Hints for Public Improvements.
1. Every Street, lane, and thoroughfare, should have its proper Name, distinctly and correctly painted, and put up at the corner or entrance of each. To ascertain this, the church-wardens ought to consult authentic records and history, and not to be guided by the vulgar or temporary adoption of ill-informed persons. We have endeavoured, as much as possible, to be correct on this head; and, if found so, hope to be the humble means of governing this regulation.
2. The Houses in each street, &c. should necessarily be numbered. The mode of doing this, with precision, we have adopted, and doubt not but it will also become the general rule:—Beginning from the Market-place on the right hand, and returning on the left. It may, however, be found proper in some instances (as in streets remote, and in a contrary direction, from the market) to be guided by convenience and situation. We have had due regard to this; and have affixed the numbers accordingly.—☞ The best and cheapest mode of distinguishing the number of each house or shop, is by painted figures on the door, above, or on each side.
3. The hanging Signs in every part of the city should be taken down: they are not only very dangerous and disagreeable in windy weather, but interrupt the view, and impede the free circulation of air:—an object of the first consequence in a great town.
4. The Water-Spouts have been chiefly removed; but we wish to have them totally abolished; as indeed we do every public nuisance.
5. This, and most other ancient towns are horridly paved: and it is difficult, as well as expensive, to produce an alteration of so much consequence, as that of raising the cause-way in the middle, with channels and foot-paths (flag’d) on each side. Many of the streets in Norwich are too narrow to admit of this, but surely St. Giles’s Broad-street, St. Stephen’s-street, Ber-street, King-street, Magdalen-street, Coslany-street, Colegate-street, Upper Westwick-street, &c. &c. might be rendered handsome and commodious by a pavement, in the manner of Upper Surry street.
6. The improvement lately made in the Lower Close, though it met with much popular clamour and opposition, is very much to the honor of the worthy gentleman who formed the inclosed area, now called Lower Close, or Dean Square. If the stables on the south side were to give way to uniform dwelling-houses, the buildings would be more complete.
7. The ground that has been levelled and cleared in front of St. Andrew’s Hall, is one of the few improvements this city has lately received. Had the area been still more open and extended, the alteration had been more perfect.
8. As the road through the city is both difficult, dark, and dangerous, we would propose opening and widening such parts as might render the whole airy and easy of access. To this end, the great entrance to the Market place, through Brigs’s-lane, should be opened; at least, the turn from the Rampant-horse-street, or Horse-market, should be rounded, by taking away the corners. From the Market-place to the Red Well, the Cockey-lane and London-lane is so narrow and irregular, that frequent interruptions, and sometimes accidents, happen by carriages meeting. Persons on foot must squeeze themselves into a dark alley, or burst into a shop, to avoid being run over or crushed against the walls; whilst, in wet weather, you are drenched by torrents of water from the houses, or plunged into a gutter, knee deep.
If the Back of the Inns would admit of carriages, from the Hog-hill to London-lane, it would be a safer thorough-fare. The houses and stables on the west side are of little value, comparatively with the advantage; and the rents of good houses and shops on that side, would amply recompence the trouble and charge of rebuilding the street, at 25 or 30 feet width.