Part 4

Just within side of the walls near Ber-street, stands St. Catherine's hill, on which is Mrs. Burroughes's house, the sight of which will well repay the trouble of a walk. The buildings in Surry-street, among which is Surry-house, a curious specimen of domestic architecture, the windows of which were emblazoned on glass, with many armorial bearings. There are also a number of good houses in St. Giles's-street, Messrs. Gurneys' Bank, in St. Michael's Plea; the Flour mill, by steam, in St. Andrew's; Mr. Patteson's brewery, in Pockthorpe, and many others, which will arrest the attention of the stranger in his perambulation about the city.

Norwich, including the Hamlets, is divided into four great wards, viz.--_Conisford ward_, _Mancroft ward_, _Wymer ward_, and _Great Northern ward_; each of which is again subdivided into three small wards; _Great Conisford_ containing _South Conisford ward_, in which is comprized the parishes of St. Peter per Southgate, St. Etheldred and St. Julian, and the hamlets of Trowse-milgate and Carrow; _North Conisford ward_, in which is the parish of St. Peter per Mountergate. _Ber-street ward_, in which are the parishes of St. John at Sepulchre, St. Michael thorn, St. John Timber-hill, All Saints, and the Hamlet of Lakenham. _Great Mancroft ward_ contains the Parishes of St. Stephen, St. Peter per Mancroft, and St. Giles, each parish being a small ward in itself, including the hamlets of Eaton, and part of Earlham and Heigham.

_Great Wymer ward_, is subdivided into three small wards, viz.--_West Wymer ward_, contains the parishes of St. Benedict, St. Swithin, St. Margaret, St. Lawrence and St. Gregory, with part of the hamlets of Earlham and Heigham. _Middle Wymer ward_, contains the Parishes of St. John at Madder-market, St. Andrew and St Michael at Plea. _East Wymer ward_, contains the parishes of St. Peter at Hungate, St. Simon and Jude, St. George Tombland, St. Martin at the Palace, and St. Helen.

_Great Northern ward_, subdivided into three small wards, viz.--_Coslany ward_ contains the parishes of St. Michael, St. Mary and St. Martin. _Colegate ward_ contains the parishes of St. George's Colegate, and St. Augustine. _Fye Bridge ward_ includes the parishes of St. Edmund, St. James, St. Paul, St. Saviour, and St. Clement. Each of the small wards have the right of electing two Aldermen, and one of the Nominees for the Common Council; the rest of the Common Council being chosen by the Nominees. _Great Conisford ward_, including the Nominees, choosing twelve,--_Great Mancroft ward_ sixteen,--_Great Wymer ward_ twenty,--and the _Northern ward_ twelve. In ward elections the resident freemen only have at right to vote, and the election for Nominees takes place on the Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, before passion-week.

The City is governed by a Mayor, Recorder, Steward, two Sheriffs, twenty-four Aldermen, (of which the Mayor is one,) sixty Common Council-men, a Town-clerk, Chamberlain and Sword-bearer, attended by suitable officers.

The Mayor is elected by the freemen, on the first day of May, and sworn into office on the guild-day, which is on the Tuesday before Midsummer, except Midsummer-day fall on a Wednesday, in which case the guild is kept the Tuesday se'nnight before the Mayor is chosen from among the Aldermen, is a Justice of the quorum during his mayoralty, and afterwards Justice of the peace.

On the death or resignation of an Alderman, the Mayor on receiving notice thereof, must within five days, and not less than two; and giving not less than twenty-four hours notice to the freemen in the great ward, in which the small ward belongs, to elect another.

The Sheriffs are chosen--one by a letter from the court of Aldermen, in the early part of July, and returnable if a full assembly can be made, within fourteen days, upon paying a fine of 80 pounds to the corporation, till the 10th of August; on which day, whoever holds it must serve the office. The other Sheriff is elected by the freemen on the last Tuesday in August, and they are both sworn into office on Michaelmas-day. The Mayor with the Sheriffs, hold courts every Wednesday and Saturday, to hear complaints, and to do every other act tending to the peaceable government of the city.

The Recorder assists in the Mayor's court as chief Judge, as does the Steward in the Sheriffs' court, they must both be barristers, and are always Justices of the quorum, and Council for the city.

The quarterly assemblies are held on February the twenty-fourth, May the third, the day before guild-day, and Sept. the twenty-first.

There are three Fairs in Norwich,--one on the Thursday before Easter, on Tombland;--one on Easter-Monday and Tuesday;--and one on Whit-Monday and Tuesday, by Bishop-bridge.

Here are several Insurance-offices, viz.--The Norwich Insurance Fire-ffice, on Orford hill, opened in November 1792.

The Union office for insurance against loss by fire, corner of Briggs's lane, near the market, established in March 1797;--and at the same place The Union office, for the insurance of lives, and granting Annuities and Endowments for children.

The General Equitable assurance office, for insuring property from fire, in Bank street, established Michaelmas, 1807. The Anchor fire office, Back of the inns, established in June 1808; besides various agencies, viz.--

Sun fire office agent, Mr. John Taylor, _St. Andrew's_;--Royal Exchange, Mr. J. Woodrow, _St. George's Colegate_;--Phoenix, Mr. H. Francis, _Surry street_;--Suffolk, Mr. Marsh, _Bank street_;--British, Mr. L. F. Boyce, _St. John's Maddermarket_;--Imperial, Mr. Charles Norton, _King street_.

A gentleman desirous of spending a few days in Norwich, cannot help being gratified by seeing the various employments of its extensive manufactories in Stuffs, Cottons, Shawls &c.--the first and last of which are here carried to a perfection no where else to be met with in England.

Norwich adds greatly to the trade of Yarmouth, by the importation of about 40,000 chaldrons of coals yearly; wine, fish, oil, Irish yarn, and all heavy goods which come from thence by the river Yare: and in Peace the exportation of its manufactures to Russia, Germany, Holland, Denmark, Norway, Spain, Portugal, Italy, &c. The keels and wherries which navigate between Norwich and Yarmouth are acknowledged to be superior to any other small craft in England, for carrying a larger burthen, and being worked at a smaller expence;--their burthen is from fifteen to fifty tons; they have but one mast, which lets down, and carry only one large square sail, are covered close by hatches, and have a cabin superior to many coasting vessels, in which oftentimes the keelman and his family live; they require only two persons to navigate them, and sometimes perform their passage (thirty-two miles) in five hours.

Norwich has experienced of late years, a number of improvements; the lighting is much more brilliant, and better regulated than formerly; the paving also, which is in great forwardness, and the alterations consequent thereon, have already much improved many parts, and will when finished, add greatly to the beauty of the city, and to the convenience and comfort of the inhabitants and occasional visitors. The act for paving the streets, &c. was obtained in June 1808, and empowers the commissioners to levy on all houses laid to the poor-rate, four shillings in the pound on the half-rental, and one shilling and four pence in the pounds on such houses &c. as do not pay to the poor-rate, computed on half their annual value; also by a frontage of two-pence per running foot. The commissioners under the paving act are one hundred and thirty-six in number; sixty-three permanent, besides the Mayor, Aldermen, Sheriffs, Recorder, Steward, the Speaker of the Commons, the Rev. the Dean and Prebendary, in all thirty-one, and forty-two Parochial Commissioners, chosen annually. Clerk's office on Elm-hill, there are also a surveyor and four collectors of the rates.

Among the modern institutions of the city is one which serves to shew that the fine arts are encouraged even at this distance from the metropolis; this is a "_Society of Artists_," the members of which have made an annual public exhibition of their pictures, for the last few years, during the Assize and following week, at their room in Sir Benjamin Wrenche's court, St. John's Maddermarket, where they also hold a meeting once a fortnight. If societies of this kind were more encouraged, instead of that deformity, which disgraces many modern alterations, beauty, consistency, and propriety would be introduced.

Two mail coaches run daily between London and Norwich; a double bodied coach, called the Expedition, by Newmarket daily, and a post coach by Bury three times a week;--they all leave Norwich in the afternoon, and arrive in London the following morning. A Lynn and Norwich Expedition by Dereham and Swaffham, leave Norwich on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday morning at seven o'clock, and arrive at Lynn the same evening, returning to Norwich on Wednesday, Friday and Monday, in winter time it runs only twice a week, viz. on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

A Machine to Yarmouth twice every day, from the Black horse, Tombland, at eight o'clock in the morning and four in the afternoon, in the summer, and nine o'clock in the morning and three in the afternoon in winter, Saturday mornings excepted; and in the worst part of the winter it sometimes runs only once each day.

Two London waggons leave Norwich every Tuesday and Friday evening, and return to Norwich every Wednesday and Saturday sen'-night following. By these waggons through Cambridge, there is a regular conveyance to Manchester, Birmingham, Sheffield, York, and all the manufacturing towns in Yorkshire:--here are also York, Manchester, Lynn, Bury waggons, &c.--also a Barge to Yarmouth every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

The Diocese of Norwich consists of a Bishop, Chancellor, Archdeacon, Commissaries, and other officers of the Ecclesiastical Court, a Dean, Prebendaries, Minor-Canons, and other officers of the cathedral. The Bishop's office is in the upper close--the Consistory court is held in the cathedral, about once in three weeks--the Dean and Chapter's office is in the cloyster--Archdeacon's office at Mr. Steward's, Bank street.

[Picture: Decorative image]

_List of the Bishops and Deans of Norwich_, _during the last century_.

BISHOPS.

1691 John Moore, translated to _Ely_, the forty-ninth Bishop.

1707 Charles Trimmel, to _Sarum_.

1721 Thomas Green, to _Ely_.

1723 John Lang.

1727 William Baker.

1732 Robert Butts, translated to _Ely_.

1738 Thomas Gooch, ditto.

1743 Samuel Lisle.

1749 Thomas Hayter, to _London_.

1761 Phillip Yonge.

1783 Lewis Bagot, to _St. Asaph_.

1790 George Horne.

1792 Charles Manners Sutton, to _Canterbury_.

1805 Henry Bathurst.

DEANS.

1689 Henry Fairfax, the fifteenth Dean.

1702 Humphry Prideaux.

1724 John Cole.

1730 Robert Butts, afterwards Bishop.

1733 John Baron.

1739 Thomas Bullock.

1761 Edward Townshend.

1765 Phillip Lloyd.

1790 Joseph Turner.

_Also eleven Lodges of Free and Accepted Masons_;--viz.--

No. 16 White Sawn, St. Peter's Mancroft, the first Wednesday in the Month,--constituted May 11th, 1724.

No. 80 Bull, Magdalen-street, first Tuesday,--1749.

No. 99 Moon and Stars, St. Michael, at Coslany, third Tuesday,--Nov. 20th, 1753,--_Faithful Lodge_.

No. 105 Castle, Castle-ditches, second Thursday,--March 13th, 1757,--[Picture: Symbol of hand with finger pointing right] _Do not meet_.

No. 120 Wounded Hart, St. Peter's Mancroft, fourth Tuesday,--Sept. 16th, 1766.

No. 153 Norwich Volunteer, St. Stephen's, second Wednesday.--_Lodge of Friendship_.

No. 166 Wild Man, St. Andrew's Steps, first Monday.--_Ancient Masons_.

No. 192 Union Lodge, Gate House, Tombland, last Friday,--February 11th, 1766.

No. 294 Lodge of Union, city of Norwich, St. Stephen's, second Sunday and fourth Monday.--_Ancient Masons_.

No. 563 Norwich Theatrical, at the different Theatres in the circuit, second Friday,--June 26th, 1797.

Royal Arch Masons, Knight Templers, and Grand Chapter of Harodim, Gate House Tombland.

_Also Three Lodges of ODD FELLOWS_, _instituted in_ 1804.

At the _Norwich Volunteer_, in St. Stephens, and since removed to the _Duke of York_, on the Cattle Meadow, called the YORK LODGE--they have near 400 names enrolled on their books.

The TRAFALGAR LODGE, instituted in 1808, at the _Three Tons_, near St. Andrew's Steps

The PRINCE OF WALES LODGE, instituted in 1809, at the _Old Lobster_, in Lobster-lane.

There is likewise a LODGE OF DRUIDS, at the _Rose_, in St. Augustines.

* * * * *

A sketch of the actions and characters of those persons born in this city, who have distinguished themselves by their talents or application, would furnish ample materials for an interesting volume; yet, to pass over so important a topic entirely, might be censurable; brief particulars of some few of the most eminent are here given:--

William Bateman, commonly known as William de Norwico, was born in the beginning of the 14th century, (his father represented the City in Parliament in 1326;) he received the rudiments of education at Norwich, and afterwards at Cambridge studied the civil law, and was early noticed for his literary acquirements, Bishop Ayremine recommended him to Rome, where he soon acquired several offices of trust and honor; he was sent as Nuncio, to mediate for peace between Edward III. and the King of France, and was honorably received on his return to England in 1345: he is said to have been tenacious of the perquisites and privileges of office; he founded and endowed Trinity Hall, Cambridge, in 1347; in 1354, being sent by Edward III. to acquaint the Pope with the nature of the King's claim to the Crown of France, he died at Avignon, then the residence of the Pope, and was buried in the Cathedral there in 1354.

Matthew Parker, was born in St. Saviour's parish, August 6th, 1504, he received his education in Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, where he made rapid progress in almost every kind of learning; he was appointed Chaplain to Queen Ann Boleyn, and through her interest obtained several preferments;--and on her being brought to the scaffold, the Princess Elizabeth, with a solemn injunction, was put under his care. He was shortly after made Vice Chancellor of the Cambridge University; he was appointed Chaplain to King Edward the VIth. and in 1552 preferred to the Deanery of Lincoln; he withdrew from his native country in Queen Mary's reign, but was recalled on her death, and appointed to the See of Canterbury by her successor. In his character he combined learning and religion, in his household he was hospitable and courteous, of his charity his liberal benefactions bear ample testimony; he collected many valuable manuscripts, which he gave to the library of the College where he received his education: he was a profound Antiquarian, and was the author of _Antiquitates Britannicae_; he caused many valuable records where copies were scarce to be printed; he published some other works, and superintended a translation of the Scriptures from the original tongue, known by the name of the Bishops Bible; he died at his palace in Lambeth, May 17, 1575.

John Kaye or Cains, was born in Norwich, in 1510, and received his education at Cambridge. He finished his studies on the Continent, where he wrote many books, and formed numerous valuable literary acquaintance; on his return to England he practised as a Physician in Norwich with great success, and in 1557 he was considered the most able practitioner of medicine in the kingdom: he was physician to King Edward VI. and held the same office to Queen Mary, with whom he was in high favor; in the latter part of his life he retired to Cambridge, but being called to London on some urgent business, he was taken ill, and died in July, 1573, and was buried in Caius College Chapel, Cambridge; he exercised his pen on almost every branch of learning, and left upwards of four-score different treatises on various subjects.

William Cuningham, was born in Norwich, in 1531; he studied physic, and graduated at Heidelburgh; he wrote several treatises on Astronomy, Chronology and Medicine, particularly the Cosmographical Glass--printed in 1559, at the close of which year he died.

Thomas Legge, born in 1535, was student at Cambridge, and succeeded his friend Caius in the mastership of Caius College; he was a great and distinguished Antiquarian; having attached himself to the Law, he was appointed King's legal professor, and twice filled the vice Chancellor's chair; he was also a dramatic writer, he died in 1607.

John Cosin, was born in Norwich, in 1594, he studied in Caius College, Cambridge; he was promoted to several church preferments, which, at the commencement of the civil wars, he was deprived of, being the first clergyman who suffered that species of punishment for his loyalty. On the return of King Charles the II. he was appointed to the deanery of Peterborough, and soon afterwards called to the Bishoprick of Durham, and died in 1672; he wrote some pieces on polemical divinity.

Edward Brown, was born in this city about the year 1642, he was educated at the grammar school, and in 1665 took the degree of Bachelor in Physic, at Cambridge, and was soon after admitted at Oxford, where he in 1667 obtained a doctor's diploma; he then travelled over great part of the Continent, and on his return, published an account of his travels, which contain some valuable information of Natural History, particularly on Minerology and Metallurgy; after settling in London, he was appointed physician to King Charles the II. and in 1705, became president of the College of physicians, which office he held till his death; he was well versed in the living and the dead languages; he died in 1708, at his seat at Northfleet, in Kent.

Doctor Samuel Clarke, the son of Edward Clarke, esq. an alderman of Norwich, and for several years one of its representatives in Parliament; he was born in 1675, and completed his studies at Cambridge, where he soon distinguished himself, particularly in the Mathematics; the Newtonian Philosophy attracted his notice, and by his illustration of that theory, he obtained very considerable credit at the early age of 22; he afterwards applied himself to divinity, and was appointed to some church preferments, but from his attachment to Mathematical knowledge, he was unwilling to admit any thing for truth which did not allow of that kind of demonstration; this gave a bias to his judgment, which is apparent in all his writings. In 1706, he published a Latin edition of Sir Isaac Newton's Optics, on the credit of which, he was noticed by Queen Ann, and appointed to the valuable rectory of St. James's, Westminster; in 1710, he published Caesar's Commentaries in royal folio, (one of the most magnificent Books ever printed in England,) elucidated with eighty-seven engravings. On the death of Sir Isaac Newton, he was offered the lucrative place of Master of the Mint, which he refused, as being incompatible with his character as a clergyman; he died in 1729: his writings were very voluminous, and will remain a lasting monument of his uncommon abilities and profound learning.

Edward King, F. R. and A. S. S. was born at Norwich, in 1734; in 1748, he was sent to Cambridge to finish his education; he soon distinguished himself by his progress and regularity. Having obtained academical honors, he entered a student at Lincoln's-Inn, and from thence practised at the Bar for some time, with great credit; but coming to a large fortune by the death of his father, he quitted the profession, and applied himself to scientific pursuits; he was particularly calculated for profound research; he had long been an active and useful member of both the Royal and Antiquarian Societies, and became vice president of the latter in 1781, and president in 1783; he resigned the latter the year following; his works were numerous and his observations on Ancient Castles, is in great repute. He died in London, April, 1807. There are some other eminent men, who (although not natives,) have spent the principal part of their time in Norwich, of whom a slight notice may not be unacceptable.

Herbert de Losinga, the first Bishop Norwich was born in Normandy, from whence he was brought by William the II. towards the close of the 11th Century: Henry I. appointed him his chancellor. He is said to have been very loose and wild in his young time, although afterwards he became quite the reverse, he was an excellent scholar for the time in which he lived, to atone for the extravagancies of his early years, he founded the Cathedral, the Bishops Palace, &c.

Joseph Hall, was born in Leicestershire, in 1574; at the age of fifteen was sent to Cambridge, to finish his education, and at the age of twenty-three distinguished himself as a wit and a poet, he became successively Bishop of Exeter and Norwich, but was soon bereaved of all his preferments and properly by religious persecution; in 1647, he retired to a little estate he rented at Heigham, where he died in September, 1656, and was buried in the chancel of the parish church there; he was by foreigners stiled the English Seneca; his works are numerous, which are collected and printed in three volumes, folio.

Norwich is 108 miles from London by Newmarket, 110 by Colchester, 114 by Bury St. Edmunds, and it is a remarkable fact, that Norwich, Bury and Lynn, form an equilateral triangle, each side measuring 42 miles, it is also 43 miles from Ipswich, and 24 from Yarmouth. The soil of Norwich is mixed the upper stratum is light of sufficient depth for the plough upon chalk, gravel and sand; the air is remarkably salubrious, it is screened from the easterly wind by Moushold Heath, and abound in springs of water of the purest kind.

There are five Banks in Norwich, which draw upon London, viz.--

_Messrs. Gurney's_, St. Michael at Plea, upon BARCLAY'S, TRITTON and BEVAN, No. 56, Lombard-street.

_Messrs. Harvey_ and _Hudson's_, King-street, upon HANKEY and Co. No. 7. Fenchurch-street.

_Messrs. Ketts_ and _Back_, Orford-hill, upon HOARE, BARNETTS and Co. No. 62, Lombard-street.

_Starling_, _Day_ and _Son_, Pottergate-street, on FORSTER, LUBBOCK and Co. No. 11, Mansion-House-street.

_Thomas Bignold_, _Son_ and_ Co._ Market-place, upon STEPHENSON'S, REMINGTON'S, SMITH and Co. No. 69, Lombard-street.

_List of MAYORS during the last Century_.