Norfolk’s leading heritage website has had a makeover, and archaeology and history buffs will now find it even easier to log on and access a wealth of information about Norfolk’s 50,000 historic sites, archaeological finds and historic buildings.

The award-winning Norfolk Heritage Explorer website was developed by Norfolk County Council supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund. Since its launch in July 2007, the website has had up to 140 users a day, and has just passed a major milestone with its 100,000th visitor.

“Most people probably don’t realise how many heritage locations there are in Norfolk, and what’s right there on their doorstep” said David Gurney, Norfolk County Council’s historic environment manager. “Our website includes heritage sites from nearly a million years ago to the 1980s, and to make it even easier to learn about local sites and finds we’ve improved the mapping and added a search by postcode option”. Other features include Parish Summaries, Art and Archaeology, a special section about Great Yarmouth, heritage walks and places to visit.

“We all know how special Norfolk is and its heritage sites make a very important contribution to local character, the places where we all live, work and play, and to the local economy through tourism” said Bill Borrett, portfolio holder for the environment at Norfolk County Council. “The County Council is committed to making its information and services accessible, and this website really puts Norfolk’s heritage on the map, literally, for everyone to learn about and enjoy” he added.

The Norfolk Heritage Explorer is at www.heritage.norfolk.gov.uk

In addition to details of more than 50,000 archaeological sites, the website also includes a fascinating wealth of information about Norfolk’s heritage, such as:-

* Graffiti on the lead roof of St Andrew’s church, Little Massingham, one of which reads ‘Beds and Herts 1942 Up the Army’, believed to have been inscribed by World War Two fire watchers.

* A goose skeleton found under the floor of the miller’s house at Besthorpe, as an 18th or early 19th century spell or charm to avert evil

* In the Art and Archaeology section, award-winning children’s author, Kevin Crossley-Holland’s poem, about Scolt Head Island off the coast near Brancaster

* A Roman coin found inside a cod caught off Bacton during the 1970s

* Norfolk’s deepest archaeological site – Grimes Graves flint mines (12 metres deep); its longest building – the “Teaching Wall” at UEA (460 metres long) and its tallest building – Norwich Cathedral with its 96m spire

* How to make a Late Saxon brooch

* What the Romans ate

* Historic walks and places to visit

* 16 Teaching Resource Packs

* An A to Z Glossary, to help with all those difficult words for example, agger – the raised bank /surface of Roman road, or zoomorphic, meaning animal-like.