Elm Hill today
The most complete medieval street in the city, Elm Hill extends from the Church of St Peter Hungate to the Church of St Simon and St Jude and is part of the Norwich Cathedral Quarter. It is a photographer’s dream, retaining its character whatever the season. Wander up and down Elm Hill and admire the listed buildings or explore its many courtyards, maybe take some time out to sit and enjoy your surroundings in Elm Hill Gardens.
There are many interesting independent shops in which to browse or from where to buy that special gift. The Bear Shop is a quaint little place offering an array of handmade bears and collectables. Explore craft shops such as The Jade Tree and Elm Hill Craft Shop. You can also find antique shops and second-hand bookshops. For a bite to eat try Britons Arms, a family run business, which serves the most delicious homemade food or you could try another café Olives or the teashop in Wrights Court. If you are an art lover then why not take time to visit Mandell’s Gallery.
If you would like to learn more about the history of this area while you explore then HEART have produced a Cathedral Quarter and Elm Hill Walking Trail booklet which is available from Norwich Tourist Information centre and other outlets throughout the city. They also have a booklet called “Elm Hill Stories” which was written by the Friends of Elm Hill and also published by HEART as part of their Norwich Stories series.
Did you know…?
• Elm Hill was named after the Elm trees that successively stood in the square for centuries before Dutch Elm disease arrived in the UK.
• Elm Hill was used as a film location for the Hollywood film ‘Stardust’
• The Briton’s Arms has a rooftop garden where you can enjoy refreshments in the summer
Elm Hill past
During the 15th & 16th century Elm Hill and the river were important commercial thoroughfares and many weavers, dyers, goldsmiths and other skilled craftsmen settled in the area. The houses were mostly larger than the ones you see today which have been divided into smaller houses or shops and flats. By the early 20th century it was no longer the home to wealthy merchants and had instead become a slum area. It was thanks to the creation of the Norwich Society that buildings on Elm Hill were saved from demolition and renovated.
Elm Hill used to continue in a straight line and intersect with St Georges Street but in the 15th Century it was re-aligned to permit the construction of St Andrew’s and Blackfriars Hall. It fell victim in 1507 to a major fire, which destroyed over 700 houses in Norwich. The Britons Arms, however, managed to survive this fire; the building is early Tudor and used to be a ‘beguinage’. It has had associations with the wool and weaving industry and in 1760 it became an Ale House. No 29 & 29a and No 40 were also at one time public houses. The former was known as The Crown and the latter ‘The Turkey Cock’ for most of its existence. In May 1879, licensee Maria Swash was convicted of allowing consumption out of hours and received a 10 shilling fine plus 17/6d costs and 14 days detention. In the public house at No 29 a similar fate befell Thomas Clarke who was convicted of allowing consumption out of hours and fined 5 shillings plus 7 shillings costs. In 1909 Lewis Hardwood was convicted of permitting drunkenness and fined £2 plus 8 shillings costs and Arthur Warminger was in 1918 convicted for consumption out of hours and in 1924 for selling out of hours.
Elm Hill has been home to many mayors of Norwich. No’s 37 & 39 were originally one house and in the 16th & 17th centuries former mayors Simon Bowde, Thomas Lane and Richard Halman lived there. The Pettus family lived in a mansion where No 41 & 43 can now be found. The family included Thomas Pettus, Mayor in 1590, and Sir John Pettus, Mayor in 1608, who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth I. In the 17th century, No 32 was home to William Gostling who became Mayor and who, during the Civil War, found himself imprisoned for his loyalty to the Crown. John Baker, who became Mayor of Norwich in 1584 lived in a large house than has since been divided into No 34 & 36. Finally, No’s 28 & 30 was home to Francis Columbine, a well-known Huguenot merchant, who served as Mayor in 1776.
One of the most famous visitors to the street was Queen Elizabeth I who is rumoured to have watched a pageant from the first floor window of Augustine Steward’s house which stood where No’s 20, 22 & 26 are today. Augustine Steward was a well known local merchant who rebuilt this house after the fire of 1507.
Did you know…?
• During Kett’s rebellion fierce fighting took place in the Elm Hill and Tombland area.
• An 18th century underground passageway was found in 1979 running between an old public house, nunnery and monastery.
• There are a number of undercrofts beneath the historic buildings of Elm Hill including one at No 20
