Old Rifle Range Norwich Tour: Underground Wine Cellar Hidden

Step underground into a space most of Norwich has never seen

The Old Rifle Range and Underground Norwich Tour is a guided small-group tour in Norwich that begins on Upper St Giles Street, once the city's "Harley Street", then descends one flight of stairs into a vast underground space originally built as a merchant's wine cellar in the 1700s and later used as a rifle firing range. The tour runs about an hour with a live English-speaking guide and operates at multiple start times throughout the day. Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries, poor cardiovascular health, or during pregnancy.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore Upper St Giles and Old Rifle Range

• Meet guide outside St Giles’ Church
• Explore Upper St Giles Street history
• Descend stairs to Old Rifle Range
• Learn about wine cellar origins
• Discover rifle range transformation stories

The Experience

The tour opens above ground on Upper St Giles Street, where your guide walks you through the history of a neighborhood that earned its nickname as the professional and medical heart of Norwich. The stories here set up what comes next: the people who lived and worked in these buildings, the prominence they held, and the layers of history stacked into one street. Then you descend. One flight of stairs takes you from the present day into the 1700s.

The Old Rifle Range itself is a vast, atmospheric underground space that started as a merchant's wine cellar. The scale of it is part of what makes it unusual. Closed away for decades and rarely opened to the public, it sits beneath the modern street almost unknown. Your guide connects the dots between its original purpose, its transformation into a rifle range, and the stories embedded in that long-hidden past. The space speaks for itself, but the guide's knowledge of how it fit into Norwich's history is what makes the visit cohere.

You'll need comfortable shoes and warm clothing. The underground space stays cool year-round. The tour runs about an hour. Multiple start times are available (10:00, 13:30, 15:00, and 19:00), so you can fit it into the rest of your day in Norwich without planning around a single departure.

What’s included

• Guided tour with a live English-speaking guide.
• access to the Old Rifle Range underground space.
• the history of Upper St Giles Street above ground and the stories of the 1700s wine cellar and rifle range below.

Good to know

Easy physical levelPublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by The Shoebox Experiences

Is this one for you?The one-hour format and multiple daily start times mean you can fit this tour around other plans in Norwich without committing to a full day. Choose the afternoon or evening slot if you want to explore the city center first, or the morning departure if you prefer to start underground and have the rest of the day ahead.

Traveler reviews

4.64★★★★★★★★★★

11 verified traveler reviews

Read all the reviews ›

Top questions

What was Upper St Giles Street known for in Norwich's history?

Upper St Giles Street earned the nickname "Harley Street of Norwich" because it became the center of professional and medical practice in the city, home to prominent figures whose stories your guide shares during the above-ground portion of the tour.

How deep underground does the Old Rifle Range go?

You descend one flight of stairs from Upper St Giles Street into the Old Rifle Range, a vast underground space that originally functioned as a merchant's wine cellar in the 1700s before its later use as a rifle firing range.

Which start time works best if I want to explore Norwich in the morning first?

The 13:30, 15:00, or 19:00 departures give you the morning free to explore the city. The 10:00 start is best if you prefer to visit the underground space early and have the rest of the day open afterward.