Welcome to Norwich. - Norwich and Norfolk CAMRA

By now, you are ready for a
drink! There is a Wetherspoons
here, The Troll Cart (NR30 2AF)
in Regent Road and no less
than three pubs in the 2013
Good Beer Guide. The
Mariners Tavern (NR30 1LN) in
Howard Street South was the
Branch Pub of the Year, in
2010. A bit hard to find, but
this former Lacons pub has up
to eight real ales and ciders
and perries on offer. The Oliver
Twist (NR30 2DX) in North
Market Road is even harder to
find, tucked away in a cosy
back street. The St John’s Head
(NR30 1JB) in North Quay, one
of the oldest parts of the town
is reputed to be built on land
confiscated from monks of The
Carmelite Order.
Many of the pubs were
owned by Lacons Brewery and
it easy to spot their distinctive
style, with flint walls, decorated
windows and the Lacons
Falcon Crest embedded in the
walls.
The other “G” is Gressenhall
Farm and Workhouse (NR20
4DR). This “house of industry”
for the poor was built on farmland
in 1776. The Poor Law
Amendment Act of 1834 saw it
converted into a Workhouse.
Not much fun here then. Costs
were kept low by making life
for the paupers so hard and
unpleasant that they didn’t
want to be there. Men, women
and children were separated
and were given menial tasks.
They did get Health Care and
Education though!
Incredibly, the Workhouse did
not close until as late as 1948,
and it opened as a Museum in
1976. The farm still remains
and you can have cart rides
around it, whilst the house has
been converted into Galleries,
celebrating the lives of those
who lived and worked on the
land. You can see a 1950’s
room, the Land Girls and
Lumber Jills Gallery, the Engine
Rooms, the Transport Gallery
and the Workhouse Corridor.
In the grounds you will find
the lovely 1930’s Cherry Tree
Cottage, the Village Row, with
the Smithy, Grocer and Postmaster
and the Panhard et
Levassor Motor House, where
Charles Roll’s 1899 vintage
Panhard motor car has been
lovingly retored.
Time for a pint! Dereham is
just to the South. It has one
Good Beer Guide Pub, The
Romany Rye (NR19 1DL) a
typical Wetherspoons, in
Church Street. Other pubs are
available, as they say on the
BBC.
Alternatively, head north on
the B1146 to the crossroads
and turn right. Drive through
the village and you will find
The Brisley Bell (NR20 5DW)
set back from the road, apparently
miles and miles from
anywhere! Carry on to the
crossroads and you have The
Kings Head (NR20 5JB) in front
of you.
But if you are looking for a
Good Beer Guide pub, then
head east on the B1145. Just
after the railway crossing (The
Mid Norfolk Railway will eventually
have trains running here
from Dereham) The Railway
NORFOLK NIPS |
Freehouse (NR20 5HH) is on
your right. This is a popular
rural community pub which
hosts the Norwich and Norfolk
Branch December Meeting and
Christmas Quiz every year.
Attleborough
Heritage Group
The Attleborough Heritage
Group is holding an Illustrated
Talk on the History of Public
Houses in Attleborough and
the Surrounding Area.
Believe it or not, there were
around twenty two pubs in
Attleborough, four or five in
Besthorpe, five or six in Old
Buckenham and seven in New
Buckingham. In addition,
research is going on into the
six in Great and Little
Ellingham and the six in Rocklands.
And there may have been
more. The Group are looking
for anyone with memories or
old photos to build up an
archive and incorporate into
the presentation. They want to
know about the pubs themselves,
their Landlords and
Landladies, their customers
and the beers and ciders that
they drank.
If you can help, then please
get in touch. Please call 01953
455877 or e-mail attleboroughheritage@tiscali.co.uk
The talk will be on Saturday
23rd March, 19.00 for 19.30
at St Mary’s Church Hall, Attleborough
SPRING 2013 | 31