Norwich tour guide, Paul Dickson will introduce you to the story of the Maids Head Hotel, one of the oldest hotels in the country. To include a tour of the historic public spaces, featuring the late 16th century bar, 17th century Oak Room, former courtyard (now the restaurant) and 18th century assembly room (now the Minstrel's Suite).

The first inn on the site, the Murtel Fish tavern was operating in the middle of the 13th century. A new inn called the Maids Head was constructed in the 15th century and was given it's first name check in a 1472 Paston Letter. The Maids Head went on to become an important coaching inn, with stabling and livery yard for more than 100 horses. It was acquired by Walter Rye in the late 1880s who expanded the hotel on Tombland. The Maids Head has been privately owned by the Chaplin family since 2012. They also own The Ship Hotel, Brancaster and The Gonville, Cambridge.

Please note there are two ticket options, for this event. Tour followed by afternoon tea starting at 2pm or afternoon tea followed by tour starting at 2.45pm. Tour groups will come together at 2:45pm to enjoy the Maid’s Head Hotel’s fabulous Afternoon Tea in a private dining room.

Please email with any dietary requirements.

Norwich tour guide, Paul Dickson will introduce you to the story of the Maids Head Hotel, one of the oldest hotels in the country. To include a tour of the historic public spaces, featuring the late 16th century bar, 17th century Oak Room, former courtyard (now the restaurant) and 18th century assembly room (now the Minstrel's Suite).

The first inn on the site, the Murtel Fish tavern was operating in the middle of the 13th century. A new inn called the Maids Head was constructed in the 15th century and was given it's first name check in a 1472 Paston Letter. The Maids Head went on to become an important coaching inn, with stabling and livery yard for more than 100 horses. It was acquired by Walter Rye in the late 1880s who expanded the hotel on Tombland. The Maids Head has been privately owned by the Chaplin family since 2012. They also own The Ship Hotel, Brancaster and The Gonville, Cambridge.

Please note there are two ticket options for this event. Ticket Option 1: Tour followed by Afternoon Tea starting at 2pm or Ticket Option 2: Afternoon Tea followed by Tour starting at 2.45pm. Tour groups will come together at 2:45pm to enjoy the Maid’s Head Hotel’s fabulous Afternoon Tea in a private dining room.

Please email any dietary requirements.

As an important medieval City, Norwich still has many alleyways away from the major road network. Many of these alleyways have an interesting story to tell. Jonathan will introduce some of these stories in a guided walk from the Market place towards eastern Norwich. It is an almost circular route, returning to the bottom of Westlegate once the tour is over. The secrets of Weaver’s Lane, Boar’s Head Yard, the origin of the name of Winall’s Yard, Chapel Loke, Lady Julian’s cell, Old Barge yard, Stepping Lane and Grouts yard, will all be revealed.

Jonathan Hooton is a City of Norwich Tour Guide, a former Head of Geography at Notre Dame High School and a regular feature in the Society's event programme.

The tour will start by the tower at St Peter Mancroft and take about 1 ½ hours. It is on reasonable footways although there will be several slopes involved in the walk.

On the wall in a side-chapel of Norwich Cathedral a modest plaque reads – ‘Remember Thomas Fowell Buxton Bt. Member of Parliament Whose Efforts led to the Emancipation of 700,000 slaves on 1st August 1834.’ These simple words commemorate a towering Norfolk hero whose courage, compassion, bravery and tenacity helped change the lives of hundreds of thousands of people.

This is another chance to hear Dr Alison Dow bring to life the story behind this plaque and to share some new material. Alison will look at the life of Thomas Buxton and the Norfolk and Norwich community that inspired him and supported him though the brutal, decades-long Parliamentary battle that led finally to the end of slavery throughout the British Empire.

Dr Alison Dow was formerly a GP in Mile Cross, Norwich. She was born and brought up in Northern Rhodesia—now Zambia, the country where David Livingstone died and is still revered because of his strong anti-slavery stance. Alison is not the first in her family to undertake research on Africa-related topics—among her relatives she counts some eminent academics specialising in colonial and African history. She is particularly happy to play her part by researching the life of this local historical figure whose role in history has been much overlooked.

Followed by a soft drink and biscuits and an opportunity to speak with Dr Alison Dow.

Norwich Tour guide Roger Smith will take you on a walking tour along Timberhill, down to Kings Street ending at the Novi Sad bridge, covering notable buildings, famous people and other influential factors of the period.

The tour will begin on Orford Hill and take about 1 1/2 hours. It is on reasonable footways although there will be several slopes involved in the walk.

Norwich has always been an important shopping centre, and many of the city centre’s shop buildings can reveal a good deal about the city’s social history and its historic trades and industries. Tour guide Annie Ogden will take you on a wlaking tour which explores, among other things, how the city developed as a shopping centre and how some shop buildings have had significant changes of use over the centuries. Perhaps they offer a glimpse of the future, when some of the stores hit by the pandemic and the rise of online shopping will reinvent themselves.

This 1 1/2 hour tour starts at The Forum and ends on Gentlemans Walk.

Norwich tour guide, Paul Dickson will escort you on a circuit of Tombland and also discuss the various buildings that make up the Maids Head Hotel. Hear about the riot of 1272, the impact of the Strangers, Walter Eghe's great escape, Louis Marchesi and the Round Table, Sir Thomas Erpingham, Augustine Steward, Samson and Hercules and much more.

The tour ends at the Maids Head Hotel for a Charcuterie Board of cured meats, artisan cheeses, pickles, bread, dips, crackers, olives, roasted peppers, dressed leaves and more and a glass of wine or a soft drink.

Please email dietary requirements to admin@thenorwichsociety.org.uk

The tour starts and finishes at the Maids Head Hotel

There is much medieval history to unearth in Norwich, apart from it’s wonderful set of churches. Norwich was the second most important City after London for much of the medieval period and has many fascinating stories and buildings to discover on this walk from Tombland to the market place, finishing with a view of the Royal Palace.

Jonathan Hooton is a City of Norwich Tour Guide, a former Head of Geography at Notre Dame High School and a regular feature in the Society's event programme.

The Tour will begin at the Erpingham Gate in Tombland and take about 1 1/2 hours.

There is much medieval history to unearth in Norwich, apart from it’s wonderful set of churches. Norwich was the second most important City after London for much of the medieval period and has many fascinating stories and buildings to discover on this walk from Tombland to the market place, finishing with a view of the Royal Palace.

Jonathan Hooton is an experienced Norwich Tour Guide and former teacher of Geography.

The tour will begin at the Erpingham Gate in Tombland and take about 1 1/2 hours.

Since completing a post-retirement BA and MA at the UEA, Ian Smith has pursued his special interest in Georgian Norwich.

Meet outside the café in the park. 

Talk and tea and cake in the café.

Starting from Blyburgate car park, Beccles, NR34 9TF and finishing at St Michael’s Church for tea and cake