Norfolk
Art, History & Archaeology Sites & Museums
Archaeology & History Sites in Norfolk
Burgh Castle Roman Fort
One of the most impressive surviving Roman sites in Britain, with three of the four surrounding walls surviving to almost their original height. The fourth wall has long since fallen into the marshes surrounding the fort. Built around 300 AD, for over 100 years it was one of the so-called Saxon Shore forts defending the south east coast of Roman Britain. The fort itself was occupied by soldiers and sailors, while a large civilian settlement developed beyond the walls. Historians believe the Roman name for the fort was Gariannonum.

Caister Roman Fort
Built while southern Britain was part of the Roman Empire, the fort at Caister was likely designed to defend against marauding Germanic seafarers along what Roman sources called the ‘Saxon Shore’. The fort was constructed around the start of the 3rd century AD and continued in use until the late 4th century AD. The fort was home not only to between 500 and 1000 men, but also many of their family members too. Excavated in the 1950s, it provided much information about daily life in the Roman period.

Houghton Hall, Home of Robert Walpole
Built in the 1720s for Britain’s first Prime Minister, Sir Robert Walpole, Houghton Hall in Norfolk is one of England’s finest Palladian houses. The magnificent state rooms were sumptuously decorated by William Kent, with painted ceilings and suites of carved and gilded furniture. Walpole was an extravagant host, and the house reflects this still today. The house is set in an extensive park. The stables house the Soldier Museum, the largest private collection of model soldiers in the world. Houghton Hall is now the home of 7th Marquess of Cholmondeley, but is open to the public.

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Museums & Art Galleries in Norfolk
Lynn Museum, King's Lynn
A local history museum, with displays about West Norfolk from prehistory to the recent past. There are two exhibition halls. In the first is the Bronze Age Seahenge – a replica and some of the prehistoric timbers tell the story of this extraordinary site found in 1998. The second is a converted Union Baptist Chapel built in 1859. Here you will find a fascinating collection of objects from the Iron Age to more recent periods. These include a hoard of Iceni gold coins to Victorian fairground gallopers.

Swaffham Museum – Swaffham
Swaffham Museum is housed in a townhouse on Swaffam’s Georgian market place. With a diverse range of artefacts, from local archaeology to 20th century Swaffham, a number of displays tell the social history of the town and its surrounding villages. Of particular interest to people of all ages is the Howard Carter gallery, which explores the world’s most famous Egyptologist’s links with the town and recreates his 1922 discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb. The museum is a good starting point for exploring the town on a self guided history trail.
