Norfolk

Bordered by Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, and Suffolk and covers an area of 2,054 square miles. It has a population of 750,000 and the county town is Norwich.

Industry

Norfolk supports extensive breeding of cattle and poultry, cereal and root crops and fishing. The manufacture of agricultural machinery, and light industries are also important.

Geography

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

History

Norfolk has been inhabited from very early times. The flint mines at Grimes Caves date from the Neolithic period. The Romans built camps and roads in the county, the 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.