Wikipedia begs to differ with you on this one, I'm afraid. It is the regional administrative centre and county town of Norfolk. During the 11th century, Norwich was the largest city in England after London, and one of the most important places in the kingdom. Until the Industrial Revolution, Norwich was the capital of the most populous county in England.
Norwich was the starting place of the peasants revolt in the 14th Century! One of my favourite pieces of history knowledge, that. EDIT: After a quick trip to Wikipedia, I find the revolt actually really started in Kent. I blame my High School history teacher for mis-informing me! Norwich did however play a major role in the revolt, as did a large amount of towns in Norfolk and Suffolk. I realise none of this holds any relevance but it's always good to learn!
I have not seen one convincing argument yet that explains why Norwich should remain the capital of Anglia apart from a halcyon period in history over a 1000 years ago. Cambridge is the most vibrant most diverse and most international City in the region and is a key hub for learning and innovation not just in the UK but globally. If Norwich is so strategically important to the country then why does it not have a Motorway leading to it which Cambridge does! Sorry boys but Cambridge wins hands down on this one!
"Norwich is considered the capital of East Anglia and an outstanding city for a weekend or city break. It has one of the best Cathedrals in the whole of the UK, a Norman Castle, cobbled streets and more tudor buildings in one single area than in the whole of London! For hundreds of years it was England's second city and its ancient city walls enclosed a greater area than ANY other English city - including London! " http://www.tournorfolk.co.uk/norfolk.html
So, when BBC radio decided to stage their recent 'Big Weekend' music extravaganza, they thought "I know, let's hold it in Norwich, that little pipsqueak ****hole that lives perpetually in the mighty Cambridge's shadow, with it's two (2) cathedrals , Norman castle keep and premier league football team" Or were they giving us exposure because it's a vibrant, hip, thriving modern city unlike Cambridge, which is just a ramshackle collection of colleges full of punts
Haha you boys can't get past the fact that a City doesn't need to have ancient cathedrals. Cambridge is world famous Norwich barely registers outside of East Anglia!
You need to check your maths. Cambridge isn't even the most important town in its own county. They should call it Peterboroughshire.
I thought I'd get shot down in flames for my previous comment!! You've obviously mellowed in your advancing years, Warky? Or is it just that chilled vibe that Cambridge exudes shining through?
Since when was Cambridge world famous? Abroad Norwich is well-known for being a Premier League football city and also the old Norwich Union is very well known. Used to see them everywhere. Everyone I've spoken to thinks Cambridge has something to do with Isambard Kingdom Brunel.
What international departures are there from Marshall's airstrip, out of interest? See, in my little world, international airport = vibrant city. Grass airstrip = air cadets, and not much else!!
I hardly call a couple of flights a day to Amsterdam as being a truly international airport! Why does Cambridge need an airport when we have Stansted on our doorstep? We are inundated with tourists from all over the world so we don't need any more!
I'm not taking the piss. Peterborough is a substantially larger (pop 180,000) and more important UK city than Cambridge in pretty much every respect. Let alone having a cathedral. And abroad people quite literally have not heard of Cambridge compared to the major British cities like London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Liverpool and Norwich.
Er, Cambridge is a significantly smaller city by population and economically - look it up. Peterborough is more important. I'm not even joking. The only people who've heard of Cambridge abroad are because of its university which, frankly, is second rate these days to Oxford, LSE, UCL. But you have to bear in mind that the vast majority of the planet have little or no knowledge of universities, as compared to football. Football is better known in the world and matters to more people. Sad, but true. Of those who do know their universities, plenty will know UEA because it is the world-renowned for creative writing and climate change research.
Rob, I think we're both trying to convince the earl of Cambridge that there is indeed life outside of his paltry little domain!
