Norwich Cathedral

Begun in 1096 under Bishop Herbert de Losinga using Caen limestone shipped across the Channel and up the Wensum, it is one of the most complete Norman buildings in England, with the original apse and ambulatory intact. The spire, rebuilt in 1480 after lightning, reaches 96 metres and is the second-tallest in the country after Salisbury. The vaults hold over a thousand carved and painted roof bosses, the largest such set anywhere, running the biblical narrative from creation onward; they sit fifteen metres up and are best seen with the mirror trolleys provided. The cloister, built between 1297 and 1430, is the largest monastic cloister in England. Peregrines nest on the spire with a live camera feed, and Edith Cavell, the nurse executed in 1915, is buried outside the south transept.

What you actually see

• The roof bosses - over a thousand carved scenes, viewed with floor mirrors.
• The Norman apse - the original 1096 east end, largely unaltered.
• The 96-metre spire - second-tallest in England, rebuilt in 1480.
• The cloister - England's largest monastic cloister, finished in 1430.

When to go

Year-round; entry is free and the cathedral opens daily around services. Peregrines are on the spire from spring, with a watchpoint in the close. Seasonal art installations occasionally fill the nave.

Honest expectations

The bosses are high and hard to see properly without the mirrors, and the light in the vaults is dim on grey days. Services close areas at short notice. Tower access is not generally available.

Nearby

Norwich market and the castle are a short walk; the Broads begin just east.