Aylsham County Bridewell

Walking into a Victorian prison cell isn't what most people imagine when planning a Norfolk weekend, but Aylsham County Bridewell pulls off something genuinely affecting. This isn't a polished museum - it's the real thing, a working jail from 1847 that still feels like someone's about to unlock a cell door and demand to know what you're doing in here.

The building itself is compact and brutal in that Victorian way - whitewashed walls, iron bars, sparse stone floors. You get to see where prisoners slept, where they were interrogated, how they ate. There's a courtroom too, and the whole experience takes maybe 45 minutes unless you're the type to read every placard twice. It's properly unsettling, which is rather the point.

History obsessives will find this rewarding. Kids with any imagination at all will be creeped out in the best way - though younger ones might find it a bit grim. It's not a major draw on its own, honestly. But if you're based at one of the caravan parks nearby - Top Farm's just 1.7 miles away, or Deer's Mead at 3.4 miles - and you're exploring Norfolk properly, it makes a worthwhile detour from Norwich. Pair it with Blickling Hall or a wander around Aylsham's proper market town centre, and it slots in nicely.

Check ahead for opening times and admission costs - the website can be cagey about both. Go in winter if you want full gothic atmosphere. Go in summer if you prefer daylight through the windows.