.
