the southern part reached to the Golden-Ball-lane, where the grand gate stood.
According to Mr. Wilkins, the entrance into the Barbican was at the south end of Golden-Ball-Lane, and not at the north, as Blomfield has it; over each foss in this direction was a bridge, but only one of them remains; this extends across the inner ditch, and according to Mr. Wilkins, is formed of “the largest and most perfect arch of Saxon workmanship in the kingdom.” This bridge is nearly 150 feet in extent, and the Castle stands just across it on the south west part of the hill; the extent of the Castle from east to west, including a small tower through which was the principal entrance, is 110 feet 3 inches, and from north to south, 92 feet 10 inches; and the height to the top of the battlements, 69 feet 6 inches; the height of the basement story is about 24 feet, which is faced with rough flint; the upper part is ornamented with small arches and decorated so as to appear something like Mosaic work; the small tower before-mentioned on the east side, was of a richer kind of architecture, called, Bigod’s Tower, which is now chiefly inclosed, defaced or pulled down, as in the year 1793 the county thought it necessary to erect a new goal, and it was resolved to attach it to the eastern side of the old Castle. Mr. Wilkins expresses himself justly indignant at the addition, which he calls an heterogeneous and discordant mass.—This venerable pile has been a castle of defence to British, Saxon, and Norman kings; it has been the boast and pride of the province for ages past, yet by this recent change
it is bereaved of its ancient beauty; but, surely, whatever alterations were necessary, they might have preserved the same character and apparent date of architecture with the mutilated parts of this stately pile. The interior is also now an unroofed area, although formerly covered and divided by floors. The entrance to the top of the Castle is on the west side, at the south corner by a flight of 99 steps.
The Castle precinct contains upwards of six acres, and the summit of the hill is in circumference 360 yards, the whole of which is enclosed with iron palisadoes, as is also the ditch around it; which, within the last 20 years, have been occupied for gardens, many of which are tastefully laid out; and the summit of the hill on all sides commands a most delightful view of the city and surrounding country. The Castle with the hill and ditch surrounding it, may be considered a chef d’œuvre, and the prospect therefrom superior to any thing of the kind in England.
A panoramic view of the city and surrounding country has been lately published by Messrs. Stevenson, Matchett, and Stevenson, taken from several stations on the hill.
The shirehouse which joins the Castle, has lately undergone complete internal repair, and considerable alteration whereby the courts are enlarged and rendered much more commodious than heretofore; and here all county business is transacted, and the summer assizes held.
The town of Nor-wic probably soon succeeded the building of the Castle, and became occupied by the Anglo-Romans, from Castor, at
which time it appears to have been chiefly inhabited by fishermen and merchants. According to ancient manuscripts, a large arm of the sea flowed up to Norwich, till about the time of William the Conqueror. There exists positive evidence of Norwich being a fishing town in the reign of Canute, about the year 1020. In the time of Edward the Confessor, about the year 1050, it appears to have had 25 churches, and 1320 Burgesses; during the peaceable reign of Edward, and his successor, Harold, it continued to increase in wealth and population. In the year 1075, it experienced a serious decrease by siege; in about the year 1085, according to Doomsday book, a great number of houses were uninhabited, yet the churches were increased to 54, and the houses to 738, which, allowing six persons to each house, makes the population 4428. In the reign of William II. the bishop’s see was removed from Thetford hither, which together with a great influx of Jews at that time, made a considerable increase to the population. In the reign of Henry I. the government of the city was separated from the castle jurisdiction and in the following reign licence was granted for Norwich to have coroners and bailiffs. In the time of Richard I. 1193, the inhabitants were called citizens.
The city wall was begun in 1294, and finished in 1320.
Previous to the plague in 1348, according to Blomfield, the population amounted to 70,000; but, surely, this account as applied to the city, must appear incredible from the extent of the walls, and from the increase of population since