An alphabetical List of the principal INHABITANTS,
their Address, Occupation and Residence:
The Houses numbered.
With the following TABLES, viz.
Streets, Lanes, Markets, Churches, Meeting-houses, Gates, and public
Buildings. Court of Aldermen, Sheriffs, Common-council, Committees, and
other City Officers. The Bishop’s, Dean and Chapter’s, Excise, and Stamp
Offices. Court of Request, House and Window Tax, Land Tax, and
Post-office. Bankers, Physicians, Surgeons, Attorneys, and Saturday
Merchants, &c. Coaches, Waggons, Inns, Coffee-houses, Carriers, Vessels,
Port and Single-horse Chaises. Hospitals, Treasures, Court of Guardians,
and Charity Schools. Fairs in Norfolk, Seats near Norwich, and Crown
Officers. Lodges of Free-Masons, Societies, and Places of public
Amusement.—Boarding Schools, Boarding and Lodging Houses, &c. The Trade,
Manufacture, Poor-Rate, and Population of Norwich. London and Hull
Traders, and Pack-Ships from Yarmouth. Parishes, Incumbents, and
Patrons; Hamlets, and Bounds of the County of the City of Norwich, &c.
&c.
To which is added,
A Sketch of the HISTORY of NORWICH,
AND
HINTS for PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS.
With an engraved PLAN of the City; and References.
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NORWICH:
Printed and Sold by W. CHASE and Co. March 22, 1783
Price One Shilling and Sixpence.
[Picture: Plan of the City of Norwich]
Alphabetical LIST of the Streets, Lanes, &c. in the City of Norwich; also
of the Churches, Gates, and other public Buildings.
All Saints Green Fisher’s lane Pockthorpe street
Almhouse-lane Fishgate Pottergate street
Andrew’s St. Bridge Fuller’s lane Pudding lane
street
Andrew’s St. Fye-bridge quay Rampant-horse lane
Chancel-str.
Anne’s St. lane George’s St. Rampant-horse street
Bridge-street
Anne’s St. staith Gilden-gate Red-cow hill
Augustine’s St. Gilden croft lane Red-lion lane
street
Back of the Inns Giles’s St. Hill Red-well plain
Badding’s lane Giles’s St. street Red-well street
Bargate street Giles’s St. Rising-sun lane
Broad-street
Beaumont’s Hill Giles’s St. road Rose lane
Ber-street Goat-lane, Upper Rosemary lane
Bethel street Goat-lane, Lower Rotten-row
Bishopgate street Golden-Ball lane Sand-gate
Blue-Boar lane Green’s lane St. Saviour’s lane
Botolph street Gregory’s St. Schole’s green
church-yard
Bracondale Griffin lane Seven-coat row
Brent lane Gun lane Sky-gate
Brigg’s lane Haymarket Snail-gate
Brigg’s staith Heigham street Soutergate street
Bridewell alley Hellesdon lane, Storey’s staith
Little
Castle Ditches Hog-hill St. Stephen’s street
Castle Meadow Holgate St. Stephen’s
back-street
Catherine’s St. lane Hospital lane St. Stephen’s
church-yard
Chapel-field Hospital yard St. Stephen’s road
Chapel-field lane Hungate street Surry street
Charing-cross Jenkin’s lane Surry street Mews
Cherry-alley King-street Surry street, Upper
Clement’s St. Lady’s lane Swan lane
church-yard
Close, Upper Lawrence St. lane St. Swithin’s lane
Close, Lower Life’s green Tabernacle street
Cockey lane London lane Timberhill street
Cockey lane, Little Maddermarket Tombland
Cockril lane Magdalen-street Tooley street
Colegate street Margaret’s St. church Tubby’s lane
yard
Common Staith, Old Market lane Upper Market street
Common Staith, New Market-place Wasile-gate
Common-pump street Martin’s St. lane Water lane, St.
George’s
Cook street Martin’s St. plain Water lane, St.
Martin’s
Cook’s lane Martin’s St. street Water lane, King
street
Coslany street Mary’s St. plain Weaver’s lane
Cow-cross Mews Westwick street,
Upper
Cowgate street Michael St. Westwick street,
Thorn-lane Lower
Dove lane Music-house staith Wherry staith
Duke’s Palace Muspole street White-friar’s Bridge
street
Elmhill street New-mills lane White-lion lane
Elmhill lane Norman’s lane Willow lane
Excise-office street Pigg lane World’s-end lane
Faiths St. lane Pitt street Wymer street
Finket street
Reference to the Churches, in the Plan.
A St. Martin’s at Oak
B St. Augustine’s
C St. Mary’s
D St. George’s Colegate
E St. Saviour’s
F St. Paul’s
G St. James’s
H St. Edmund’s
I St. Clement’s
K St. Michael’s Coslany
L St. Swithin’s
M St. Margaret’s
N St. Lawrence
O St. Benedict’s
P St. Gregory’s
Q St. John’s Maddermarket
R St. Andrew’s
S St. Peter’s Hungate
T St. Michael at Pleas
U St. George’s Tombland
V St. Simon and Jude
W St. Martin’s at Palace
X St. Helen’s
Y St. Giles’s
Z St. Peter’s Mancroft
I. St. Stephen’s
II. St. John’s Timberhill
III. All Saints
IV. St. Michael’s at Thorn
V. St. John’s Sepulchre
VI. St. Peter’s Southgate
VII. St. Etheldred’s
VIII. St. Julian’s
IX. St. Peter’s per Mountergate
Public Buildings and Offices.
French church Quaker’s meeting
Dutch church Guildhall
Grammar school Fish-market
Methodist meeting Stamp office
Deanery Bethel
Excise office Theatre Royal
St. Giles’s hospital Assembly-house
Boy’s hospital Cattle, county goal, and shire-house
Girl’s hospital Norfolk and Norwich hospital
Doughty’s hospital Private lunatic house
Court of Request office Bridewell
Presbyterian new meeting Post-office
Independent meeting St. Andrew’s work-house
Anabaptist meeting Roman Catholic chapel
Duke’s Palace work-house St. John’s work-house
City goal
Gates on the City Walls.
St. Martin’s Pockthorpe Ber-street St. Giles’s
St. Augustine’s Bishop’s Brazen Doors St. Benedict’s
Magdalen Conisford St. Stephen’s Heigham
‡*‡ _A Person will be sent to paint the Numbers_ (_as pointed out in this
Directory_) _on Houses in any Street of the City_, _at_ 3_d_ or 6_d_
_each_, _by applying at the Publishers_, W. CHASE _and_ Co. No. 12,
Cockey-Lane.
Introduction.
The utility of a DIRECTORY in so extensive and populous a city as
Norwich, is so very obvious, that little need be said on its eligibility.
The contents are so fully expressed in the title-page, and the
arrangement of matter so well adapted to every capacity, that any
explanation here would be offering an insult to the understandings of our
fellow-citizens; as well as to the intelligent stranger, and inhabitant
of any of the commercial towns, among whom, no doubt, a work of this kind
cannot fail of being in great request.
This city, though abounding in opulence and fashion, has long laboured
under great inconvenience on account of the difficulty of ascertaining,
precisely, the address of its inhabitants, whether in trade or
independent: and this has been chiefly owing to want of PUBLIC
IMPROVEMENTS. The vague and general name of a parish being the only
direction to persons of every denomination; so that the enquirer may
perambulate the boundaries of three or four adjoining parishes before he
can ultimately determine; as it frequently happens that one side of a
street is in one parish, the other in another. To remedy this, in some
degree, the names of the streets have been put up in a few of the
parishes; but even this has been done in so partial and improper a
manner, that little benefit can accrue to the complainant.
That spirit of improvement so generally felt, has been greatly damped by
the attention to, and gloomy appearance of, national affairs; but now
that PEACE, the much-favoured handmaid of Heaven, smiles on the industry
of the citizens of Norwich, we hope they will, again, turn their thoughts
to that very desirable object. We are well aware that there are persons
who, holding every species of rational and polite advancement in
contempt, are willing to creep through life without a single ray of
light, that does not center in their own narrow focus of human
perfection! To these, as lumber thrown from the stock of mankind, we
recommend an emigration to the sandy plains of Arabia, or to the craggy
mountains of Lapland. To be serious: the present publication has not
only the merit of being highly useful to the mercantile and curious of
_this day_, but may _hereafter_ be remembered as having tended to the
ease and ornament of posterity.
To find fault with the present without amending the future, is like
discovering an evil we cannot specificly cure. We stoop not to such
negative virtues; but will freely and respectfully submit our ideas to
the consideration of the Police of this city, and to such other bodies
and individuals as are therein concerned—under the appellation of
_Hints for Public Improvements_.
1. Every STREET, lane, and thoroughfare, should have its proper Name,
distinctly and correctly painted, and put up at the corner or entrance of
each. To ascertain this, the church-wardens ought to consult authentic
records and history, and not to be guided by the vulgar or temporary
adoption of ill-informed persons. We have endeavoured, as much as
possible, to be correct on this head; and, if found so, hope to be the
humble means of governing this regulation.
2. The HOUSES in each street, &c. should necessarily be numbered. The
mode of doing this, with precision, we have adopted, and doubt not but it
will also become the general rule:—Beginning from the Market-place on the
right hand, and returning on the left. It may, however, be found proper
in some instances (as in streets remote, and in a contrary direction,
from the market) to be guided by convenience and situation. We have had
due regard to this; and have affixed the numbers accordingly.—☞ The best
and cheapest mode of distinguishing the number of each house or shop, is
by painted figures on the door, above, or on each side.
3. The hanging SIGNS in every part of the city should be taken down:
they are not only very dangerous and disagreeable in windy weather, but
interrupt the view, and impede the free circulation of air:—an object of
the first consequence in a great town.
4. The WATER-SPOUTS have been chiefly removed; but we wish to have them
totally abolished; as indeed we do every public nuisance.
5. This, and most other ancient towns are horridly paved: and it is
difficult, as well as expensive, to produce an alteration of so much
consequence, as that of raising the cause-way in the middle, with
channels and foot-paths (flag’d) on each side. Many of the streets in
Norwich are too narrow to admit of this, but surely St. Giles’s
Broad-street, St. Stephen’s-street, Ber-street, King-street,
Magdalen-street, Coslany-street, Colegate-street, Upper Westwick-street,
&c. &c. might be rendered handsome and commodious by a pavement, in the
manner of Upper Surry street.
6. The improvement lately made in the Lower Close, though it met with
much popular clamour and opposition, is very much to the honor of the
worthy gentleman who formed the inclosed area, now called _Lower Close_,
or _Dean Square_. If the stables on the south side were to give way to
uniform dwelling-houses, the buildings would be more complete.
7. The ground that has been levelled and cleared in front of St.
Andrew’s Hall, is one of the few improvements this city has lately
received. Had the area been still more open and extended, the alteration
had been more perfect.
8. As the road through the city is both difficult, dark, and dangerous,
we would propose opening and widening such parts as might render the
whole airy and easy of access. To this end, the great entrance to the
_Market place_, through _Brigs’s-lane_, should be opened; at least, the
turn from the Rampant-horse-street, or Horse-market, should be rounded,
by taking away the corners. From the _Market-place_ to the _Red Well_,
the _Cockey-lane_ and _London-lane_ is so narrow and irregular, that
frequent interruptions, and sometimes accidents, happen by carriages
meeting. Persons on foot must squeeze themselves into a dark alley, or
burst into a shop, to avoid being run over or crushed against the walls;
whilst, in wet weather, you are drenched by torrents of water from the
houses, or plunged into a gutter, knee deep.
If the _Back of the Inns_ would admit of carriages, from the_ Hog-hill_
to _London-lane_, it would be a safer thorough-fare. The houses and
stables on the west side are of little value, comparatively with the
advantage; and the rents of good houses and shops on that side, would
amply recompence the trouble and charge of rebuilding the street, at 25
or 30 feet width.
But, the readiest passage from _St. Stephen’s_ to _Tombland_ would be
made by opening the lane above the Bell Inn on Hog-hill, across the
_Castle Ditches_, to the _Red Well_. The houses on the west side of the
lane, by Gurney’s bank, are much in decay: their removal, therefore,
would be attended with every advantage of profit and ornament.
9. Supposing the communication to the _Red Well_ opened, the area of
waste ground, called the _Castle Meadow_, between the _Castle-hill_ and
_King-street_, would admit of buildings, on three sides, to form a very
spacious and handsome square. This should be continued from the new
buildings behind Gurney’s Bank to the Griffin-yard, where a large opening
into King-street is much wanted. From this, the east side will extend
along the back of King-street, and the south side terminate at the Duke
Tavern. Within this, a considerable space might be pallisaded, and laid
out in shrubbery and pleasant walks: leaving a foot-pavement and carriage
road on each side. As neat and convenient houses of 15, 18, and 20
pounds yearly rent are much wanted in Norwich, for genteel small
families, we have no doubt but CASTLE-SQUARE would soon be inhabited by
desirable tenants. Many other improvements might and would be made on
the south-east side of the _Castle Ditches_, provided the above hints
were adhered to.
10. It hath been proposed to inclose the _Upper Close_, in like manner
as the Lower, but this, we understand, has not been done, on account of
its being the _Play-ground_ of the _Grammar School_. The _Prebend’s
Walk_ here is now become the fashionable MALL.
11. The most eligible situation for a public walk is _Chapel-Field_.
Here every thing that taste and judgment could suggest might be done.
Trees planted; walks raised and gravelled; seats placed at certain
distances, and even a piece of water formed in the center. The inner
parallel of the triangle railed, and a good carriage road on the outer.
12. In so large and opulent a city as this, we have long wondered that
no attempt has been made, nor encouragement given, towards erecting a
neat and commodious suite of BATH ROOMS. The field behind the
_Bowling-Green_, and fronting _Chapel-field_, is a proper situation for
such a building; and bathing and exercise are equally conducive to
health. To support the expence of these rooms, (which should consist of
two cold or pleasure baths, and two Matlock, or warm baths, six or eight
dressing-rooms, a hot bath, vapour bath, and a sweating-room; a public
room for each sex, and other separate conveniencies) a perpetual or
annual subscription should be entered into; and the terms, attendance,
&c. put under such regulation, as might render the place fashionable,
delicate, and salubrious.
13. If the _City Gates_ were totally erased, the air and prospect, to
and from the town, would be much improved. When cities were surrounded
by walls and gates, the state of the times made such precautions
necessary; but now that the system of war, and the police of the country
is better understood and practiced, they become a nuisance, that smells
rank in the nose of modern improvement! At least, if taking down the
_Gates_ be not thought necessary, the _Walls_, it is hoped, will be
levelled.
14. Another great evil to be met with here, and in most towns, is, the
church yards being consecrated to receive the bodies of the deceased.
This practice is not only inconvenient and displeasing, but has often
been the cause of pestiferous disorders. The putrid state of certain
diseases, and natural decay of bodies, contribute to an infection, by air
and humidity, that operates (though imperceptibly) on the lungs. If
_burial grounds_ were appropriated on _Mousehold heath_, and properly
secured, the areas in which the churches now stand might be formed into
handsome grass-plats, both for use and ornament.
15. The _Water-works_ at the _New-Mills_, if raised to a given height,
by such methods as are in used such cases, would convey a supply of water
to every part of the city, without the expence, trouble, and
inconvenience of reservoirs on _Tombland_, in _Chapel-field_, &c. The
supply would be more certain, defeats easier discovered, and,
consequently, repairs sooner made. Beside, _Tombland_, cleared of that
filthy building, would become a very elegant square. And here, speaking
of this subject, we should also recommend the _Red Well_ to be taken
away, and the pump fixed elsewhere.
16. An opening to the _Castle-ditches_, from the east end of the _Cockey
lane_, is much to be wished for: also one at the end of the
_White-lion-lane_.
17. All the _Bridges_ in the city are very narrow and decayed, and the
avenues leading to them equally incommodious. New bridges of one arch
each, and open streets, would be rendering the trade of this city, by
land and water carriage, an essential service. At _Black-friars_, we are
told, a new bridge is now under consideration. A bridge cross the water
at the _Duke’s Palace_, would open a communication from the market,
through _the Dove-lane_ and _St. John’s_, to _Colegate_. But, at no
place is a bridge more wanted than at _King’s-street Gate_; by which the
time and trouble of going round by _Bishopsgate Bridge_ would be saved to
many.—N.B. The _Island_ formed by the river at _Coslany bridge_, has been
found to collect the filth of that neighbourhood, and, therefore, as a
nuisance, ought to be removed.
18. Though Norwich has many excellent _Inns_, yet none of them are
handsome or spacious. The _Coffee-houses_ are sufficiently good, and the
_Boarding-houses_ reasonable; but there is great want of a _Hotel and
Tavern_, to accommodate genteel families, parties, or persons of rank.
19. In the MARKET-PLACE, the _Lower_, or _Gentleman’s Walk_ should be
flag’d and posted off from the carriage way, for a parade, exchange, or
place of business and pleasure. This, tho’ it might cost something
considerable, would very much enhance the value of the shops and
dwellings on the walk, and afford gentlemen and merchants an opportunity
meeting to transact business, or to amuse themselves in walking and
conversation. If a piazza or colonade was raised in front of the
Guildhall, it would greatly add to the beauty and convenience of the
market-place: as would also the taking away the houses on the east side
of _Weaver’s-lane_; and, if possible, opening _St. Peter’s Church_.
20. The Saturday MARKET of Norwich has been long acknowledged the most
commodious and plentiful in England; but if the different articles of
provision on sale were classed and ranged methodically, into rows or
lanes, crossing each other at right angles, such regulation would be
attended with ease and satisfaction both to the buyer and seller.
Rome certainly was not built in a day, neither do we expect to see every
thing done in Norwich that might and ought to be; but, we hope, no local
or private consideration of emolument or prejudice, will be an impediment
in the way of PUBLIC IMPROVEMENT! Though the elegant plan of Sir
Christopher Wren, for rebuilding the city of London, after the dreadful
fire in 1666, was, through prejudice and ignorance, rejected, the
citizens of London have seen, and regret, the evil consequences of narrow
minds, and narrow streets! and have done as much towards the
embellishment of that city, as time and opportunity would permit. That
they are wealthy we allow, but then Norwich has its proportion of wealth,
as well as its men of taste and talents to execute.
THE
NORWICH DIRECTORY.