Under the freemen’s governance, Norwich grew to become England’s second city after London for 200 years – 1525 to 1725.

During Queen Elizabeth I reign, Norwich Freemen devised one of the earliest schemes of poor relief in the country. It later served as a model for national schemes.

It’s an old tradition that freemen had the right to be hanged with a silk noose!

Anybody who wished to trade freely in medieval Norwich had to become a freeman.