Category: Urbanicity

Images of architecture and urban fragments from around the world.

Norwich Part II: The Royal Arcade

Opened in 1899, the 247 foot long covered avenue was designed and built by Dereham-born architect George Skipper and today it houses a wonderful mixture of shops and restaurants – plus the famous Colman’s Mustard Shop!

p9100028

Art Nouveau was so-called from Samuel Bing’s art shop “Maison l’art Nouveau” an international movement to bring together the finest designers and craftsmen to unify the designs of buildings, furnishings and decorative arts within.

Influenced by Japanese art and the Arts and Crafts Movement, the English Art Nouveau used flowing lines and symbols from nature. Continue reading Norwich Part II: The Royal Arcade

Norwich Part I: History and Architecture

Norwich was founded by the Saxon North Folk (“North Folk” became “Norfolk”) at the confluence of the Yare and Wensum rivers sometime around the 6th century.

My first visit to Norwich and it rained. After days of unseasonable heat and blue skies in early September the forecast for the Saturday that we intended to visit the county capital of Norfolk was sadly correct. But since the main attraction was the cathedral it didn’t deter us and in fact it worked out rather well. I am going to split the posts up otherwise they would be far too long and photo heavy, so posts about the cathedral itself may be a while down the line.

Today we are going to walk through the city from the bus station to the cathedral. We left the car at Thickthorn Park ‘n Ride and took the bus into the city centre as we had no idea of where to park in the city. It proved to be a good idea. The first destination was the information office at the Forum so we could pick up a map or two! Getting there was a bit tricky though, as we took a wrong turning, but imagine my delight when we found ourselves outside the delightful Art Nouveau Royal Arcade which was one of my ‘must see’ sights.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Exiting the arcade we discovered the market place; the City Hall, the Guildhall and the church of St Peter Mancroft.

Market Place
Market Place
Guildhall
Guildhall

Continue reading Norwich Part I: History and Architecture

St Edmundsbury Cathedral

The parish church of St James became St Edmundsbury cathedral in 1914. The original church was founded in the  twelfth century in the precincts of the abbey. Changes were made in the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries with additions in the second half of last century. The crowing glory came in 2005 when the tower, built with a Millennium grant together with local fundraising, was completed.

p9090186

In 869, Edmund, King of the East Angles, met his death at the hands of the Danes. He was tied to a tree and shot with arrows. Legend says that his severed head was thrown into the woods and found being guarded by a wolf. Edmund was the patron saint of England, until St George replaced him. His feast day is 20 November.

p1300669

Inside the cathedral is a superb medieval hammer-beam roof, ornamented with figures of 30 angels. The roof is boldly painted and gilded, and though ornate, is nothing like so ornate as the extraordinary font and font cover at the west end of the nave – a riot of colour. Continue reading St Edmundsbury Cathedral

A brief look at Colchester

We were in Colchester at the beginning of September for a wedding so didn’t really do much in the way of exploring. Given my love for architectural styles I did have a brief wander around the Cultural area where we were staying to see what I could find.  It is of course a very old Roman town (Camulodunum ) and once the capital of Roman Britain, but was attacked and destroyed during Boudica’s rebellion in AD 61.

At only 50 or so miles north of London it is growing fast as a commuter town.

We stayed at the recently opened Greyfriars Hotel on the eastern edge of the High Street.  It is not only a beautiful C18th neo-classical building, but was for a hundred years a much-loved icon of educational excellence and, even centuries before 1755 when the current house was built, its site had religious, social and educational significance. Occupants have included friars, nuns, householders, clergy, physicians, horticulturists, an industrialist and students (young and adult). Empty from 2007 when sold by Essex County Council who decided it was no longer fit for purpose for education the building has been transformed.

The wedding we were attending was held across the road in the Minories – another lovely Georgian building and now an art gallery and centre for post-graduate study in art. This house in a very similar style to Grey Friars was bought in 1731 by Isaac Boggis a merchant in the wool trade.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Continuing along the High Street you reach Castle Park and another neo-classical designed Georgian house – Hollytrees – which was built in 1718 by Thomas Blagden for Elizabeth Cornelisen. It was completed by March 1719 but unfortunately Elizabeth passed away before she had the chance to live in it. It is now a museum (free entry) and forms the eastern part of Castle Park. Continue reading A brief look at Colchester