Norwich
 July 2026
More photos here
Drawing us to Norwich this month are two exhibitions. At the Sainsbury Centre, a gallery usually much too modern for me, is one called Living by the Rule: Contemporary meets Medieval. There's modern art, inspired by the Rule of the Benedictine order, but medieval artefacts and manuscripts too, inclusding a few famous psalters. And at the Hungate Centre there is an exhibition devoted to angel ceilings. It actually finishes the day before we arrive, but when I enquired if it might be extended I was told it was due to be taken down on the evening of our arrival and if we made it in the afternoon we could have a last-minute exclusive visit. Very helpful and hopeful!
Monday 13th
 The 10.30 train from Liverpool Street was busy but not rammed and the fruit cake slice from the snack bar is now gluten- and dairy-free. We got in too early to check in at the Premier Inn, but left our bags and made for Bread Source. The fondly-remembered hummus roll from last year was not to be had, but the quinoa-burger thing with beetroot was well tasty, and the rhubarb soda was piquant too. The unusually helpful woman at St Peter Hungate was better than her word - we got a good look around and plenty of inside gen. The painted saint panel retrieved from a demolished screen and the medieval window are also worth a look. We'll be back! A short stop on the way back through the Cathedral shop got us some biscuits and a Budge (the Cathedral cat) badge, before checking in and having a rest.

In the evening we did the classic anti-clockwise river walk, passing the Cow Tower, before heading in around the castle to a pizzeria called Donnelli's, recommended by the chap on reception in our hotel. The pizza (with onion, rocket and fresh tomatoes) was excellent, which made the fact that the gelato was, in fact, merely Mr Whippy, and so not palatable, doubly disappointing.

Tuesday 14th
The Premier Inn breakfast was as reliable and unsurprising as ever. I headed through town to the big Earlham cemetery, stopping off to get cool in the very Victorian RC cathedral on the way. I had a map to find the common graves (so no headstones) of three of my 19th century ancestors. I found them, more or less, as the graves within the sections were not clearly labelled. The map also helped me find older and more interesting areas. I stopped of at a different branch of Bread Source for the same lunch as yesterday. I aked if the had any crisps but was told no, with the added comment ‘I wish we did!’

In the evening our walk took us into the Cathedral around evensong time and featured a rare sighting of Budge, the famous cathedral cat, who strolled past us and curled up on a kneeler and let me scritch his head!

Our evening meal in the hotel restaurant was, for me, tomato soup and a spicy veggie burger. My beer was a Sol, which brew was a bit of a thing in the 80s, and pleasantly citrusy after all this time.

Wednesday 15th
This morning we caught the bus to the University of East Anglia, where the Sainsbury Gallery is, which has on an exhibition about the Benedictine Rule. The exhibition features medieval illuminated manuscripts and modern art inspired by monastic living and poverty. Guess what I was here for. The manuscripts were not many but they did not disappoint - they included the Macclesfield Psalter - and the other medieval stuff had its moments too.
I should mention the historic importance of the bus journey, though. My Freedom Pass covers all public transport in London, and also works on buses country-wide, but this morning was the first time I'd used it in distant parts. The second time got me back into Norwich - Jane stayed for some more modern art - to buy a book from the Norwich Museum shop an have a good long exchange of views and witticisms with the women on the counter. Lunch was taken back to the hotel and was followed by a rest.

In the evening we repeated the river walk and superior pizza experience of Monday. We got back to the hotel, passing pubs with queues outside, safely before the World Cup semi final (defeat) madness kicked off.

Thursday 16th
This morning I woke up to ripples of light on my bedroom ceiling reflected off the river. After breakfast, following a pile up of minor needs, we decided to come home a day early. After a last biscuit-buying visit to the Cathedral we caught the 11.30 train and were home in time for a late lunch. The invoice from the Premier Inn came later in the afternoon and revealed that they’d deducted the cost of the last day from our bill, which was very fair, we thought.




 Norwich II
 September 2026
More photos here

Venice and Genoa had both been in the running for the 2026 September trip, but another week in Norwich beat them both, making this my first year since 2005 not to visit Italy at all. July's trip to Norwich was brief, and a bit short of genealogical exploration. I've recently discovered that a couple of my Norwich forebears were buried in my favourite Rosary Cemetery, and even have gravestones!

Monday 7th
 Today was the day I was booked to fly to Genoa, before I cancelled, and it saw massive airport chaos and delays due to an air traffic control failure which lasted for two days. My decision seems less foolish.
The traditional 10:30 train from Liverpool Street to Norwich was pleasingly unbusy, with a refreshment trolley that had fruit cake. It got me to the Premier Inn too early to check in so, as is traditional, I left my (new dark red Amazon Essentials) case at the hotel and headed off to Bread Source for a Coronation Chickpea roll with a rhubarb soda. Some shopping to follow - this time I forgot to pack...a comb! - including some nibbles from Grape Tree, a Holland and Barrett kinda shop which we don't get down south. The Premier Plus rooms I stay in usually look over the river towards the handsome railway station, but this time I got one overlooking the somewhat scrubby disused gardens, but being disused means they're quiet, and I have a balcony! And leaning on my railings I can see the castle.

After a rest I went for an evening's church crawl. St Peter Parmantagate has family connections, St Julian's and St Etheldreda don't, but have their appeal. The latter has an odd tower (round and stumpy with an octagonal belfry) but is now artist's studios. I crossed the river, passing some picturesque rusty riverside ruins (see right), intending to patronise McDonald's for a McPlant. But their chip machine wasn't working! I thought I'd try Five Guys. Their veggie option was, as the guy honestly confessed, just the vegetables from their burgers on their own in a bun. Luckily the quality of their chips (cooked in peanut oil) and the vanilla shake made up for the oddness of the sandwich. They also offer bacon as a milkshake flavouring.

 Tuesday 8th
 I planned to take the train to Ely tomorrow, but waking up to rain that looked like persisting I figured today would be a better Cathedral/Stained Glass Museum day than cemetery/streets day. It was still raining when I got to Ely, and after a wet walk I was amongst the handsome, but dripping, buildings that surround Ely Cathedral. The stained glass museum up in the cathedral gallery was first. The initial burst of medieval (lots of it on loan from the V&A) is a little short, but the Victorian collection is comprehensive and fine. I got in for free, with my Art Fund card, and the ticket to the Cathedral itself can be made to last for a year at no extra charge.
Heading into the street of shops nearby I found a bagel place that did me a bespoke cream cheese, rocket and gherkin, served with a salad that included berries and grape slices and some crisps. The also did, winningly out of season, hot cross buns, which I had to try, with an Americano, or I'd get to the station too early. But when I got there I found my train had been cancelled. We were promised replacement taxis, which was weirdly generous. But then it was suggested we catch a train stopping at Stowmarket, on its way to Ipswich, and change there. This worked.
In the evening the McDonalds chip fryer was working.
Wednesday 9th
 A sunshiny morning confirmed my decision of yesterday to visit Ely in the rain and transfer the walking around day to today. To the Rosary Cemetery first, to find the two newly-discovered headstones of my forebears. I had map references, a map, and even two photographs found on Findmygrave, but I still only found one of them. The other even had a building in the background of the photo whose windows were a clue. Maybe I need to come back when there's less brambles. I then found the nearby Beatrice Road where there are two houses lived in by ancestors. Nearby roads were named Guelph Street and Florence Street, so I'm sensing a theme.

On my way into town to photograph some more churches I passed the Great Hospital, which I've long wanted to visit, along with it's church, St Helen’s, which now also has a family connection, but which is never open. But it was! Furthermore it was being staffed by three volunteers who live in the hospital, and who couldn't have been more helpful and friendly. I got a look in the church, and around the sweet cloister too. My relative Daniel Duffield, my 5x great grandfather died there, and was buried there too, so more research is in order.

I photographed some more churches making my windy way to Bread Source out by the RC Cathedral for another coronation chickpea roll. And picked up a doughnut and a bag of plums on my way back to the hotel for tea, typing, photo-adjusting, and a snooze.

In the evening I photographed a couple of churches on the way to the Pizza Express. I've never had a pint of draught Peroni before, but it was the right choice.

Thursday 10th
Today had to be castle and cathedral day. I'd been a bit put off by the revamped castle's child-friendly concentration after it reopened last year, but I think I was maybe being harsh. I liked it better this time, and at the recommendation of man on the pay desk experienced one of the projections in the Great Hall, which was indeed impressive. In the art gallery I discovered a painting of a man sitting up in bed vomiting into his chamber pot. It appears that Hogarth was commissioned to paint it by the wife of the subject because she was sick of his boozing habits. Later members of the man's family had had the pot painted over with a pamphlet, but restoration work had revealed the truth.

On my way towards lunch I treated myself to a vanilla and strawberry cornet from a market stall. It was OK. I also popped into the Norfolk Family History Society's blue building to ask, in a nutshell, what wasn't online that I might find useful. A welcoming and helpful chap showed me what they had on their shelves in books and folders. I shall surely be back, better prepared to consult the folders dedicated to names (although there was no Cotton material) and to different parish churches.

I got my usual Bread Source lunch but took it to eat in the Plantation Gardens, discovered last year and a treat of a place to sit and walk (see right). I got a raspberry and pistachio bun on the way back, and did a circuit in the Cathedral before buying some fruit biscuits, Walsingham Honey Cake and a jar of Seville and plum jam.

My evening excursion took me in search of the ruins of a family-connected church in an outskirtly direction. Written directions got me up a long lane, passing a children's playground and spotting an actual grazing deer. Having gotten to the end of the lane I resorted to Google, and ended up back at the playground trying get a decent photograph of some unspectacular ruins behind portable metal fencing. I decided to veer off my route home to take in a McPlant, but realised I'd left my cards back in the hotel.

 Friday 11th
 No problems breakfasting and catching the 10.30 train, which was pretty quiet.









Clarinda Rout (née Buston) & her two sons, both called Walter William,
who both didn't live more than a few months, and her husband.
She's my first cousin 4x removed.


 





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