NORWICH’S BEST CRYPTS ARE ALL IN PUBLIC USE AND PART OF THEIR CHARM IS WHEN, LIKE JURNET’S BAR, THEY HAVE AN ATMOSPHERIC NEW USE.


Another well known place to dine was the subject of my last article, at Suckling Hall, AKA Cinema City. The use of the vaulted rooms is disputed and these are unusually not at all underground. their age is also disputed.


Take 5 cafe on Tombland also has a crypt, used for live music. There’s one a few doors up, now a toilet. There’s a flat in one around St Miles and at least one under a music shop in St Benedict’s Street, and another is an accessible part of a clothes shop.


You can see the one under Grosvenor Fish Bar on Pottergate, if you are dining there. If you visit gallery 18-21 under Tombland Antiques, you can find more stone/brick niches and some timber work. Ones can be found under a bar on Queen Street, more on Lower Goat Lane and in part under what was Hovell’s. Others are on Gentleman’s walk, near the Waffle House, around St Peter Parmentergate and in several properties on Elm Hill.


The only area which doesn’t seem to have many – despite having old mayoral residences – is Norwich over the Water. I don’t know of any on Magdalen Street or Colegate and only one in Pitt Street, which must be under the area waiting to be redeveloped.


Undercroft in the Guildhall


The largest discovered will not be visible for a few months yet, while restoration continues. Over the alley from Suckling Hall is a 14th Century mayoral home, which became a prison for the poor – and hence the name we still call this museum by – the Bridewell. It is L shaped, and, along with the flint face upstairs, is the only surviving original part of this mansion.


Other cities have largely 13th Century crypts, but, as a region, we have little from this era. One of the few is under another prominent 15th Century building – the Guildhall; but the undercroft is partly from the earlier Toll House. You can visit it by guided tour, including at the Heritage Open Weekend. It’s dark and claustrophobic and was not meant to be seen by anyone but prisoners.


The palm like springing from the middle of the room is found in two more places in Norwich, and these are among our other best public examples. Although this looks similar to earlier crypts elsewhere, it is again 15th Century; however, the pillar which the vault springs from may be earlier. Bedford’s brassiere on the street of the same name is one example, and this is again a crypt bar. A day time nearby cousin is at St Andrew’s and Blackfriars’ Halls – again, these are 13th Century walls with a later vault.


Walls seem to be of flinty rubble and are often whitewashed so that evidence is hard to see. Under Trattoria Rustica is a whitewashed vault that also says it is 11th Century, making it the oldest in the city if this is true, but the vault is from the usual era. It is also part of the Italian restaurant on Princes Street.


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Although the cathedral does not have an undercroft, the Bishop’s Palace does, and so did the city’s second most important monastic building – St Mary’s Chapel in the Fields. The site today is covered by the Assembly House, but two undercrofts still exist and are used for storage, though currently are not publicly accessible.


Undercroft in The Assembly House


An unusual and superlative crypt was destroyed in the ever thoughtful 1960s. It would be under the Forum and formed part of the White Swan inn, which had theatrical links. George Plunkett’s pictures of it being pulled down show a plastered ribbed ceiling.


The last I will mention is at Curat House on Haymarket. Although not the best part of the house or the best example in the city, it is one of the older ones. It is only accessible by annual guided tour by torchlight.


One might ask – why an article on cellars and why spend time researching them? I find that the well kept ones are not only pleasingly atmospheric but aesthetic, although they can smell a little musty. They are of architectural as well as historical merit, and having so many – sometimes hidden and blocked off – makes this an interesting game of hide and seek.


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