Table Of ContentSigns of past times
A directory of plaques, boundary markers, flood
level markers and memorials, with a separate
section on war memorials
November 2018
Signs of past times
CONTENTS
Introduction 1
Further reading 1
The 101 green plaques : where are they now? 1
Introduction to the directory 3
Map 1 4
Map 2 7
Map 3 17
Map 4 21
Map 5 29
Map 6 40
Map 7 46
Map 8 49
Map 9 52
War memorials 57
Index to the directory 62
THE NORWICH SOCIETY encourages the preservation, development and improvement of features of historic interest
that will add to the enjoyment of those living, working or visiting the City.
Learn more about our work from our website and consider becoming a member
https://www.thenorwichsociety.org.uk/
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Introduction
This publication has been produced as a follow-on to a talk given for Heritage Open Days in 2018 on the subject of
“Signs of past times”.
It contains a directory of :
• Plaques on buildings
• Street name explanatory signs
• Parish boundary markers
• External memorials
with a separate section on external war memorials.
The directory does not include :
• Pavement plaques
• Memorials inside buildings
Please let the Norwich Society know if you think that there are items which should have been included in the
directory, but have been overlooked.
Further reading
The following publications provide further information about plaques, and the stories and people associated with
them. They may be found in local bookshops and libraries: the Norfolk Heritage Centre on the second floor of the
Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library in the Forum has a particularly comprehensive collection.
• Beating the bounds of Norwich, David A. Berwick, 2007
Gives details of the parish boundary markers and how they came to be erected.
• Stories behind the plaques of Norwich, Gerald Solomons, Capricorn Books, 1981
Covers the green plaques erected by the City Council.
• The blue plaques of Norwich, Nick Williams, Norwich HEART, 2010
Covers the blue plaques erected by HEART.
• The Norwich Plaque Guide, Michael Chandler, The History Press, 2014
Covers both of the above, and also appears to include pavement plaques, but doesn’t make it clear whether
plaques are located on buildings or on the ground.
The 101 green plaques : where are they now?
As mentioned above, Gerald Solomons’ book was about the 101 green plaques funded by Mr Garfield Williams and
erected by Norwich City Council . The Norwich Society has a copy of a leaflet produced by the City Council showing
the location and content of those plaques, and this has allowed an audit to be carried out of their current
condition.
Three plaques were excluded from the audit : one because it was outside the city boundary, one because it was
inside a building, and the third because it was in a private court.
Of the remaining 98:
• 73 remain in position and are recorded in the directory in this publication: as can be seen from the
photographs some are in very poor condition and most have faded considerably
• 9 have been replaced by blue plaques erected by HEART (recorded in the directory)
• 3 have been replaced by other plaques (recorded in the directory)
• 13 are no longer visible, as shown in the table on the following page
1
Subject Plaque content Former location
Churchman Churchman House. Built by Alderman Thomas Churchman and 68 Bethel Street, left hand side of
House later the home of Sir Thomas Churchman. Mayor in 1761. Sir doorway.
William Foster, Sheriff in 1835 and Mayor in 1844. Its most
distinguished resident was Sir Peter Made, Mayor in 1883 and
1893 and 1895, physician, historian of St. Giles Church and
Parish and Freeman of the City.
City Wall City Wall. The band of flints nearby marks the course of the On wall adjoining 1-6 Cleveland
fourteenth century City Wall. It includes the site of a tower Road.
subsequently incorporated in the nineteenth century Drill Hall
used by the Volunteer and Territorial Units of Norwich until
1950 and demolished in 1964.
Cooke’s Site of Cooke's Hospital. 1692-1892 founded by Thomas Cooke Right-hand side of 46 Rose Lane
Hospital 1628-1703 Mayor of Norwich in 1689.
Duke of The Duke of Norfolk's Palace, one of the largest town houses in Right-hand side of St. Andrews Car
Norfolk England stood near this site 1561-1711. Park.
Gurney Earlham Hall. The home of the Gurney family from 1786-1912. Earlham Hall, right-hand side of
Family It was visited by their many friends including Amelia Opie, main entrance.
Harriet Martineau and William Wilberforce. The hall dates from
c. 1642.
Howard Howard House. The residence of Henry Howard who became 97 King Street. [site currently
House the sixth Duke of Norfolk in 1677. 1628-1684. under development, so it may be
present and reappear when
hoardings are removed, although
it is thought to have been lost]
Johnathan Johnathan Davey. 1760-1814 of Eaton Hall an Alderman of the 14 Davey Place.
Davey City. Built this pedestrian way in 1812.
Sir Benjamin Sir Benjamin Wrench B.A., M.A., M.D. 1665-1747 Eminent Corner of Bedford Street and
Wrench Physician of this City for 56 years lived in a house which stood Exchange Street. Jarrold & Sons
on this site. Ltd.
Sir James Sir James Edward Smith. Botanist and founder of the Linnean West side of Sir Garnet Wolseley
Edward Smith Society was born in this house 1759-1828. Public House, near steps to
Provision Market.
St. John the Near this site stood the church of St. John the Evangelist, 2-4 Rose Lane / King Street
Evangelist demolished C. 1300.
Church
St. Margaret Near here stood the church of St. Margaret at New Bridge The Gun Wharf, 42-58 St. Georges
at Newbridge which ceased to be a parish church at the time of the Black Street. [Now Norwich Playhouse]
Church Death in 1349, and was later used as an anchorhold where John
Martin anchorite lived in 1429.
St. Peter at Site of the church St. Peter at Southgate, founded before 1217 King Street / Argyle Street.
Southgate demolished c. 1345.
Church
Synagogue Synagogue Street. Derived its name from a Synagogue built on Mountergate, on wall of Norwich
Street this site in 1848, and was destroyed by enemy action 1942. It Brewery. [site currently under
was the only street so named in this country. development, so it may be present
and reappear when hoardings are
removed, although it is thought to
have been lost]
2
Introduction to the directory
The directory is arranged by reference to 9 maps, as shown on the plan below. There is an index at the end of the
publication arranged by subject matter.
The maps all use a base map of Ordnance Survey (OS) Open Data with additional information added by the Society.
The OS Open Data is Crown Copyright and Database right 2018.
Location plan for the individual maps
3
4
1 New Mills Yard flood level marker : boundary wall, New Mills Yard
Marker showing flood levels in 1912, 1570, 1614 and 1646.
2 St. Miles Coslany boundary marker : 38-44 Oak Street
Metal marker, inscribed "St M C 1791".
3 St. Miles Coslany boundary marker : 7-13 Rosemary Lane
Metal marker, inscribed "St M C 1791".
4 St. Mary's Baptist Church plaque. : Norwich Central Baptist Church, St. Mary's
Plain
Plaque, inscribed "St. Mary's Baptist Church. Has met on this site since 1745. From
1689 the church worshipped in the East Granary of the Blackfriars Convent and prior
to this in private houses."
5 Viking Norwich St. Mary's Church plaque : St. Mary Coslany Church, St. Mary's
Plain
Plaque, inscribed "Viking Norwich. St Mary's Church. The round western tower is one
of over a hundred surviving in Norfolk. Such towers are a legacy of links between
eastern England and northern Europe where a number of similar towers exist in
Germany and southern Sweden."
6 Luke Hansard plaque : St. Mary Coslany Church, St. Mary's Plain
Plaque, inscribed "Luke Hansard. 1752-1828 Baptized in this church, served an
apprenticeship in Norwich as a printer went to London in 1774 and began printing the
journals of the House of Commons."
5
7 Walsingham Priors plaque : Woolpack, 2 Muspole Street
Plaque, inscribed "Walsingham Priors. On this site stood the town house of the
Augustinian Priory of our Lady of Walsingham conveyed to John the Prior in 1298."
8 William Norwyche plaque : St. George's Church, 57 Colegate
Plaque on corner of Muspole Street side of church, inscribed "William Norwyche, 1406
-1470 Philanthropist, Freeman of the City and Mayor of Norwich in 1461, buried with
his wife Alice in this church, where they founded the Lady Chapel of St. Mary and All
Saints.”
9 1-9 Muspole Street plaque : 1-9 Muspole Street
Plaque, inscribed "Restored by Norwich Preservation Trust 1971. 1-9 Muspole Street.
These 17th century houses in the heart of what was once the shoe industry of Norwich
and behind the church of St. George's Colegate were first restored in the 1880s. Saved
from demolition in 1969 for the extension of a car part at nearby Alms Lane they were
converted to flats. Note the five large dormer windows, known as 'luccams' or
'lucarnes', a feature typical of the Norwich Street scene."
10 Viking Norwich St. Olaf's Church plaque : Surrey Chapel, 2-6 Botolph Street
Plaque, inscribed "Viking Norwich. Site of St Olaf's Church. St Olaf's (or Olave's) was
demolished in 1546. Olaf was king of Norway and was martyred in 1030. He rapidly
became popular in those parts of England settled by Scandinavians."
11 William Crotch plaque : Surrey Chapel, 2-6 Botolph Street
Plaque, inscribed "William Crotch. 1775-1847. Musical prodigy and composer was
born in this parish. From the age of 3 he played the organ in many East Anglian
Churches and concert halls. In 1797 became a professor of music at Oxford and the
first principal of the Royal Academy of Music in 1822."
12 St Augustine and St George Colegate boundary markers : 57-61 Pitt Street
Boundary markers on side of property for St Augustine (S P A 1811 and S P A 1826)
and St George Colegate (St G C 1821).
6
7
13 Cow Hill street name sign : 1 Cow Hill
Sign, inscribed "Named from the 18th century pub, the 'Red Cow'. It was un-named on
early maps and recorded as 'St Giles Hill' in 1789 and remained cobbled until 1925".
14 Francis Blomefield plaque : 13 Willow Lane
Plaque, inscribed "Francis Blomefield 1705-1751 The eminent local historian lived
here".
15 George Borrow plaque : 82 Cow Hill
Metal image on stone plaque, inscribed "George Borrow 1803-1881 Author of the
Bible in Spain, Lavengro, Romany Rye, Wild Wales etc".
16 Holkham House plaque : Holkham House, 15-17 Cow Hill
Plaque, inscribed "Holkham House. The design has been attributed to Matthew
Brettingham 1699-1769. The house was owned by his brother Robert. In the early
nineteenth century it was the home of another Norwich architect, John Thomas
Patience."
17 St. Margaret and St. Giles boundary marker : Micawber's Tavern, 92 Pottergate
Boundary marker: "St M St G 1772" indicating the boundary between St. Margaret and
St. Giles parishes.
18 Sarah Glover plaque : 91 Pottergate
Plaque, inscribed "Sarah Glover. 1786-1867 Originator of the Tonic sol-fa notation
lived in this house."
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