Ridge to River

This "Ridge to River" walk explores the lives of the people who shaped Norwich, from everyday poeple such as cattle drovers, to industrial pioneers.
Our journey starts at St John de Sepulchre church, on the high ridge of Ber Street, once the spiritual heart of this bustling neighborhood. Nearby, we will spot some often-overlooked medieval cottages and learn about life in the “village on the hill” and the families and characters who lived and worked in this bustling community.
We are also introduced to our first section of the city wall and site of one of the original gates, before setting off on our steep descent along the route of the city wall. We soon encounter the Black Tower where the story shifts to the sentries who kept "watch and ward" over the city and the unfortunate souls quarantined within its flint walls during times of plague. We then explore how this grim history gave way to the elegance of the Wilderness Pleasure Gardens, where locals escaped the city smoke to enjoy music and fireworks.
After a descent of a number of steps we arrive at Carrow School, built by J.J. Colman, where workers’ children were educated. We finish at the river Wensum, where we can find out how it has influenced the history of the city’s industry, security, trade and leisure.
From the ridge to the river, this is a story of Norwich’s people.

Timings

Friday 11 September:

1100

Location & directions

177 Ber Street, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 3HB

Directions:

St John Sepulchre Church (now known as The Flint Room), 177 Ber Street, Norwich, NR1 3HB WhatThreeWords: worked.allows.mimic https://w3w.co/worked.allows.mimic We will meet in the churchyard of St John Sepulchre church, now also known as The Flint Room, The tour is not circular, with the end being near Riverside retail park and not far from Norwich station. You may wish to park near the end point of the tour, and walk up the hill to the start point. The start point is a 15 minute walk from the station and about the same from th city centre (The Forum/Market place)

Contact on day:

Mrs Nikki Morris

Telephone number:

+447931429578

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking required

Booking conditions:

If you can no longer fulfil your booking, please cancel this by emailing [email protected] at least 48hrs in advance of the booked event to provide others with the opportunity to attend.

Booking contact name:

The Forum

Booking website:

https://norfolkhods.ticketsolve.com/

Booking opens:

26 Aug 2026 10:00 AM

Booking closes:

10 Sep 2026 03:00 PM

Accessibility details

This walking tour covers approximately 1 km (0.6 miles) and features a steep downhill section along unpaved pathways and uneven steps. Due to this challenging terrain, the route is unfortunately unsuitable for wheelchair users. We strongly recommend wearing sensible, sturdy walking shoes form your comfort and safety. Please note there are no toilet faciitiles along the route.

Additional information

Max number of people:

15

Estimated duration:

1 hour(s) 30 minute(s)

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