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THI finally took the opportunity to visit @norwichcastle since its incredible renovation works were completed last year.
Norwich Castle is one of England’s finest surviving Norman royal palaces, with the structure we see today having been completed by 1121.
On this site once stood a wooden motte-and-bailey castle, built for William the Conqueror around 1067. This early fortress reportedly withstood a rebel siege attempt several years later.
In 1094, work began on the stone keep that still stands today, under William Il. After his death in 1100, Henry! of England continued his older brother’s works. By 1121, the stone keep was completed. It was intended as a royal palace, and Henry I stayed here for a crown-wearing ceremony at Christmas that same year.
By 1345, the castle had largely ceased to function as a royal administrative and legal centre, as it had for the previous two centuries. It was subsequently used as a prison, continuing as such for the next 500 years.
In 1886, the prison was moved from Norwich Castle to another location within the city. Plans were then drawn up to convert the castle into a museum, which opened in 1894.
To this day, Norwich Castle still serves as a museum, offering a fascinating insight into the Norman era and beyond.
#norwichcastle #norwich #castle #museum #normans
@the.heritage.journal
