A Brief History of Norwich

Norwich

The city of Norwich is one of the most populous in England, and long took the lead in point of consequence among the inland towns. For this it was indebted to its great manufactory of crapes, bombazines, and stuffs of various kinds, which is still considerable, though somewhat declined on account of the rivalship of the cotton branches, and in consequence of prohibitions in foreign countries. The manufacture is confined to the city; but the operations of spinning and preparing the wool employ the poor of most of the small towns and villages in the county. The wool used is brought from the counties of Lincoln, Leicester, and Northampton. The goods are sent to various parts of the world, particularly Holland, Germany, and the Mediterranean. Many of them are shipped at Yarmouth; and many are sent to London and other places by land. Norwich contains many opulent inhabitants and good buildings, but its streets are narrow and ill disposed. It abounds with parish churches, and has several remains of antiquity, though not of an early date.

Sir Peter Rede

[From a brass previously in the church of St. Peter Mancroft, itself on the reverse side of an older, palimpsest, brass, in the pavement at the eastern extremity of the north aisle - discovered during improvements.]

"Here vnder lyethe ye corps of Peter Rede Esqvie who hath wortheley served not only hys prynce and countrey bvt allso the emperor Charles the 5 bothe at the conqvest of Barbaria and at the siege of Tvnis as also in other places who had geven hym by the sayd emperovr for hys valivnt dedes the order of Barbaria who dyed the 29 of December in the year of ovre Lord God 1568."

His knighthood

Sir Peter Rede's knighthood having been conferred by a foreign prince, at home he seems to have been acknowledged only as an esquire. There is a picture of him in the Council Chamber at Norwich with a hawk on his fist.

His generosity

This valiant captain was son of John Rede, esq. mayor of Norwich in 1496, and he gave certain houses

"to the ende that the greate bell in the parish of St. Peter of Mancrofte should for ever be runge at fower of the clocke in the morninge, and at eight of the clocke at night, for the helpe and benefit of travillers. He did also give a faire salt double gilt, of the value of twentie poundes, to be used in their maioroltie; and he did further give to the poore of this cittie one hundred thirtie three poundes six shillinges and eight pence, to be yearelie distributed by six poundes 13s. 4d. untill the whole summe were runne out."

The
"greate bell"

Duly does the noble bell of St. Peter's Mancroft still toll morning and night, in accordance with the will of the long-departed friend to "travillers;" but now its deep tones serve but to tell of times departed, of manners and customs altogether changed, and of requirements and sources of "helpe and benefit" changed altogether with them.

The brass
 

My attention was directed to the recent discovery of the true palimpsest character of this brass by my friend Robert Fitch, esq. of Norwich.
                                      Yours, &c.
                                                  Charles Boutell.

The City

Norwich is the metropolis of the county of Norfolk. It is situated principally on the declivity of a hill, on the north side of the navigable river Wensum, over which there are six bridges. From its appellation, it may be inferred that Norwich, Nordo-Vicua, or the Northern Vill, had originally some connexion with the great Roman station, called Venta, at Caistor St. Edmund's, which is situated southward of the river, about three miles from this city.

Plague
& Fire

In 1348, nearly 58,000 persons died of the plague at Norwich, from which calamitous event it appears that its population must have been then very numerous. In 1505, the city was nearly destroyed by fire; but neither this disaster, nor the preceding, seem to have affected the prosperity of Norwich so much as the rebellion against government under one Ket, a tanner, in 1548.

 
 
 
Ket
 
 
 
 
 
 
Execution

The dissolution of monasteries and alienation of ecclesiastical property had thrown upon their own resources, a vast multitude of the conventual retainers and dependants, and other idle persons discontented with the existing government, who were ready to follow any leader of revolt; and a large body of them assembled under Ket, who set himself up as a sort of tribune of the people, taking up his head quarters under a spreading oak in the vicinity of Norwich, since called "The Oak of Reformation," whence he issued his decrees with all the pride of a sovereign dictator. Dudley, Earl of Warwick, afterwards Duke of Northumberland, having been sent with an army to quell this rebellion, he offered terms of grace to all but the ringleaders, who being soon deserted by their followers, Ket, the grand incendiary, was taken and hanged over the walls of Norwich-castle.

Arrival
of the
Flemings

The trade of the place, previously considerable, fell into decay, from which it was revived by the politic measures of the ministry of Queen Elizabeth, who afforded an asylum to the Flemings driven from the Spanish Netherlands, through the tyranny of the Duke of Alva; and these emigrants, many of whom settled at Norwich and in its vicinity, restored and improved the manufacture of woollen and mixed fabrics, which had been introduced here at an earlier peiod; and thus they contributed greatly to the subsequent advance of this city in wealth and population.

Assizes

The Assizes for the city and county of Norwich are held before the judges on the Norfolk summer circuit, under a commission distinct from that for the Norfolk county assizes. There is only one gaol delivery in the year, for the city; the Lent assizes taking place at Thetford. The quarter-sessions are held in January, April, July, and October; a court of requests for the recovery of sums under forty shillings is held every Monday in St. Andrew's-hall; and the sheriffs' court, in which suits may be prosecuted for debts or damages to any amount, is held twice a-year, in the Guildhall.

Representation
 
 
Bishops

This city has returned members to Parliament ever since the reign of Edward I. The bishopric of East Anglia, which was originally fixed at Elmham, and afterwards removed to Thetford, was in 1094 transferred to Norwich, since which the see has been occupied by a succession of bishops, among whom were Dr. Joseph Hall and Dr. George Horne, besides other prelates eminent for their piety and learning.

Cathedral
& Churches

The cathedral is one of the oldest in England, the building having been commenced by Herbert, the first bishop, in 1096; and it was completed by William Middleton, who presided here in 1284. The churches in general are ancient buildings, the walls of which are constructed of flints; but that of St. Peter Mancroft is a spacious and handsome edifice of freestone, with a fine tower, and a beautiful altar-piece, with a painting of the miraculous delivery of St. Peter from prison, over which is a window, richly ornamented with stained glass.

Situation
of Norwich

The city is about a mile and a half in length, and a mile and a quarter in breadth; and the houses being generally furnished with gardens, it occupies more ground in proportion to its population than any other city in England. It was anciently encompassed by a wall, with forty strong towers, of which there are some remains still visible. Among the public buildings, one of the most important is the castle, which stands on the summit of a vast mount, artificially constructed, in the middles of the city. Formerly it was surrounded by three ditches, two of which are now covered by buildings, and about thirty years ago the sloping sides of the third were converted into gardens, the appearance of which, during the spring and summer seasons, has a very pleasing effect.

Famous
for its
Manufactures

The city of Norwich has long been famous for its woollen, worsted, and silk manufactures, which in 1724 afforded employment for about 120,000 persons, many of whom, however, resided in the surrounding country. The chief articles made here are bombasines, crapes, camlets, and other fabrics composed of silk and worsted; shawls, damasks, some cotton and woollen goods, and a viariety of fancy pieces. The bombasine manufacture has considerable declined, and to a certain extent has been superseded by that of silk goods, for which the abundance of machinery and artizens affords every facility. Here are extensive iron and brass founderies, breweries, snuff-mills, vinegar-works on a very extensive scale, oil and mustard mills, and corn mills.

Great
Export Trade

The products of these and other manufactories are exported to Holland, Ostend, Hamburgh, the Baltic, Russia, Spain, Portugal, Italy, the East and West Indies, and North and South America. From various parts of England goods are regularly transmitted, chiefly by land carriage; and the rivers Wensum and Yare afford a navigable communication with the sea at Lowestoft and Yarmouth, by means of steam-packets.

Present-day
[1860]

Norwich has, of late years, been greatly improved, partly in consequence of an act of Parliament obtained in 1806, appointing commissioners for paving the streets, which are now lighted with gas.

Markets
& Fairs

Markets: Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday;
Fairs: day before Good Friday, Easter Monday and Tuesday, and Whit-Monday, for horses, sheep, lambs, and petty chapmen.