Have any of you read the Matthew Shardlake novels of C.J. Samson? They’re set in the Tudor period, the 1540s. The most recent one, published a couple of years ago, takes place in Norwich and is called Tombland, after the area in front of the cathedral. It takes place in 1549 and is mainly about Kett’s Rebellion.
I bought it for Tim, we having discovered the books separately, before we got together. Then one of my book club friends chose it, so I read it. Although it’s very long (so many very good novelists’ books get longer and longer nowadays, I suspect no one dares suggest that they edit them down by a couple of hundred pages), it’s a good book. Someone found out that a chap called Paul Dickson does history tours of Norwich, one of which is specifically about the events of this book. We booked for it and it’s been postponed twice, but finally took place today. We had such a great day.
I’ve known Norwich for as long as I can remember, but there are so many places I have never noticed. There was a time when I made a point of exploring, but that was many years ago when there was more time. I do have time now, in theory, but it’s something like this that makes me recall what a pleasure there is in discovery.
I even took a photo. But I’m so tired that I can’t tell you all about it. MaƱana.
My strongest memory of Norwich is when years ago we took my Ma in Law for a last hurrah. The children were thrilled with the hotel as it reminded them of some boring soap on tV. And the cathedral was lovely with the Manchester conductor of the Halle conducting.
Tim knew Norwich because his niece got married there. He can’t quite remember which church, though. There are a lot to choose from. Some of them are repurposed nowadays (antique centre, cafe, puppet theatre etc) but it used to be said that there was a church for every week of the year and a pub for every day of the year, within the city limits.
John Barberolli was the conductor -Halle Orchestra.
Memory works, eventually!
That’s reassuring.