A Comprehensive History of Norwich. A. D. Bayne
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an account of Religious Orders and Houses, and the Hospitals of the City.
After the new corporation was constituted, all Kirkpatrick’s MSS. were dispersed into different hands. The late Hudson Gurney, Esq., obtained possession of some of them, and published a very limited number of copies of those relating to the castle and to religious houses. Mr. Dawson Turner edited the last-named MS. (No. 12), and it was printed in 1845. He says that all the other MSS. had disappeared, but that they were safe in the custody of the old corporation, thirty years before (1815), when Mr. De Hague held the office of town clerk.
Fortunately, Mr. Kirkpatrick was the contemporary of the Rev. F. Blomefield, the historian of Norfolk, who appreciated his researches, and bore this testimony to his merits:—
“Mr. Kirkpatrick was a most laborious antiquary and made great collections for the city of Norwich, of which he published a large prospectus. In pursuing his studies, he worked with Peter Le Neve, Norroy; and as they were very intimate, they mutually exchanged their collections for this place, Mr. Kirkpatrick giving all his draughts to Mr. Le Neve, and Mr. Le Neve giving his to Mr. Kirkpatrick. To the labours of both these gentlemen I am exceedingly obliged, and did I not acknowledge my obligations in this public manner, I should inwardly condemn myself as guilty of the highest ingratitude.”
Mr. Blomefield was, indeed, indebted to his deceased friend for the most valuable parts of his History of Norwich, published in 1742. It is the only part of his work which can be properly called history, the rest consisting of topographical descriptions of different hundreds and parishes in Norfolk. Mr. Blomefield began to print his “History of Norfolk” at his own press in his own house at Fersfield, in 1739, by subscription, and intended to publish a list of his subscribers when the whole was finished. During his life the History came out in monthly folio numbers; but he died when he had proceeded as far as page 678 of the third volume. This volume was completed by the Rev. Charles Parkin, rector of Oxburgh, Suffolk; and after his death was printed in 1769 by Whittingham, bookseller at Lynn, by whom the “Continuation” was published in two more volumes in 1777, these two volumes being very inferior to the previous three. Blomefield’s work is of course the chief source of information respecting Norwich, and it has been republished in many abridged forms, the best edition being that printed by J. Crouse for M. Booth, bookseller, in 1781, in ten vols., the last relating to Norwich. Many smaller abridgements have also been published, carrying on the narrative to a later date.
The most reliable authority for the whole of the eighteenth century is the “Norfolk Remembrancer,” compiled with great care by Mr. Matchett. R. Fitch, Esq., published a very full and accurate account of the Old Walls and Gates from J. Kirkpatrick’s MSS., illustrated with views by the late John Ninham. B. B. Woodward, Esq., F.S.A., librarian of the royal library at Windsor Castle, has also been a contributor to the history of the old city, but as yet we have only brief reports of his lectures “On Norwich in the Olden Time,” as published in the local journals. He directed attention to the purely fictitious accounts of the origin of the city to be found in the early historians, who drew in all good faith on their fertile imaginations. He gave a much more probable account, and described the progress of the city at different periods, as quoted in the following pages. Mr. Harrod, too, has contributed a good deal to more accurate views of early periods, especially in relation to the earth-works of the castle, and to the monasteries.
The chapters on the “Rise and Progress of Nonconformists in Norwich” in this history, are the first given in any work of the kind, and supply information which will readily account for the political condition of the city. From a few hundreds in the seventeenth century, the Nonconformists have so greatly increased that now they number many thousands, and have at the same time attained to considerable wealth and influence.
The chapters on Trade and Commerce supply a new feature in Norwich history, and are very important to men of business. The information on this head, including the history of the Manufactures and of the Wholesale Trade of the city, is for the most part taken from Essays, by the compiler, to which the prizes were awarded at the Norwich Industrial Exhibition of 1867.
The great length of the secular narrative must suffice as an apology for the brevity of the ecclesiastical details, which occupy the greater portion of Blomefield’s work. A full history of the churches in Norwich would fill many volumes; indeed, Kirkpatrick’s account of the Old Religious Houses occupies as many as 300 pages. But the general reader would not be interested by such details.
A full history of Norwich, up to the latest date, has long been wanted, and the present compiler has availed himself of all sources of information, but he has been obliged to compress a great deal into a small compass. He has introduced many notices of eminent citizens of every period, including bishops and ministers of all denominations, who exercised much influence in their day and generation.
Accurate views of local history afford the clearest insight into the state of society at different periods. Thus the records of Norwich Castle prove that nearly all the land in the country was either assigned to bear, or was chargeable with, the castle guard of some castle or other in ancient times. The castles being fortresses were the centres around which large towns arose, and where people most congregated for protection in lawless ages. The whole island was one vast camp during the feudal period. Monasteries were the only places of refuge for travellers, or for the destitute poor, and when the religious houses were dissolved, an entire change took place in the state of society.
Local history, properly understood, is not a dry register of events, but leads from particular conclusions to higher generalisations. The predominance of certain ideas at different times produced all the events of those periods. Norwich men took an active part in all the great movements of the day—in the Reformation, the Civil Wars, the Commonwealth, and all the agitations of more modern times. Therefore, the story of the city is interesting and important in every period, and it is identified with the whole course of events in East Anglia. Indeed, it is difficult to separate the history of Norwich, the capital of East Anglia, from that of the whole district.
SUMMARY OF CONTENTS.
| PART I. | |
| PAGES | |
| Survey of Norwich. Rise and Progress of the City—The Modern City—Public Buildings—Parishes and Parish Churches—Nonconformist Chapels. | 9–115 |
| PART II. Chapter I. | |
| The Ancient City—Old Walls and Gates—Desecrated Churches and Chapels—Monastic Institutions—Monumental Brasses | 116–145 |
| Chapter II. | |
| The Aborigines | 146–151 |
| Chapter III. | |
| Norwich in the Roman Period—The Venta Icenorum | 152–157 |
| Chapter IV. | |
| Norwich in the Anglo-Saxon Period | 151–161 |
| Chapter V. | |
| Norwich under the Danes | 162–164 |