The Shoebox Experiences

14/07/2026

So why do we do it?

Of course there is a love of history and a deep care for conservation. But underneath all of it sits something far simpler. We do it for you.

Community is at the very heart of who we are. We want to open up the spaces we are lucky enough to have access to, and share them with as many people as we possibly can. We want to build something that belongs to everyone who loves this city and all its fascinating bards and rebels.

These are just a handful of the comments that reach us every month, from people who love what we do and, just as much, how we do it.

So from the bottom of our hearts, thank you for sharing our love of history. And if you have not booked with us yet, perhaps something here will be the gentle nudge to come and join us.

09/07/2026

There is a lot of mystery around our newest experience, The Old Rifle Range & Underground Norwich tour.

So we wanted to give you a little taste of what to expect.

Think history, exciting stories and a part of Norwich you never knew was sitting beneath your feet. Nothing too spooky, and perfect for all ages.

With the summer holidays on the way, it feels like a good time to mention that kids tickets are just £8.50.

07/07/2026

We all know that every summer marks the anniversary of the Kett's Rebellion, but that's not Norwich's only notable day of rebellion...

On this day, 7th July 1822, around 150 weavers gathered in Friary Yard, close to St James's Church in Cowgate, to talk about something that threatened the lives they had built in this city. Sparking a chain of events that would ripple across the city in the coming days and weeks.

The manufacturers of Norwich had announced wage cuts. And the weavers were not prepared to accept them quietly.

Plans were made for a larger meeting the following day, where around 1,100 people came together. A petition was drawn up, and the crowd marched to Grout's Court off Magdalen Street, to the home of

Alderman J.W. Robberds, Deputy Chairman of the Manufacturers Committee. Though he was no friend to the weavers, on this occasion he agreed to take the matter back to the manufacturers for reconsideration.

However, at a mass rally on Mousehold Heath, the weavers decided they deserved a voice in the room, not just a promise at the door.

On the day of the meeting, crowds gathered in the marketplace and before long restlessness turned to something harder to contain. The Dragoon Guards were placed on alert.

But before the unrest erupted into even more violence, an agreement came. No wage cuts. And the Dragoon Guards were stood down.

Norwich has always been a city of defiance, and on this day the weavers prevailed.

For those who have not yet visited, there is more to our Hidden Street tour than you might expect. We take you through the history of the building and its many lives, from our medieval street to a three-floored weaver's cottage, Pond's shoe shop and its current life as The Shoebox Hub.

03/07/2026

Are you ready for a Shoebox tour? Here's seven signs you might be craving some history and mystery in the fine city of Norwich.

How many did you tick off? Let us know in the comments, and if you need to get that history fix, you know where to find us.

01/07/2026

Did you see our review in the Norwich Evening News over the weekend?

They visited us on the hottest day of the year, to explore our latest underground tour. Getting out of the sun in the cool cellar was a highlight, but so was the amazing history of the building and our guide.

Read the review here and if you want to book, find the link in our comments.

An underground tour of a wine cellar which became home to Eaton Rifle Club in Norwich has sold out since the Shoebox Experiences launched it.

01/07/2026

Not sure which tour to go on next? Leave it in the hands of fate, tap to see what your next adventure should be.

26/06/2026

Looking for something a little bit special to do with your friends?

These are the plans that will actually make it out of the group chat. Book a tour and let Norwich do the rest. Matriarchs and murderers, thieves and lovers, rebellions and scandal woven through one of England's most remarkable cities. The history of Norwich is a vibrant journey through some of the most extraordinary moments in time.

Head to the website to find out more, and if you want all the details, highlights on Instagram has everything you need, including links to book.

25/06/2026

On this day in 1960, the cattle market near the Castle held its last day of trading, where they then moved to Harford Bridges.

It's hard to picture it now, but for centuries, the land below Norwich Castle had been a vibrant trading place. Farmers, drovers, dealers and animals all converging on the city to source livestock deals for their farms and produce.

At its height in the 1930s, around 212,000 head of stock passed through in a single year, valued at over £1.25 million. A market that was feeding the region, and fuelling the city's economy.
And then, quietly, it was over.

The site sat with its history for a few decades before the Castle Quarter shopping centre was completed in 1993, covering seven acres of that same ground. Today, people walk between shops on land that once echoed with sounds, smells and animals, quite different indeed.

Next time you are there, it is worth a moment to think about what stood before and the many animals and people that walked that same path decades before.

17/06/2026

Next time, ask your local historian instead.

From plagues, pestilence, love to conflict, architecture and more, historians have the answers you need.

Disclaimer, our historians can't help with medical advice, but can let you know the best pubs to potentially spot a ghost in.

15/06/2026

The reviews are in, and they're glowing. Have you been underground in Norwich yet?

Beneath St Giles Street sits a space that has lived many lives. A wine cellar. A rifle range. And now, one of the most talked-about stops on our tour.

Our guides bring it all to life with tales of the people who walked these stone steps over the centuries.

Whether you are a Norwich local or just visiting, this one is worth a spot in the diary.