NHER 201 (Building record) - Curat's House, 3 and 4 Haymarket, Norwich

16th-century timber-framed house on 15th-century undercroft.

[Date Unknown]. Scheduled. NF 13.
Curat's House, Haymarket, Norwich.
First known description:
Of great architectural and archaeological value, having much carved oak panelling and ceilings. It has a court yard and was built by John Curat, who was sheriff of the City in 1531.
The condition is good.
Information from (S21).
H. Hamilton (HES), 01 June 2018.

1954. Listed, Grade II*.
Listing Description Excerpt:
Former house now shop, offices and surgery with 15th-century undercroft. 16th-century with 18th- and 20th-century alterations. Rendered timber frame at first floor and brick stair turrets to rear range. Brick street range. Pantile roofs. L-shape plan with the longest axis at right-angles to the street line."
Also Scheduled as an Ancient Monument.
Information from (S1).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S1) for the current details.
P. Watkins (HES), 31 August 2017. Amended H. Hamilton (HES), 8 November 2019.

March 1971.
Sold by auction.
See sale particulars (S2) and copy of photograph taken shortly before the sale (S3).
P. Watkins (HES), 16 October 2015.

1972.
Former course of Great Cockey revealed; Late Saxon and medieval sherds. Floors revealed.

October 1972. Building Survey.
Building examined by A. Carter, prior to or during structural alterations.
The earliest surviving part of the building is a small two-bay vaulted undercroft of 14th-century date, which is connected to a small vaulted chamber that was probably the garderobe or cess pit of the overlying medieval building. This building was probably L-shaped in plan, with one range fronting Haymarket and another, rear range at right angles to this, above the undercroft. It appears that this medieval building was rebuilt and extended by John Curat in the first half of the 16th century. This phase of building comprised a street range (heavily modified by John Croshold in the early 18th century), a north range and an east range. The structure of the building saw significant modifications following the collapse of the roof in the 19th century and a fire in the 20th century, but remains one of the most important 16th-century buildings in Norwich.
See report (S4) and accompanying plan for further details. See also miscellaneous material from Alan Carter Archive (S5) in file.
P. Watkins (HES), 16 October 2015.

1973. Field Observation.
Column and capital found below ground level during works at rear of shop.
See photograph (S6) and note in (S7).
P. Watkins (HES), 16 October 2015.

?1970s or 1980s. Building Survey.
Building revisited by Norwich Survey.
Extensive timber-framed house of L-shape plan. Two storeyed with jetty over street. Present façade 18th century. Possibly early 16th century.
Undercroft beneath rear range.
See record forms (S8) for further details and first floor plan.
P. Watkins (HES), 16 October 2015.

1989-1991. Building Survey.
Archaeological recording undertaken after Curat's House was damaged by fire in 1989.
A report on this work was sent to English Heritage, although this is not currently held by HES.
For further details see related correspondence, initial photographic survey (S9), report on conservation treatment of fire-damaged rooms (S10) and architectural drawings produced during the repairs (S11). See also notes made following a site visit in May 1990 (S12).
P. Watkins (HES), 16 October 2015.

This building and its undercroft are both briefly described in thesis (S13), which considers the 13th- to 17th-century buildings of Norwich.
P. Watkins (HES), 31 August 2017.

1994. Building Survey.
Further phase of archaeological recording undertaken during the final fire damage repairs. This work focused on the investigation of the floor to the oak room on the first floor, which had been exposed and fire proofed. Concrete columns and ground beams inserted during the early 1970s were also removed.
See report (S14) for further details. See also architectural drawings (S15) and photographs (S16).
P. Watkins (HES), 16 October 2015.

See (S17) for a short history of Curat's House (then Back's) published prior to 1970s. Various sources provide additional information on particular aspects of Curat's House. See, for example, report (S18) for details of the heraldic evidence, (S19) for drawings of features associated with the wood panelling and (S20) for images of stained glass temporarily removed in 1970.
P. Watkins (HES), 16 October 2015.