Written by Jaden Parker

July 27th is the date of England’s celebration for Norfolk, a U.K. county. They have over 300,000 years of history and are located in East Anglia near Lincolnshire, Suffolk, and Cambridgeshire. Their economy is all agrarian-based, and over 20% of employment is in agriculture and food industry. Their main town and only city is Norwich, which is the second-largest city in England. With a population of roughly 908,000, Norfolk is the 5th biggest county in England. Its oldest pub is from 1249 (holy cow!), and it has 659 medieval churches.

In 60 AD, Queen Boudicca, leader of the Icenis—a Celtic tribe of Great Britain—led their second revolt against the Roman Empire and lost. From there, Norfolk would witness a multitude of wars and battles. They were defeated by William the Conqueror and the Normans, saw the Revolt of the Earls, and lost many lives to the War of the Roses and the Black Death of the 15th century. Two-thirds of their population died during that plague. They were ruled by the Roman Empire, the Kingdom of the East Angles, and Harold I, Earl of England, before becoming a part of England. 

In the mid-11th century, the name “Norfolk” came about, roughly meaning “the northern people.” Kett’s Rebellion against Edward VI’s royal forces to oppose appropriation of land by the wealthy would become a huge moment in Norfolk’s history, despite the rebellion losing. Their economy came back during WWII due to an increased need for agricultural efforts. 

The celebration of Norfolk started in 2018 by BBC Radio Norfolk and the Eastern Daily Press. They received support from William, Duke of Cambridge. His mother, Princess Diana, was born in Sandringham, and he and his wife were given Anmer Hall as a wedding gift from the Queen. Currently, the nickname for people from Norfolk is “Norfolk Dumpling” or “Norfolk Pudden.” Isn’t that cute? Norwich City Football club’s song “On the Ball City” is the oldest football chant still sung today—and that’s football as in soccer (I’m looking at you, Ted Lasso fans!) In recent news, The Gunton Arms in north Norfolk was just given the award of England’s prettiest country pub! 

Norfolk truly is proof that even the smallest of places can have the biggest of histories.

You can find more information on visiting Norfolk here.