Bottom   :  Topics List   :  Norwich Area Pubs
Special Topic

(Paras. 1 to 6)

The Trams in Norwich

Affects upon the pubs

2. Going West :  3. Red Lion Street   5. Wensum Street :  6. Magdalen Street

1. : Brave New World

It can hardly have been a co-incidence that
trams arrived in Norwich in the year 1900.
Clearly, planning had begun in the 1890s, with
a view to starting the new century in some style.
Indeed, demolition as well as planning was under way
by 1891/2; sadly, including some famous pubs.

However, most were re-built to the new
road-widening line. Not all that many were lost entirely.

2. : Going West

Two particularly impressive buildings, at opposite ends
of St. Andrew's Street, were among the first to go :-
  • At Charing Cross, the 3 Pigeons was destroyed
    and 'moved' across the road, becoming the
    Hog in Armour we know today.
    Old photographs show how narrow
    the opening to St. Benedict's had been.
     
  • The City Arms, at the foot of St. Andrew's Hill,
    was a total loss; although the name was transferred
    up the new hill to the Cabinetmakers' Arms in 1900.
In the first case, apparently, the whole triangle between
St. Benedict's Street and Westwick Street (i.e. as far as
St. Lawrence Great Steps) was re-developed around the
same time. This would have included the
Victoria Vaults, which premises still exist.

In the latter case, the building of the new hill to
Redwell Street was on account of the impossible
90-degree turn between that street and Princes Street
(i.e. at the top of Elm Hill).

3. : Red Lion Street

Astonishingly, at the time, this was one of the very
narrowest of streets in the area. The entire Eastern side
was demolished, starting from the Peacock - formerly
sitting at an angle, and forming part of St. Stephen's Plain.

Other pubs razed were, in sequence :-
Coach & Horses; Cricketers' Arms and Orford Arms.
All four were re-built by or in 1900.

The Goose & Gridiron was probably destroyed in
the making of a 'circular' terminus in Orford Place;
but the pub had closed by 1891.

The new road cut through, at the side of the Bell Hotel,
put the York Tavern (Castle Meadow) into the firing line.
So it was re-built, in a considerably more impressive
style; soon becoming known as the York Hotel.

 

4. : Re-cap

So far, we have observed sufficient access for trams :-
  • from the West (Dereham Road) to Bank Plain;
  • from the South (St. Stephen's) also to Bank Plain
The latter route was via Castle Meadow,
eventually widened by eating into the Mound.
The East was catered for by Prince of Wales Road
(inherited from the railway era).

This leaves access to and from the North :
'joining up' with the rest - at Upper King Street.

5. : Wensum Street

The widening of the entrance to Tombland,
from Upper King Street, took place well after WWII.
Quite how trams managed in 1900 is now rather difficult to see.
The re-building of the Compasses around 1885
does not seem to be relevant.

Wensum Street, on the other hand, was a real
bottleneck; even compared with Magdalen Street.
Widening took place on the Western side, and
involved the Black Horse (at the top); Turkey Cock,
Grapes and the Ribs of Beef.

Only the Turkey Cock seems to have retained some of
the original building behind the new road-widening line;
plus small bits of the Ribs of Beef.
The others were fully rebuilt, also in 1900.

6. : Magdalen Street

Also difficult to see - in 1900 - is how trams could
negotiate Magdalen Gates and the narrower parts
of the street, north of Stump Cross; but they did.
The White Swan was demolished, much later,
for the convenience of cars and buses.

The demolition and re-building in the street was
confined to a (shortish) stretch by Colegate; first
involving stealing all the churchyard to the East of
St. Clement's church.

Most pubs in that area lay on the Eastern side, so
- luckily - it was the Western side of the street
which was sacrificed.

Probably the only pub affected was The Vineyard
at Nos. 16 - 18.

Top