The Free Grammar School.
The Free Grammar School, near the west end of the Cathedral, was founded by Bishop Salmon, in 1325, and annexed to a small Collegiate Chantry. At the dissolution of this college, the Corporation, by their Hospital Charter, were required to find a master and usher, and to remunerate them out of the ample revenues assigned to them by that charter. This trust was transferred, in 1836, from the Corporation to the Charity Trustees. There are generally a little more than a hundred pupils at the school. The celebrated Dr. Valpy was once the head-master; and in addition to many eminent scholars, the celebrated “Norfolk hero,” Lord Nelson; Sir James Brooke, the Rajah of Sarawak; and other noted characters, were educated here. Opposite the school is a colossal marble statue of Nelson. It was executed by Mr. Milne, of London, and has been highly commended as a work of art. Of this school, and also of the Commercial School, which is under the same trust, we shall have more to say in subsequent pages.
The Gateways to the Cathedral on the west side are deserving of notice.
The Erpingham Gate
is situated directly before the west front of the Cathedral, and is in an excellent state of preservation. It was built in 1428 by Sir Thomas Erpingham, (who lies buried in the choir of the Cathedral) as a penance for having espoused the cause of Wickliffe. It consists of a lofty pointed arch, in the mouldings of which are a series of thirty-eight statues in canopied niches. The spandrels are highly decorated with tracery mouldings and shields, the whole being enclosed in a kind of square frame with semi-circular buttresses, each of which is divided into four compartments with statues, niches, pedestals, and shields. As a matter of some interest, it may here be mentioned that over against the front of this gate is a large block of buildings, enclosing what is commonly called Sampson and Hercules’ Court. The grotesque wood figures, designed to represent these personages, formerly supported the portico, but are now placed in the paved court. The one holds a club, and the other the jawbone of an ass. The house itself was formerly owned by Sir John Fastolf, and afterwards by the Countess of Lincoln; and in the time of Henry VII. by Elizabeth Duchess of Suffolk, who used it as a city house for herself and family. It is now in the occupation of Messrs. Pratt and Hancock, wholesale grocers and cheese factors, who have covered in the whole court.
The Ethelbert Gateway
leads to the south end of the Upper Close. It was built by the citizens as an atonement for the injuries done in a quarrel which they had with the monks in 1272. The chamber over the arch was formerly used as a chapel dedicated to St. Ethelbert, the church of that name having been destroyed during the riots. The west front has a modern pediment of stone tracery, inlaid with flint. Beneath is a series of blank niches with a statue in the centre. In the spandrels of the arch are figures, in basso relievo, of a man with a sword and round shield attacking a dragon. The east front consists of stone tracery and flint with painted windows.
The View from the Castle Hill.
We shall now return to the Castle-hill Walk, which is favourable for a view of the whole city, with all its churches and towers. If we take our position on the eastern side we shall see the broad vale of the Yare, where the Romans came up in their galleys and landed on that side of the river, then very wide. We shall see also where the first street (King Street,) extends southward the whole length of the city, with tall chimnies of great breweries sending forth volumes of smoke. Northward the same street extends to an open space called Tombland; beyond which, Wensum Street and Magdalen Street lead in a straight line to Catton and the village of Sprowston. The circle of vision includes the Cathedral, the Grammar School, St. Helen’s Church, Mousehold Heath, Kett’s Castle, Lollards’ Pit, the hamlet of Thorpe, the churches of St. Peter per Mountergate, St. Julian, and St. Peter Southgate, in King Street. Walking round to the west side, we have before us the spacious Market Place, and the noble church of St. Peter Mancroft, with a mass of buildings. From the Market Place we see several lines of streets running in a direction from east to west; Bethel Street, leading to St. Giles’ Church, and St. Giles’ Street, in a straight line to Heigham. Here in the foreground, the Guildhall is a conspicuous object. More on the right we have London Street, Prince’s Street, St. Andrew’s Street, Pottergate Street, and St. Benedict’s Street, running in lines from east to west. Here, the chief objects are the churches of St. John’s Maddermarket and St. Gregory; and in the distance, St. Lawrence, St. Margaret’s, and St. Michael’s at Coslany. From the north side of the Castle walk we see Exchange Street, Post Office Street leading into St. Andrew’s, and St. George’s Street, Pitt Street, and St. Augustine’s, and St. Martin’s at Oak, all the lower parts of the town, full of close narrow streets, yards, and courts. The principal objects in view are St. Andrew’s Hall, the churches of St. Martin at Oak, St. Mary, St. Augustine, St. George’s Colegate, St. Saviour, St. Clement, St. Peter Hungate, St. Michael at Plea, St. Paul, St. Simon and Jude, St. Edmund, and St. George Tombland.
The Cattle Market.
The Cattle Market, on the south side of the hill, has been greatly extended, and presents the most extensive area for the purpose in England. On the east side whole blocks of old houses have been cleared away, and great additions made to the space for the display of horses, cattle, sheep, and pigs. The improvements cost the city over £50,000. Every Saturday the hill presents a busy and highly interesting scene, and a vast amount of business is transacted here in the space of a few hours. The area has recently been further enlarged by the demolition of some old houses at the corner of Golden Ball Street. A line of new houses has been built on the east side, ending with the handsome show rooms of Messrs. Holmes and Sons, the well-known Agricultural Machine Makers, who have won many prizes for their implements.
The Shirehall.
The Shirehall, on the Castle Meadow, was erected from a plan by William Wilkins, Esq. It was commenced on September 9th, 1822, and opened September 27th, 1823, and is a poor imitation of the Tudor style of architecture. It stands on the north-east side of the Castle, and is a substantial brick edifice, possessing all the usual accommodations. It comprises Crown Court, Nisi Prius Court, and rooms for witnesses and others. The county assizes and sessions are held in these courts. Near the crown court there is a small room communicating, by a shaft, with the prison above, whence prisoners are brought down for trial. The grand Jury room is a large apartment, and the walls are adorned with fine portraits of the late Lord Wodehouse and the late Earl of Leicester, painted by Sir T. Lawrence. There is also a portrait of the late Henry Dover, Esq., for many years Chairman at Quarter Sessions.
The Guildhall.
The Guildhall is a large antique building, chiefly