Norwich Cathedral: Queen Elizabeth I's East Anglian journey 1578

During the Summer of 1578, Elizabeth I made a carefully planned and well recorded circular progress from Greenwich to Norfolk and back. The purpose of all such royal progresses was for the Queen, accompanied by her ministers, royal household, servants and guards, to show herself in all her splendour to her people. This particular journey had the additional objective of reminding the Bishop of Norwich, whose diocese then covered Norfolk and Suffolk, of his duty to ensure the reduction of surviving pockets of Catholicism.
During her week in Norwich, as well as many lavish entertainments, the Queen attended a service at the Cathedral where a throne was built for her facing across the High Altar to the remains of the chantry chapel of her Boleyn ancestors. A Te Deum composed by a cathedral singing man, Osbert Parsley, whose remarkable career working though the religious turbulence of the C16th is marked by a contemporary memorial, was sung during this service. There is also a well concealed contemporary graffiti which may have a direct link to the royal visit.
A reminder of the reality of government in the late C16th survives in the Cathedral cloister. When the Queen went on a lengthy journey, her ministers and privy councillors had to accompany her, conducting state business, receiving foreign emissaries and dealing with petitioners. This tour will conclude with the link to that time revealed in a heraldic sequence painted on the north wall of the cloister in the 1930s.

Timings & Tours

Sunday 15 September:

Tour 1230

Location & directions

The Dean & Chapter of Norwich Cathedral, Chapter Office, 65 The Close, Norwich, Norfolk, NR1 4DH

Directions:

Meeting point and directions will be issued on booking

Booking information

Pre-booking requirement:

Pre-booking required

Booking conditions:

If you can no longer fulfil your booking, please cancel this by emailing [email protected] to provide others with the opportunity to attend.

Booking contact name:

The Forum

Booking website:

https://norfolkhods.ticketsolve.com/

Booking opens:

19 Aug 2024 10:00 AM

Booking closes:

13 Sep 2024 03:00 PM

Accessibility details

Disabled parking must be pre-booked by telephoning 01603 218300.

Additional information

Max no of people per tour:

15

Est. tour duration:

1 hour(s) 15 minute(s)

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