Factfile

■ In 1877 Norwich’s Jarrold Publishing published Anna Sewell’s classic “Black Beauty” – and the city’s novel links don’t end there! Norwich was declared England’s first UNESCO City of Literature in 2012.

■ Each May, Norwich hosts the annual Norfolk and Norwich festival of art and culture, showcasing the best music, theatre and art that the east of England has to offer.

■ Today the city is well fed and watered, but it’s barely comparable to the 1870s when it was home to almost 800 beer houses!

■ The city is the base of Aviva, the insurance giant formerly known as Norwich Union.