History of Norfolk

Norfolk History

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This history of the County of Norfolk, England is broken into specific time periods.

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Pre History

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Prehistoric sites in the county are Grimes Graves near Lynford in the south of the county, a neolithic flint mine. Other sites are a number of iron age hill forts, and henges around the county.

Related Topics:
Grimes Graves - Lynford

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Roman Era

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In Roman times much of the county was farmed by Romanised locals and immigrants to the area. A number of Roman roads cross the county and Roman remains are known at Burnham Market, Caister, Burgh Castle, with evidence of Roman settlement quite widespread across the county. It is thought that the Romanised Britons used the area for farming, particularly cerials with some evidence of vineyards.

Related Topics:
Burnham Market - Caister - Burgh Castle

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Saxon Era

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1000's

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1100's

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The City of Norwich was founded in the 1100's though the settlement is much older. Construction of Norwich cathedral began.

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1200's

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1300's

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1400's

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1500's

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1600's

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1700's

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1785 and 1786 saw the first Aviation Activity in the county of Norfolk when several manned gas balloon flights were made from Quantrell's Gardens in Norwich.

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1800's

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1900's

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Early Years

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First World War

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The First World War was significant to the county of Norfolk in a number of ways. Large numbers of men of fighting age were called up to join local regiments that were sent to fight in France, virtually every Norfolk village has a war memorial that records the names of those who lost their lives.

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The war was the first time that significant aviation activity spread throughout the county with a large number of aerodromes and landing grounds being built. Significantly Pulham Market in the south of the county was one of the few locations where airships were stationed. Boulton and Paul in Norwich and Savages of Kings Lynn were both involved in aircraft production each company producing many hundreds of aircraft for the war effort, Boulton and Paul exists to the present time as a joinery company and remained in aviation as late as the 1960's.

Related Topics:
Pulham Market - Boulton and Paul - Savages

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The county was one of the first places on earth bombed from the air when German Zeppelin airships raided the county a number of times. Late in the war Zeppelin L70 was shot down off the Norfolk Coast by Major Egbert Cadbury of the Royal Air Force, onboard the doomed Zeppelin was Fregatenkapitan Peter Strasser, commander of the German Naval Airship Service, all on board were killed, a number of the men being buried in churchyards along the coast.

Related Topics:
Zeppelin - Peter Strasser

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Between The Wars

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The interwar period saw the first sustained mechanisation of farms with horse drawn equipment gradually falling from use to be replaced with steam and petrol driven machinery. Many farms grew in size as smaller farms were swallowed up being uncompetitive.

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Second World War

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Post War

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1950's

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1960's

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1970's

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1980's

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1990's

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2000's

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