Gone Medieval Norwich Castle
Dec 12, 2025
Join Dr. Tim Pestell, an archaeologist and curator with deep expertise in medieval sites, as he unravels the secrets of Norwich Castle. Discover the fire-scarred vaults from past sieges and the opulent walrus-ivory bobbin linked to royal needlework. Tim also shares fascinating finds like arrowheads and skeletons from the castle's prison days. Delve into the history of Henry I's feasting hall and the castle's transformation from royal palace to jail, revealing its compelling 900-year story.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Artifacts Reveal Long-Distance Trade
- Luxury objects like walrus-ivory bobbins signal Norwich's wide trade links to the northern and Baltic worlds.
- Such imported materials underpinned a local luxury market fed by royal consumption and pilgrimage.
Arrowhead Found In Basement Dump
- Excavations also recovered commonplace martial items like iron arrowheads from basement dumps rather than battlefield deposits.
- Tim interprets these as casual losses or discarded items from castle life, not necessarily fired in siege.
Foundation Failure Exposed Under The Keep
- Basement excavations expose massive vaulted foundations and a crack where the north-east corner settled on newer mound material.
- Builders deepened footings but still faced foundation failure, forcing early structural repairs and buttressing.
