Bridewell Museum

The Museum of Norwich at the Bridewell is a Grade I listed building beside St Andrew’s Church in the heart of Norwich. Built in the 14th century as a grand medieval residence, it later became the city’s first house of correction in 1585. After serving as a factory from 1828, it reopened as a museum in 1923 following a donation by Sir Henry Holmes. The building’s medieval undercrofts survive as some of the most extensive in Norwich. The museum holds objects that tell Norwich’s social history, including the last Jacquard loom woven in the city. A history wall mosaic made from 9,000 public photographs shows the city’s changing face. In 2019 the museum installed a restored 17th-century sculpture of Samson, saved through a crowdfunding campaign. The collection also features Edwardian hats by Rumsey Wells and records of the Bridewell’s dual role as a place of reform and punishment. Visitors find two brick-vaulted undercrofts from the medieval ranges and a modern display area. The Samson sculpture stands in a glass case to protect it. Nearby St Andrew’s Church adds to the historic setting. The museum offers a quiet space to explore Norwich’s past through everyday objects and stories.