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The History of Norwich Buildings

See and read about the lesser-known buildings of 1930’s Norwich, as described by George Plunkett in his books Disappearing Norwich and Rambles in Old Norwich (now only available on the second-hand market).

Street Index:
All Saints Alley, All Saints Green, Aylsham Road, Barn Road, Barrack Street, Ber Street, Bethel Street, Bishopgate, Botolph Street, Calvert Street, Chantry, Chapel Field, Charing Cross, Close, Colegate, Coslany Street, Cow Hill, Davey Place, Dereham Road, Dove Street, Duke Street, Earlham Road, Fishergate, Fyebridge Street, Gildencroft, Golden Ball Street, Grove Road, Haymarket, Heigham Grove, Heigham Street, Ketts Hill, King Street, Lady Lane, Lobster Lane, London Street, Magdalen Street, Market Place, Martineau Lane, Muspole Street, Oak Street, Orford Hill, Palace Street, Pitt Street, Pottergate, Princes Street, Quayside, Queen Street, Rampant Horse Street, Redwell Street, Scoles Green, St Andrews Hill, St Andrews Street, St Benedicts Street, St Georges Street, St Giles Street, St John Maddermarket, St Johns Alley, St Martin At Palace Plain, St Martins Lane, St Marys Alley, St Marys Plain, St Pauls Square, St Peters Street, St Saviours Lane, St Stephens Street, St Swithins Alley, St Vedast Street, Surrey Street, Ten Bell Lane, Theatre Street, Timberhill, Tombland, Waterworks Road, Wellington Lane, Wensum Street, Westlegate, West Pottergate, Westwick Street, Whitefriars, Windmill Road

 

Home

All Saints Alley All Saints Green Aylsham Road Barn Road Barrack Street Ber Street Bethel Street Bishopgate Botolph Street Calvert Street Chantry Chapel Field Charing Cross Close Colegate Coslany Street Cow Hill Davey Place Dereham Road Dove Street Duke Street Earlham Road Fishergate Fyebridge Street Gildencroft Golden Ball Street Grove Road Haymarket Heigham Grove Heigham Street Ketts Hill King Street Lady Lane Lobster Lane London Street Magdalen Street Market Place Martineau Lane Muspole Street Oak Street Orford Hill Palace Street Pitt Street Pottergate Princes Street Quayside Queen Street Rampant Horse Street Redwell Street Scoles Green St Andrews Hill St Andrews Street St Benedicts Street St Georges Street St Giles Street St John Maddermarket St Johns Alley St Martin At Palace Plain St Martins Lane St Marys Alley St Marys Plain St Pauls Square St Peters Street St Saviours Lane St Stephens Street St Swithins Alley St Vedast Street Surrey Street Ten Bell Lane Theatre Street Timberhill Tombland Waterworks Road Wellington Lane Wensum Street Westlegate West Pottergate Westwick Street Whitefriars Windmill Road

 

“The 1930s, when most of these photographs were taken, were years during which much change was taking place in the Norwich street scene. Slum clearance programmes, commenced in the previous decade, were well under way, and as a consequence unsightly gaps were appearing in the hitherto continuous rows of buildings lining many of the older streets. For the same reason most of their courtyards, some picturesque but many highly insanitary, were rapidly vanishing.
At the same time an increase in road traffic was creating additional problems and plans were prepared by the City Engineer and others for the construction of both a north-south and an east-west artery to facilitate the passage of transport through the heart of the city.
Before any of these schemes could be fully implemented, however, war broke out and the resultant air raids led to widespread and indiscriminate destruction, in particular around St Benedict’s and St Stephen’s. By the end of the war ideas had changed and, with a greater regard for the city’s historic core, work was eventually begun instead on an inner link road, which, south of the river, would run alongside much of the mediaeval city wall.”

All text and photographs Copyright © G.A.F.Plunkett 2004