24 Hour Museum - official guide to UK museums, galleries, exhibitions and heritage
Gateway to Over 3,000 UK museums, galleries and heritage attractions
Skip to navigation
New Children's Adventure Books Highlight Norwich's Built Heritage
By Katie Brinkley
16/05/2008
Image: a book cover with seprent motif on it and the title the Three Serpents
Saul Penfold’s The 3 Serpents of the North Door is the first book in the new series called The City of Light.
A new series of children's adventure books is set to give youngsters an entertaining read whilst educating them about the long and varied history of Norwich and its buildings.
Saul Penfold’s The 3 Serpents of the North Door is the first book in the new series called The City of Light, designed to engage children of all ages with Norwich’s fabulous heritage.
In this first story young readers travel back in time with the characters to see Norwich’s great Norman Cathedral under construction.
Today, the Cathedral is part of Norwich 12, the UK’s finest collection of individually outstanding heritage buildings. The twelve buildings span the Norman, medieval, Georgian, Victorian and modern eras.
As readers follow The City of Light series, they will travel through time visiting more of the Norwich 12 buildings.
The Three Serpents of the North Door uses time travel to help children access this rich historical past and history is made exciting and entertaining, through both Saul’s story and Jim Kavanagh’s wonderful illustrations.
Image: an interior photograph of a cathedral
The three Serpents allows readers to travel back in time with the characters to see Norwich’s great Norman Cathedral under construction. © Norwich City Council
Tom Buxton lives with his dad and sister in Norwich, the historic Cathedral city. Despite being surrounded by ancient streets and buildings, Tom pays little attention to history. He puzzles at his dad’s obsession with antiques. That is until he accompanies his dad to an antique shop and discovers an ancient magic book.
The book leads to adventure and time travel. Tom and Emma are catapulted 900 years back in time. There are mysteries to be solved and to return home they must get past the terrifying serpents of the North Door.
Fast paced and dramatic, The 3 Serpents of the North Door is a wonderful read for both children and adults. The book, which is published by Serpent Books, will be released on May 25.
Before then, if your family likes adventure, you can come and meet Saul and his characters when Norwich Cathedral hosts a free ‘Time Travelling’ day on May 24, between 10am and 3pm.
There will be the chance to join in with craft and dress up activities and take part in a civil war pike drill. The kids will also have the chance to meet medieval monks, herbalists, soldiers and storytellers. Historic food will be available in the Cathedral restaurant and Saul will be happy to sign copies of The 3 Serpents, which will be available for sale on the day.
Katie Brinkley is the 24 Hour Museum/Norwich HEART Student Writer in Norwich. Norwich Heritage Economic and Regeneration Trust (HEART) is the groundbreaking initiative to regenerate, manage and promote one of the most remarkable heritage resources in the UK and in Europe.
Norwich Cathedral
12 The Close, Norwich, NR1 4DH, Norfolk, England
Open: The Cathedral is open from:
7.30am-6pm daily (7pm mid-May to mid-September).
Related Articles
Heritage Open Days In Norwich Promise Tours, Towers and Talks
Public Explore Norwich Heritage Via Interactive Bluetooth 'Totems'
Norwich To Celebrate Its Mythical Roots With New Dragon Festival
Contemporary Art Norwich 2007 - Second Biennial Festival Begins
A Remarkable Quaker Tapestry Showing Now At Norwich Cathedral
100,000 Visitors Flock To Norwich For 2005 Heritage Open Days
E-news registration
E-mail story to a friend
Tell us what you think
Library Thief Update: Sentencing Adjourned Until January 16, 2009
Fund Aims To Realise Long Campaign For Cardiff Museum
Britglyph Art Campaign Uses Web To Make Mass Geoglyph
Inaugural Awards Ceremony Honours UK Arts Philanthropists
Rare Silver Cup Commemorating Coronation Of Charles II Is Saved For The Nation
London Fire Brigade Museum Escapes Closure - For Now
Severndroog Castle To Be Restored Thanks To Lottery Grant
Campaign To Save Captain Scott's Hut Needs Another £65,000
Open Air Lab Project Launches At The Natural History Museum
Gravity Defying Vertical Racer Drives Kids Up the Wall At MOSI
DCMS And English Heritage List Seven London Bridges
Railway Museums Launch Joint WWII Railway Worker Project
Bowes Museum Famous Mechanical Swan Goes Back On Show In December
Free Admission To Historic Scotland Sites For St Andrew's Day
Fund Raising Scheme Is Backing Great North Museum: Hancock
Tyneside Gallery Plots New Display After Funding Victory
Winners Of The Inaugural Davy Portrait Awards Announced
Discovering D-Day At The Portsmouth D-Day Museum
Search this site
Home Page
News Page
Exhibition Page
What's On
Trails Page
Website of the Week
Letters Page
Welsh Home
Graphical Version
Copyright © 24 Hour Museum
Information published here was believed to be correct at the time it was prepared. Welsh language pages developed with CYMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government.