City of Norwich in the county of Norfolk

The second largest city in England during this period, Norwich is located in the north-east of England on the coast. It is the closest part of England to the Netherlands and in the early 17thc was a significant seaport.

County of Norfolk c.1620

A man named John Speed published a work called, England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland described, in1620. Chapter XVII described Northfolke. The book was a traveller-sized version of a larger work and decreibes the history of the county and the towns therein.



Norwich Market Cross,1541 - detail from a map meant to show the areas of sanctuary in the city. Public Record Office, MPI 221 as reproduced in Maps in Tudor England,P.D.A. Harvey.

The map is turned on it's side from our usual orientation with North (and Scotland) being at the right-hand side of the image.

From Speculum Topographicum, or The Topographicall Glasse by Arthur Hopton, London, 1611

Norwich is the administrative center of the county of Norfolk, identified NO on this map of England's Counties also from Speculum Topographicum:

Origin and Destination of troops Levied in English Counties between 1585 and 1602.

    • From C. G. Cruikshank, Elizabeth's Army, Oxford, 1966.


A Catalogue of all the Shires, Cities, Bishoprickes, Market Townes, Castles, Parishes, Rivers, Bridges, Chases, Forrests and Parkes, conteyned in every particular shire of the Kingdom of England.

    • From John Speed, England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland described, 1620.
    • It should be noted that the authour obviously forgot the castle in Norwich.
    • The number of parish churches is the highest of any county in England.