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Bethel St: |
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From
St Peter's
St to St Giles' St
passing Little Bethel St, (formerly passing Lady's Lane)
South side |
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Bethel St 1 and left St Peter's St 29 [1386]
1936-09-08
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Bethel St 1 and left St Peter's St 29 [4597]
1961-05-07
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Bethel St 3 [1377] 1936-09-03
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Bethel St 1 to 3 rear St Peter's St 29 rear [4595]
1961-05-06
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Bethel St 7 to 11 Wheatsheaf PH stables [2368]
1938-05-04
Former Wheatsheaf Inn stables. |
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Civic Week corporation officials procession [2817]
1938-10-23
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Civic Week corporation officials procession [2818]
1938-10-23
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Bethel St 19 to 21 [1375] 1936-09-03
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Bethel St 31 to 33 [1376] 1936-09-03
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Bethel St 31 Georgian doorway [0417] 1935-03-24
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Bethel St 33 Georgian doorway [0388] 1935-03-12
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Bethel St Central Library construction [4643]
1961-09-03
Architect David Percival A.R.I.B.A. |
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Bethel St Central Library nearly complete [4715]
1962-09-09
Showing the entrance to the former Lady's Lane.
Subsequently realigned and renamed Esperanto Way. Library
destroyed by fire in 1994. Replaced by the Forum. |
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Theatre St view of Central Library [6537] 1989-03-25
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Bethel St library site excavations [7612] 1999-03-04
Site of central library car park. Evidence of Viking
occupation uncovered. |
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Bethel St library site view west [7681] 1999-09-10
Site for the Forum. |
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Bethel St library site view south [7682] 1999-09-10
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Bethel St library site view west [7730] 2000-02-11
Forum. |
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Bethel St library site from SE [7779] 2000-10-15
Forum. |
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Bethel St library site from NE [7780] 2000-10-15
Forum. |
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Bethel St Forum library from St Peter's St [7808]
2001-03-20
Built 1999-2000, architects Michael Hopkins and partners.
Opened 1st November 2001. |
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Bethel St Forum library from Hay Hill [7859]
2001-10-28
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Bethel St Forum library from Theatre St [7862]
2001-10-28
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Bethel St Forum library interior view NW [7866]
2002-01-18
Incorporating the Millennium library. |
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Bethel St Forum library interior view SW [7867]
2002-01-18
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Bethel St Hospital north front [4651] 1961-09-19
This is the building from which the street obtained its
name. Built in 1713, the Bethel is one of the oldest
mental hospitals in the country. Although no longer
housing inmates, it is still in use as a psychiatric
outpatients' department and so adheres to the
instructions carved on its foundation stone that it
"is not to be alienated or employ'd to any other use
or purpose whatsoever".
Its foundress was Mary Chapman, the widow of the Reverend
Samuel Chapman, rector of Thorpe St Andrew. Both of them
had relations afflicted with mental illness and it was no
doubt this, and the fact that many such sufferers –
particularly the poor and destitute – were treated
like rogues and vagabonds, that gave Mary and her husband
the idea of building such a refuge.
Much of the Queen Anne building remains. It is best seen
from the garden at the back, the Bethel St frontage being
a modern addition erected in 1899 during the chairmanship
of John Youngs, architect E.Boardman. |
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Bethel St Hospital precinct west side cells [6506]
1988-08-06
From site of Ladies' garden. |
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Bethel St Hospital south front from garden [6505]
1988-08-06
From site of Ladies' croquet lawn. 18c. Carpenter,
Richard Starling. Mason, Edward Freeman. |
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Bethel St 49 and left Little Bethel St 1 [6276]
1983-07-27
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Bethel St 51 Coach and Horses PH [1356] 1936-08-30
At No 51 the picturesque Coach and Horses public house
still stands. |
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Bethel St Coach and Horses Yard east side [1319]
1936-08-26
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Bethel St Coach and Horses Yard west side [1318]
1936-08-26
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Bethel St 51 boundary plates [2271] 1938-04-07
Four lead plates and inscribed stone at boundary of St
Giles' and St Peter Mancroft's parishes. Dates between
1710 and 1829. |
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Bethel St 53 [1357] 1936-08-30
No 53 was a spacious mansion built during the latter half
of the Georgian period. Three storeys high, with sash
windows and a central pillared doorway, it had a wing to
the east having two main storeys, with an attic lit by
two dormers, each crowned by a small pediment. This had
been the residence of a number of local notabilities. In
mid-19c directories, for instance, we find mention of Mr
James Cuddon, solicitor, who was the founder of the Law
Union Assurance Society, established in 1854. Then came
Dr Edward Copeman, a physician to the Norfolk and Norwich
Hospital from 1851 to 1878, who as well as being a noted
obstetrician and gynaecologist was an excellent musician
and performer on the violin and violoncello, playing at
several of the Norwich Musical Festivals.
Mr F.C.Bailey lived here in 1886. He was a surgeon and as
well as being Medical Officer for the Seventh District
was also Medical Officer of the Asylum for the Blind in
Magdalen St. Coming to recent times, Dr G.S.B.Long lived
here shortly before the Second World War, and finally in
1940 the house was taken over by the Diocesan Refuge (St
Augustine's Lodge), who were the occupiers at the time of
its destruction. |
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Bethel St 53 Georgian doorway [3197] 1939-08-07
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Bethel St 55 to 57 [1355] 1936-08-30
Bethel St, which leads from Upper St Giles' to the Market
Place, was in the early 18c known as Committee St, from
the Committee House which formerly stood on the site of
the Bethel Hospital and which was blown up in 1648 by the
accidental firing of 98 barrels of gunpowder. A much more
recent disaster was the destruction by incendiary bombs
of Nos 53-57 Bethel St during the night of 27th June
1942.
Nos 55-57 were three-storeyed houses faced with plaster,
having sash windows and pantiled roofs. Of the two, No 57
appeared to be the older, its first floor projecting
slightly over the pavement. Between the two was the
entrance to Watts' Court, spanned by a carved wooden
archway of Tudor origin. Happily saved from the
burned-out wreckage, it was later moved to one of the
Norwich museums. It bears neither date nor initials,
which are often featured on similar doorways of this
period, but it has in its spandrels carvings of a lizard
(left) and fern leaves (right). No 55 was at one time the
residence of Charles Burton Daveney, a solicitor, who
died about 1880. He was a member of the well-known family
of Daveney of Colton.
Watts' Court takes its name from John Langley Watts, a
merchant, who resided during the 18c at No 61, a little
further to the west of these houses. He was Sheriff in
1771 and Mayor in 1774, dying during his term of office.
He is notable as being the first Norwich Mayor to have
two Christian names. |
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Bethel St Watts' Court Tudor archway [2142]
1938-03-09
Archway to wooden Tudor doorway. The spandrels showed
fern leaves with, in the left one, a lizard. |
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Bethel St Watts' Court Tudor doorway [0389]
1935-03-12
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Bethel St 59 [1354] 1936-08-30
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Bethel St 59 Georgian doorway [0402] 1935-03-19
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Bethel St 61 [3198] 1939-08-07
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Bethel St 61 Georgian doorway [0401] 1935-03-19
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Bethel St 61 south side [6533] 1989-03-20
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Bethel St Ninham's Court 6 from NW [0403] 1935-03-19
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Bethel St Ninham's Court 6 west side [1403]
1936-09-17
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Bethel St Ninham's Court 6 east wing [1506]
1937-03-25
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Bethel St Ninham's Court 10 to 11 [0348] 1935-01-04
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Bethel St 67 [1353] 1936-08-30
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Bethel St 67 coronation floodlit [1616] 1937-05-12
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Bethel St 69 [1419] 1936-09-20
Municipal offices until 1938. Sanitary department.
Formerly a boarding house. |
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North
side |
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Bethel St 2 Mancroft Hotel and PH [0306] 1934-11-26
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Bethel St 2 to 14 former Wheatsheaf Inn [0326]
1934-12-07
After the new Fire Station was opened and with little
waste of time, work commenced in the following year on
clearing the adjacent site for the new City Hall. On the
Bethel St side this involved Nos 2-18 inclusive. Their
sites would now be in the middle of the present
carriageway, since the street formerly tapered to a
single traffic lane at this end.
The first few houses were nondescript 19c three-storeyed
buildings of red brick, No 2 being the Mancroft
Restaurant. At No 14 was latterly the Idolene
Manufacturing Company, occupying premises formerly the
Wheatsheaf inn and retaining its sign above the door,
moulded in plaster. It has been suggested that this was
intended for a sheaf of barley, for the old Barley Market
dating back to the reign of Edward I was formerly held in
an adjacent yard. One of the chief attractions here was
the skittle alley, but the inn also afforded stabling on
the opposite side of the road for the accommodation of
carriers. These stables in fact outlasted the inn,
surviving until 1960 as lock-up shops, including those of
a tobacconist and a secondhand furniture dealer. The inn
itself was a Tudor building of several gables, and it was
reported at the time of its demolition that certain of
its oak beams were to be preserved at one of the city's
museums. There is no record that this was ever done. |
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Bethel St 2 to 18 view east [0305] 1934-11-26
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Bethel St 14 former Wheatsheaf Inn to 18 [0327]
1934-12-07
No 18 Bethel St, on the left of the picture, was a large
building of three storeys, its exterior wall cement
rendered and partly panelled. The doorway that formed its
main entrance, now transferred to the inner courtyard of
the Strangers' Hall museum, is a lofty one of the Adam
period, with fluted pillars supporting an open pediment
below which, in place of a fanlight, is a plain
semi-circular tympanum. The building had been used for a
variety of purposes, having been divided up during its
latter years. In 1883 it was occupied by F.W.Harmer's
clothing factory, but it was later taken over be
E.Pordage's, the wholesale fruiterers. Portions were also
occupied by a billiard saloon and a signwriter's studio.
In the past it had also been used as a school for higher
education and by Forster's mineral water works - a well
was said to have existed on or adjacent to the premises.
Indeed when excavation took place a number of wells were
uncovered scattered over the whole area. |
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Bethel St 18 Adams period doorway [0345] 1934-12-26
See also Charing Cross,
Strangers Hall. |
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Bethel St Rates Hall steel doors [2409] 1938-05-15
Steel doors and coloured roundels bearing the City Arms. |
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Bethel St regalia room window [2850] 1938-11-05
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Bethel St regalia room window [2890] 1939-03-09
City Arms above it carved by Eric Aumonier. |
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Bethel St Police station entrance [3030] 1939-05-29
Decorative panels carved by H Wilson Parker. |
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Bethel St view of Clock tower illuminated [2819]
1938-10-27
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Bethel St view of Clock tower illuminated [2820]
1938-10-27
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The temporary market Bethel St view east [2363]
1938-05-04
Temporary location in Bethel St and City Hall courtyard
during reconstruction of the Market Place. |
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The temporary market Bethel St view west [2366]
1938-05-04
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The temporary market City Hall courtyard [2392]
1938-05-14
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The temporary market City Hall courtyard [2393]
1938-05-14
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The temporary market City Hall rear view N [2364]
1938-05-04
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The temporary market City Hall rear view S [2365]
1938-05-04
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The temporary market City Hall rear view W [2367]
1938-05-04
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The temporary market City Hall sandpit [2391]
1938-05-14
Area familiarly known as the "Sand pit". |
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The temporary market City Hall sandpit [2394]
1938-05-14
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Bethel St view of City Hall COLOUR [2960] 1939-04-13
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Bethel St Police station extension [5104] 1966-10-15
South wing extension. |
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Bethel St German type post box from Koblenz [7914]
2003-02-18
Presented by the twin city. |
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Bethel St 24 to 26 demolition commenced [B492]
1933-03-11
Undoubtedly the biggest development affecting the heart
of the city during the 1930s was the construction of the
City Hall and the consequent remodelling of the market
place. For many years Norwich Corporation had been
acquiring property in an area bounded by Bethel St, St
Peter's St and St Giles' St with this in mind, and early
in 1933 demolition commenced to permit the construction
of the Fire Station - the most urgently needed of the
civic buildings. |
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Bethel St 24 to 32 partially demolished [B497]
1933-03-18
The houses affected were Nos 20-36 Bethel St, together
with Blazeby's Yard and Jay's Court at the rear. Most of
the houses fronting the street were of the Tudor period,
timber framed, plaster faced, with slightly jettied first
floor and with one or more dormers lighting the attic.
Except that No 36, next door to Lacey and Lincoln's
builders' yard, had been a public house known as the
Coachmakers' Arms, their history seems to have been
uneventful. All were in a very rundown condition at the
time of their disappearance. |
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Bethel St 26 partially demolished [B495] 1933-03-18
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Bethel St 28 to 34 site of new fire station [B491]
1933-03-11
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Bethel St 28 to 36 partially demolished [B496]
1933-03-18
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Bethel St 32 demolition contractor notice [B493]
1933-03-11
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1933-04 site cleared [B530] 1933-04-14
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1933-04 site cleared view NW [B531] 1933-04-14
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1933-06 fencing around site [B573] 1933-06-07
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1933-07 girderwork construction started [B636]
1933-07-22
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1933-09 girderwork complete view NW [B781] 1933-09-24
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1933-09 girderwork nearly complete [B766] 1933-09-10
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1933-10 brickwork commenced at SW corner [B786]
1933-10-05
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1933-10 stonework over entrance view NE [B784]
1933-10-05
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1933-10 stonework over entrance view NW [B785]
1933-10-05
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1933-11 brickwork at first floor level [B796]
1933-11-02
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1933-11 brickwork progress at NW corner [B802]
1933-11-18
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1933-11 brickwork progress at SW corner [B795]
1933-11-02
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1933-11 second floor constructed [B801] 1933-11-18
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1933-11 second floor constructed [B803] 1933-11-19
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1933-12 second floor brickwork view NE [B808]
1933-12-03
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1933-12 second floor brickwork view NW [B807]
1933-12-03
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1934-01 brickwork complete to roof level [0006]
1934-01-08
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1934-01 contractors board [0025] 1934-01-30
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1934-01 site of access road on east side [0024]
1934-01-30
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1934-01 view NE [0026] 1934-01-30
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1934-01 view NW [0013] 1934-01-09
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1934-05 construction almost complete [0093]
1934-05-10
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1934-08 hoardings removed [0278] 1934-08-26
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Bethel St road widening [0302] 1934-10-09
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Bethel St road widening [0303] 1934-10-09
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Bethel St fire station after completion [0304]
1934-11-26
The new building, erected to the design and under the
supervision of Mr Stanley G.Livock, F.R.I.B.A., a Norwich
architect, was completed at a cost of about £33,000 by
Simms Son and Cooke of Nottingham, and includes on the
north side, offices of the City Weights and Measures
department. It was officially opened on 8th November 1934
by the Lord Mayor Mr F.C.Jex when it was described as
"one of the largest and best equipped fire stations
in the country", the old premises being referred to
as "a disgrace and reproach to the city for many
years". |
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Bethel St fire station return entrance [0309]
1934-11-26
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Bethel St 34 Country and Eastern doorway [7828]
2001-06-26
Modern entrance. |
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Bethel St 34 Country and Eastern warehouse [7792]
2001-01-06
Former roller skating rink. Opened 1876, closed as such
1882. |
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Bethel St 38 [3224] 1939-08-07
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Bethel St 38 Georgian doorway [0400] 1935-03-19
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Bethel St 48 east side [7829] 2001-06-26
House in courtyard adjoining 48 Bethel St. |
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Bethel St 52 to 58 [5219] 1968-07-03
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Bethel St St Giles' Terrace [5199] 1968-05-30
Tucked away behind buildings on its north side of Bethel
St is a row of town houses known as St Giles' Terrace,
built during the early part of the 19c. Facing west, its
grey brick facade was designed with a series of five
pilasters supporting a shallow stone pediment above a
plain architrave. |
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Bethel St St Giles' Terrace gas street lamp [4385]
1955-09-22
A survival from the past which I photographed in 1955 was
an old gas lamp lighting the pathway flanking the front
gardens here; it has since been converted to electricity,
although retaining its original lantern. Most were
converted 1911-13.
The history of street lighting in Norwich is an
interesting one. In August 1807, the Paving Commissioners
advertised for tenders for lighting the city by oil,
stating that the number of lamps required would be
between 1,200 and 1,400. Late in 1819 a Bill was promoted
in Parliament for lighting the city with oil gas and
"on January 31st, 1820, the first of the iron gas
pipes were laid in the Market Place", where by May
the gas was producing "a strong and steady light as
far as it extended". The works were in St Stephen's
Back St (later renamed Malthouse Rd), but in 1825 they
were purchased by the British Gas Light Company, who had
bought land near St Martin-at-Palace Plain in order to
build works for the production of coal gas. In 1830 these
were augmented by others at Bishopbridge Rd, and from
this time gas lighting was gradually extended throughout
the city.
21 years later, when Norwich was the subject of an
inquiry by the General Board of Health into its sanitary
condition, the Superintendent Inspector, W. Lee,
commented on the evidence of Mr Tadman, the gas works
manager, and considering the cost of the coals, "the
citizens of Norwich had great reason to be satisfied with
the company's prices for gas".
Unfortunately this happy state of affairs was not to
last; in 1880 because of the "unjust and unnecessary
burdens imposed upon the citizens through the extravagant
charge made for gas" the city council was asked to
consider the question of electric lighting. A year later
two electric lights had been put up in the Market Place
and it was decided to extend the system experimentally to
a few other main streets. The first permanent
installations were made in 1904, when arc lamps were
placed on top of the tram standards in the Market Place,
Bank Plain and Prince of Wales Rd, to be followed in
1910-13 by the conversion of all the gas lamps to
electricity except for a few isolated lamps in unadopted
thoroughfares. Norwich, it was claimed, thus became the
first town in England to be entirely lit by electricity. |
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Bethel St YMCA recreation hall [4716] 1962-09-09
Erected 1961-52. |
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Bethel St 64 [1352] 1936-08-30
For 70 Bethel St see 64-66a St
Giles' St. |
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Bethel St 64 Georgian doorway [0405] 1935-03-21
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Norwich Street Photographs
