Norwich Market, Norwich (must see)

In the 10th century, during the reign of Good King Aethelstan, the settlement of Norwich was already a major trading center. The Anglo-Saxon town was centered around the open market space called Tombland. A piece of the Tombland space is still there. It's a small triangular bit of park with a few trees and a telephone call-box.

The Normans demolished most of Tombland in the 11th century to make room for their own town and market. They built Norwich Cathedral and Norwich Castle. The new market gradually supplanted the old one and it has been in operation for over 900 years. The Norwich Market today looks nearly the same as it did in the 14th century.

The market is a rectangle running north and south. On the north side was a tollhouse. This building was replaced in 1413 by the Guildhall. The Saint Peter's Street (Overowe) borders the west side with the City Hall which was built in 1938. The old Norman Church of Saint Peter Mancroft is in the south. On the east is the Gentlemen's Walk (Netherowe).

In the market area there are more than 200 permanent stalls. There are 29 stalls operated by food vendors and the remainder are held by other enterprises. In 2004 the market was rearranged in parallel rows of stall units of steel called "pods", holding four stalls each. Transparent retractable canopies cover the alleyways between pods.