Jayna Makwana ponders the city walls of Norwich and throws a little light on what will be open during Heritage Open Days 2005
Whilst exploring the historic city of Norwich one may come across the remains of a wall, a tower or maybe some disused gates. People may look at the remains and take many pictures but they may not be aware of the defensive role that such structures played within the ancient city.
What the Heritage Open Days will be seeking to do is inform and educate the local people on the history of the wall, towers and gates that may have once protected their ancestors.
Not only does the event inform the public about ancient defence but also of modern defence such as the RAF Museum and The Second Air Division Memorial Library, along with celebrating the work and dedication of the US 8th Air Force where thousands of young Americans lost their lives in the line of duty during the Second World War.
The ancient and modern forms of defence were (and still are) crucial to the city and help create the unique character of Norwich. Arguably the city’s paramount defensive structure – and certainly in ancient Norwich was the City Wall, the remains of which you may come across during the Heritage Open Days.
Built between 1297 and 1334 (a good time for builders) on the bank encircling the town the City Wall acted as a protector against foreign, particularly French invasion, however it never had to perform that role.
Extending for 2.5 miles the wall protected the west and north of the old city whilst the River Wensum provided protection for the northeast and east. The wall had 11 fortified gates, 40 towers and 1,630 battlements.
The accompanying defensive ditch was a staggering 60ft wide and 20ft deep, while the wall itself was 20ft high and was built out of 70,000 tons of stone and brick! The Norwich City Wall did in fact enclose a larger area than any other city wall in England, including London.
There were probably only two ways of getting into the city, either with authorisation or with a battle. One of which was in 1549 when Robert Kett’s rebel army stormed the city after peasants revolted against the Baron’s enclosure of the common land. About 15,000 rebels are thought to have fought pitch battles with government forces in and around Norwich.
The rebellion was brutally repressed and some 300 peasants were executed in the city whilst Kett himself was hung from the battlements of Norwich Castle.
However the wall’s more practical and peaceful day to day role for almost 500 years was to act as a customs and immigration channel and a quarantine barrier during times of plague.
Because the wall was the largest in medieval England there was sufficient space to accommodate the city’s growth in the medieval period. However by 1790s development started to spill beyond the old walls leading to some of the gates being demolished as ‘an encumbrance and a hindrance to the ventilation of the narrow and crowded streets’.
With time much of the wall disappeared, buildings gradually surrounded it and sections collapsed or were plundered for building materials. Parts of it were also demolished for re-development and road widening.
Today 15 sections survive above ground, including Cow Tower, which will provide the backdrop for the staging of The Mediaeval Trust’s small ‘Living History’ demonstration at the Great Hospital in Norwich as part of the city’s Heritage Open Days attractions.
“It will take the form of a small encampment of archers from the 14th century and will be open free of charge to the public over the four days” says Ian Pycroft, the Company Secretary of the Mediaeval Trust.
“There will be an archery tournament and general mediaeval activities suitable for the environment, perhaps involving sword fighting, training and other military activities.”
Cowholm Tower was built in 1398-9 on a tiny island, Cow Holme. Originally a lookout post and defensive structure, it still stands guard today over the northeastern approach to the city and is a very rare example of a freestanding medieval artillery tower.
Its shortened name of Cow Tower evolved due to the tower being used as shelter by the cattle that used to graze in the surrounding meadows. It is thought the damaged condition of the top storey was caused in 1549 by a canon ball launched by Kett’s rebels.
Cow Tower and the other gates were kept in good condition by wardens and were paid for mostly by rich citizens. Even though they were badly damaged during Kett’s rebellion they were repaired and remained standing until Norwich Corporation ordered their demolition between 1791 and 1808. By this time the City Gates were described as ‘a nuisance that smells rank in the noise of modern improvement’.
The remains of the city wall and city gates and the various towers dotted around Norwich are a must see during the Heritage Open Days. They really are magnificent structures that link ancient Norwich with modern Norwich.
In the 20th century the defence organisations no longer had to be mindful of canon balls flying through the air but rather aeroplanes attacking and missiles being launched.
The RAF Air Defence Radar Museum located at RAF Neatishead in Norwich was opened in October 1994. The museum aims to trace the history and development of Air Defence Radar during the period from 1935 to 1993. This includes World War Two operations at home and overseas, the development of detection from sound to modern computerised Radar systems, air intelligence photography and space surveillance and defence amongst much more.
Housed in the original Operations Building at Royal Air Force Neatishead the museum features exhibitions about the station’s Battle of Britain Operations and the original Cold War Ops room used until 1993.
The museum also boasts the largest permanent display of original Unit and Station badges. Along with a large quantity of photographs, documents and videos relating to Air Defence equipment and procedures which can be made available to people for research purposes or merely out of curiosity.
During Heritage Open Daysaccess will be free of charge, therefore it is the perfect opportunity to head on down and see for yourself.
It is not only museums that celebrate modern defence techniques but Norwich also houses The Second Air Division Memorial Library located in The Forum.
The US 8th Air Force was, in terms of men and aircraft, the largest offensive air force in history. It had 3 divisions, one of which, the 2nd Air Division, was based in Norfolk. During the Second World War over 6,700 Americans of the 2nd Air Division lost their lives fighting for our freedom.
A product of an original idea of the members and the leaders of the wartime 2nd Air Division, fund raising efforts for the library had already begun even before the end of the war in 1945.
The library establishes a memorial for not only the people who lost their lives but also to the survivors who go on to tell the story. It also celebrates the special bond developed between the American soldiers and the people of East Anglia.
The initial aim of the Memorial Library is to provide books about the US and its civilisation or general books either written by Americans or published in America. People who are interested in American history, politics, religion or contemporary culture may find this library a goldmine.
More specifically the library documents the history of the 2nd Air Division during World War Two with the aim to make it as complete as possible.
This place is a gem for anyone interested about the Second World War in the air or about American life and will be open during the Heritage Open Days for the local people to remind themselves of the brave efforts of both the American and British soldiers who fought for freedom.
The Heritage Open Days run between September 8 & 11 2005 and aim to expose as many of the secrets of the city's defences as possible - whether they be medieval walls, radar or WWII heroes.
Discover Secret Norwich: Heritage Open Days 2005 run between 8 & 11 September 2005.
Jayna Makwana is the 24 Hour Museum/Norwich HEART Student Writer in Norwich. Norwich Heritage Economic and Regeneration Trust is the groundbreaking initiative to regenerate, manage and promote one of the most remarkable heritage resources in the UK and in Europe.
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