Norwich Street Photographs

Previous street: Oak St

Old Grove Court:

From Catton Grove Rd (Woodcock Rd)

Old Grove Court Catton Grove House [6388] 1986-06-19

Old Grove Court Catton Grove House from NE [6418] 1986-08-06

Opie St:

From Castle Meadow to London St

West side

Opie St Amelia Opie statue [7694] 1999-10-13
Amelia Opie in Quaker garb. Carved in wood by Z.Leon and then cast in artificial stone.

Orford Hill:

From Orford St / Timberhill to Red Lion St / White Lion St
passing Red Lion St

Orford Hill 3 to 4 Bell Hotel NE side [1310] 1936-08-23

Orford Hill 3 to 4 Bell Hotel SW side [1259] 1936-08-13

Orford Hill with Dalek from TV's Dr Who [4780] 1964-07-18

Orford Hill 6 [6279] 1983-07-29

Orford Hill 7 to 10 [5428] 1975-06-13
See also 1 to 3 Timberhill.

Orford Hill 8 [2707] 1938-08-13

Orford Hill 8 replica stag installation [6301] 1984-06-21
For over a century a concrete stag surmounted Darlow's gun shop at 8 Orford Hill, but after a fire in January 1973 it had to be removed. On 19th June 1984 a glass fibre replica was hoisted into place with the aid of a fire services snorkel. Immediately beforehand appropriate speeches were made by the Lord Mayor (Mr Stan Peterson) and the head mistress of Blyth-Jex school (Mrs V.Glauert) where the new model had been constructed.

Orford Hill 8 replica stag with Lord Mayor [6302] 1984-06-21

Orford Hill 8 replica stag with Mrs Glauert [6303] 1984-06-21
Back to camera,

Orford Hill 8 replica stag being hoisted [6304] 1984-06-21

Orford Hill 11 [5200] 1968-05-30

Orford Hill 16 Livingstone Hotel [1361] 1936-08-30
Red Lion St, which links St Stephen's with Castle Meadow, passes Orford Place to Orford Hill. Here at No 16, now occupied by a branch of Marks and Spencers, stood the Livingstone hotel. Starting life about 1720 as a Georgian mansion and once occupied by the Crosse family of medical practitioners, it became during the 19c a temperance and commercial hotel, although after about 1921 it was largely used as stockrooms.
This and adjoining property, cleared away in 1961 for Littlewood's new store, occupied an historical site. George Green's tailor's and outfitter's shop, for instance, built facing the Haymarket in 1893, replaced the Star, known to have been a coaching inn as far back as 1684. Walter Wicks in his book on the inns and taverns of Norwich gave details of some of its more colourful characters, one of whom, James Farmer, was licensed in 1677 to "make show" of an elephant there. To go back even further, it is believed to include part of the site of the city's old Jewry; although the Jews were expelled at the end of the 13c, the last remnants of their quarters here were said to have been swept away only when Green's shop was built.
Perhaps better known is the fact that hereabouts stood the residence of Sir Thomas Brown, MD, whose statue graces the adjacent open square of the Haymarket. Here he lived from 1650 until his death in 1682; a 19c building, 3 and 5 Orford Place, demolished early in 1956 to make way for a new shoe shop, had an inscribed stone above a first-floor window to commemorate this. Ralph Mottram has related how it was probably this stone that led to the 1929 edition of Kelly's Street Directory recording "Browne, Thomas, M.D.", as if he were still residing there.
Although Sir Thomas's house had long since disappeared, what is believed to have been his "garden house" stood almost completely hidden from view between the Livingstone and Green's shop. This was a timber-framed building dating from about 1600, only the peak of its tall attic gable visible above the roof of the adjacent Lamb inn. A plaster ceiling enriched with a geometrical design in high relief was carefully removed and stored when the property was taken down.

Orford Hill 16 Georgian doorway [3203] 1939-08-07

Orford Place:

From Haymarket to Red Lion St

Silver Jubilee Orford Place tramway centre [0509] 1935-05-03
Tramway shelter and timekeeper's office. Erected 1928 by Walter Macfarlane and Co Glasgow, cost £650.

Orford Place shelter Jubilee floodlit [0536] 1935-05-06

Coronation Orford Place [1560] 1937-05-09
Orford Place, second prize street decoration. 1937 coronation decorations.

Coronation Orford Place Green's [1570] 1937-05-09
1937 coronation decorations.

Orford Place Lamb Inn Yard Lamb Inn [3204] 1939-08-07

Orford Place Curls building site [3624] 1946-04-19

Festival Princess Elizabeth in Orford Place [3994] 1951-06-18
Norwich Festival 18th-30th June 1951:
The Festival was opened by Princess Elizabeth who spoke from the balcony of the City Hall. She then proceeded to the Castle Museum to open the Colman Galleries, built through a bequest by the late Russell Colman to house his collection of pictures of the Norwich School which he had also left to the City.
Princess Elizabeth en route from City Hall to the Castle and then to the Assembly House for lunch.

Orford Place and Brigg St [4104] 1952-09-28
The island site formerly occupied by Curls and other shops, largely destroyed during air raids in 1942, was originally earmarked for an open space in the City of Norwich Plan 1945. It was later considered to be too valuable for this, but the former street plan was altered to divert all road traffic via Brigg St - Rampant Horse St (which was widened); Orford Place being reduced in width to be used by pedestrians only.

Orford Place sewerage system alterations [4235] 1953-10-25

Orford Place view NE from Rampant Horse St [4236] 1953-10-25

Orford Place Brigg St view north [4237] 1953-10-25

Orford Place entrance from Haymarket [4263] 1954-06-23

Orford Place Curls girderwork Brigg St [4276] 1954-08-25
Rampant Horse St corner.

Orford Place Curls girderwork St Stephen's [4277] 1954-08-25
From St Stephen's Plain.

Orford Place Curls girderwork Red Lion St [4278] 1954-08-25

Orford Place Brigg St east side complete [4312] 1955-06-17
Pilch and C.E.Y.M.S buildings complete. Curls still under construction.

Orford Place Curls Rampant Horse St [4345] 1955-08-05
Brigg St corner.

Orford Place Curls Red Lion St view south [4346] 1955-08-05

Orford Place reduced width [4347] 1955-08-05

Orford Place Burlington Buildings [6696] 1991-06-09
Built 1904, architect J.Owen Bond.

Orford St:

From Farmers Avenue to Timberhill / Orford Hill

Orford St SE side [6685] 1991-05-20
A tablet on the centre building at first floor level says "Orford Place 1809".

Oxford St:

From Unthank Rd to Kimberley St

Oxford St south side rear air raid damage [3594] 1942-07-06

Palace St:

      From Tombland / Wensum St to St Martin's Palace Plain
      passing Pigg Lane

      North side

Palace St 1 to 3 late Georgian shop front [3893] 1950-06-29

Palace St 1 to 3 Regency shop front [6535] 1989-03-25

Palace St 1 to 3 shop front restored [7040] 1993-07-25

Palace St 1 to 5 [2775] 1938-09-02

Palace St 1 to 7 [2734] 1938-08-24

Palace St 1 to 7 restored [6528] 1988-08-29

Palace St 5 16c doorway [4713] 1962-09-09

Palace St 5 to 7 [4719] 1962-09-14

Palace St 9 to 13 [1674] 1937-06-03

Palace St 13 [4253] 1954-05-27

Palace St 15 [1449] 1936-09-22

Palace St 15 [6465] 1987-05-25

Palace St 15 Georgian doorway [0459] 1935-04-19

Palace St 21 Horse Shoes PH to 23 [3215] 1939-08-07
Palace St connects Tombland to St Martin-at-Palace Plain. At No 23 once stood a timber-framed building deemed to be 17c. The upper floor was slightly jettied and the entire facade was faced with plaster. Its listing as Grade 3 under the Housing Act, 1949, did nothing, unfortunately, to prevent its demolition some years later.
Next door at No 21 the Horse Shoes public house (pictured with No 23), a building of three storeys, seemed much later. In fact it had been re-fronted late in the 18c disguising a 17c core of brick and flint. This too has been demolished.
For 39 Palace St see 1 to 4 St Martin's Palace Plain.

Park Lane:

From Earlham Rd to Unthank Rd

West side

Park Lane St Peter's Methodist church [6527] 1988-08-29
Built 1938-39, architects E.Boardman and sons.

Park Lane 83 Adelaide Villa [7465] 1997-07-16
Built 1861.

Peacock St:

      From Fishergate to Cowgate
      passing St Saviour's Lane, Barrack St (part south of St Crispin's Rd renamed Blackfriar's St)

      East side

Peacock St 7 to 13 [0780] 1936-03-05

Peacock St 13 to 21 [2711] 1938-08-15

Peacock St 23 to 29 [0950] 1936-05-12

Peacock St St Paul's Opening view west [2712] 1938-08-15

Peacock St 33 to 37 [2103] 1938-03-03

West side

Peacock St 14 to 18 [0907] 1936-05-01

Peacock St 34 36 and St Saviour's Lane 29 [0908] 1936-05-01

Peacock St 36 to 42 [0911] 1936-05-01

Peacock St 78 to 88 [2050] 1937-10-12

Pigg Lane:

From Palace St to Quayside

Pigg Lane 9 to 12 [2744] 1938-08-27

Pigg Lane 2 to 4 [0969] 1936-05-17

Pilling Park Rd:

From Morse Rd to Wellesley Avenue (Plumstead Rd)

Pilling Park Rd Mousehold House from SW [4878] 1964-11-28

Pilling Park Rd Mousehold House west side [4877] 1964-11-28

Woodrow Pilling Park temporary chalets [6594] 1990-03-14
Temporary wooden chalets 1990 to house tenants of neighbouring estate whilst their permanent homes were being underpinned.

Pitt St:

      From St Crispin's Rd (formerly from Muspole St / Duke St / St Mary's Plain) to Gildencroft / St Augustine's St / Botolph St
      formerly passing St Martin's Lane

      East side

Pitt St 1 Muspole St 31 to 33 [1679] 1937-06-05
31 to 33 Muspole St on the right.

Pitt St 1 to 3 [4422] 1956-03-27

Pitt St 3 Whip and Nag PH [0845] 1936-04-09
This portion of Pitt St has since been added to Duke St. See 69 to 89 Duke St for later pictures.

Pitt St 3 during repairs [4251] 1954-05-26
Half-timber and brick exposed during repairs, May 1954.

Pitt St 17 to 23 [2737] 1938-08-24

Pitt St 27 to 31 [1444] 1936-09-22

Pitt St 27 to 35 view north [0871] 1936-04-10

Pitt St 33 to 35 [0895] 1936-04-12
Shortly before the war the idea was mooted of having a more direct road linking Thorpe and City Stations, following much the same route as that since adopted by St Crispin's Rd. To this end a start was made by constructing a short length of carriageway between St George's St and Pitt St, coming out opposite St Martin's Lane.
There, until demolished in September 1937, stood a pleasing pair of semi-detached Georgian cottages, Nos 33 and 35 Pitt St. A central doorway gave access to a covered passageway that led to a small chapel at the rear. In 1754 the Reverends John and Charles Wesley paid their first visit to Norwich, but it was not until 1769 that their followers built this as their first settled place of worship in the city. Later acquired by the Baptists, it was enlarged in 1818 when a stone tablet was placed over the doorway inscribed "MDCCCXVIII Providence Chapel".

Cherry Lane south side [0835] 1936-03-31
Next to 35 Pitt St.

Pitt St St Crispin's Hall [5144] 1967-05-20
Opened 12th September 1939.

Pitt St 53 Georgian doorway [7729] 2000-02-11

Pitt St 63 [1445] 1936-09-22

Pitt St 63 to 65 view north [0869] 1936-04-10

Pitt St 65 [1446] 1936-09-22
Pitt St until quite recent times was lined with houses typical of the 18c, mostly of two main storeys, with an attic floor above, and with a pillared doorway providing one of the main external features. War damage, redevelopment and street widening have all since taken their toll, however, and the last of these mansions, No 67, was demolished in June 1973. This house had in its latter years been occupied as a shoe factory and its front doorway had been removed to provide loading facilities in what had formerly been the entrance hall. It had, however, retained several interesting features, including some good internal woodwork. Externally the facade was divided into sections by four brick pilasters having stone caps and bases, which supported a wide cornice below attic level. All the sash windows had nicely curved heads, each with a small central keystone.

Pitt St 81 [2713] 1938-08-15

West side

Pitt St 6 to 8 and L St Mary's Alley 1 to 2 [0844] 1936-04-09

Pitt St Blakeley's Yard north side [1721] 1937-06-17

Pitt St Blakeley's Yard south side [1722] 1937-06-17

Pitt St Cattermoul's Yard south side [1720] 1937-06-17

Pitt St 16 [4067] 1952-03-20

Pitt St 50 to 54 [1497] 1936-10-06

Pitt St 58 to 60 [1462] 1936-09-27

Pitt St 58 to 62 [0868] 1936-04-10
Since being bisected by the Inner Link road, the southern part of Pitt St has been renamed as part of Duke St. That part retaining the name, from the Inner Link road to St Augustine's St, has changed greatly. My photograph of its western side taken in 1936 shows a continuous row of 18c houses similar in style but varied in detail, particularly in regard to their rooflines and front doorways. Nos 60 and 62, in the centre of the picture, were both victims of the raids of 27th and 29th April 1942.

Pitt St 60 Georgian doorway [0585] 1935-05-18
No 60 appeared to be of a rather later date than its neighbour, with the pillars flanking its doorway carved in a style made popular by the Adams brothers and their followers. Although the doorway of No 62 seemed earlier, it had a "lion-head" doorknocker, probably added during the Regency period, when a considerable number of such knockers made their appearance as a symbol of patriotism. Inside the house its main feature was the staircase, a highly ornate one with hand-carved "barley sugar" banisters and elaborate consoled step-ends.
At the time of Henry VIII the part still known as Pitt St was known as St Olave's St, from a church of that name situated to the north of Cherry Lane. The historian Francis Blomefield recorded that the church was commonly called "St Tooley's" and that it was demolished in 1546 when the parish was united to that of St George Colegate. The street's present name was derived not as one might imagine from the great statesman but simply from the presence of an open pit here, at the west end of St Olaves' churchyard. It is said to have been filled in at the beginning of the 18c.
At about that time, too, the former churchyard was known as the Cherry Ground, a name perpetuated by Cherry Lane but no longer by a public house. The Cherry Tree was renamed the Golden Sovereign some years ago; it has since been closed down.