Norwich
Norwich (/ˈnɒrɪdʒ, -ɪtʃ/ ⓘ) is a cathedral city and district of the county of Norfolk, England of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about 100 mi (160 km) north-east of London, 40 mi (64 km) north of Ipswich and 65 mi (105 km) east of Peterborough. As the seat of the See of Norwich, with one of the country's largest medieval cathedrals, it is the largest settlement and has the largest urban area in East Anglia. The population of the Norwich City Council local authority area was estimated to be 144,000 in 2021, which was an increase from 143,135 in 2019.[3] The wider built-up area had a population of 213,166 in 2019.[1]
This article is about the city in England. For other uses, see Norwich (disambiguation).
Norwich
c. 43 AD as Northwic
Non-metropolitan district council
- Clive Lewis (L)
- Chloe Smith (C)
20.3 sq mi (52.6 km2)
143,118 (ranked 155th)
213,166
10,000/sq mi (4,100/km2)
Norvician
- 53.5% no religion
- 33.6% Christianity
- 9.9% other
- 3% Islam
01603
AO, AP, AR, AS, AT, AU
33UK
Heritage and status[edit]
Norwich claims to be the most complete medieval city in the United Kingdom.[4] It includes cobbled streets such as Elm Hill, Timber Hill and Tombland; ancient buildings such as St Andrew's Hall; half-timbered houses such as Dragon Hall, The Guildhall and Strangers' Hall; the Art Nouveau of the 1899 Royal Arcade; many medieval lanes; and the winding River Wensum that flows through the city centre towards Norwich Castle.[4]
In May 2012, Norwich was designated England's first UNESCO City of Literature.[5] One of the UK's popular tourist destinations, it was voted by The Guardian in 2016 as the "happiest city to work in the UK"[6] and in 2013 as one of the best small cities in the world by The Times Good University Guide.[7] In 2018, 2019 and 2020, Norwich was voted one of the "Best Places To Live" in the UK by The Sunday Times.[8][9]
Education[edit]
Primary and secondary[edit]
The city has 56 primary schools (including 16 academies and free schools) and 13 secondary schools, 11 of which are academies.[100] The city's eight independent schools include Norwich School and Norwich High School for Girls.[100] There are five schools for children with learning disabilities.[101] The former Norwich High School for Boys in Upper St Giles Street has a blue plaque commemorating Sir John Mills, who was a pupil there.[102]
Transport[edit]
Road[edit]
Norwich stands north of the A47 (bypassed to the south of the city), which connects it with Great Yarmouth to the east, and King's Lynn and Peterborough to the west. There are plans to upgrade the A47, especially sections that are still single-carriageway, prompted partly by ongoing construction of Great Yarmouth Outer Harbour.[197]
Norwich is linked to Cambridge via the A11, which leads to the M11 motorway for London and the M25. It is linked to Ipswich to the south by the A140 and to Lowestoft to the south-east by the A146.
Norwich has the UK's largest independent car club.[198]