Norwich 12


Norwich 12 was an initiative by Norwich Heritage Economic and Regeneration Trust to develop 12 of Norwich's most iconic buildings into an integrated family of heritage attractions to act as an international showcase of English urban and cultural development over the last 1,000 years.
Norwich HEART initially secured £1 million from HM Treasury's Invest to Save Budget to run the pioneering heritage concept.
The 12 buildings are a collection of architecture that encompasses the Norman, medieval, Georgian, Victorian and modern eras.
The concept of the "Norwich 12" was launched in summer 2008.

The Norwich 12 Buildings

Norwich Castle (1067–1075)

is a Norman building, originally built as a royal palace for William the Conqueror, at a time when most buildings were small, wooden structures. The huge stone keep was a symbol of the king's power.
The Castle mound is the largest in the country, and from the 14th to 19th century the keep was used as a county gaol.
The Castle was converted into a museum in 1894.

Norwich Cathedral (1096–1145)

Most of Norwich Cathedral's Norman architecture is still intact and it forms one of the most complete examples of the Romanesque style in Europe. Like the Castle, the Cathedral's scale signified the power and permanence of the Norman invaders.
Caen stone was transported from Normandy and the immense building project required an army of masons, craftsmen, glaziers and labourers. Some of the original Norman wall painting survives in the Cathedral's Jesus Chapel and the presbytery.
Norwich Cathedral has the highest Norman tower and largest monastic cloisters in England, as well as a unique collection of medieval roof carvings.
A new Hostry Visitor and Education Centre, built within the footprint of the medieval Hostry, opened in 2009.

The Great Hospital (1249)

The Halls – St Andrew's and Blackfriars' (1307–1470)

The Guildhall (1407–1424)

Dragon Hall (1427–1430)

is a medieval trading hall, built by Robert Toppes, a wealthy local merchant, for his business. The first floor of the 27-metre timber-framed hall has an crown post roof with a carved dragon, which gives the building its name.
After Toppes' death, the building was converted for domestic use and then, in the 19th century, subdivided into shops, a pub and tenements. The great crown post roof was hidden from view for many years and only rediscovered in the 1980s.
Dragon Hall then became a heritage attraction open to visitors and a venue for weddings, private and corporate functions, and performances.

The Assembly House (1754–1755)

The Assembly House is a Georgian building designed by the architect Thomas Ivory. It incorporates the original layout of a previous building, the medieval college of St Mary in the Fields.
When it opened, the Assembly House was used as a centre for entertainment and assemblies for the local gentry. During its long history it has hosted a waxworks exhibition by Madame Tussaud, a concert by the composer Franz Liszt, and many balls.
Today the rooms appear almost exactly as they did at the height of the Regency period, and are used for exhibitions, concerts, conferences and weddings.

St James Mill (1836–1839)

The Cathedral of St John the Baptist (1884–1910)

is an example of 19th-century Gothic revival architecture. By the 19th century Catholics were once again free to worship in public and the Cathedral was a gift to the city by Henry Fitzalan Howard, 15th Duke of Norfolk, as part of his personal mission to bring Catholicism into the centre of English life.
It was designed in the Early English style by George Gilbert Scott Junior, has 19th-century stained glass, a wealth of Frosterley marble and stone carving.
The Cathedral also incorporates the Narthex – a new visitor centre.

Surrey House (1900–1912)

City Hall (1936–1938)

was completed in 1938 when the Guildhall and existing municipal offices could no longer accommodate the growth in local government duties.
The city council consulted the Royal Institute of British Architects and organised an architectural competition to design a new municipal building.
City Hall has an art deco interior, a top-floor cupola, rich mahogany panelling and one of the longest balconies in England.

The Forum (1999–2001)

Exploring the 12

While not all of the Norwich 12 attractions are open to the public, a main focus of the project was to improve accessibility to each of the sites.
All 12 can be explored by means of guided walks and tours, exhibitions and music/performances at the venues, or via heritage interpretation leaflets, signage, websites and guide books.

Norwich 12 totems

SHAPING 24

SHAPING 24 – Strategies for Heritage Access Pathways in Norwich and Ghent – was an award-winning cultural heritage tourism initiative, also coordinated by Norwich HEART, in conjunction with Stad Gent, that links together the Norwich 12 buildings, with 12 heritage sites in Ghent in Belgium.
The project sought to increase awareness of the longstanding historical links between the East of England and the Low Countries.
The SHAPING 24 project was a winner of the 2014 European Union Prize for Cultural Heritage / Europa Nostra Awards for Education, Training and Awareness-Raising.
The SHAPING 24 project was part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund from the European Union's INTERREG IVA 2 Mers Seas Zeeen Cross-border Cooperation Programme 2007–2013.

Gent: 12 x erfgoed

The 12 heritage sites in Ghent are: