the capital of the county of Norfolk in England, situated in E. Long. 1. 26. N. Lat. 52. 40. It is supposed to have had its name, which signifies "a castle to the north," from its situation in respect of Caistor, the ancient Venta Icenorum, three or four miles to the south of it, out of whose ruins it seems to have risen. In its infancy, in the reign of Ethelred, it was plundered and burnt by Sueno the Dane, when he invaded England with a great army. Afterwards it recovered; and in the reign of Edward the Norwich, the Confessor was a considerable place, having 1320 burghers. But it suffered again much in the reign of William I. by being the seat of a civil war, which Ralph earl of the East Angles raised against that king. So much was it impaired by the siege it then underwent, that there were scarce 560 burghers left in it, as appears from Doomsday-book. From that time forward it began by little and little to recover, especially after Bishop Herbert translated the episcopal see hither from Thetford in the reign of William Rufus in 1096; and built a beautiful cathedral, of which he himself laid the first stone, with this inscription, Dominus Herbertus posuit primum lapidem, in nomine Patris, Filii, & Spiritus Sancti, Amen, i.e. "Lord (Bishop) Herbert laid the first stone, in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost;" and by a licence from Pope Paschal, declared it the mother-church of Norfolk and Suffolk. After this, as Malmesbury has it, it became a town famous for merchandize and the number of inhabitants. Yet it was miserably harassed in the reign of Henry II. by Hugh Bigod earl of Norfolk, who was an adherent of Henry's son, called the junior king. In the time of Edward I. it was walled round by the citizens, who had presented a petition to parliament for liberty to do it. Henry IV. allowed them, instead of bailiffs, which they had before, to elect a mayor yearly, and made the city a county of itself. In the year 1348, near 58,000 persons were carried off by the plague; and in 1505, the city was almost consumed by fire. For the flourishing state to which the city is now arrived, they are much indebted to the Flemings, who fled hither from the tyranny of the duke of Alva and the inquisition, and taught them the manufacture of those striped and flowered damasks, camlets, druggets, black and white crape, for which the place is now so noted, and which have been computed to yield sometimes 200,000l. a-year. In the year 1583, the citizens, by the help of an engine, conveyed water through pipes to the highest parts of the city, which is pleasantly seated along the side of a hill, extending a mile and a half in length from north to south; but the breadth is much less, and it contracts itself by degrees towards the south. It is now one of the most considerable cities in Britain for wealth, populousness, neat buildings, beautiful churches (of which it had once 58, but now only 36), and the industry and civility of the inhabitants. The cathedral is a very venerable structure, with a curious roof, adorned with the history of the Bible in little images, carved to the life, and a lofty steeple 105 yards high. The wall of flint stone, beautified with 40 towers and 12 gates, finished in 1309, is now much decayed. The city, though there is a great deal of waste ground within the walls, was computed, about 60 years ago, to contain 8000 houses and 50,000 inhabitants. Besides the cathedral already mentioned, the most remarkable buildings are, the duke of Norfolk's house, one of the largest in England; the castle, which is now the county-gaol, and stands in the heart of the city, with a deep moat round it, over which is a bridge of one very large arch; the Town-hall; the Guild-hall, formerly the church belonging to the monastery of Black-Friars; the house of correction; the shire-house, where the assizes are held; a lofty market-cross, built after the manner of a piazza; the bishop's palace; the king's school, founded by Edward VI., the boys of which are nominated by the mayor for the time being, with the consent of the majority of aldermen. There having been formerly many thatched houses, an order was made, that all houses that should hereafter be built should be covered with tiles. The city is interperfed with gardens, orchards, and trees, which make it both pleasant and healthful. It has four hospitals, in which a great number of old men and women, boys and girls, are maintained; and a dozen charity-schools. Here are two churches for the Dutch and French Flemings; who have particular privileges, and are very numerous. Some of the churches are thatched, and all of them crucified with flint stone curiously cut; which is the more wonderful, as Norwich stands in a clay country, and has no flint within 20 miles of it. It is now governed by a mayor, recorder, steward, two sheriffs, 24 aldermen, 60 common-council, with a town-clerk, sword-bearer, and other inferior officers. The mayor is chosen on May-day by the freemen, and sworn in on the Tuesday before Midsummer-eve. The sheriffs are also chosen annually, on the first Tuesday in August, one by the freemen, the other by the aldermen, and sworn in on Michaelmas-day. The freemen of the several wards choose each their alderman. The common-council is chosen in Mid Lent. The mayor is a justice of the peace and quorum, during his year (as are also the recorder and steward) within the city and liberties; and after his mayoralty, he is a justice during life. The trade and manufactures of the city are very considerable. At Yarmouth they export large quantities of their manufactures, most of which are sent to London, and import a great deal of wine, coal, fish, oil, &c. All the city and country round are employed in the worsted manufacture, brought hither, as already observed, by the Flemings, in which they not only consume the wool of their own county, in spinning, weaving, &c. but use many thousand packs of yarn, which they receive from other parts of England, as far as Yorkshire and Westmoreland. There are eight wardens of the weavers chosen annually, and sworn to take care that there be no frauds committed in spinning, weaving, or dyeing the stuffs. It is computed that there are not less than 120,000 people employed in and about the city in the silk and woollen manufactures. Their markets are thought to be the greatest in England, and furnished with a surprising plenty and variety of goods and provisions. At a small village to the north of the city, called St Faith's, not less than 40,000 head of Scotch cattle are said to be yearly bought up by the Norfolk graziers, and fattened in their meadows and marshes. Its markets are on Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. It has a great number of fairs, sends two members to parliament, and gives the title of earl to the duke of Gordon.

Few cities or towns seem to have suffered more than Norwich has done at various periods, and few seem to have felt it less; for tho' quite burnt down by Sueno as above, it was of considerable consequence in Edward the Confessor's time; nor did it long feel the evils of the insurrection and siege in William the Conqueror's time, for it was rebuilt in Stephen's reign, and made a corporation; besides other devastations already mentioned. The city of Norwich has long been famous for its manufactures; which are not, in the opinion of some, at present in so flourishing a state as formerly. In addition to the manufacture of camlets, druggets, and crapes, it is also remarkable for baize, ferges, shal- loons, stockingings, and woollen cloths.

The inhabitants of Norwich are generally employed in their manufactures within doors, that the city has the appearance of being deserted, except on Sundays and holidays, when the streets swarm with people.

Caistor, near Norwich, was the Venta Icenorum, or capital city of the Iceni, the broken walls of which contain a square of about 30 acres. In those walls may still be perceived the remains of four gates and a tower. Several Roman urns, coins, and other relics of antiquity, have been found at this place.