The district was invaded in the second half of the 5th century by Angle tribes from north Germany, who, having secured the coast districts, worked their way inland along the river valleys. East Anglia owned successively the supremacy of Kent, of Mercia and Northumbria, until in 827 the whole land was united under the rule of Egbert. In 867 the Danes under Inguar and Ubba de feated and killed King Edmund at Thetford, and Norfolk formed an integral part of the Danelaw. In the renewed Danish attacks of the I 1 th century Norwich and Thetford were destroyed. At the time of the Norman invasion Norfolk formed part of Harold's earldom. Norfolk formed part of the diocese of East Anglia from its foundation in 63o, and in 1075 the bishop's see was placed at Thetford, whence it was transferred to Norwich in 1093. (See NoRwicH.) Architecture.—With a few exceptions, the majority of the churches are Decorated or Perpendicular, or a mixture of both styles. The churches of the marshes in the north-west are note worthy, especially those of Tilney All Saints and Walpole St. Peter's, the finest Perpendicular edifice in Britain; the rich Nor man church of Castle Rising should also be mentioned. At North wold remains one of the rare Easter sepulchres. Apart from the churches in the towns, those of Worstead, Hingham, Cawston and Terrington St. Clement may be quoted as typical examples of the numerous fine later Gothic churches. Norfolk possessed an unu sually large number of monastic foundations, but of these the remains are few and comparatively unimportant. The cathedral church of Norwich was originally connected with a very richly endowed Benedictine monastery. A foundation of almost equal importance was that of Augustinian canons at Walsingham, where there are remains of an Early English and Decorated church, a Decorated refectory and a Perpendicular gateway. The shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham was the resort of great numbers of pilgrims. Other monastic remains are Bromholm priory near North Walsham; slight Early English fragments of Beeston Augustinian priory, west of Cromer; good Norman and later re mains at Binham (Benedictine) north-east of Walsingham ; the Benedictine nunnery of Carrow near Norwich; the fine church (Norman and later) of the Benedictine priory at Wymondham; and the remains at Castle Acre and Thetford.
The shire-system was not definitely established in East Anglia before the Conquest, but the Domesday boundaries of Norfolk were practically those of the present day. The 36 Domesday hundreds were subdivided into leets, of which no trace remains, and the boroughs of Norwich and Thetford ranked as separate hundreds, while Yarmouth was the chief town of three hundreds.
Norfolk and Suffolk were united under one sheriff until the reign of Elizabeth, the shire court for the former being held at Norwich. In the war between John and his barons Roger Bigod garrisoned Norwich castle against the king. In the rising of 1381 Norwich was plundered by the insurgents, and in the rising of 1549 against enclosures Norwich was again captured by the rebels under Ket. In the Civil War of the 17th century Norfolk as a whole adhered to the parliamentary cause, forming one of the six counties of the Eastern Association. Lynn, however, was held for the king, and Norwich was one of the first cities to welcome back Charles II.
There are several old mansions of interest, such as the Jacobean brick building of Blickling hall, Barningham hall (1612), Hunstan ton, the moated Oxburgh hall, and Cressingham manor, both of the 15th century. The larger mansions, however, such as Sandring
ham, are of modern date. Paston and Oxnead were successively the seats of the Paston family whose Letters are famous.
At the time of the Domesday survey sheep-farming flourished almost throughout Norfolk, a flock of 1,300 being mentioned at Walton, and horses were extensively bred; numerous beehives, nearly 600 water-mills and valuable river fisheries are mentioned; and salt was made in the hundreds of Freebridge and East Flegg. There was also, after the Conquest, a well developed trade with Flanders in wool. The worsted trade was introduced by Flemish immigrants as early as the 12th century, and the woollen trade became especially prosperous in the hundreds adjoining the Wash. This immigration and those of religious refugees from the Conti nent in later times have introduced into the population an element which has enabled the county to produce a large number of notable men. Linen was manufactured at Aylsham in the 14th century. Fuller, writing in the 17th century, describes Norfolk as abound ing in all good things, and especially rabbits, herrings and worsteds. The leather industry flourished in Norman times.
The great variety of the soils in the county has helped to make it rich agriculturally, and where the land is not suitable for plough ing it is usually good for pasture. It was at Holkham, in this county, that Thomas Coke, earl of Leicester, carried out experi ments in the cultivation of wheat and began to improve the standard of livestock in Britain. In 1926 the total acreage under crops and grass was 1,007,803, of which one-tenth was under wheat, nearly a fifth under barley, while oats occupied more than half the acreage of wheat. Rye covered 7,824, beans and peas over 13,000 acres. The area of sugar beet was 32,384 ac., of pota toes 19,00o ac., and of root crops 127,381 acres. Clover and rota tion grasses for hay occupied '15,503 ac., and orchards over 8,000 acres.
Industries, Communications, etc.—The weaving of silk and wool is still carried on at Norwich and also shawl weaving, al though the staple trade of the town is now boots and shoes. Silk is also manufactured at Yarmouth, Wymondham and North Wals ham. Flour-mills are numerous all over the county, and there are agricultural implement works at Norwich, Lynn, Thetford, East Harling, North Walsham, Walsingham and East Dereham. Lime burning, brick-making, tanning, malting and brewing are carried on in various districts. There are extensive mustard and starch works at Norwich. The sea-coast is of a dangerous nature and there is a lack of harbours. A large trade, however, is carried on at Yarmouth, which is also famous for its herring fishery. The other principal port is Lynn, and there is a small trade at Wells.