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 The
stories behind our street names
BOULTON STREET (Rose Lane) There’s
a connection between this tiny Norwich street and the
great industrial enterprise of Boulton & Paul. In 1797
William Moore opened an ironmonger’s in Cockey Lane,
Norwich. Later he went into partnership with John Barnard,
who inherited the business on Mr Moore’s death. In 1844
William Staples Boulton became a partner in the firm
of Barnard & Boulton. He became proprietor of the firm
when Mr Moore died with Joseph John Dawson Paul joined
as the works manager. In November 1864, Mr Boulton took
a lease on a small works and foundry in Rose Lane and
in 1869 a partnership was formed between Boulton & Paul
the great industrial enterprise.
BOUNDARY ROAD (Aylsham Road) You
couldn’t get a much more straightforward street name
than Boundary Road. It is does exactly what you might
expect, marking the boundary of the city of Norwich
and the district of Broadland. It runs from Aylsham
Road to Drayton Road, so forms only a small portion
of the boundary.
BOWERS AVENUE & BOWERS CLOSE (Bignold
Road) These streets are named after a former Bishop
of Thetford, Dr John Phillips Allcott Bowers. He was
born in Portsmouth in 1854 and educated at Magdalen
College and St John’s College, Cambridge. He was ordained
in 1877 and, after several appointments, was consecrated
Bishop of Thetford in 1903. His work involved a lot
of travelling, and the Great Eastern Railway Company
presented him with a silver pass, enabling him to travel
first-class for free on its network. Dr Bowers died
in 1926 and is buried at Portchester, near Portsmouth.
BOWMAN ROAD (Locksley Road) THE
Robin Hood theme for the street names in this area continues
with Bowman Road. As everyone knows, the outlaw and
folk hero was an expert bowman, as the Sheriff of Nottingham’s
men found to their cost. Among the Freemen of Norwich
of past years there were a number that went by the name
of Bowman, and some city residents with the name of
Bowyer. Bowyers, of course, were the craftsmen who made
and sold the bows used by the likes of Robin and his
band of merry men.
BOWTHORPE ROAD (Dereham Road) No
prizes for guessing that Bowthorpe Road got its name
from the Norwich suburb of the same name. In the early
19th century, long before it became absorbed into the
expanding city, it was written that: “About a mile to
the north of Earlham lies the township of Bowthorpe,
which has a parochial chapel.” But there were no inhabitants
of Bowthorpe other than at the hall, and the chapel
was deconsecrated and consolidated within the parish
of Earlham at the beginning of the last century. In
334 Bowthorpe was known as Bouthorpe and there were
other variations of Bow, including Boi, Boe, Bogi, Boge,
Boga and Boh.
BRAKENDON, Brakendale, Braky-down
or hills — this elegant entrance to the city was
named after the brakes (bracken) that once grew there.
According to the brilliant 18th century historian, Francis
Blomefield, who put most of Norfolk on the map, it had
“a chapel placed on a hill which was much frequented
by fishermen and watermen, who used to come hither to
offer to good St Nicholas, their patron saint, to whose
honour the chapel was dedicated.
“If they made an agreeable offering, they had a
‘bulla’ or round piece of lead given them.”
And remember that a piece of lead went a long way in
those days!
Of course the chapel is long gone along with the Regency
mansion of Bracondale Woods — County Hall now stands
on the site.
But, despite the traffic, Bracondale, with its fine
Georgian houses and proud old lime trees, shading what
was once a bridle path beside the carriageway, is still
a grand entrance to Norwich.
And much more . . .
Bracondale is not a car park, nor a motorway, but a
village within a city with a heart of its own.
Oh yes, and it has some of the most beautiful houses
in Norwich.
 BRIDEWELL
ALLEY (Bedford Street to St Andrew’s Street)
ONE of the oldest shopping streets in Norwich . . .
and an absolute delight.
Alley is a visual delight in heart
of city
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