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"Not your usual boring tour - a perfect blend of history and humour."
At first glance, Norwich Castle looks almost friendly. Standing proud above the city, its stone keep has become one of East Anglia’s most famous landmarks. But peel back the veneer and you find something far darker and grittier. This is a story about Norman power, cold cells, and the grim spectacle of public execution.
Shortly after the Norman Conquest of 1066, a motte and bailey castle was established in Norwich around 1067 to assert control over East Anglia. The wooden structure was replaced with a massive stone keep from around 1094, commissioned under William II and completed by Henry I by 1121. It was designed to intimidate – and it still does.
Read more on the Historic England listing for Norwich Castle.
Originally intended as a royal palace, the castle’s role shifted. By the 12th century it was no longer a residence and instead became a civic centre – housing law courts, local government, and soon after, a prison.
This history is outlined on the official Norwich Castle history page.
By the 14th century, Norwich Castle had become a county gaol. Prisoners included men, women, children and debtors, all crammed into unsanitary cells below the keep. In 1789, major renovations began to convert the site into a larger prison complex, complete with gallows and punishment yards. The last person was executed at the castle in 1866.
Details of these prison years can be found on the Norwich Castle 950 Years of History timeline.
Norwich Castle was infamous for its hangings. In earlier centuries, executions were public – often staged just outside the castle’s walls. Crowds would gather to watch. Some prisoners were hanged and then displayed in metal cages known as gibbets, left to rot in public view.
One of the most famous victims was Robert Kett, the rebel leader of Kett’s Rebellion in 1549, who was hanged in chains from the castle walls as a warning to others.
Read about Kett’s fate on Norwich Castle’s Wikipedia page.
In 1894, Norwich Castle was finally converted into a museum and art gallery – a far cry from its gruesome past. Today it’s home to fine art, taxidermy, and archaeology, but beneath the exhibits lurks a long, bloody history.
Discover current exhibitions and visit planning at the Norwich Castle Museum official site.
From royal stronghold to execution site, Norwich Castle has seen it all. If you want the version that includes grim punishments, desperate prisoners and ghost stories they wouldn’t tell you on a school trip – that’s where we come in.
Book a Nasty Norwich Ghost Tour to experience the city's terrible past for yourself – with a bit of humour and just the right amount of horror.
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