Cow Tower, Artillery tower on River Wensum, Norwich, England
Cow Tower is a free-standing circular tower built from red brick and flint, rising three stories above the River Wensum in Norwich, England. It has narrow arrow slits alongside wider gun openings that were positioned to cover the river and the land around it.
The tower was built in the late 14th century, at a time when English towns were starting to rely more on firearms for defense. It was later damaged during Kett's Rebellion in 1549, a large local uprising that swept through the region.
The name most likely comes from cattle that were once grazed or driven along this stretch of the riverbank. Today, walkers stop here as part of a riverside stroll, and information boards near the site help explain what they are looking at.
The tower sits along the Riverside Walk, a short walk from Norwich city center, and the exterior can be seen freely at any time. No booking or reservation is needed, and the path alongside the river makes it easy to combine with a longer walk.
The walls are not simply brick but are built with a flint core faced on both sides with brick, creating a layered structure that was unusual for the period. This also makes it one of the earliest buildings in England designed specifically to accommodate artillery.
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