1. : Transport
Goodness knows how cattle got to market,
centuries ago; although it must - literally -
have been "on the hoof".
Exactly how they were sustained for long enough is
another matter; although the farmers and drovers
would have been sustained by many a wayside inn !.
The railways changed all that, because the principal
"hoofing" was just to the nearest rail-head.
Unfortunately, Norwich being a very hilly City,
stations[1] could not be built very near to the original
Market site (by the Castle); so a further long, and
uphill trek still faced the poor beasts, after unloading.
2. : The Demand
Not long into the railway-age, the growing numbers of
animals attending market called for a marked increase
in the space provided by the City Council.
That the entire site, by the side of the
Castle Mound, was fiercely sloping was :
* good for cleaning and
* no real obstacle -
the "ditches" having been largely filled-in some time
before. (The Southern outer ditches recorded as being
'levelled' in 1738)
However, the outer perimeter of the market was still
termed Castle Ditches, which was the address of
nearly all those pubs directly facing the market.
3. : Pros and Cons
It seems strange to describe these events under the
heading 'demise', because the increase in the farming
turnover was clearly much to the good of all the
Licensees thereabouts (see para. 4).
The sad fact remains, however, that some ten (or so)
pubs [2] were demolished : to provide the extra space
for "penning" etc.
The overall scheme seems to have been commenced
shortly after 1861; although, of course, some pubs
closed or were bought-up a year or two in advance.
Demolitions probably continued until 1867.
The construction of the huge Agricultural Hall, in 1882,
does not seem to have necessitated the demolition of
any more pubs; having taken place in Castle Meadow proper.
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4. : The Trade
Ber Street was one which had always profited greatly
from the cattle etc. movements and trades, even before
the coming of the railways. Its farming associations
included slaughtering and butchery facilities;
resulting in the nickname "Blood & Guts Street".
Hence Ber Street has such pub names as the
Bull's Head, the Jolly Butchers and Butcher's Arms.
Two pubs along the general route had the appropriate
word Drovers in their title.
Towards the City end of Ber Street, and in lanes and
streets all around the Castle Mound, innumerable pubs
existed to serve the rural travellers.
In truth, the ruthless demolitions were probably
no more than a slight (doubtless temporary) setback
for the average drinker; apart from his losing a
favourite "local" or two.
5. : On The Ground
Almost certainly, the Shirehall pub was re-located,
after 1861, on the opposite side of Cattle Market Street
("Cattle Hill"), which was the side left facing the expanded market.
The Lion Inn
was established by 1865 nearer the bottom
of the hill; along with a short-lived (circa 1871)
beerhouse, the Bull. Otherwise the enhanced demands
of the farming community for refreshment seem to
have been taken-up by the "slack" in remaining hostelries.
But also see
King Street etc. pubs (1864 - 1868).
Other geographical details of the three blocks of
buildings, lost in the re-developments, are not strictly
relevant; though interesting in their own way.
In particular, one pub - the
Wheatsheaf - faced the
market and "Cattle Hill"; owing to the "waist-like"
shape [3] of the centre of the middle block (of three).
The westernmost block, between Golden Ball Lane
and Pig Lane, seems to have been the last to go;
as evidenced by the dates of closure (c. 1867) of the
Golden Ball itself and the Jolly Dealers.
6. Footnotes
[1]
In practice, the halts at Trowse or Whitlingham
were used, to avoid mixing cattle and human traffic
at the main Thorpe Station. So the walk was even
longer; passing many pubs in Bracondale and
Ber Street en route.
The Trowse cattle facility was opened in 1904
(see the Pineapple pub).
[2]
It is assumed that 6 currently (post-1860) listed pubs
under "Castle Ditches" were lost - see the general list
of the area for other details.
In addition some 4 pubs in the Pump Street area
were lost, some - perhaps - by speculative
re-development on the one remaining side of the street.
[3]
The bottom section of Cattle Market Street was then
called Common Pump Street. Even today this stretch,
and more, curves away to the South.
This is in complete contrast to the patterns of
the (former) ditches around the Castle.
One line of pubs followed the ditches -
hence the street name.
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