Erpingham Gate, Norwich, Guía del visitante y qué hacer cerca

The Erpingham Gate is a richly carved medieval gateway on Tombland in Norwich, leading into the Upper Close in front of Norwich Cathedral. It was built around 1420 and paid for by Sir Thomas Erpingham, who commanded the English archers at the Battle of Agincourt. It is one of the best-known landmarks in the city and a natural first stop on any walk through historic Norwich.

The story behind it

Sir Thomas Erpingham was a Norfolk man, born in the village of Erpingham. He served alongside Henry Bolingbroke, who became King Henry IV in 1399, and rose to hold high office at court. In 1415 he led the archers at Agincourt, and a few years later he gave Norwich this gate as a lasting gift to the cathedral and the city.

The ground it stands on has its own history. Tombland takes its name from an Old English word for an open space, not from tombs, as many visitors assume. It was the site of the Saxon market before the Normans moved the trading to the Market Place where it still takes place today. The cathedral's monks and local people often clashed over the space and the festivities held there.

What to look for

• Look up at the niche above the arch, where a figure believed to represent Sir Thomas Erpingham stands watching over the entrance.
• Study the deep, layered arch, which is covered in carved stonework and small figures that reward a slow look.
• Pass through the arch and turn around to see how the gate frames the west front of Norwich Cathedral.
• Look across Tombland to the neighbouring Ethelbert Gate, a second medieval entrance to the Close, and compare the two.

Tips for your visit

• You can see the gate from the street and walk through it into the Close at no cost. Check current opening hours for the Cathedral Close and the cathedral itself.
• Allow 10 to 15 minutes for the gate and its surroundings, or longer if you plan to continue into the cathedral grounds.
• Morning light is often kind to the stonework, and early in the day the street is quieter for photographs.
• Elm Hill, the Market Place and Norwich Castle are all within easy walking distance, so the gate works well as the start of a longer stroll.

See it on a quest

Medieval Norwich Walking Tour: A Stranger Escape Game brings you to the gate on foot as one stop of a longer route through the medieval centre. The app tells you about each place as you arrive and sets a puzzle based on what is in front of you, so you look at the carving properly instead of just passing through. One ticket covers the whole group.

Timeline Tour of Norwich follows the city's story through its streets and buildings, with the Erpingham Gate as one of the places along the way. You walk at your own pace, hear the background at each stop and solve a puzzle on the spot. One ticket covers the whole group.