By an act in 1726, certain duties are laid on goods brought into this city, for the repair of its bridges, walls, gates, the staiths, wharfs and roads.—Markets on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and a market for horses and cattle every Saturday on the Castle Ditches; also the following fairs, viz. Maundy Thursday, and Saturday before Whitsuntide, on Tombland; Easter and Whitsun Monday and Tuesday, without Bishopsgate; St. Faith’s, the Tuesday after St. Michael, and Maudlin, or St. Mary Magdalen.
The Yare, which runs through the city, is navigable so far without the help of locks.
The Shire house of the county, that stood on the hill near the castle, having been burnt down by accident, an act of parliament passed in 1746/7, for holding the summer assizes and general quarter sessions in the city, till a new Shire-house was rebuilt; and for raising money to defray the charge of it.—On a hill on the other side of the river, are the remains of the castle of Kett, the tanner, of Wymondham, by whose rebellion, in the reign of Edward VI. this city was reduced to a ruinous state.
In the suburbs were formerly three parochial churches, besides three chapels, a nunnery with its church, a priory and church, an hospital and chapel, and five leper houses at the gates, with their chapels; and the Jews had once a synagogue here.
Besides the cathedral, castle, guild-hall, bridewell, churches, and other public buildings already mentioned, the bishop hath a palace on the north side of the cathedral, to which belong gardens elegantly laid out. The Free Grammar-school near this, is a neat spacious gothic building, formerly used as the charnel-house. The Deanry, and its offices, are situated in the Close; but neither these, or the Prebendaries, have any pretensions to uniformity.
The New Hall in St. Andrew’s, in which the Mayor’s guild-feasts are held, is a very handsome building, fifty yards long and thirty wide. It was founded about the year 1428, and was the place where the company of St. George used to hold their meetings of business and pleasure. It is now the common hall of the city, and is decorated with portraits of many eminent persons.
The Norfolk and Norwich Hospital was built by voluntary subscription in 1772. It is a very neat edifice, well supported, and properly conducted.—Bethel is an hospital for lunatics, founded in 1713, under good regulation.—What is called the Duke’s Palace, and now converted into a workhouse for the poor, was formerly the residence of the dukes of Norfolk.
Cooke’s Hospital, in the Rose-lane, maintains ten poor women; and Doughty’s, which was founded in 1687, supports 24 poor men and eight women.
The city prison is opposite the Guild-hall: It is a close building, where debtors and the felons are kept.
The quarter-sessions of Norfolk is held at the Castle in January, April, July, and October; and also for the city of Norwich. The Lent assize of the county is held at Thetford and the summer assize at Norwich; at which, also, the city prisoners are tried.