The Norfolk Heritage Centre Podcast

The generation following the Black Death saw artwork of cadavers, corpses, and skeletons increase dramatically. Join Luke Brown as he discusses the Late Macabre within the churches of Norfolk, and explores whether this was a society obsessed with death, or whether this focus on mortality and decay has been overstated. This event was recorded at the Norfolk Heritage Centre in Norwich on the 21st Ap...

Join Ian Woods as he explores the history of Snap, the Norwich Dragon, delving into fact and fantasy, the Guild of St George, and the demise and revivals of a character inexorably woven into the life of Norwich from the 14th century to today. This event was recorded at the The Forum in Norwich on the 16th June 2026.

Join Janet Zmroczek as she shares stories from her 40-year experience as a curator and departmental head at the British Library. Her work took her around the world from Almaty in Kazakhstan to Washington DC, but it all began here in Norwich, where in the late 1960s, while still at junior school, she volunteered as a monitor in Norwich Central Library’s Children’s Library. This event was recorded a...

Join multimedia artist and Community Librarian Maria Pavledis as she discusses her creative response to the history of the single mothers at Gressenhall Workhouse in Norfolk, who were known as ‘the Jacket Women’. Maria explores the inspiration behind her current exhibition at Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse Museum, ‘The Jacket Women: Single Mothers of the Workhouse’ which runs until 1st November 20...

Join author Blessin Adams as she explores an early modern manuscript which reveals the shocking story of a Norwich woman accused of murdering her own child. Through this case she’ll uncover a dark history of injustice and hatred towards women whose 'immoral' characters left them vulnerable to accusations of murder and mayhem. This event was recorded at the Norfolk Heritage Centre in Norwich on the...

Norwich is, as John Betjeman said, "a city of churches”, and for over 300 years artists have found them engaging subjects for their art. Join our guest speaker Dr Clare Haynes, as she explores a rich variety of paintings, drawings and prints, and what they tell us about the history of Norwich, and its churches. This event was recorded at the Norfolk Heritage Centre in Norwich on the 24th February...

Join Rachel Kidd, Curator of Gressenhall Farm and Workhouse, as she explores recent research about the workhouse nurses who lived and worked at Mitford and Launditch Union Workhouse (now Gressenhall Museum) in the 1800s to 1940s. Hear some of their stories and find out how these pioneering women forged careers and cared for some of the most vulnerable people in Norfolk before the NHS. This event w...

Celebrating Literary Treasures: Ten Years of the British Archive for Contemporary Writing at UEA' with Dr Helen Busby by Norfolk Heritage Centre

'The Costume & Textile Association: Colourful Tales from a Fine City' with Pippa Lacey by Norfolk Heritage Centre

Join Ian Woods, retired manager of Norwich Puppet Theatre, as he explores the history of St James' Pockthorpe, from being a church to its conversion into one of only three dedicated puppet theatres in England. Using images, anecdotes and maybe some animated friends, he will trace the development of this much loved cultural icon in Norwich's artistic landscape. This event was recorded on the 9th Se...

Join local Sir Thomas Browne expert Kevin Faulkner as he explores the 17th century Norwich polymath’s interest in geography and the customs and cultures of the world’s peoples, taking in antique maps in Browne’s library along with books relevant to the 17th century age of expanding global trade and exploration. This event was recorded on the 21st October 2025 at the Norfolk Heritage Centre in Norw...

Join local poet Penny Plowman as she discusses and reads from her book 'Fractional Moments', which traces her experience, week by week, of living in Norwich through the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. This event was recorded on Tuesday 10th December 2024 at the Norfolk Heritage Centre.

Join Norwich historian and author, Helen Murray, as she discusses the artist, Juliet Seebohm, and those she captured in her sketchbook of Cromer, 1883-1884, including the bathing machine proprietor, Lucy Miller, Russian professor, Vinogradoff, and eccentric fisherman, ‘Old Billy.’ This talk was recorded at the Norfolk Heritage Centre on the 8th May 2025.

Join Colin Howey, a wellbeing activist who has worked in the heritage sector for over twenty years, as he explores ways in which engaging with historic environments can potentially nurture wellbeing and emotional resilience. Drawing on his experience of leading weekly History Health Walks for the local charity, MensCraft, he will illustrate how ‘finding wonder as we wander’ within heritage setting...

We all know about witches and their black cats. But why did people in the early modern period fear their neighbours’ cats? Why were they fearful of wax models? How did they protect themselves? Join historian Danny Buck as he explores these questions and more. This talk took place at the Norfolk Heritage Centre in October 2023. Please visit norfolkheritagecentre.wordpress.com to see the images refe...

Disability is mostly missing from the history books - and all too often, when we do see photographs of disabled people, they are anonymous medical images. Join Cath Cartman, photographer and researcher, as she shares her research from the Picture Norfolk archive, and introduces you to James, Robert, Dick and others whose stories she encountered along the way. This talk took place at the Norfolk He...

Join Dr Michael Nix, author of 'Norwich Textiles, a Global Story 1750-1840', as he explores how pattern books and cards, containing thousands of small samples of fabric, provide us with a means of understanding an industry whose creativity and enterprise made Norwich one of the most prosperous cities in England. This talk took place at the Norfolk Heritage Centre as part of Heritage Open Days in S...

Join Kevin Faulkner, author of numerous essays on the life and work of Sir Thomas Browne, as he examines the 17th century physician-philosopher's writings, discusses some of the books he owned, and explores Browne's intellectual pursuits in the context of the proto-psychology he termed 'the Theatre of Ourselves'. This talk took place in person at the Norfolk Heritage Centre in October 2023.

Join local writer Helen Murray, author of Newhaven Court: Love, Tragedy, Heroism and Intrigue, as she discusses her book about the Newhaven Court Hotel in Cromer, a house whose fascinating history encompasses visits by Churchill, Shackleton and Tennyson, among others. This talk took place on Tuesday 17th January at the Norfolk Heritage Centre. To see the images referred to throughout the talk, pl...

Join author Rob Mitchell as he discusses his book, ‘Festival for a Fine City’, and explores the Norfolk and Norwich Festival’s 250-year journey from its origins in 1772 to the present day. This talk took place on Tuesday 18th January 2022 at Norfolk Heritage Centre. For the images referred to during the talk please visit norfolkheritagecentre.wordpress.com.

Join Project Curator Andrew Ferrara as he explores the medieval history of Norwich Castle and offers an inside look at the ongoing multi-million pound redevelopment project of the Norman Keep and the exciting new exhibits destined for the inside. This talk took place on Tuesday 9th May 2023 at Norfolk Heritage Centre. To see the images referred to throughout Andrew's talk, please visit norfolkheri...

Join Clare Everitt as she uncovers the stories told by some of Norfolk Heritage Centre's 19th and early 20th century glass plate images, encompassing Colman's of Norwich, the Hobrough Collection (river engineers who worked all over Norfolk), and images taken by Alfred Taylor of Starston and Sydney Hubbard of Great Melton. Visit norfolkheritagecentre.wordpress.com to see the images Clare refers to...

The 'Strangers' - refugees from the Low Countries - began arriving in Norwich in 1566: a decade later they made up almost a third of the city's population. Join Frank Meeres, author of 'The Welcome Stranger', as he looks at their story and its long-term legacy for the city. This talk was recorded live at Norfolk Heritage Centre on Thursday 6th October 2022. To see the images referred to during the...

Join historian Vic Morgan as he discusses Elizabeth I's progress to Norwich in 1578, a unique window on 16th century arenas of politics, religion and the fates of significant families in the region. This talk was recorded live at Norfolk Heritage Centre on Tuesday 23rd August 2022. To see the images referred to during the podcast, please visit: norfolkheritagecentre.wordpress.com.

Historically home to international food manufacturers, and a bustling agricultural centre, Norwich has long had food and drink at its heart. Sharpen your appetite with our podcast walking tours exploring Norwich’s edible heritage, for Heritage Open Days 2021. Through the twentieth century, the smell of cocoa filled Norwich’s streets, as Caley’s, Rowntree-Mackintosh and Nestle produced confectionar...