In April 2022 NHBG finally welcomed Vernacular Architecture Group members to Norfolk. The visit was delayed by two years and eventually happened as a mix of virtual and live visits. The zoom visit consisted of a series of six talks on aspects of vernacular architecture of Norfolk. These were:
- Tom Williamson: Norfolk’s geology and landscape and their effects on the county’s vernacular architecture.
- Ian Hinton: A ‘stills’ tour of two timber framed houses in South Norfolk
- Jess Johnson: Some buildings in South Norfolk town of Diss
- Dominic Summers: Two churches in Southern Norfolk
- Anne Woollett: Smaller houses of Norwich
- Chris King: Some 17th Century Norwich Merchants Houses.
These talks can be seen on VAG’s YouTube channel.
You can access a playlist of the talks here.
In addition Chris King’s fascinating book about Norwich houses Houses and Society in Norwich, 1350-1660: Urban buildings in an age of transition published in 2020 explores in greater detail some of the issues raised.
Andrea Kirkham’s talk on some Norfolk Wall paintings is not yet available.
The second live part of the visit was a self-guided tour of Kings Lynn following the map, plans and notes (right) provided by Ian Hinton, drawing on Vivien Parker’s 1971 book Making of Kings Lynn: Secular buildings from 11th to 17th centuries.