Norfolk city walls and towers

The Norwich city walls are medieval defensive structures built between 1294 and 1343. They stretch for 4.0 kilometres and once enclosed an area larger than the City of London. The walls were made of flint with brick reinforcements and stood about six metres high. Around forty towers were incorporated into the walls, including the Boom Towers, Cow Tower and Black Tower. Twelve gates punctuated the circuit, such as St Stephen’s, Conisford and Bishop’s gates. The River Wensum protected the eastern side, reducing the need for walls there. The walls saw action during Kett’s Rebellion in 1549 and later became obsolete after Norwich’s territory expanded in 1556. Many gates were demolished in the 18th and 19th centuries, though some towers survived. Robert Spynk funded part of the construction and donated springalds for defence. The walls once carried fifty guns by 1385, and repairs were funded by figures like Stephen Brian and Katherine Bewfield. The ditch outside was twenty metres deep and sixty metres wide. Visitors today walk sections of the remaining walls and visit notable towers. The Black Tower stands high above King Street and once housed a plague hospital. The Boom Towers flank the river near Carrow Bridge, marking a well-preserved stretch. Cow Tower rises fifteen metres by the River Wensum, built with stone and timber from Great Yarmouth. The walls and towers offer views over the city and its historic core. Some towers, like Bull Close Tower, show brick reinforcements and vaulted chambers. The ruins remain a reminder of Norwich’s medieval strength.