| Summary : The now ruined Norwich city wall was built between 1297 and 1350. It followed the ditch constructed about 1253 which replaced an earlier ditch. The wall, which was originally about 2 ¼ miles long, is built of flint rubble strongly bonded with mortar. It is faced with knapped stone in some areas. Arcades carrying the wall walk, recessed to cover the embrasures of arrow slits, were built throughout the length of the wall except on the section which ascends Carrow Hill. The similarity of details throughout suggests either a fairly short period of construction, or a uniform plan behind the whole programme. |
More information : (TG 226084 - TG 238076) CITY WALL (NR) (Remains of) and (course of) (1)
Norwich city wall was built between 1297 and 1350, it followed the ditch constructed about 1253 which replaced an earlier ditch. The wall, which was originally about 2 1/4ml. long, is built of flint rubble strongly bonded with mortar. It is sometimes faced with knapped stone. Arcades carrying the wall walk, and recessed to cover the embrasures of arrow slits, were built throughout the length of the wall except on the section which ascends Carrow Hill. The similarity of details throughout suggests either a fairly short period of construction, or a uniform plan behind the whole programme. For details of wall see plan (for exact siting see OS 1:2500 plans) and Auth 3. The sections of the wall remaining are Scheduled and Listed Grade I. (2-4)
Asection of wall near St Stephens Gate (TG228080) has gunports. (5)
During Kett's Rebellion, the rebels, poorly armed and without guns, broke into Norwich by swimming the Wensum, utflanking the Bishopgate and siezing it from behind. Later, the Government forces under the Earl of Warwick scaled the decaying walls without preliminary bombardment. When Kett's men obtained some artillery and placed it on Mousehold Heath, the vulnerablity of the walls to artillery was exposed.
In 1642 during the Civil war, plans were laid to defend the ciy, Conesfrd, St Augustine's and Bishops Gates being blocked and backed by earth and rubble, but the proposed defences were not implemented beyond that. In 1643, the inhabitants felt secure enough to unblock the three blocked gates. (6) |