NHER 816 (Building record) - 19th century factory with 15th century undercroft, 21-23 Castle Meadow

June 1972. Listed Grade II.
Listing Description Excerpt:
"Shop. Early and later C19. Red brick. Roof not visible. 3 storeys sloping to 2 storeys at left-hand side. 5 bays. C20 shopfront across whole facade with door at each end. Sash windows with glazing bars and rubbed brick flat arches. Parapet. Rainwater head dated 1812."
Information from (S1).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S1) for the current details.
H. Hamilton (HES), 06 February 2018. Amended by H. Hamilton (HES), 8 November 2019.

1988. Field observation.
The cellars of 21-23 Castle Meadow were investigated by W. Milligan (NCM), R. Smith (Norwich Survey), and the building manager following a report from an informant [1], who advised he had been in a tunnel from Pond's down to Blackfriar's Hall. A blocked-up entrance was noted and some of the report is believed to be true, but R. Smith maintained that it would be impossible for a tunnel to be located there due to the lie of the land.
W. Milligan (NCM).
Updated H. Hamilton (HES), 06 February 2018.

1998. Verbal report.
The 1988 report may well tie in with a story told to E. Rose (NLA) by source [2] of how in the 1920s he found 'two tunnels' running from a shop in Castle Meadow a short distance under the roadway. He assumed they led to the castle. It sounds more like an undercroft or vault extending beneath the pavement. Information previously given to NCM but lost.
E. Rose (NLA) 4 September 1998.

December 2017. Field Observation.
Brian Ayers (UES), Stephen Heywood (HES), and members of NAHRG (the Norfolk Archaeological and Historical Research Group) visited 21-23 Castle Meadow in order to investigate earlier reports of a tunnel or undercroft below the building.

The team identified four phases of construction within the basement of the building:
i.) A brick-vaulted undercroft likely dating to the 15th century. The undercroft is located on the eastern side of the building and the floor is filled with rubble to a depth of approximately 1.5m.
ii.) A flint rubble wall, possibly also containing some brick, constructed to the west of the undercroft. These remains contain some possible 15th century elements but most likely date to the 16th century. It appears to have been separate from the building supported by the undercroft, with a passageway between the structures likely leading to London Street.
iii.) A timber-framed, jettied construction between the two buildings described above likely of 16th century date. This timber-framed structure was in use as a store room at the time of the survey and may still extend into the upper portion of the building, forming part of the modern office.
iv.) Castle Meadow frontage. This appears to enclose the southern end of the jettied structure and therefore post-dates it. It has a small brick vault which likely dates to the post-medieval period.

It has been suggested that the undercroft and adjacent building were cut unto the edge of the castle ditch, which gradually in-filled. The space between the buildings was later infilled with a jettied structure, and finally the yard was closed by construction of the post-medieval frontage. A more detailed survey would be required to confirm these provisional findings.
Information from (S2).
H. Hamilton (HES), 06 February 2018.