Dragon Hall, Norwich

Last updated

Dragon Hall
The Old Barge
The Dragon Hall in Norwich - geograph.org.uk - 3893441.jpg
Location Norwich, Norfolk
Coordinates 52°37′31″N1°18′05″E / 52.6253°N 1.3014°E / 52.6253; 1.3014
Built14th century with 15th century rebuilding and additions
Listed Building – Grade I
Designated26 February 1954
Reference no.1051236
Location map United Kingdom Norwich Central.png
Red pog.svg
Location of Dragon Hall in Norwich
Norfolk UK location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Dragon Hall, Norwich (Norfolk)

Dragon Hall is a Grade-1 listed medieval merchant's trading hall located in King Street, Norwich, Norfolk, close to the River Wensum, and since 2018 home to the National Centre for Writing. It is thought to be unique in being the only such trading hall in Northern Europe to be owned by one man. The building stands on what was the main road through the city in the 15th century, with river transport links via Great Yarmouth to the Low Countries. Dragon Hall is now acknowledged as one of Norwich's medieval architectural gems and an iconic building in the city.

Contents

The Great Hall on the first floor was built in the 15th century, but some parts of the site are older. Archaeological research shows evidence of an Anglo-Saxon hut c.1000 beneath the Hall. On the northern part of the site, in the late 13th century, the abbey at Woburn, Bedfordshire, had a fish processing operation with various outbuildings and a track to a staithe or quay. There was also a boundary wall with a large brick arch to give access to King Street. In about 1330 an L-shaped domestic 'hall house' owned by John Page was built on the southern part of the site with an undercroft and an entrance on the south side from Old Barge Yard.

In about 1427 Robert Toppes, a Norwich merchant, re-developed the site as a commercial complex. He built his first-floor trading hall on top of part of the 14th-century domestic hall house and on top of the existing boundary wall and brick arch. He retained the 14th-century entrance to the hall house for his customers. From the entrance passage his customers went up a new staircase to the first-floor trading hall. This was a timber construction of seven bays with a crown post roof, decorated with carvings in the spandrels of 14 dragons. The hall was constructed with English oak, using some 1,000 trees. At the rear of the building he created a yard space with access to the river for his imports and exports, a warehouse area under the hall and a new stairway down to the extended undercroft from the yard. Part of the hall house was retained as a ground-floor reception area.

Robert Toppes

Little is known of Robert Toppes, who during the 1420s bought the land where Dragon Hall now stands. He was an exporter of worsted and an importer of finished textiles, iron goods, wine and spices. He rose to become an important figure in the politics of the city of Norwich, becoming the city's Treasurer before he was 30, and later becoming Sheriff. He became mayor on four separate occasions and represented the city as its member of parliament four times. He was involved a disputed election which resulted in him exiled to Bristol. and was indicted in the aftermath of the 'Gladman's Insurrection'.

Toppes' second wife, Joan Knyvett, was related to the Pastons, who were linked with the Paston Letters . He owned numerous properties throughout East Anglia. He paid for a large stained-glass window in the church of St Peter Mancroft, panels of which have survived. When he died in 1467, [1] he provided priests to pray for his soul, paying for this by the sale of his property on King Street.

1467 to 1960s

After being sold in 1467, the hall was gradually divided into smaller and smaller houses, and the original bay windows were replaced with doors and sash windows. The internal structure was redesigned, with the insertion of new floors and cellars. The building became known as the Old Barge Building, named after the nearby pub. Poor quality housing built up around the spaces adjoining the building. By the 19th century some 150 people were known be living there.

In 1937 a Slum Clearance programme was implemented, which removed most of the slum housing at the back of the site. By the 1950s the front of the hall building looking onto King Street had been adapted for use as a butcher's shop, with a rectory situated behind it, and the Old Barge pub at the southern end. In 1954 the building was awarded Grade I listed building status. [2]

Restoration 1970s to 2006

Following deeper examination by the Norwich Survey, based at the University of East Anglia, architectural historians and other interested people realised that the building was of great historical importance and a committee was set up to restore the hall. In 1979 Norwich City Council bought the building which was by then uninhabited and a major programme of fund raising, restoration and research began. The Norfolk and Norwich Heritage Trust was formed to run the hall; partition walls, attic floors, chimneys and fireplaces were removed and the hall was restored to something like its original state. In 1986 it was renamed as 'Dragon Hall' and became a heritage attraction, a resource for the local community and an educational centre. In 1997/98 there was a major archaeological investigation of the area behind the Hall. Following a major Heritage Lottery Fund grant in 2005/06, further improvements were made, including the addition of a north wing with displays, a lift, offices, a kitchen and a meeting room.

The National Centre for Writing

In 2015 the lease of the premises was taken over by the Writers’ Centre Norwich, [3] and in 2016 the Norfolk and Norwich Heritage Trust was wound up. [4] In 2018 the Writers Centre Norwich became the National Centre for Writing, [5] and they added a new North Wing with extensive office and meeting spaces. An existing 19th-century cottage on the site was also converted as a residential facility for visiting writers and translators. The Dragon Hall Volunteers were re-constituted as the Dragon Hall Heritage Volunteers, and they continue to act as tour guides, to give external talks to local clubs and societies and to act as guardians and promoters of the heritage of Dragon Hall by the creation of an on-line archive of documents and photographs. They also have a Local History Study Group and a Mummers group.

Public access

Bookable, guided tours of Dragon Hall are normally available twice a month. [6] On the Heritage Open Days in September, additional tours have in previous years been organised, [7] and special tours and bookings by groups can also be arranged. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norfolk</span> County of England

Norfolk is a ceremonial county in the East of England and East Anglia. It borders Lincolnshire and The Wash to the north-west, the North Sea to the north and east, Cambridgeshire to the west, and Suffolk to the south. The largest settlement is the city of Norwich.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blakeney, Norfolk</span> Coastal village in Norfolk, England

Blakeney is a coastal village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. Blakeney lies within the Norfolk Coast AONB and the North Norfolk Heritage Coast. The North Norfolk Coastal Path travels along its quayside. The village is 21.1 mi (34 km) north west of Norwich, 4.6 mi (7.4 km) NNW of the larger settlement of Holt, 11.5 mi (18.5 km) west of Cromer and 112 mi (180 km) NNE of London.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wymondham</span> Market town in Norfolk, England

Wymondham is a market town and civil parish in the South Norfolk district of Norfolk, England, 12 miles (19 km) south-west of Norwich off the A11 road to London. The River Tiffey runs through. The parish, one of Norfolk's largest, includes rural areas to the north and south, with hamlets of Suton, Silfield, Spooner Row and Wattlefield. It had a population of 14,405 in 2011, of whom 13,587 lived in the town itself.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norwich</span> City and non-metropolitan district in Norfolk, England

Norwich is a cathedral city and district of the county of Norfolk, England of which it is the county town. Norwich is by the River Wensum, about 100 mi (160 km) north-east of London, 40 mi (64 km) north of Ipswich and 65 mi (105 km) east of Peterborough. As the seat of the See of Norwich, with one of the country's largest medieval cathedrals, it is the largest settlement and has the largest urban area in East Anglia. The population of the Norwich City Council local authority area was estimated to be 144,000 in 2021, which was an increase from 143,135 in 2019. The wider built-up area had a population of 213,166 in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aylsham</span> Town in Norfolk, England

Aylsham is a historic market town and civil parish on the River Bure in north Norfolk, England, nearly 9 mi (14 km) north of Norwich. The river rises near Melton Constable, 11 miles (18 km) upstream from Aylsham and continues to Great Yarmouth and the North Sea, although it was only made navigable after 1779, allowing grain, coal and timber to be brought up river.

The Paston Letters is a collection of correspondence between members of the Paston family of Norfolk gentry and others connected with them in England between the years 1422 and 1509. The collection also includes state papers and other important documents.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norwich Castle</span> Norman castle in Norwich, England

Norwich Castle is a medieval royal fortification in the city of Norwich, in the English county of Norfolk. William the Conqueror (1066–1087) ordered its construction in the aftermath of the Norman Conquest of England. The castle was used as a gaol from 1220 to 1887. In 1894 the Norwich Museum moved to Norwich Castle. The museum and art gallery holds significant objects from the region, especially works of art, archaeological finds and natural history specimens.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Weeting Castle</span> Ruined, medieval manor house in England

Weeting Castle is a ruined, medieval manor house near the village of Weeting in Norfolk, England. It was built around 1180 by Hugh de Plais, and comprised a three-storey tower, a substantial hall, and a service block, with a separate kitchen positioned near the house. A moat was later dug around the site in the 13th century. The house was not fortified, although it drew on architectural features typically found in castles of the period, and instead formed a very large, high-status domestic dwelling. It was probably intended to resemble the hall at Castle Acre Castle, owned by Hugh's feudal lord, Hamelin de Warenne.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paston Great Barn</span> Barn in Paston

Paston Great Barn is a medieval barn near Paston Hall on the southeast edge of the village of Paston in northeast Norfolk, owned by the North Norfolk Historic Buildings Trust. Dating from 1581, the building has a long association with the Paston family. A scheduled monument and a grade II* listed building, the barn is the centre of a 0.95 hectares biological Site of Special Scientific Interest, a National Nature Reserve and a Special Area of Conservation. It is in the Norfolk Coast Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gresham, Norfolk</span> Human settlement in England

Gresham is a village and civil parish in North Norfolk, England, five miles (8 km) south-west of Cromer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hellesdon</span> Human settlement in England

Hellesdon is a village in the District of Broadland in Norfolk, England. It lies approximately four miles (6 km) north-west of Norwich city centre and has a population of 11,132, according to the 2011 Census. Norwich International Airport immediately adjoins the parish.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Forum, Norwich</span> Community building in Norwich, England

The Forum is a public building in Norwich, United Kingdom. The building opened in 2001 and was designed by the British architectural firm Sir Michael Hopkins and Partners. It was built to serve as a replacement to the Norwich Central Library, which burnt down on the site in 1994. After a proposal for a site named Technopolis was rejected, a second version, which was named New Technopolis before changing to the Forum, was constructed. The Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library sits to the west end of the building, with office and commercial spaces and studios for the BBC around a main atrium. The building is fronted by a glass façade with a surrounding brick wall and inner steel frame supporting a glass and zinc panel roof. The project cost £66 million, of which £31 million was from the Millennium Commission. The library has been named one of the most popular in the country, while The Forum is a venue for public events and festivals and the outside plain hosts live performances. Despite winning several awards, the building has been criticised for its use of materials and has been likened to a shopping mall and airport terminal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norwich Cinema City</span>

Cinema City is a Grade I listed cultural cinema in the city of Norwich in Norfolk, England. The building is owned by Norwich City Council and the site is managed by the charity Cinema City Ltd, charity number 288309. Commercial activities - film screenings, bar and restaurant - are carried out by Picturehouse Cinemas Limited which operates a national chain of 'art house' cinemas, called Picturehouse. Picturehouse is part of the Cineworld chain. Cinema City Ltd undertakes education activities on site and throughout Norfolk through its education arm Cinema Plus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paston, Norfolk</span> Human settlement in England

Paston is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The village is 4 miles (6.4 km) north-east of North Walsham and 9.1 miles (14.6 km) south-east of Cromer. It is 19.2 miles (30.9 km) north-east of the city of Norwich. The village sits astride the coast road between Mundesley and Bacton. The nearest railway station is at North Walsham for the Bittern Line which runs between Sheringham, Cromer and Norwich. The nearest airport is Norwich International.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chester Rows</span> Buildings in Chester, England

Chester Rows are a set of structures in each of the four main streets of Chester, in the United Kingdom, consisting of a series of covered walkways on the first floor behind which are entrances to shops and other premises. At street level is another set of shops and other premises, many of which are entered by going down a few steps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norwich Guildhall</span> Municipal building in Norwich, Norfolk, England

Norwich Guildhall is a municipal building on Gaol Hill in the city of Norwich, United Kingdom. It is a Grade I listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norwich 12</span> Initiative in Norwich

Norwich 12 was an initiative by the Norwich Heritage Economic and Regeneration Trust (HERT) to develop 12 of Norwich's most iconic buildings into an integrated family of heritage attractions to act as an international showcase of English urban and cultural development over the last 1,000 years.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strangers' Hall</span> Museum and Grade I listed building in Norwich, UK

Strangers' Hall is a Grade I listed building and museum of domestic history located in Norwich, UK. Throughout its 700-year history, Strangers' Hall has been the home to numerous Mayors of Norwich and has served both domestic and commercial functions. A courtyard house, the oldest part of the building is the 14th-century undercroft while further additions were made through to the 17th century by various merchants and mayors, most notably the Sotherton family, Francis Cock and Joseph Paine. The house ended up in the hands of the Roman Catholic church before being bought by Leonard Bolingbroke, who converted it into a folk museum at the start of the 20th century. He then gave the house to the city of Norwich, which has since run it as a museum of domestic history. Although other theories have been proposed regarding the origins of the name of the house, it is named after the Strangers, a group of Protestant refugees seeking political asylum from the Catholic Low Countries from 1565, some of whom lived in the hall.

Sir Henry Heydon was the son of John Heydon of Baconsthorpe, Norfolk, 'the well-known opponent of the Paston family'. He married Anne Boleyn, the daughter of Sir Geoffrey Boleyn, great-grandfather of Henry VIII's queen Anne Boleyn.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guildhall of St George</span> Grade I listed building in Kings Lynn, Norfolk, England

The Guildhall of St George is a Grade I listed building in King’s Lynn, Norfolk, England. The Guild of St George was founded in 1376 and constructed the Guildhall between 1410 and 1420. It is the largest extant guildhall in England. It has been in use as a theatre since 1445, making it the oldest theatre still operating in the United Kingdom, and the only one still in existence in which William Shakespeare is believed to have performed. The building is in the ownership of the National Trust, which has leased it to King's Lynn and West Norfolk borough council for hire as a music, performances, lectures and entertainment venue.

References

  1. Richardson, Everingham & Faris 2011, p. 91.
  2. Historic England. "The Old Barge (1051236)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 29 June 2022.
  3. Knights, Emma (9 October 2017). "New chapter for Dragon Hall as building work to begin on National Centre for Writing". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  4. "Norfolk and Norwich Heritage Trust Limited (The)". Companies House. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  5. "National Centre for Writing Launches in Norwich, Launching New Chapter in Literary City". FMcM. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  6. "Tours of Dragon Hall". National Centre for Writing. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  7. Baldwin, Louisa (6 July 2020). "Heritage Open Days to return to Norfolk for 2020". Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 25 July 2020.
  8. "Dragon Hall". National Centre for Writing. Retrieved 25 July 2020.

Sources

Further reading