NHER 26206 (Building record) - 8, Surrey Street (former Norwich Union Office)

Former Norwich Union Offices.

June 1972. Listed, Grade I.
Listing Description excerpt:
"Office, 1903-04 by G. J. Skipper. Clipsham stone. Roof not visible. Set back from street line with single-storey projecting wings. Neo-Baroque style. Two storeys outer bays and three storeys centre bays. Five bays A:B:B:B:A.
Extremely fine marbled interior and panelled boardroom…Rusticated ground floor with rough-hewn quoins which continue part way up the first floor. Paired end, and dividing Ionic columns across centre bays supporting pediment. The single-storey wings having balustrading with urns and frontal niches with the statues of the Right Reverend William Talbot and Sir Samuel Bignold. Stone balustrading in front of the building with festooned circular gateposts with urns. Extremely fine marbled interior and panelled boardroom. 'Font' in centre of main hall is part of the original central heating system and still used. 16th-century glass from Surrey House in former Solicitor's Office on the first floor. Fine Adam style fireplace (reputedly from Surrey House) in first floor committee room."
Information from (S1).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S1) for the current listing details.
Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 20 January 2017.

The forecourt wall and balustrade were separately listed Grade II in April 1986. These are now recorded as NHER 68717.
P. Watkins (HES), 26 November 2024.

Described in (S2) as "…one of the country's most convinced Edwardian office buildings".
For further details see press cuttings (S3)-(S7) and miscellaneous material in file.
T. Sunley (NLA) 25 October 2007. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 20 January 2017.

2008.
Selected as one of the 'Norwich 12' by Norwich HEART.
Described as one of the most elegant and opulent Edwardian office buildings in Britain. Erected on the site of the house of Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey (1517-1547), it is a Grade I listed building. It was designed by local architect George Skipper as the new headquarters for The Norwich Union Life Insurance Society, now Aviva. The main hall (known as Marble Hall) is magnificent - it incorporates over 15 types of marble, originally destined for Westminster Cathedral. The hall has a spectacular glass-domed ceiling, of around 11m in diameter and contains an innovative Edwardian air conditioning system.
Information from (S8) and (S9). See also newspaper articles (S10)-(S12).
D. Gurney (NLA), 27 January 2009. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 20 January 2017.