Normal for Norfolk
Normal For Norfolk – The TV Show
Just repeated this week and next, late night on BBC2, the show follows the trials and tribulation of gentleman farmer Desmond in trying to keep his 17th century family home afloat.
It’s an insight into life in renovating holiday homes, running a cafe, a fruit farm, country pursuits and lots more. Each episode covers a season, so we follow a year in the life of Desmond, his 99 year old mother Chloe and his two children in the ups and downs of trying to make a living from the estate.
Where did the term come from used as the title for the series? “Normal for Norfolk” is a phrase used to describe someone who is seen as so ridiculous they could only have been born as a result of the “inbreeding” supposedly commonly found in Norfolk! This can range from the unusual local pronunciations and dialect, but also applies to the many silly accidents in the region.
Apparently, the term was first used by the staff at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, in relation to the number of accidents caused by the sheer stupidity of locals. People who move to Norfolk from outside the region quickly pick it up and use it as a derogatory term. Norfolk folk on the other hand use it affectionately to describe their own quirks. It is more likely to be associated with rural Norfolk folk than the Norwich city folk!
For those of us that travel in and out of the region on holiday, it can only be an affectionate term. There’s something about the slower pace of life, the friendliness of the locals and the individual shops and cafes than make it such a great place to holiday.
You’ll find Desmond and his family at Wiveton Hall on the North Norfolk Coast just after Cley-next-the-sea, about an hour or less on a pleasant drive from any of our properties. Spend a few hours there, walking around the walled garden, picking your own strawberries or raspberries, shopping at the farm and gift shop and finally stopping off at the cafe. Meander home along the coast road and perhaps pick up some fish and chips from my favourite local, Bacton fish and chips for your supper. 🙂
If you missed it then the episodes are available on You Tube here:
