Norfolk

Norfolk is situated on the east coast of England and enjoys a pleasant climate, with more sun and less rain on average than the rest of the country. Bordered by Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, and Suffolk, it has a population of 750,000 and covers an area of 2,054 square miles (5,320 sq km). The county town is Norwich.

In Norfolk there are the popular towns of Great Yarmouth, Horsey, King's Lynn, Norwich, Sandringham and Sheringham.

 

Geography

The landscape is flat with fertile farms. The county has a long, low coast bordering on the North Sea and the Wash. The principal rivers are the Ouse, the Bure, the Yare and its tributary the Wensum, and the Waveney. A series of connected shallow lakes, famously known as The Broads, occupies the eastern portion of the county and is a favourite tourist destination.

 

Industry

Norfolk produces cereal and root crops and supports extensive breeding of cattle and poultry. Fishing, the manufacture of agricultural machinery, and light industries are also important. The Broads attract a large number of visitors each year both for boating holidays and for the abundant wildlife the wetlands support.

 

History

Norfolk has been inhabited from prehistoric times and the flint mines at Grimes Caves date from the Neolithic period. The Romans built camps and roads in the county, the Danes and Anglo-Saxons settled here. After the Anglo-Saxon invasion of England, Norfolk became a part of the kingdom of East Anglia, the home of the “north folk” of that region. The Normans divided the area between them and built many castles and fortified homes. Many fine churches were built by wealthy wool merchants and by the end of the 16th century, Norwich was second only to London in size and wealth, with a population of around 15,000.