The Norwich Cathedral

The Norwich Cathedral took about 40 years to build with its consecration in 1101 AD and its completion in about 1140. Constructed as a Norman Catholic cathedral, it is considered one of the finest example of Romanesque cathedrals in England. The first Bishop of Norwich, Herbert de Losinga acquired and cleared land for both the Cathedral and adjacent Priory.The citizens of Norwich celebrated the 900th anniversary of the cathedral's completion in the 1990s and today the cathedral is visited by tourists who are interested in seeing its majestic worship. The Cathedral's 315 foot tall spire can be seen throughout the city and it is the second tallest in England. The spire at the Salisbury Cathedral is higher - but the largest surviving cloister in England is adjacent to the Norwich Cathedral. (The photograph above was taken from towering ramparts of the nearby Norwich Castle).Burlingame Descendants Visit the Norwich CathedralVisits to the cathedral were made in 1999 and in 2006 by descendants of Isaac Burlingame. During the latter trip, a much-appreciated tour was provided by city resident Derek Bickford-Smith, the founder of the Norfolk and Norwich World Family. Derek is an extraordinary ambassador for the City of Norwich and has dedicated years of his life to traveling the world and creating connections to Norwich with towns and cities who have adopted the place name. Of particular interest to us on our tour of the cathedral, were the 1,106 carvings on the ceiling buttress joints (known as 'bosses'). Derek explained that they were used to teach people Biblical lessons prior to the time when literacy was common.For more information, about Derek Bickford-Smith and his admirable work to bring together civic leaders from the many places with names derived from Norfolk and Norwich, see the Norfolk and Norwich World Family page or see this link to learn about the Smethport, PA delegation that visited with the Lord Mayor of Norwich in 2006 to extend greetings from the Honorable Ross Porter, Mayor of Smethport, (a picturesque borough adjacent to Norwich Township, PA).