New for 2021

Military Connections - a self-guided trail around the Rosary Cemetery

Using a grant from the Military Covenant Fund for the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War in May 2020, the History Group and the Friends of the Rosary Cemetery have jointly published a self-guided trail around the Cemetery's military connections. It is available as a free printed leaflet on Friends' tours or an electronic version for use on mobile phones can be downloaded here.

New publications in 2020

Under the Griffin's wing


The Cobb family has published this autobiography by their ancestor, Frederick Cobb, who lived in Thorpe Hamlet for much of his life. He worked on the railways and had writing as a hobby.  The book is available in local bookshops and from distribotor Bittern Books -  https://bitternbooks.co.uk/product/under-the-griffins-wing/?bbaf=79 

Thorpe Hamlet and the Second World War

The Thorpe Hamlet History Group has produced "Thorpe Hamlet and the Second World War" as its fourth Occasional Paper. This explores the effect of World War II on life in Thorpe Hamlet, with many air raids, danger, damage and loss of life, together with the commemoration in Thorpe Hamlet of those whose lives were lost both locally and elsewhere in the world. 56pp A4, ISBN 978-0-9955487-3-2, £5.

It can be obtained from City Bookshop in Davey Place or Jarrolds in Exchange Street or online from their websites.


A guide to the Rosary Cemetery

The Friends of the Rosary Cemetery (link) have published "A guide to the Rosary Cemetery, Norwich", 112pp, price £8.50, ISBN 978-0-9559320-6-9.

A plan of the Cemetery and details of its location can be downloaded here.

About Thorpe Hamlet

Thorpe Hamlet is on the east side of Norwich city centre, on the highest land in Norwich. For the purposes of this website, its boundaries are the river to the west and south, Harvey Lane and Heartsease lane to the east, and Gurney Road running through Mousehold Heath to the north.

If you have travelled through Norwich railway station, been to watch the Canaries at Carrow Road or visited Norwich prison, you have been to Thorpe Hamlet.

Ten features of Thorpe Hamlet's history

  • It was the first place in Britain where the post was sorted using postcodes
  • The line of a Roman road ran through Thorpe Hamlet
  • It has an ancient wood that can be traced back to Domesday Book
  • It had a site where those judged to be religious heretics were put to death
  • It is where thousands of rebels gathered in 1549 to lay siege to the city's defences
  • It is where a major factory built parts for the R101 airship and much else
  • It once had a tower that formed part of a system for sending text messages from London to Great Yarmouth (on clear days)
  • It is where the first non-denominational cemetery was opened
  • Its football ground is the only one where a reigning monarch has watched a Football League match
  • It has Norwich's only surviving medieval bridge