Norwich Street Photographs

Previous street: Valley Drive

Wall Rd:

From Sprowston Rd to St Clement's Hill
passing Constitution Hill

Wall Rd at Sprowston Rd [0080] 1934-04-05

Wall Rd at Constitution Hill [0079] 1934-04-05

Waterloo Park Avenue:

Off Aylsham Rd

Waterloo Park avenue approach Angel Rd [B552] 1933-04-30
Formally opened 29th April 1933. Photographed the next day.

Waterloo Park bandstand and pavilion [B553] 1933-04-30

Waterloo Park pavilion and colonnade [B554] 1933-04-30

Waterloo Park bandstand from pavilion roof [B555] 1933-04-30

Waterloo Park paddling pool and sandpit [B556] 1933-04-30

Waterworks Rd:

      From Dereham Rd to Heigham St
      passing Turner Rd

      North side

Waterworks Rd water offices [7789] 2000-12-11

Waterworks Rd water offices [7794] 2001-01-28

Waterworks Rd water pump house [7788] 2000-12-11

Waterworks Rd water pump house [7793] 2001-01-28
Built c1880. The old Sultzer, Patteson and Bacon steam driven beam engines were scrapped in 1929 and replaced by electrically-driven pumps totalling 964hp.

Wellington Lane:

From St Giles' St to St Benedict's St (formerly only to Pottergate, lower part formerly Duck Lane)

Wellington Lane 10 [1374] 1936-09-03

Wellington Lane 14 to 16 [1330] 1936-08-26
Former Wellington PH, built 1647.

Wellington Lane air raid precaution [3260] 1939-09-09
Sandbagged electricity sub-station.

Upper Wellington Lane tower [2283] 1938-04-10
Small square tower possibly Tudor and unique for the Norwich wall.

Upper Wellington Lane tower [2879] 1939-02-23
Although St Giles' Gate was pulled down in 1792, a long section of the city wall remained to the north, forming the backs of cottage on Wellington Lane. When these were pulled down just before the Second World War, along with two or three others backing on them near the top of Grapes Hill, the lofty remains of one of the towers was brought to light. This was square in plan, unlike the others in the series, which were either round or horseshoe shaped.
About the year 1711 the historian John Kirkpatrick wrote an account of the walls as then existing, in which he recorded that it was 50 paces "from St Giles' gate to ye next tower, wch. is a new square tower, on it an inscription". This inscription does not seem to have been copied, but a chequered pattern of flint and stone could be made out on the southern face of the tower. Later reduced in height to a few feet only, this tower and the adjoining wall as far as Pottergate were completely cleared away when Grapes Hill was widened, although its site (but not that of the tower) have since been marked out with pebbles along the grass verge at the side of the road.

Upper Wellington Lane tower [3024] 1939-05-29

Wellington Lane wall from inside city [3023] 1939-05-29
From south-east.

Wellington Lane wall from outside city [5289] 1970-02-08
Just south of Pottergate.

Wellington Lane wall with arrowslits [3025] 1939-05-29
Just south of Pottergate. See also Duck Lane.

Wensum St:

      From Palace St / Tombland to Fyebridge St / Quayside
      passing Elm Hill

      East side

Wensum St Maid's Head Hotel south side [0119] 1934-06-10
Possibly dates back to 1287 in which year the records mention "the tavern in Cook Rowe" (the former name for Wensum St). It was anciently the Molde-fish or Murtil-fish Tavern, but is referred to as the Maid's Head in the Paston Letters. The whole building was restored in the 1890's but the interior retains the oak beams, panelling, fireplaces etc of the 15c or early 16c.

Wensum St 1 to 9 Maid's Head Hotel [0975] 1936-05-18

Wensum St 1 to 9 Maid's Head Hotel [0976] 1936-05-18

Wensum St Maid's Head Hotel 16c style door [0578] 1935-05-11

Wensum St 11 to 13 [2774] 1938-09-02

Wensum St 13 shop front Ionic pillars [7874] 2002-04-06
Glass House PH.

Wensum St Flowers Court [2104] 1938-03-03

West Pottergate:

From Grapes Hill to Earlham Rd / Heigham Rd

South side

West Pottergate 68 to 78 Pye's Alms houses [4661] 1962-03-28
Here the Inner Link road and the redevelopment west of it have wrought much change, including the demolition of a row of six former almshouses at Nos 68-78 West Pottergate. Pye's almshouses, originally established near St Gregory's church, were given in 1614 by Thomas Pye to house six poor people, whether married or single, above the age of 50. In 1827 those houses were given by the Corporation to one, Joseph Bexfield in exchange for these six newly-built cottages, together with the sum of £200, which was to be invested to be applied towards keeping the houses in repair. The six people chosen were to be selected, two from each of the parishes of St Michael Coslany, St Giles and St Peter Mancroft; and to avoid any error, above each pair of doorways was a stone tablet inscribed with the name of the parish concerned.
Although not meeting the standards set by old people's homes of the present day, the appearance they presented to the street was a pleasant one and in this respect at least their loss is much to be regretted.

Westlegate:

From St Stephen's St / Rampant Horse St / Red Lion St to All Saints Green

South side

Westlegate 1 [1038] 1936-06-20

Westlegate 5 to 7 [1031] 1936-06-16

Westlegate Norwich Union iron gates [2118] 1938-03-06
Old Amicable Insurance Society's Gates, from Serjeants Inn London c1842, moved to Westlegate 1937.

Westlegate Norwich Union Life office [2432] 1938-05-29
Erected 1937.

North side

Westlegate 16 [3347] 1940-03-23
In Westlegate stood for several centuries a three-storey building comprising Nos 16 and 18. They adjoined the west side of the existing thatched house, familiar in days gone by as the Barking Dickey public house, but to later generations first as a greengrocer's and then as a bank.
In the 1920s No 16 with its adjoining premises was occupied by Charles Watling, acting as agent for Carter Paterson, the carriers. In 1940 when my photograph was taken it had become vacant and was being offered to let, but a discouraging feature to any intending lessee was the state of the upper frontage, interesting though it may have been to any student of architecture. A small jetty overhanging the ground floor by a foot or so supported the front wall of the upper floors, which had at some time been faced with hanging tiles. Unfortunately the greater part of these had recently fallen away to reveal the timber framework. Repairs were later carried out and in the middle 1950s the shop was occupied by Charles Cubitt, an antiques dealer. This turned out to be only a temporary arrangement, for the site was soon acquired and cleared by property developers who in 1960-61 erected in its place Westlegate House, known locally as the Glass Tower - the first or several multi-storey office developments to be built in the city.

Westlegate 18 to 20 thatched Barking Dickey [0129] 1934-06-17

Westlegate 20 Barking Dickey by night [0380] 1935-02-28

Westlegate 20 thatched Barking Dickey [0387] 1935-03-12
The former Barking Dickey PH probably derived its name from a former name which was the Light Dragoon. The Light Dragoon's mount on the painted sign, with open jaws, resembling a donkey braying or "barking" more than anything else.

Westlegate 20 Barking Dickey Inn COLOUR [2957] 1939-04-12

Westlegate 20 former Barking Dickey rear [4614] 1961-06-18

Westlegate Westlegate House construction [4590] 1961-04-16
"Glass Tower" from All Saints Green. Under construction 1960-61, architect E.G.Burgoine of Chaplin and Burgoine.

Westlegate Westlegate House from Timberhill [7353] 1996-07-07

All Saints Alley east end [1764] 1937-07-10
It seems almost incredible that well within living memory Westlegate was a narrow cobble-paved street not unlike Elm Hill, lined with houses ranging in date from Tudor to Victorian times. Now it is one of the city's main traffic arteries, the sole reminder of its past being the thatched and gabled building which until recently provided a rather unusual setting for a bank. Earlier in the century it was a greengrocer's shop and before that a public house with the sign of the Light Dragoon, known more familiarly as the Barking Dickey (dickey being the dialect word for a donkey). To the right of this house All Saints' Alley hugs the wall to the west and north of the church from which it takes its name, another branch of the alley leading into Lion and Castle Yard and thence to Timberhill. Until cleared away for redevelopment this row of quaint gabled houses stood facing the church from the north side of the alley. These were mainly of the 17c, brick built, but mostly faced with cement.

All Saints Alley west end [1763] 1937-07-10

All Saints south side from All Saints Green [B100] 1931-00-00

All Saints south side from All Saints Green [2183] 1938-03-19

All Saints tower from Westlegate [3289] 1939-10-22

All Saints interior view east [1864] 1937-08-09
Nave arcade 16c. Chancel 14c.

All Saints 15c font [1872] 1937-08-12
Octagonal. Apostles and Evangelists around the bowl and other saints around the shaft. Since transferred to the rebuilt St Julian's church.

Westwick St:

      From Charing Cross to Barn Rd / Heigham St
      passing St Swithin's Alley, New Mills Yard

      South side

Westwick St watercolour by Obadiah Short [3045] 1939-06-03

Coronation Westwick St Wincarnis works [1623] 1937-05-13
Wincarnis Works, Westwick St, very highly commended business premises. 1937 coronation decorations.

Westwick St Maidment shoe factory post-fire [B455] 1932-11-13
Frank Maidment's shoe factory, two days after being gutted by fire.

North side

Westwick St Gibson's pump [0114] 1934-06-08
At the east end of Westwick St only a short distance away from another at St John Maddermarket, is an old pump known as known as Gibson's Conduit. This was for many years set into the boundary wall of Bullard's brewery facing Westwick St. After the conversion of the property into flats and offices, however, it was dismantled and re-erected on the other side of the wall, where it now faces the Anchor Quay development and is set off to much better advantage.
It appears that St Lawrence's well, known to have existed here since the time of Edward I, was granted in 1547 to the parishioners, together with a lane leading to it from the street, on condition that they erected a door at the south end of the lane, to be open by day and closed at night. In 1576 this well and lane were granted to a beer brewer, Robert Gibson (Sheriff in 1596), on condition that he brought the water from the well by a pipe to the public street, there to erect a pump at his own expense. This he did two years later, and had a verse inscribed on the stonework extolling his goodness for carrying out the work.
Unfortunately it seems that Gibson was an irascible person, which led him into trouble on more than one occasion. In 1590, for instance, he abused the newly elected Mayor, Thomas Pettus, both privately and in open court. Things seem to have been smoothed over, but in 1602 the Mayor, Thomas Lane, was similarly abused, and this led to Gibson being removed from the aldermanic bench. He was also disenfranchised "of and from the freedom and liberties of this city and forever henceforth to be a foreigner and so continue" - the penalty for failing to he "buxom to the Mayor". Gibson died in 1606, presumably still disenfranchised, and was buried in the chancel of St Lawrence's Church.

Westwick St Gibson's pump [4435] 1956-05-21

Westwick St Gibson's pump [4436] 1956-05-21

Westwick St Gibson's pump [4447] 1956-06-13
A public spring rose near this spot in the time of Edward I, and in 1576 it was granted to Robert Gibson on condition that he piped the water to the street and there erected a pump at his own expense. Photographed 1956 in the wall of Bullard's brewery.

Westwick St Gibson's pump resited [7605] 1998-12-13
Photographed 1998 facing north towards Anchor Quay.

Westwick St 26 to 28 before demolition [0779] 1936-03-05

Westwick St 46 to 48 St Margarets Stores PH [1085] 1936-07-07

Westwick St 50 to 52 [1080] 1936-07-06
In Westwick St, St Margaret's Plain is the name given to a widening opposite the church of that name, and here on its north side were Nos 50 and 52, pulled down two or three years before the war. There was nothing particularly striking about their appearance, it is true, but they could be quoted as typical examples of Norwich Tudor dwellings; they probably resembled some of the restored houses in Oak St before the latter were furnished with their commodious attics about the time of Cromwell. In the Westwick St building one of the attractions was the retention of a considerable part of the ancient pin-tiled roofing.

Westwick St Waterman's Yard east side [2056] 1937-11-19

Westwick St Waterman's Yard west side [2055] 1937-11-19

Westwick St Waterman's Yard west side rear [1079] 1936-07-06

Westwick St 54 to 58 [1086] 1936-07-07

Westwick St 68 to 72 [1087] 1936-07-07

Westwick St 86 [1078] 1936-07-06

Westwick St 86 to 88 partially demolished [3036] 1939-05-29

Westwick St 90 New Brewery PH [3292] 1939-10-22
No 90, the New Brewery Tavern, fell victim to the bombing in April 1942. Its photograph clearly shows the manner in which many an old house in the city such as this one was re-fronted in modern times; but unless either of the side walls is visible, as it was in this case, the outside observer has no idea of its antiquity. A similar example can be seen in Fyebridge St, in the house once inhabited by Edmund Wood, the Mayor in 1548. The Westwick St house was not quite as old; the eastern gable had corbie or crow-steps, a popular architectural feature of the 17c.

Westwick St Monkey House corporation depot [0301] 1934-09-25
At the end of the street, on the corner of Station Rd (now widened as a continuation of Barn Rd), stood the Norwich Corporation's Westwick Depot. In its yard, looking slightly out of place, was a timber-framed house on whose gable was the inscription "Removed from Whitlingham and Rebuilt A. D. 1900". The site upon which it had been re-erected was that of the mediaeval city wall adjacent to Heigham Gate and adjoined that of the Cow and Hare public house. This was also a timber-framed building with several gables, but it was demolished in 1881-2 in order to make way for an access road to the new City Station. A sketch of this old inn showing a piece of the city wall adjoining it was published in C.J.W.Winter's book Norfolk Antiquities. The house from Whitlingham (known as the "Monkey House"), which later replaced it, was burned down in the air raids of April 1942.

Westwick St wall excavated foundations 1 [0581] 1935-05-17
Wall foundations exposed opposite the corporation depot by a drainage scheme trench 1935.

Westwick St wall excavated foundations 2 [0582] 1935-05-17

Wherry Rd:

Off Koblenz Avenue

Wherry Rd Riverside view south [7820] 2001-05-04

Wherry Rd Riverside Old Orleans restaurant [7821] 2001-05-04

Wherry Rd Riverside Walk terrace [7863] 2001-11-04

Wensum Friendship Bridge view downstream [7864] 2001-11-04
A pedestrian swing bridge linking the Riverside to Rouen Rd. Constructed 2001 by May Gurney and named to commemorate the twinning of Norwich with Novi Sad, Serbia. Opened 12th November 2001 by the Ambassador in the presence of the Mayor of Novi Sad and Keith Ratcliffe, Lord Mayor of Norwich.

Wensum Friendship Bridge view upstream [7865] 2001-12-09

Wherry Rd Riverside Swimming pool [7921] 2003-03-15
Opened 7th March 2003, architects Charter Partnership, Ipswich.

White Lion St:

      From Haymarket / Market Place to Red Lion St / Orford Hill
      passing Royal Arcade, Back of the Inns

      North side

White Lion St 13 Claude Benton shop front [0351] 1935-02-12

White Lion St 13 Claude Benton shop interior [0376] 1935-02-27

White Lion St 13 Claude Benton in his shop [0378] 1935-02-27

South side

White Lion St 2a to 6b view east [5125] 1967-03-18

White Lion St 2a to 6b view west [3201] 1939-08-07

White Lion St 4 to 6b rear [5121] 1967-02-25
From side entrance to Royal Arcade.

White Lion St 8 10 Haymarket PH to 16 [3202] 1939-08-07

White Lion St 20 [6574] 1989-07-21

White Lion St 22 to 24 rear York Alley [7855] 2001-10-05

Whitefriars:

      From St Martin's Palace Plain to St Crispin's Rd / Cowgate / Barrack St
      (formerly only to Whitefriar's bridge, the road beyond being part of Cowgate)
      passing Fishergate

      East side

Wensum Whitefriars Bridge east side [B630] 1933-07-18
Whitefriars Bridge is one of several in Norwich rebuilt during the 20c. Formerly known as St Martin's bridge, it is first mentioned in a grant made by King Henry I to Bishop Herbert de Losinga shortly after 1100. In 1290 it was washed away by a great flood, and there are records of it having to be rebuilt at different times throughout the centuries. The earlier ones would have been wooden constructions; during Kett's rebellion in 1549, we are told, the bridge was deliberately demolished with the dual purpose of impeding the rebels and using its timbers to strengthen the nearby city gates.
In 1591 a more permanent edifice was built of stone, with a single pointed arch. This survived until replaced by the present bridge designed by Arthur E.Collins, City Engineer, and built by unemployed labour under a skilled foreman. It is of concrete reinforced by 1.5 inch steel bars and faced with mica quartz and white cement. The first half was opened to traffic on 19th February 1925. Its span of about 80 feet is some 50 feet wider than that of its predecessor.
It was said at the time that the stones of the old bridge would be marked in order that it could be re-erected on a different site, but this was never done. Several suggestions have been put forward as to their fate, one of the least plausible being "that they happened to fall into a wherry as it passed under the bridge" and were conveyed by water to Wroxham and Horning to be used as foundations for riverside bungalows. It sees more likely that some at least were taken from the bridge to the Corporation Depot at Infirmary Square (now Starling Rd), and were later moved to another store at St Martin at Oak Wall Lane, finally ending up as foundations for roadworks on Aylsham Rd.

Whitefriars Yarn factory now Jarrold's [3786] 1949-06-12
1836-7, architect John Brown.

Whitefriars Yarn factory now Jarrold's [7813] 2001-04-01
See also Cowgate 131 to 141

Whitefriars Cowgate Factory Yard tracery [1651] 1937-05-29
On the east side of the road, with the river to the south, stands the great Yarn Factory, built in 1836-37, now part of Jarrolds' printing works. Until the Reformation much of the land on this side of what was formerly part of Cowgate had been occupied by the monastery of the Carmelites or Whitefriars.
Richard Taylor in his Index Monasticus describes how in about 1256 one Philip de Cowgate settled lands there upon William de Calthorpe, alias Suffield, "upon condition that the brethren of Mount Carmel should enter and dwell there without any molestation, for ever, and serve God therein". In addition to the founder, who was buried there in 1283, Taylor lists many other benefactors, including Sir Oliver de Ingham, Clement Paston, and Joan the wife of John Fastolf. With the money thus received the friars were able to build a magnificent church, partially completed by 1343 and eventually consecrated in 1382.
Despite the founder's decree that the Carmelites were to dwell there forever, King Henry VIII had other ideas; the friary was dissolved in 1542, and the site was granted to Richard Andrews and Leonard Chamberlayn. Shortly afterwards the land was divided up into many different ownerships.
Although the dimensions of the church and cloisters are known, having been copied from another source by the historian John Kirkpatrick in his Religious Houses &c. in Norwich, little is known of the actual layout of the friary. Most of our information comes from artefacts found on necessarily limited archaeological digs or when foundations have been dug for new buildings. In 1904 certain foundations were uncovered, and about 1920 six pieces of window tracery were found and built into a wall at Factory Yard, to be cleared away later when Jarrolds extended their works. Two coffins each containing a skeleton were found in 1958; they probably dated back to the 14c. And in 1960 a Gothic arch, which had been filled in with bricks and incorporated in a later building, was uncovered; this has now been opened out and forms an attractive feature near the entrance to Jarrolds' works. At about the same time a dilapidated flint wall adjoining the bridge was taken down as not being worth preserving - a modern tablet identified it as having once formed part of an anchorage attached to the friary.
The most important surviving feature on the site is a vaulted undercroft of two bays, adapted by Jarrolds as a small museum of obsolete printing machinery. In 1978 at Jarrolds' invitation the Norwich Survey team investigated the building, and details of their findings were published in Norfolk Archaeology Vol.37. Its position seems to have been to the north of what was probably the original cloister complex; it may have served as an entrance parlour to the cloister.
Another important relic, not in its original position, is what has become known as the Arminghall arch. This elaborately carved 14c archway has had a series of moves since it was taken down at the Dissolution and re-erected at Arminghall Old Hall, just a few miles south of the city. There it remained until the hall was demolished; the late Russell Colman then acquired it and transferred it to his grounds at Crown Point. From there it has recently been taken to be installed in the new Magistrates Court, just across the bridge from its original position. Now protected from the weather, it should survive for many years to come.

Whitefriars Cowgate flint wall [3187] 1939-07-30
Wall to the north-east of Whitefriars bridge which once formed part of an anchorage attached to the adjoining Whitefriars Monastery. Founded by Philip de Cowgate c1256 and suppressed in 1543.

Whitefriars Cowgate friary doorway W side [4615] 1961-07-07
Uncovered in 1961 it stood adjacent to the anchorage.

Whitefriars Cowgate friary doorway E side [6512] 1988-08-17

St James' south side from Cowgate [B113] 1931-00-00

St James' south side from Cowgate [2266] 1938-04-07

St James' north side [3193] 1939-07-30
The tower stands in the body of the church on arches, only the west wall being solid.

St James' interior view east [1884] 1937-08-16

St James' old rood screen panels [1885] 1937-08-16
Two of the ten surviving panels from the old rood screen. They now flank the north wall of the chancel. The present rood screen is modern.

St James' 14c font [1883] 1937-08-16
Octagonal. Figures of the Apostles and Evangelists, and eight female saints.

West side

Whitefriars St west side cottages [0968] 1936-05-17
See also Cowgate 106

Whitlingham Lane:

From near Trowse Millgate towards Whitlingham

Whitlingham Lane Electric power station [5080] 1966-08-20
Opened 1926.

William Booth St: (formerly Church St)

From Rampant Horse St / Theatre St to Haymarket

William Booth St George and Dragon stables [6584] 1989-09-18
Formerly called Church St.

Willow Lane:

From St Giles' St to Cow Hill

North-east side

Willow Lane 1 [2781] 1938-09-02

Willow Lane RC school formerly chapel [0383] 1935-03-03
Built as a chapel by the Jesuits in 1828, architect J.T.Patience.

Willow Lane 9 [1345] 1936-08-29

Willow Lane 9 Georgian doorway [5042] 1966-05-15

Willow Lane 11 to 13 [1346] 1936-08-29

Willow Lane 17 [1368] 1936-09-03

Willow Lane 19 [1370] 1936-09-03

Willow Lane Borrow's Court Borrow House [1369] 1936-09-03
In his youth the author George Borrow lived here with his father, Captain Borrow. The house was opened as a "Borrow Museum" in 1913 by Arthur Michael Samuel.