For nearly 1000 years the splendour and tranquility of Norwich Cathedral has attracted countless pilgrims and visitors. The building remains a place of quiet reflection and prayer as well as for participation in daily worship or the rich pageantry of the Church's festivals.
Bishop Herbert de Losinga (1091) purchased his position at Thetford - which had been moved there by the Normans from its original Saxon centre in Elmham - from William Rufus (King William II) for the sum of nineteen hundred pounds, thus committing the sin of Simony. As penance he went to Rome where the Pope duly granted him absolution on condition that he erect a new Cathedral, which he did at Norwich. The Cathedral's foundation stone was laid in 1096.
The arrival of a bishopric furthered the status and prospects of this new Cathedral city, which by the Middle Ages had become the second most important city in England. De Losinga's Cathedral had progressed far enough to be consecrated in 1101, but it was finally completed in 1145 (only fifty years later), after his death, under the auspices of Bishop Eborard. A Benedictine monastery and Bishop's Palace were built along with the Cathedral, also paid for by the wealthy and fast working Herbert de Losinga.
Norwich Cathedral was built in the Norman or Romanesque style, most of which is still intact - see, for example, the north transept. The Cathedral was constructed in French limestone, transported from the quarries in Caen of Fécamp - where de Losinga had previously been Prior. There is also some English limestone from Barnack, now Nottinghamshire. Much of this stone was transported by ship from France to Great Yarmouth, and from thence to Norwich.
Since then rebuilding has at times been necessary and additions and alterations have been made to different parts of the Cathedral.
The cloister needed to be rebuilt first as it was burnt during civil unrest on 11 August 1272, following an annual market fair where serious fighting had erupted, the culmination of years of bad feeling. The 1297 - 1430 architecture of the cloister walkways are splendid examples of the stages of the English Gothic style. The East walk is Decorated, built with geometric circular stone patterns, (1297 - 1318), the South and West walks are in the flowing Decorated and Curvilinear styles (1322 - 1430) while the North walk is formed in the Perpendicular style, which is more vertical in its form (1381 - 1430). Today, Norwich Cathedral cloister is the largest monastic cloister in England; it is two stories high and was designed to house a community of approximately 100 monks.
In 1362, when a violent storm blew through Norwich, it toppled the Cathedral's second wooden spire, sending it crashing the Presbytery roof of the Cathedral's east end. The Norman clerestory was totally destroyed and needed rebuilding, which it was, but in the Perpendicular style, by Bishop Percy.
In 1463 lightening struck the third wooden spire. This time it toppled into the wooden roof of the Nave. The roof was re-vaulted in York stone by Bishop Lyhart. The new stone roof had its advantages; it was now fire proof and richly decorated with a unique collection of beautifully carved roof bosses, which are carved keystones. Elegant flying buttresses and vaults were added later and the Cathedral spire was also rebuilt in stone by Bishop Goldwell in 1480, whilst the stone vaults of the north and south transepts were added by Bishop Nikke between 1509 and 1520,
The Cathedral felt the effects of the Reformation too, when King Henry VIII placed himself at the head of the Church of England. After four hundred years as a monastic community, the Cathedral Priory was dissolved on 6th April 1538. Many monastic communities lost everything during these times, but Norwich Cathedral re-founded on the same day as a secular Cathedral and thus managed to retain much of its integrity, though it endured its share of looting. Many of the monastic buildings fell into neglect, were destroyed or converted into secular dwellings.
During the Civil War (1642-51) the Cathedral suffered similarly and reached its lowest ebb. By 1644, Dean and Chapter as well as Bishop had been removed from office by Government decree. The Cathedral was in a forlorn state of disrepair and ruin, and became utilised for a while as a barrack house for the mayor's bodyguard of Parliamentarian soldiers. The initiative and funding of Christopher Jay, a citizen of Norwich who would later become Mayor, saved the building from total ruination.
Many other additions have also been made to the Cathedral since its establishment. A major restoration of the fabric was undertaken from 1830 to 1840 by Anthony Salvin particularly in the South Transept, and in recent times the Cathedral's Development Campaign has begun with completion of the new Refectory building and Library extension. This, the largest building project undertaken in the Cathedral since the middle ages, is the first phase in a two stage project which intends to provide better facilities for the 400,000 visitors that the Cathedral receives each year and aims to continue the founding traditions of worship, education and hospitality upon which the Cathedral was founded. Today, the Cathedral is committed to maintaining an 'open door' policy to welcome all those who come to visit and we hope that you will find peace, tranquillity and spiritual refreshment here.
There's a constant stream of changing events at Norwich Cathedral. You can listen to visiting choirs, concerts and recitals, see exhibitions, attend lectures, or take part in other events. For latest details, please visit the services and events page at our website.
