15 Things Norwich Is Famous For
Norwich is a beautiful city combined with history and modernity. It’s super easy to explore on foot and has a beautiful river at its heart.
The flourishing arts, music and cultural scene is forever thriving with a great selection of high street shopping and buzzing restaurants.
If you’re a living in a student accommodation in Norwich, here and need to know a little more about this fabulous city, then look no further!
We’ve gathered a list of 15 wonderful things the city of Norwich is famous for, prepare to have your mind blown:
1. Colmans Mustard
Have you ever noticed on the infamous bright yellow jar of mustard the words “Colman’s of Norwich”?
The popular brand has called Norfolk its home since 1814. Jeremiah James Colman established the production factory in Norwich which is still going strong today.
All the mustard seeds are milled on site in Norfolk, even some of the current farmers are 5th generation mustard seed growers. Next time you’re lathering some mustard on your hot dog, remember that it’s fresh from Norwich!
2. Alan Partridge
Aha! If you haven’t watched Alan Partridge then we strongly suggest that you do. Alan Partridge is played by actor Steve Coogan, who portrays an inept broadcaster whose sense of celebrity drives him to shameless self-promotion.
The best part is, the radio station he works for in the show is Radio Norwich! The series is seriously binge-worthy and perfect if you fancy a break from studying to have a good laugh.
3. Cromer Crab
Cromer Crabs are caught in the North Sea around the Norfolk village of Cromer, the nutrient-rich water means that these crabs are particularly tasty and tender.
We recommend eating them fresh with a squeeze of lemon and black pepper, to really give your taste buds a treat.
4. Norwich City FC
Known as the “The Canaries” or “City” Norwich City FC are a very famous part of the Norwich, the club was founded in 1902 and compete in the Premier League. You can even grab yourself some tickets to a stadium tour if you fancy finding out more information about the club when studying in the city!
5. Admiral Lord Nelson
As you enter Norfolk you’ll notice a lot of signs referring to Norfolk as “Nelson’s County”, this is in reference to Nelson Vice Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson, Norfolk’s most famous son.
He was educated at the Norwich school within the precincts of the cathedral and is famous for his participation in the Napoleonic wars, and most notably in The Battle of Trafalgar.
6. Delia Smith
Although primarily known for her cookery skills, did you know that Delia Smith is a joint majority shareholder for Norwich City F.C? Her partner in the shareholding is her husband, Michael Wynn-Jones.
Originally, they were big fans of the club and owned season tickets but were asked if they’d like to invest in the club, who had fallen on hard times.
7. Fish & Chips
Who doesn’t love a nice plate of fish & chips? The Good Food Awards wants people to find the tastiest, greasiest fish & chips out there, perfect for a guilty pleasure treat after a heavy night out!
Luckily, there’s plenty of 2020 recipients for the awards from Norwich including “Chish and Fips”, Boundary Fish Bar, and many more.
With all the delicious fresh fish on offer in the city, it’s no surprise that Norwich is well known for the classic tasty dish.
8. Broads National Park
Home to 25% of UK’s rarest wildlife and mentioned in one of David Bowie’s biggest hits (“From Ibiza to the Norfolk Broads- Life on Mars”) this beautiful manmade “accident” has existed across Norfolk and Suffolk for a very long time, since the Middle Ages to be precise!
Excavated for peat in Medieval times which was sold as fuel, the pits were flooded, causing the beauty that exists today. Now, it’s the 3rd largest navigable waterway extending a whopping 125 miles.
9. Tanya Burr
If you’re keen about YouTube, you may have heard of Tanya Bur, the English Youtuber now actress grew up in Norwich and has over 3 million subscribers on her YouTube Channel.
Her channel content usually consists of fashion, makeup and lifestyle videos, but she has since taken a break to pursue her acting career.
10. Postcodes
There are around 1.8 million postcodes in use across the United Kingdom, but did you know that it all began in Norwich?
The first postcodes were trialled in Norwich in 1959 and in 1966, the eight-year programme to postcode the whole country began…pretty cool right?
11. Paige- WWE
Calling all WWE fans! Did you know that “Paige” (real name Saraya-Jade Bevis) is from Norwich? Now retired, Paige was a two-time Divas Champion and the inaugural NXT Women’s Champion in WWE’s development branch NXT.
In 2019, “Fighting With My Family” a film based on Paige’s life was released, directed by the very well-known comedian Stephen Merchant.
The film explores how Paige became famous with many references to the lovely city of Norwich!
12. Hugh Jackman
Fun fact! Hugh Jackman is a huge Norwich City F.C. supporter, pretty surprising right? His mother lives in Norfolk and is a self-proclaimed Canaries supporter, and Hugh is very much following in her footsteps.
Hugh was given the opportunity to invest in the club but turned down the offer.
13. Quiz of The Week
“And now, from Norwich, it’s the quiz of the week!” Ring any bells? You’re probably too young! “Sale of the Century” is a British game show that was first shown on ITV from 1971 to 1983, hosted by Nicholas Parsons.
Since Norwich was considered a backwater compared to London, it was often referred to ironically for comedic effect.
14. Stiffkey Cockles
These cockles are generally known as the finest cockles available in Great Britain, they are also locally known as “Stewkey Blues” because of their distinctive grey/blue colour which comes from the mud and sand where they live.
About 25 miles from Norwich, Stiffkey is famous for their delicious cockles and are definitely worth trying when studying here!
15. Cheese
Everybody loves a bit of cheese, and thankfully Norwich have a delicious array of cheeses on offer for all!
Not only do they hold a cheese festival for cheese lovers every year, they also have a whole bunch of tasty independent cheese shops for you to explore.
Particular favourites include Norfolk Dapple, Norfolk Tawny and Norfolk Carrow (flavoured with mustard seeds!). All located near your student accommodation in Norwich