121-739: The Norfolk Militia was an auxiliary military force in the English county of Norfolk in East Anglia . From their formal organisation as Trained Bands in 1558 until their final service as the Special Reserve , the Militia regiments of the county carried out internal security and home defence duties in all of Britain's major wars. They saw active service during the Bishops' Wars , the English Civil Wars and
242-517: A Gross Domestic Product of £ 9,319 million, which represents 1.5% of England's economy and 1.25% of the United Kingdom's economy. The GDP per head was £11,825, compared to £13,635 for East Anglia, £12,845 for England and £12,438 for the United Kingdom. In 1999–2000 the county had an unemployment rate of 5.6%, compared to 5.8% for England and 6.0% for the UK. Data from 2017 provided a useful update on
363-567: A saffron grower. Over 20% of employment in the county is in the agricultural and food industries. Well-known companies in Norfolk are Aviva (formerly Norwich Union ), Colman's (part of Unilever ), Lotus Cars and Bernard Matthews Farms . The Construction Industry Training Board is based on the former airfield of RAF Bircham Newton . Brewer Greene King, food producer Cranswick and feed supplier ForFarmers [ nl ] were seeing growth in 2016–2017. A local enterprise partnership
484-527: A 'Standing Army' tainted by association with the New Model Army that had supported Cromwell's military dictatorship, and almost the whole burden of home defence and internal security was entrusted to the militia under politically reliable local landowners. The 4th Earl of Southampton was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk in September 1660 and he began appointing his deputies and militia officers. None of
605-597: A fifth generation crabman, who sells Cromer Crabs to eateries such as M Restaurants and the Blueprint Café. The problem that he has found is attracting young people to this small industry which calls for working many hours per week during the season. Lobster trapping also continued in North Norfolk, around Sheringham and Cromer , for example. Norfolk's low-lying land and easily eroded cliffs, many of which are composed of chalk and clay, make it vulnerable to weathering by
726-564: A fresh attempt to have as many men as possible under arms for home defence in order to release regulars, the Government created the Supplementary Militia in 1796, a compulsory levy of men to be trained in their spare time, and to be incorporated into the permanent militia in emergency. Norfolk's additional quota was fixed at 1992 men (of which Norwich was to find 211). The lieutenancies were required to carry out 20 days' initial training for
847-623: A friend of Edward, Prince of Wales , was appointed Lt-Col Commandant in 1866. In May 1872 the Prince of Wales was appointed Honorary Colonel of the corps and in November 1875 it changed its title to the Prince of Wales's Own Norfolk Artillery Militia . In the following years a number of the Prince's connections served in the corps. Number 1 Battery was designated 'The Queen's Battery' in May 1890. The Artillery Militia
968-502: A possible Dutch attack. However, the deputy lieutenants and justices were reported to have used the militia to intimidate Norfolk voters during elections in the 1670s. In 1690 the 7th Duke of Norfolk , as Lord Lieutenant, reported the organisation of the county militia, and a national muster was also held in 1697, listing the Hundreds from which the companies were recruited: Total 4532 foot in 40 companies, 335 horse in six troops However,
1089-468: A prime source of recruits. They served in coast defences, manning garrisons, guarding prisoners of war, and for internal security, while their traditional local defence duties were taken over by the Volunteers and mounted Yeomanry . The two Norfolk regiments began the usual round of summer camps, usually in the invasion-threatened counties of Essex, Kent or Sussex, with winter quarters in the towns: in 1795
1210-510: A total establishment of 183 all ranks. Detachments of men were transferred from the West and East Norfolk regiments (52 from the latter) and the remainder were new recruits. The unit was based at Yarmouth in the former Royal Navy barracks. It was embodied during the Crimean War and Indian Mutiny and had expanded to six companies by 1859. Charles, 5th Lord Suffield , formerly of the 7th Hussars and
1331-451: A yeoman farmer, who was joined by recruits from Norwich and the surrounding countryside. His group numbered some 16,000 by the time the rebels stormed Norwich on 29 July 1549 and took the city. Kett's rebellion ended on 27 August when the rebels were defeated by an army under the leadership of John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland at the Battle of Dussindale. Some 3,000 rebels were killed. Kett
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#17328452906701452-534: Is a ceremonial county in the East of England and East Anglia . It borders Lincolnshire and The Wash to the north-west, the North Sea to the north and east, Cambridgeshire to the west, and Suffolk to the south. The largest settlement is the city of Norwich . The county has an area of 2,074 sq mi (5,370 km ) and a population of 859,400. It is largely rural with few large towns: after Norwich (147,895),
1573-532: Is administered by Norfolk County Council, which is the top tier local government authority, based at County Hall in Norwich. For details of the authority click on the link Norfolk County Council . Below Norfolk County Council the county is divided into seven second tier district councils: Breckland District , Broadland District , Great Yarmouth Borough , King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough , North Norfolk District , Norwich City and South Norfolk District . Below
1694-596: Is controlled by the Labour Party and North Norfolk District by the Liberal Democrats . Norfolk County Council has been under Conservative control since 2017. There have been two periods when the council has not been run by the Conservative Party, both when no party had overall control, these were 1993–2001 and 2013–2017. For the full County Council election results for 2017 and previous elections click on
1815-492: Is served by these local newspapers: Before 2011, Norfolk had a completely comprehensive state education or "maintained" system managed by Norfolk County Council , with secondary school age from 11 to 16 or in some schools with sixth forms , 18 years old. Since then, a number of schools formerly in the "maintained" system have left it to become academies , or members of academy groups. Others have become free schools . Both academies and free schools are still publicly funded by
1936-580: The 3rd Earl of Orford , was an enthusiast for the militia, and made rapid progress with the assistance of the Townshend family, particularly Col George Townshend , MP for Norfolk , who promoted the militia legislation in parliament. A number of old soldiers were recruited as sergeants to train the balloted men, and a number of volunteers to the ranks were appointed as corporals. Both battalions received their arms on 7 October 1758 and paraded at Fakenham in November. Orford appointed George Townshend as colonel of
2057-490: The Armada Crisis of 1588 Norfolk furnished 2200 trained and 2100 untrained armed foot (out of 6340 able-bodied men), together with 80 lancers , 321 light horse and 377 ' petronels ' (the petronel was an early cavalry firearm). With the passing of the threat of invasion, the trained bands declined in the early 17th Century. Later, King Charles I attempted to reform them into a national force or 'Perfect Militia' answering to
2178-468: The Conservative Party win the 2010 general election , they would reverse the decision. Following the 2010 general election , Eric Pickles was appointed Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on 12 May 2010 in a Conservative–Liberal Democrat coalition government . According to press reports, he instructed his department to take urgent steps to reverse the decision and maintain
2299-714: The First English Civil War . Its main function was to finance and support an army which became a mainstay of the Parliamentarian military effort until early 1645. In January 1644 committeemen of the Eastern Association gathered at the Bury Conference to discuss their concerns as regards the proposed New Model Army . However in the following months many of its units were incorporated into this new military formation. As part of Parliament's efforts to improve
2420-509: The High Court , and on 21 June 2010 the court ( Mr. Justice Ouseley , judge) ruled it unlawful, and revoked it. The city has therefore failed to attain unitary status, and the two-tier arrangement of County and District Councils (with Norwich City Council counted among the latter) remains as of 2017. Norfolk's county town and only city is Norwich , one of the largest settlements in England during
2541-501: The Norman era . Norwich is home to the University of East Anglia , and is the county's main business and culture centre. Other principal towns include the port town of King's Lynn and the seaside resort and Broads gateway town of Great Yarmouth . Eastern Association The Eastern Association of counties was an administrative organisation set up by Parliament in the early years of
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#17328452906702662-673: The Second Boer War , and finally trained thousands of reinforcements during World War I . After a shadowy postwar existence they were formally disbanded in 1953. The English militia was descended from the Anglo-Saxon Fyrd , the military force raised from the freemen of the shires under command of their Sheriff . It continued under the Norman kings , and was reorganised under the Assizes of Arms of 1181 and 1252 , and again by King Edward I 's Statute of Winchester of 1285. Norfolk
2783-841: The Tacolneston TV transmitter. However, northwestern parts of Norfolk including King's Lynn , Hunstanton and Wells-next-the-Sea are covered by BBC Yorkshire and Lincolnshire , broadcasting from Hull , and ITV Yorkshire , which broadcast from Leeds . The area receives its television signals from the Belmont TV transmitter. BBC Local Radio for the county is served by BBC Radio Norfolk . County-wide commercial radio stations are Heart East , Greatest Hits Radio East , Amber Radio , and Kiss . Community based stations are Future Radio (serving Norwich), Harbour Radio (for Great Yarmouth ), KL1 Radio (covering North West Norfolk ) and Poppyland Community Radio (serving North Norfolk ). Norfolk
2904-470: The enclosure of land. The county was not heavily industrialised during the Industrial Revolution , and Norwich lost its status as one of England's largest cities. The contemporary economy is largely based on agriculture and tourism. The area that was to become Norfolk was settled in pre-Roman times (there were Palaeolithic settlers as early as 950,000 years ago), with camps along the higher land in
3025-429: The 1st or Western Battalion and Sir Armine Wodehouse, 5th Baronet , of the 2nd or Eastern Battalion. The two battalions were embodied for fulltime service on 24 June 1759 and on 4 July marched by four 'divisions' (half battalions) to Portsmouth to do duty under Major-General Holmes. Due to the heat, they set off soon after midnight, but were described as being in good spirits. The Western Battalion would have been under
3146-481: The 2017 General Election the 2015 result was repeated. In the 2024 General Election, Norfolk became the only county in the United Kingdom to be represented by MPs from five different parties. In October 2006, the Department for Communities and Local Government produced a Local Government White Paper inviting councils to submit proposals for unitary restructuring. In January 2007 Norwich submitted its proposal, but this
3267-475: The 3rd Western regiment, and there are reports of the 3rd Eastern Norfolk Local Regiment at Yarmouth, commanded by Lt-Col Commandant William Gould, who had held the same position in the Yarmouth Volunteers. The officers were appointed on 18 February 1809 and the six regiments assembled on 9 May at Yarmouth, King's Lynn, Swaffham and Norwich to perform 28 days' training. They did 20 days' training in 1810, but
3388-652: The Act had passed. Most recruits came from the longer-serving militiamen, and few of the Norfolk Supplementaries enlisted because many of them were married. The Norfolk Supplementaries were re-embodied (probably for annual training) on 24 August 1801 However, the Peace of Amiens was short-lived and Britain declared war on France once more on 18 May 1803, the West and East Norfolk regiments having already been re-embodied at Yarmouth, East Dereham and Swaffham on 21 March. In June 1804
3509-669: The Association's force was a "troop of horse" ( cavalry ) raised by Captain Oliver Cromwell . Granted a commission in August 1642, Cromwell received £1,104 from parliamentary funds and was able to prevent colleges of Cambridge University from donating money and college plate to the Royalist cause. However in September 1642 he was ordered to join the Earl of Essex at Northampton, whereon Cromwell's troop
3630-635: The Bear Inn in Cambridge throughout 1643 and 1644. In August 1643, Lord Grey was replaced as commander by the Earl of Manchester . Oliver Cromwell was appointed Lieutenant General of the Horse. The two men clashed, especially over Cromwell's selection of officers. Manchester wrote, "Colonel Cromwell raising of his regiment makes choice of his officers not such as were soldiers or men of estate, but such as were common men, poor and of mean parentage, only he would give them
3751-646: The Boundary Committee recommended a single unitary authority covering all of Norfolk, including Norwich. However, on 10 February 2010, it was announced that, contrary to the December 2009 recommendation of the Boundary Committee, Norwich would be given separate unitary status. The proposed change was strongly resisted, principally by Norfolk County Council and the Conservative opposition in Parliament. Reacting to
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3872-635: The Department of Education but are not with county council management. In many of the rural areas, there is no nearby sixth form, and so sixth form colleges are found in larger towns. There are twelve private , or private schools, including Gresham's School in Holt in the north of the county, Thetford Grammar School in Thetford , which is Britain's fifth oldest extant school , Langley School in Loddon , and several in
3993-583: The East Division of the Norfolk Supplementary Militia were sent to Cambridge to join the 'Old' East Norfolk Militia A new Act of 1799 permitted the Regulars to recruit from both the permanent and supplementary militia, the supplementaries who did not volunteer being stood down. The East Norfolks complained that an army recruiting party had come to 'ingratiate itself and corrupt the men' even before
4114-545: The East Norfolk Militia assembled at Great Yarmouth on the same date under Col. the Hon. Berkeley Wodehouse. It was noted that, “Their appearance was much more respectable than might have been expected, and many of those who were prepared to ridicule them acknowledged that they were a much better class than they expected.” The two infantry regiments were called out for 28 days' training on 25 April 1854. The East Norfolk Militia
4235-538: The East Norfolks at Norwich or Yarmouth – ballots were held regularly, and officers were commissioned to fill vacancies. Sir Armine Wodehouse gave up the command of the East Battalion and his eldest son John Wodehouse was promoted to Lt-Col on 19 May 1774 and then to Colonel on 6 June the same year: he had marched as a private militiaman in the regiment under his father's command when it was first raised. The militia
4356-524: The East Norfolks marched to the north of England, where it was stationed in Yorkshire , Staffordshire , Derbyshire and Lancashire . In September 1801 a preliminary peace treaty was agreed, and with the prospect of the militia being stood down the East Norfolks returned to East Anglia. Hostilities ended with the Treaty of Amiens on 27 March 1802, and the militia were disembodied, the East Norfolks on 24 April. In
4477-606: The East Norfolks were quartered in the Medway Towns to prevent rioting. Other duties included guarding the Royal Gun Powder Magazine at Purfleet , and the huge purpose-built Prisoner-of-war camp at Norman Cross Barracks . The regiments were frequently drawn upon for volunteers to transfer to the Regular Army In 1798 the militia regiments were augmented with men from the Supplementary Militia ( see below ). Part of
4598-532: The King ordered that they 'should be distinguished by the title of Militia Royal', but this was never done. The Prince of Wales (soon to be King George III) also showed the Norfolk Militia favour. By August the divisions of the two battalions were alternately guarding prisoners of war and undergoing training. While at Hilsea Barracks , Portsmouth, Windham published a drill manual, A Plan of Discipline, Composed for
4719-525: The Local Militia, which were part-time and only to be used within their own districts. These were raised to counter the declining numbers of Volunteers, and if their ranks could not be filled voluntarily the Militia Ballot was employed. They would be trained once a year. Norfolk initially had over 7300 volunteers, enrolled in a large number of separate units, both infantry and cavalry in 1803–04, and many of
4840-662: The Militia passed into virtual abeyance during the long peace after the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713, and few units were called out during the Jacobite Risings of 1715 and 1745 . Under threat of French invasion during the Seven Years' War a series of Militia Acts from 1757 reorganised the county militia regiments , the men being conscripted by means of parish ballots (paid substitutes were permitted) to serve for three years. In peacetime they assembled for 28 days' annual training. There
4961-869: The Norfolk Artillery Militia became the Prince of Wales's Own Norfolk Royal Garrison Artillery (Militia) . Under the Haldane Reforms of 1908 the plan was to convert the RGA (M) into Special Reserve units of the Royal Field Artillery . Although the majority of the officers and men accepted transfer to the PoW Own Norfolk Royal Field Reserve Artillery on 28 April 1908, all these units were disbanded in March 1909. Norfolk Norfolk ( / ˈ n ɔːr f ə k / NOR -fək )
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5082-520: The Norfolk Chamber of Commerce made this comment: "At a time when Norfolk firms face steep up-front costs, the apprenticeship system is in crisis, roads are being allowed to crumble, mobile phone and broadband 'not-spots' are multiplying, it's obvious that the key to improved productivity and competitiveness lies in getting the basics right". The solution was seen as a need for the UK government to provide "a far stronger domestic economic agenda ... to fix
5203-925: The Norfolk Militia were ordered to join the Southern District (Sussex), which covered Kent east of the River Cray and Holwood Hill; Sussex; and Tilbury Fort in Essex. The district was commanded by Gen Sir David Dundas and Lt-Gen the Earl of Chatham with Headquarters in Canterbury. Together with the Nottinghamshire Militia the East and West Norfolks formed the infantry brigade of Maj-Gen Alexander Mackenzie Fraser , headquartered in Winchelsea and defending Dungeness . On 1 September
5324-468: The Norfolk Volunteers transferred to the Local Militia In August 1808. However, Col Robert Harvey, who had commanded the Norwich Volunteer Regiment, failed to induce enough of his men to transfer as a Local Militia battalion, and resigned his command to Lt-Col Elisha De Hague, who formed a small battalion of five 60-strong companies in January 1809. Eventually Norfolk formed six regiments of local militia, three Western and three Eastern. Artefacts are known from
5445-418: The Norfolk men were disorderly, and many officers were corrupt or inefficient. Control of the militia was one of the areas of dispute between Charles I and Parliament that led to the English Civil War . When open war broke out between the King and Parliament, Norfolk was part of the Eastern Association and firmly under Parliamentarian control, so the TBs were hardly used. As Parliament tightened its grip on
5566-533: The Norfolks were relieved by the Warwickshire Militia, but only after the barracks had been thoroughly cleaned. During the autumn of 1759–60 the Norfolk companies were first dispersed in billets across Hampshire and Surrey , and then in November they were marched to Cirencester in Gloucestershire , where they were joined by a recruiting party and recruits from Norwich. In June 1760 the East battalion marched back to Norwich and Yarmouth, where they took over guarding French prisoners. On 28 May 1761 King George granted
5687-399: The Protectorate in 1659 plunged the regime into crisis, and the militia was reorganised under officers deemed politically reliable. After the Restoration of the Monarchy , the English Militia was re-established by the Militia Act of 1661 under the control of the king's lords-lieutenant, the men to be selected by ballot. This was popularly seen as the 'Constitutional Force' to counterbalance
5808-418: The Royalist cavalry under Goring on the other side and routed the Royalists from the field. The siege of York was resumed and the city fell to Parliamentarians on 16 July. Later in the year, the Eastern Association forces moved into the south of England where the Parliamentarian armies under the Earl of Essex and Sir William Waller had suffered setbacks. After the drawn Second battle of Newbury , Manchester
5929-440: The United Kingdom was revived by the Militia Act 1852 ( 15 & 16 Vict. c. 50), enacted during a renewed period of international tension. As before, units were raised and administered on a county basis, and filled by voluntary enlistment (although conscription by means of the Militia Ballot might be used if the counties failed to meet their quotas). Training was for 56 days on enlistment, then for 21–28 days per year, during which
6050-526: The Use of the Militia of the County of Norfolk , probably drawing on Townshend's knowledge, and which Townshend revised in 1768 after Windham's death. This is said to have become one of the most important drill manuals employed during the American Revolution. Hilsea Barracks proved to be infected with Smallpox , Dysentery and Typhus , and the men from isolated Norfolk villages with little immunity succumbed in large numbers. Casualties were severe, and those who did not die suffered long convalescences. In October
6171-416: The West Norfolk Militia, under the command of the Earl of Orford, marched into Norwich from Colchester, the first time the regiment had been stationed in the city for nearly 30 years. Later the Norfolk Militia became heavily involved in operating the Norman Cross prison camp and in escorting prisoners there from Yarmouth. Lieutenant Thomas Borrow of the West Norfolk Militia, father of the author George Borrow ,
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#17328452906706292-418: The West Norfolks had 712 men under Lt-Col George Nelthorpe, the East Norfolks 698 men under Lt-Col Sir George Berney Brograve, 2nd Baronet . All 10 West Norfolk companies and 5 of the East Norfolks were at Clifford Camp, the other 5 of the East Norfolks at Rye & Pleydon Barracks with the Nottinghamshires. Large numbers of militia were recruited into the Regulars during 1805, and recourse had to be made to
6413-519: The West and East Norfolks, with other militia regiments, were stationed at Colchester , using Lexden Heath for parades. On 25 July 1804 the two regiments marched from Colchester barracks and arrived at Coxheath Camp in Kent on 27 July after a rapid and fatiguing march. The East and West Norfolks with the Royal Buckinghamshire Militia formed Maj-Gen Baird's Brigade. Militia duties during the Napoleonic War were much as before: home defence and garrisons, prisoners of war, and increasingly internal security in
6534-424: The administration of its forces, the Parliamentarian militias of Essex , Hertfordshire , Norfolk , Suffolk , Cambridgeshire were established as the "Eastern Association" on 20 December 1642. Huntingdonshire and Lincolnshire later joined the Association. The first general designated as commander of the Association's forces was William Grey, 1st Baron Grey of Werke . One of the units which first became part of
6655-493: The announcement, Norfolk County Council issued a statement that it would seek leave to challenge the decision in the courts. A letter was leaked to the local media in which the Permanent Secretary for the Department for Communities and Local Government noted that the decision did not meet all the criteria and that the risk of it "being successfully challenged in judicial review proceedings is very high". The Shadow Local Government and Planning Minister, Bob Neill , stated that should
6776-442: The ballot to make up the numbers, and large amounts were paid for substitutes, though the establishments of the Norfolk regiments were reduced to the numbers before the Supplementaries were added (98 NCOs and drummers, 786 privates). In October 1805 Norfolk had to raise an additional 248 militiamen to replace those who had enlisted in the army. Over the next few years the two regiments moved around South-East England. On 16 August 1809
6897-488: The city centre, next to the River Wensum . The City College Norwich and the College of West Anglia are colleges covering Norwich and King's Lynn as well as Norfolk as a whole. Easton & Otley College , 7 mi (11 km) west of Norwich, provides agriculture-based courses for the county, parts of Suffolk , and nationally. The University of Suffolk also runs higher education courses in Norfolk, from multiple locations including Great Yarmouth College . Norfolk
7018-416: The city of Norwich, including Norwich School and Norwich High School for Girls . The King's Lynn district has the largest school population. Norfolk is also home to Wymondham College , the UK's largest remaining state boarding school . The University of East Anglia is located on the outskirts of Norwich, and Norwich University of the Arts is based in seven buildings in and around St George's Street in
7139-412: The command of Lt-Col William Windham , because Townshend was serving as a brigadier in Wolfe's expedition to Quebec . En route the two battalions passed through London and under Orford's command were reviewed by King George II in front of Kensington Palace . They were the first of the reformed militia regiments 'which offered to march wherever they might be most serviceable to the public defence', and
7260-496: The country after winning the First Civil War it passed new Militia Acts in 1648 and 1650 that replaced lords lieutenant with county commissioners appointed by Parliament or the Council of State . The establishment of The Protectorate saw Oliver Cromwell take control of the militia as a paid force under politically-selected officers to support his Rule by Major-Generals . From now on the term 'Trained Band' began to be replaced by 'Militia'. The resignation of Richard Cromwell from
7381-452: The county's economy. The median hourly gross pay was £12.17 and the median weekly pay was £496.80; on a per year basis, the median gross income was £25,458. The employment rate among persons aged 16 to 64 was 74.2% while the unemployment rate was 4.6%. The Norfolk economy was "treading water with manufacturing sales and recruitment remaining static in the first quarter of the year" according to research published in April 2018. A spokesperson for
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#17328452906707502-650: The fundamentals needed for business to thrive here..." In 2017, tourism was adding £3.25 billion to the economy per year and supported some 65,000 jobs, being the fifth most important employment in Norfolk. The visitor economy had increased in value by more than £500 million since 2012. Important business sectors also include energy (oil, gas and renewables), advanced engineering and manufacturing, and food and farming. Much of Norfolk's fairly flat and fertile land has been drained for use as arable land . The principal arable crops are sugar beet , wheat, barley (for brewing) and oil seed rape . The county also boasts
7623-421: The greatest concentration in the world. The economy was in decline by the time of the Black Death , which dramatically reduced the population in 1349. Kett's Rebellion occurred in Norfolk during the reign of Edward VI , largely in response to the enclosure of land by landlords, leaving peasants with nowhere to graze their animals, and to the general abuses of power by the nobility. It was led by Robert Kett ,
7744-478: The growth of the Royal Air Force and the influx of the American USAAF 8th Air Force which operated from many Norfolk airfields . The local British Army regiments included the Royal Norfolk Regiment (now the Royal Anglian Regiment ) and the Norfolk Yeomanry . During the Second World War agriculture rapidly intensified, and it has remained very intensive since, with the establishment of large fields for growing cereals and oilseed rape . In 1998 Norfolk had
7865-484: The homelands of the Iceni were vulnerable to attacks from continental Europe and other parts of Britain, and forts were built to defend against raids by the Saxons and the Picts . A period of depopulation, which may have been due to these threats, seems to have followed the departure of the Romans. Soon afterward, Germanic peoples from the North Sea area settled in the region. Though they became known as Angles , they were likely not affiliated to any tribe in particular at
7986-490: The impacts on the environment of various realignment options. The draft report of their research was leaked to the press, who created great anxiety by reporting that Natural England plan to abandon a large section of the Norfolk Broads, villages and farmland to the sea to save the rest of the Norfolk coastline from the impact of any adverse climate change . The county is covered by BBC East and ITV Anglia , which both broadcast from Norwich. Television signals are received from
8107-433: The industrial areas where there was unrest. The regular army regarded the militia as a source of trained men and many militiamen took the proffered bounty and transferred, leaving the militia regiments to replace them through the ballot or 'by beat of drum'. In 1805 Napoleon turned his attention to invading England, and started to assemble an expeditionary force at Boulogne . With the British Isles threatened with invasion ,
8228-443: The king rather than local control. The Norfolk Trained Bands of 1638 consisted of over 5100 footmen in four regiments and a 400-strong regiment of horse, while the City of Norwich had it own regiment. The Norfolk TBs were ordered to send contingents for the First and Second Bishops' Wars of 1639–40. However, many of those sent on this unpopular service would have been untrained replacements and conscripts: like many other contingents,
8349-421: The king, Edmund the Martyr . Several place names around the Fenland area contain Celtic elements; this has been taken by some scholars to represent a possibly significant concentration of Britons in the area. In the centuries before the Norman Conquest the wetlands of the east of the county began to be converted to farmland, and settlements grew in these areas. Migration into East Anglia must have been high: by
8470-406: The kingdom of East Anglia (one of the heptarchy ), which later merged with Mercia and then with Wessex . The influence of the early English settlers can be seen in the many place names ending in "-ham", "-ingham" and "-ton". Endings such as "-by" and "-thorpe" are also fairly common, indicating Danish toponyms: in the 9th century the region again came under attack, this time from Danes who killed
8591-441: The largest settlements are King's Lynn (42,800) in the north-west, Great Yarmouth (38,693) in the east, and Thetford (24,340) in the south. For local government purposes Norfolk is a non-metropolitan county with seven districts. The west of Norfolk is part of the Fens , an extremely flat former marsh. The centre of the county is gently undulating lowland; its northern coast is an area of outstanding natural beauty , and in
8712-682: The last Royalist post in Lincolnshire. When it was captured, the Association's army was free to join the Parliamentarian army under Lord Fairfax and the Scottish Covenanters under the Earl of Leven in the Siege of York . On 1 July, the besiegers were outmanoeuvred by Prince Rupert of the Rhine , who skirted them and reached the city. The next day however, Rupert chose to engage them even though he
8833-463: The likelihood of invasion was lessening. On 22 January 1814 the officers and staff of the 1st and 2nd Eastern and 1st Western regiments made offers of extended service, which were acknowledged but not accepted All the Local Militia were disbanded in 1816. An 'Interchange Act' passed in 1811 permitted English militia regiments to serve in Ireland once again, for a period of up to two years. The East Norfolks
8954-563: The link Norfolk County Council elections . The county is divided into ten parliamentary constituencies, with Waveney Valley straddling the border with Suffolk: In the 1945 United Kingdom general election , all seats in Norfolk were won by the Labour Party and the National Liberal Party . In the 2010 General Election seven seats were held by the Conservatives and two by the Liberal Democrats . The Labour Party no longer held
9075-430: The lists are incomplete for Norfolk, the totals for the county being 202 archers (foot and mounted) and 519 billmen (foot and mounted), of whom 163 archers and 246 billmen were 'sufficiently harnessed' ( ie armoured). The legal basis of the militia was updated by two acts of 1557 covering musters ( 4 & 5 Ph. & M. c. 3) and the maintenance of horses and armour ( 4 & 5 Ph. & M. c. 2). The county militia
9196-445: The men received full army pay. Under the Act, Militia units could be embodied by Royal Proclamation for full-time home defence service in three circumstances: The West and East Norfolk Regiments were resuscitated, the senior officers remaining in post but a number of former Regular Army officers were appointed as company commanders, along with a roster of new junior officers. The 1852 Act introduced Artillery Militia units in addition to
9317-666: The militia began to be stood down and both regiments were disembodied. However, on Napoleon's escape from Elba , the West Norfolks were assembled by beat of drum in April 1815, preparatory to being re-embodied in June. After Napoleon's final defeat at Waterloo the bulk of the British Army was engaged in occupation duties in France, and the West Norfolks volunteered for service in Ireland. On 15 September
9438-555: The officers of the Norfolk Militia in 1659 was reappointed in 1660. Sir Horatio Townshend, 3rd Baronet , who took command of the regiment of horse, had been a Militia Commissioner under the previous regime, but had secretly been one of the county's leading pro-Restoration conspirators. Many of the other officers now appointed had held commissions at the end of the First Civil War in 1646 but had afterwards been purged as politically unreliable, such as Sir William D'Oyly, 1st Baronet , who
9559-448: The peace, and a body of troops was drawn up in front of the castle. The mob contented themselves with burning Prime Minister William Pitt and Secretary at War William Windham (son of Col William Windham) in effigy. Eventually Norwich supplied 211 of the 1992 supplementary militiamen required of the county. The Norfolk Supplementaries were organised in six 'divisions', the first being called out for training on 11 February 1797. There
9680-431: The purpose.” In 1855 it was noted that the government intended to convert the arsenal at Yarmouth to create Gorleston Barracks , a facility for the two field officers, 15 sergeants and 408 men of the East Norfolk Militia, with the old Great Yarmouth barracks having been converted into an Admiralty hospital. The Norfolk Artillery Militia was formed under a Royal Warrant dated 2 May 1853 and comprised two companies with
9801-512: The reason for the augmentation was the outbreak of the Irish Rebellion of 1798 , which drew away many of the regulars from mainland Britain. Legislation passed in March 1798 also allowed the militia to volunteer for service in Ireland . In September 1798 the officers and most of the men of the East and West Norfolk Militia volunteered for service there but their offer was not accepted. In June 1800
9922-464: The regiment, 800 strong, marched to Harwich, where it embarked. It was stationed at Clonmel and Templemore until it returned to England in April 1816. Once again, George Borrow accompanied his father (now a captain) on this service and dramatised it in Lavengro . The regiment returned to Norwich on 11 May 1816 and so was on hand to help put down the riots that broke out in the city in June. The regiment
10043-495: The regiments and report on their fitness for service: the East Norfolks was one of the regiments found to be lacking in training, largely because it was composed almost entirely of new recruits. It became normal policy to gather the militia regiments into encampments during the summer months where they could be exercised in larger formations. During the summer of 1779 the East Norfolks were at Coxheath Camp near Maidstone in Kent , which
10164-665: The region declined somewhat. During the Industrial Revolution Norfolk developed little industry, except in Norwich, which was a late addition to the railway network. Early military units included the Norfolk Militia . In the 20th century the county developed a role in aviation. The first development in airfields came with the First World War ; there was then a massive expansion during the Second World War with
10285-577: The region was home to the Iceni , whose leader Boudica led a major revolt in AD60. The Angles settled the area in the fifth century, and it became part of the Kingdom of East Anglia . During the later Middle Ages the county was very prosperous and heavily involved in the wool trade ; this allowed the construction of many large churches . In 1549 Norfolk was the scene of Kett's Rebellion , which unsuccessfully protested
10406-664: The sea. The most recent major erosion event occurred during the North Sea flood of 1953 . The low-lying section of coast between Kelling and Lowestoft Ness in Suffolk is currently managed by the British Environment Agency to protect the Broads from sea flooding. Management policy for the North Norfolk coastline is described in the "North Norfolk Shoreline Management Plan" published in 2006, but has yet to be accepted by local authorities. The Shoreline Management Plan states that
10527-443: The second tier councils the majority of the county is divided into parish and town councils, the lowest tier of local government (the only exceptions being parts of Norwich and King's Lynn urban areas). Currently the Conservative Party control five of the seven district councils: Breckland District , Broadland District , King's Lynn and West Norfolk Borough , Great Yarmouth Borough and South Norfolk District while Norwich City
10648-506: The south is part of Thetford Forest . In the east are the Broads , a network of rivers and lakes which extend into Suffolk. The area is protected by the Broads Authority and has similar status to a national park . The geology of the county includes clay and chalk deposits, which make its coast susceptible to erosion. There is evidence of Prehistoric settlement in Norfolk. In the Roman era
10769-561: The status quo in line with the Conservative Party manifesto. However, the unitary plans were supported by the Liberal Democrat group on the city council, and by Simon Wright , LibDem MP for Norwich South , who intended to lobby the party leadership to allow the changes to go ahead. The Local Government Act 2010 to reverse the unitary decision for Norwich (and Exeter and Suffolk) received Royal Assent on 16 December 2010. The disputed award of unitary status had meanwhile been referred to
10890-466: The stretch of coast will be protected for at least another 50 years, but that in the event of sea level rise and post-glacial lowering of land levels in the South East, there may a need for further research to inform future management decisions, including the possibility that the sea defences may have to be realigned to a more sustainable position. Natural England have contributed some research into
11011-399: The supplementaries as soon as possible. Opposition to conscription led to rioting against the Supplementary Militia ballot, and Norfolk was one of the counties affected. At the general meeting at Norwich on 15 November 1796 a mob clustered round the carriages of Lord Townshend and his deputies, and would not let them enter the courthouse until a public session was promised. Once inside the Act
11132-585: The time of the Domesday Book survey it was one of the most densely populated parts of the British Isles . During the high and late Middle Ages the county developed arable agriculture and woollen industries. Norfolk's prosperity at that time is evident from the county's large number of medieval churches: out of an original total of over one thousand some 659 have survived, more than in any other county in Britain and
11253-557: The time of their migration. It is thought that the settlement here was early (possibly beginning at the start of the fifth century, thereby preceding the alleged date of Hengist and Horsa 's arrival in Kent) and that it occurred on a large scale. By the 5th century the Angles had established control of the region and later became the "north folk" and the "south folk"; hence "Norfolk" and " Suffolk ". Norfolk, Suffolk and several adjacent areas became
11374-512: The title of godly, precious men..." Late in 1643, Lawrence Crawford was appointed Sergeant-Major General of the Foot. He too frequently clashed with Cromwell. For much of 1643, the Association was engaged in battles against the Northern royalists to secure Lincolnshire for Parliament. The Royalists were defeated at Gainsborough and Winceby . In May 1644, the Association's forces besieged Lincoln ,
11495-646: The traditional infantry regiments. Their role was to man coastal defences and fortifications, relieving the Royal Artillery (RA) for active service. In April 1853 612 men of the West Norfolk Militia, under Col. the Earl of Orford, mustered in Norwich at the Swan Hotel. During this muster they were subjected to verbal attacks by members of the Peace Society and "Liberals". 571 out of the 612 men enrolled in
11616-627: The training, though some had expected them to be kept embodied in view of the outbreak of the Crimean War . An order for the provision of Militia barracks at Great Yarmouth was made in 1853. Originally it was intended to base all three regiments of the Norfolk Militia at Great Yarmouth, but on February 25 the original resolution was rescinded, and it was agreed “that the present Committee be empowered to receive estimates and tenders for building barracks for one regiment of Militia at Norwich, and for one regiment of Militia and one regiment of artillery at Yarmouth, on such plans as they may think best suited for
11737-537: The two battalions of the Norfolk Militia a 'Warrant for Colours '. That summer the East Battalion took over duties at Ipswich and Landguard Fort , then in October moved to winter quarters in King's Lynn and Fakenham. With the Seven Years' War drawing to an end orders to disembody the two Norfolk battalions were issued on 15 December 1762. Annual training continued thereafter– the West Norfolks usually at East Dereham and
11858-458: The urban constituencies they once held in Norwich North and Great Yarmouth, leaving them with no MP's in the whole of East Anglia ; the former Labour Home Secretary Charles Clarke was a high level casualty of that election. In the 2015 General Election seven seats were won by the Conservative Party , with Labour winning Norwich South and the Liberal Democrats winning North Norfolk. In
11979-504: The use of boats to seize ships offshore, even if they were less impressive on parade. A frequent task for the militia was chasing smugglers. At Aldeburgh in 1779 the West Norfolks tried to intercept boats landing contraband – on one occasion the men riding baggage horses in pursuit of the smugglers. The government always took the precaution of stationing the militia outside their own counties, so that they would not be called upon to fight their friends and relations. The Treaty of Paris to end
12100-414: The war was now being negotiated, and the militia could be stood down. The West Norfolks were disembodied at King's Lynn and the East Norfolks at Wymondham in March 1783. From 1784 to 1792 the militia were supposed to assemble for 28 days' annual training, even though to save money only two-thirds of the men were actually called out each year. In 1786 the number of permanent non-commissioned officers (NCOs)
12221-499: The west, where flints could be quarried. A Brittonic tribe, the Iceni , emerged in the 1st century BC . The Iceni revolted against the Roman invasion in AD 47, and again in 60 led by Boudica . The crushing of the second rebellion opened the area to the Romans. During the Roman era roads and ports were constructed throughout the area and farming was widespread. Situated on the east coast,
12342-621: Was a call-out of the supplementary militia in 1798 to replace militiamen who had volunteered to transfer to the Regular Army, and to augment the embodied militia. Half of the Norfolk Supplementaries were embodied at Castle Hill in Norwich on 14 March. They formed an additional regiment, designated the 3rd Norfolk Militia (1st Supplementary) , under the command of Col the Hon Henry Hobart, MP for Norwich , with Thomas Preston (later Sir Thomas Hulton Preston, 1st Baronet ) as his Lt-Col. The rest of
12463-476: Was a property qualification for officers, who were commissioned by the lord lieutenant. An adjutant and drill sergeants were to be provided to each regiment from the Regular Army , and arms and accoutrements would be supplied when the county had secured 60 per cent of its quota of recruits. Norfolk's quota was set at 960 men in two battalions, Norwich contributing 151 of the men. The Lord Lieutenant of Norfolk,
12584-506: Was being established by business leaders to help grow jobs across Norfolk and Suffolk. They secured an enterprise zone to help grow businesses in the energy sector, and established the two counties as a centre for growing services and products for the green economy . To help local industry in Norwich, the local council offered a wireless internet service, but this was subsequently withdrawn as funding had ceased. The fishery business still continued in 2018, with individuals such as John Lee,
12705-521: Was called out after the outbreak of the War of American Independence when the country was threatened with invasion by the Americans' allies, France and Spain. Orford ordered the Norfolk Militia to assemble on 13 April 1778 and he took personal command of the West Norfolks. From June 1778 the East and West Norfolks are officially referred to as 'regiments' rather than 'battalions'. General officers were sent to inspect
12826-628: Was captured, held in the Tower of London, tried for treason, and hanged from the walls of Norwich Castle. By the late 16th century Norwich had grown to become the second-largest city in England, but over one-third of its population died in the plague epidemic of 1579, and in 1665 the Great Plague again killed around one-third of the population. During the English Civil War Norfolk was largely Parliamentarian . The economy and agriculture of
12947-424: Was explained to them, but the leaders of the mob kept the meeting in an uproar until the lieutenancy retired to conduct their business in a nearby inn. At Lalingford in the most disturbed part of the county, a meeting to receive the balloting lists was stopped by the mob. A second general meeting was held at Norwich without incident after the magistrates pledged their assistance, special constables were sworn in to keep
13068-450: Was finally disembodied on 27 June. The East Norfolks were not embodied during the Waterloo campaign. After Waterloo there was another long peace. The militia was mustered for training in 1820, 1821, 1825, 1826 and 1831, but not thereafter. Although officers continued to be commissioned into the militia, the permanent staffs of sergeants and drummers were progressively reduced. The Militia of
13189-461: Was listed amongst Essex's Regiment of Horse. The counties which composed the Eastern Association were some of the richest agricultural regions of England, so the Association's forces were some of best financed and equipped troops on either side in the early part of the civil war. During the winter of 1642–43, it established Parliamentary control over East Anglia . The Grand Committee of the Eastern Association, and its different sub-committees, sat in
13310-638: Was now under the Lord Lieutenant , assisted by the Deputy Lieutenants and Justices of the Peace (JPs). The entry into force of these Acts in 1558 is seen as the starting date for the organised county militia in England. Although the militia obligation was universal, it was impractical to train and equip every able-bodied man, so after 1572 the practice was to select a proportion of men for the Trained Bands , who were mustered for regular training. During
13431-498: Was once again a colonel of foot, or Sir John Holland, 1st Baronet , who had commanded a county foot regiment before the civil war. Others came from families who traditionally provided the company officers in their hundreds: The militia were frequently called out during the reign of King Charles II ; for example, the Norfolks were alerted in 1666 because of a French and Dutch invasion threat, and in 1673 were sent to guard Yarmouth against
13552-637: Was one of the regiments that volunteered for this service, and in September the main body, 700 strong, marched to Bristol from where it sailed to Ireland and marched to Cahir . The rest of the regiment was at sea for over 10 weeks before it reached Cork on 26 November and was able to rejoin. The regiment shifted its quarters to Mallow in May 1812, and then to Limerick in January 1813. In June 1813 it sailed back to England, landing at Plymouth and remaining in Devonshire. After Napoleon abdicated on 6 April 1814,
13673-452: Was outnumbered. In the resulting Battle of Marston Moor , all of Fairfax's army and half the Scots fled. However, Manchester's infantry and especially the Eastern Association cavalry under Cromwell stood firm. Cromwell's cavalry - aided by Covenanter regiments - first drove off Royalist cavalry on their side of the field. Showing discipline they rallied beyond the Royalist forces and then attacked
13794-399: Was presented with new colours on 16 May at a public ceremony held on South Denes, Great Yarmouth, attended by 10,000 persons, including civic dignitaries. The day concluded with a ball held at Great Yarmouth Town Hall , which had been decorated with the new colours, mirrors and stars formed of bayonets. These colours were still being carried in 1898. The men were sent home at the completion of
13915-560: Was quartered at Norman Cross from July 1811 to April 1813 and George spent his ninth and tenth years in the barracks there. He later dramatised the prison in his book Lavengro . By April 1813 the West Norfolks were stationed at Berwick-upon-Tweed , and from there they went to Edinburgh Castle in Scotland. While the Militia were the mainstay of national defence during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, they were supplemented from 1808 by
14036-415: Was reduced. The militia had already been called out in December 1792 before Revolutionary France declared war on Britain on 1 February 1793. The French Revolutionary Wars saw a new phase for the English militia: they were embodied for a whole generation, and became regiments of full-time professional soldiers (though restricted to service in the British Isles ), which the regular army increasingly saw as
14157-558: Was rejected in December 2007 as it did not meet the criteria for acceptance. In February 2008, the Boundary Committee for England (from 1 April 2010 incorporated in the Local Government Boundary Commission for England ) was asked to consider alternative proposals for the whole or part of Norfolk, including whether Norwich should become a unitary authority , separate from Norfolk County Council. In December 2009,
14278-541: Was reorganised into 11 divisions of garrison artillery in 1882, and the Norfolk unit became the 2nd Brigade, Eastern Division, RA . from 1 April 1882. This was changed to Norfolk Artillery, Eastern Division, RA on 1 July 1889. The Prince of Wales's Norfolk Artillery was embodied for home service from 2 May to 13 October 1900 during the Second Boer War , and also provided a Special Service Company, which saw active service in South Africa from May 1900 to June 1902. In 1902
14399-444: Was severely criticised by Cromwell for what was seen to be half-hearted leadership. The Eastern Association army had been carrying much of the burden of the war and on 19 November 1644, the Association announced that it could no longer bear the cost of maintaining its army. This prompted Parliament to decree the formation of the New Model Army . Four cavalry and four infantry regiments of the Eastern Association army were absorbed into
14520-455: Was the army's largest training camp, where the Militia were exercised as part of a division alongside Regular troops while providing a reserve in case of French invasion of South East England. However, the West Norfolks under the Earl of Orford encamped by themselves at Aldeburgh in Suffolk during the summers of 1778–80. Nevertheless the regiment made good progress in its field training, including
14641-518: Was too far distant for its levies to play a role in the Plantagenet kings' Welsh and Scottish campaigns, but they were at times called upon to defend their coastline (for example during Edward III 's 1335 offensive in Scotland when the coast was threatened by the French). In 1539 King Henry VIII held a Great Muster of all the counties, recording the number of armed men available in each Hundred , but
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