Introducing The Norwich Book Benches

Introducing The Norwich Book Benches

Celebrating Norwich’s rich history of literature just became even more interesting as eight benches are nestled around the city for you to find… Introducing the Norwich Book Benches!

All eight of these benches are inspired by books and authors from the local area, which is also represented in their appearance. And they’re truly gorgeous. Some are open, as if marking the place you want to pick up next; some are piles of books with engravings depicting famous authors from our county; others are books waiting to be chosen from a shelf; one is resting on its spine, with open pages to sit on.

To see them all as part of a trail takes around 1 hour 15 minutes, is about 5.7km long (around 7000 steps), and is fully accessible. It’s a lovely way to spend an afternoon walk while stopping off at shops, cafés, and restaurants. Plus, it means you might just discover a new favourite!

It is not a surprise that the theme of books was chosen for the benches, as Norwich is a UNESCO City of Literature and our #CityofStories has been a literary city for over 900 years. Our city has birthed a thriving community of authors, poets, historians, novelists, and story tellers, as well as the National Centre for Writing at Dragon Hall, King Street, Norwich, where people come together to share, learn, and collaborate. 

The benches made from stone have an extra special dimension as they have been engraved with book titles or authors who have either lived in or relate to Norwich, or whose literature has been set in Norfolk. The works have been chosen to include a wide range of genres, interests and reading enthusiasts. 

Walking around the benches can start at any point, however the trail map suggests starting at Gentleman’s Walk, a stopping place that is often frequented by visitors to Norwich Market, grabbing some street food or a coffee and watching the hustle and bustle of the city passing by. Made from wood and metal, this pair of benches sits on its spine and where you sit and unwind on the open pages.  

From here, you can work your way around the market, enjoying the sights of Guildhall, City Hall, The Forum and St Peter Mancroft – which are all beautifully picturesque.  

Arriving at the entrance of St Stephen’s Church on Rampant Horse Street, you can find our second pair of benches made of wood and representing a shelf of books with a curved back, designed in sympathy with the curved flint wall behind. 

Head down the street and around our flagship Marks and Spencer store, and turn right, you will find Surrey Street on the left, a street that is home to Aviva and Marble Hall (well worth a peek when you are passing). Past the bus station and to the top of the street you will find our most contemporary bench made of metal and finished in a range of eight colours, each representing a district of Norwich. 

After walking past the blue plaque celebrating Pablo Fanque, who was born in Norwich in 1810 and the first man of colour to own a circus in Great Britain, head beyond John Lewis and down to Rose Lane, while soaking up the most perfect view of Norwich Castle and the Castle Gardens – with Norwich Cathedral in the background – turning right down Rouen Road.

This is where you find the next bench, this time made of stone and featuring a range of authors and titles whose books have been engraved into the stone, quarried from the United Kingdom, designed, and created by Ryan James.

The six books mentioned on this bench are: 

• Lumen by Tiffany Atkinson, a UEA professor and poet with some poems set in Norwich. Listen to Tiffany in conversation with visiting writer Liz Breslin on the NCW podcast.
• The historical novel, The Needle in the Blood, by Sarah Bower, a Norwich resident. Listen to Sarah in conversation with visiting writer Valur Gunnarsson on the NCW podcast.
• Iron Man by Lynne Bryan, a Norwich resident whose book is a memoir about disability and chronic ill health, and the winner of 2022 East Anglian Book Award. Listen to Lynne on her writing process on the NCW podcast.
• My Criminal World by local resident Henry Sutton, who is a UEA professor and who has based his crime novel in Great Yarmouth. Listen to Henry in conversation with Ian Rankin, part of Noirwich Festival of Crime Writing 2016.
• State of Emergency by Singaporean Jeremy Tiang, which was part written when in Norwich. Listen to Jeremy in conversation on the NCW podcast.
• Instances by Choi Jenogrye, one of the very first writers in residence at the National Centre for Writing, who also diarised her 3-month stay. Since her passing in 2021, her good friend Mattho Mandersloot has continued translating much of her work to be enjoyed.

From here, you walk past the Julian of Norwich church and past the National Centre for Writing, before crossing the river Wensum and arriving at the Riverside complex. On the water’s edge, you can find another beautiful stone bench, where you don’t have to wait long to see canoes, paddleboards and rowing boats passing by! 

Walk along the river towards Norwich Rail Station and drop down through The Compleat Angler pub terrace and down a few steps (For a non-step alternative route, please follow Prince of Wales Road and turn right via St Faiths Lane to The Close).

Along this stretch of river, you’ll come across Pulls Ferry, the gateway to the Cathedral Close. Follow this up towards the Cathedral and you can break your trail journey by taking some time to enjoy the largest monastic Cloisters in the country, and spend some time exploring this gorgeous historical landmark.  

Walking around the East End of the Cathedral, you exit The Close and turn left along Bishopsgate. This route takes you past the iconic Adam and Eve pub, which claims to be the oldest in the city, with the earliest record going back to 1249. Past the law courts you come across St Martin-at-Palace Plain and the largest of our benches.  

This double fronted bench hosts a stack of stone books in the shelf at the back and features an incredible 25 titles with four covers, which are: 

• Ukawsaw Gronniosaw / James Albert: Gronniosaw was the first published black author in Britain. His account, ANarrative of the Most Remarkable Particulars in the Life of James Albert Ukawsaw Gronniosaw, An African Prince appeared in 1772 and contains passages about his time working and living in Norwich as a weaver and chaff chopper.
• Meir Ben Elijah: Meir of Norwich is England’s only medieval English Jewish poet. His work documents the expulsion of the Jews from England c 1290 – a process that began in Norwich.  
• Sarah Perry is the author of the multi-million selling Essex Serpent – recently adapted for TV – and Melmoth is a resident in Norwich. Listen to Sarah deliver the annual Harriet Martineau Lecture here.
• Jon McGregor spent his childhood in Norwich where his father was a vicar. He is the author of Even the Dogs, which won the world’s richest literary prize (Dublin IMPAC prize) and is translated around the world.  Read about Jon McGregor’s favourite walk in Norwich, from Cow Tower to Kett’s Heights.

The other titles to feature on other books in the stack are: 

• Tombland by C.J. Sansom, a book about Kett’s Rebellion, set in Norwich and frequently on Tombland. Find out more about C.J. Sansom on Paul Dickson’s Shardlake Walking Tour.
• A Spell of Good Things by Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀, a 2023 novel from UEA graduate and resident. Listen to Ayọ̀bámi on the NCW podcast.
• A Change of Climate by Hilary Mantel, set in Norwich with lots of local connections. Hilary Mantel died in 2022; you can read many writers, including Sarah Perry, reflecting on her legacy in this piece.
• The Accidental by Ali Smith, which is partly set in Norwich. You can hear Ali Smith deliver the inaugural Harriet Martineau Lecture, in 2013, here.       
• Crow Country by Mark Cocker, who lived in city for decades, and whose book is partly set in Norfolk. Read more about Mark Cocker on the NCW website.
• Shame on Me by Tessa McWatt, a Guyanese-born Canadian writer and professor at UEA. This non-fiction book is about race and identity.  Watch Tessa McWatt in conversation with Irenosen Okojie and Izabella Scott here.
• Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey, a Norwich resident and author of a best seller. Read about Emma Healey’s favourite walk in Norwich, the Lakenham way.
• Waiting for Bluebeard by Helen Ivory, a Norwich-based poet. Take a poetry challenge with Helen.
• Whistle by Martin Figura, a Norwich-based poet and performer.  Read more about Martin Figura.     
• The Fry Chronicles by Stephen Fry, a Norfolk resident, and one of the most influential cultural forces in the country. Read Luke Wright’s poem, which features a cameo from Stephen Fry.
• His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman. Born in Norwich and takes inspiration from the East Anglian landscape. Read more about Philip Pullman.
• TimeRiders by Alex Scarrow, based in Norfolk and Norwich, bestselling young adult (YA). Read more about Alex Scarrow.
• Brothers in Blood by Simon Scarrow, best seller based in Norwich and Norfolk. 
• The Fury by Alexander Gordon Smith, born in the city and YA writer and best seller. This author also writes crime novels set in Norwich under the name Alex Smith. Read this piece by Alexander Gordon Smith commissioned by NCW.
• Walking Norwich by Alice Kent, author of a book of Norwich Walks. Listen to Alice Kent interview W.G. Sebald biographer Carole Angier on the NCW podcast.
• The Vegetarian by Han Kang, translated by Deborah Smith. This global best seller – part translated in Norwich. Read Kang’s reflections on her visit to Norwich for the BCLT Summer School in 2015. 
• Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, a UEA alumni and Nobel laureate. Read more about Kazuo Ishiguro’s relationship with Norwich and the UEA here.
• Restoration by Rose Tremain, a Norwich resident and former (and first female) chancellor of UEA. Read an interview with Rose Tremain here.
• The Chalk Pit by Elly Griffiths. Ruth Galloway series set in Norfolk and is part set in Norwich (on Tombland). Listen to Elly Griffiths’ podcast here. 
• The Absolutist by John Boyne, a world bestselling author, this novel is part set in city.  Read an interview with John Boyne and UEA alumna Emma Miller.   
• The Print Museum by Heidi Williamson. This collection of poetry inspired by Jarrold Print Museum. Read this piece by Heidi commissioned by NCW.

From this bench you can walk over the Wig and Pen pub and carry on your journey by foot by the river on Quayside, observing the fabulous opportunities of a picturesque photograph over the water.

Left by the Ribs of Beef pub, the perfect stop for a drink, you can walk up Norwich’s best known medieval street, Elm Hill, enjoying the independent shops and cobbled streets. At the top of the street is a car park where you link through to St George’s Street, and subsequently the next bench made of wood. 

Head up the street back into the city and up Bridewell Alley, passing the Museum of Norwich, before you turn right on Bedford Street and walk through the centre of the wonderful Norwich Lanes. And why not enjoy a browse of the award-winning independents you’ll find here? Whenever you’re ready, get back on your route and pass the iconic family-owned department store of Jarrolds, who are also responsible for many publications from its print side.

Then, follow the road up to Pottergate, where you’ll reach the Grosvenor Fish Bar. From here, turn left to Lower Goat Lane and follow it all the way up St Giles to Upper St Giles, where you’ll find the eighth and final bench.

On this gorgeous street, you’ll find three equally gorgeous book stacks made of stone from United Kingdom quarries and engraved by stonemason Ryan James. Chosen by the Norwich Centre for Writing, each stack features four books with a cover illustration on the top, creating the bench seat

The title books are:

• Ritual Murder by S T Haymon
• Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
• Revelations of Divine Love by Julian of Norwich

The other titles to feature on other books in these stacks are:

• The Heart Goes Last by Margaret Atwood, a Patron of the National Centre for Writing, this book was written in Norwich. Watch Margaret Atwood in conversation with us on a visit to Norwich.
• Worthless Men by Andrew Cowan, a Norwich-based author, UEA Professor, this novel is set in Norwich. Listen to Andrew Cowan in conversation of the Royal Literary Fellowship podcast.
• Mouse and Mole by Joyce Dunbar, a resident of the city and huge selling children’s book writer. Read more about Joyce.
• Elsewhere by Yan Ge, a Norwich resident. Listen to an interview with Yan on the NCW podcast. 
• Your Show by Ashley Hickson, a Norwich resident and lecturer.  Listen to an interview with Ashley on the NCW podcast.
• A Gathering Storm by Rachel Hore, a resident and best-selling novelist. Read more about Rachel.
• The Living by Anjali Joseph, is half set in Norwich. Read more about Anjali.
• Reel by George Szirtes, a Norwich-based prize-winning poet. This collection won the TS Eliot Prize. Read a poem commissioned from George by NCW on the building of the National Centre for Writing.
• Derby Day by D.J. Taylor, a Norwich resident and a Booker long-listed novel. Read more about D.J. Taylor.

And that concludes your walk around Norwich! We hope you spend some time enjoying some of the less beaten track locations around the city and experience the hospitality locations, as well as diving into a retail shop or two! You may even feel inspired to read one of the books mentioned, in which case we’d highly recommend visiting one of our many independent book shops, or borrow a copy from the library! 

Thanks to all the partners who have brought the book benches to Norwich as part of the EXPERIENCE project including Norfolk County Council, Norwich City Council, National Centre for Writing and Norwich Business Improvement District (BID). 

EXPERIENCE was a €24.5 million project co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund (€16.9 million) through the Interreg France (Channel) England Programme, delivered from September 2019 to June 2023.

Managed by Norfolk County Council, EXPERIENCE aimed to capitalise on the emerging global trend for local tourism and engagement with the great outdoors, heritage, and culture. The project also supported local tourism and hospitality businesses across Norfolk in developing new, low-environmental impact, off-season tourism experiences.