The stories behind
our street names

LADBROKE PLACE (Kett’s Hill)
WHAT a talent! John Berney Ladbroke was the artist who built Ketts Castle Villa for his retirement and he was inspired by the views from the tower.
He became so famous in the area that the lane known by generations of children as “Corkscrew Alley” was called Ladbroke Place.
More about John Berney Ladbroke

LADY SMITH ROAD (Silver Road)
LADYSMITH, a town in Natal, South Africa, was named after the wife of Sir Harry Smith, former Governor of Natal.
During the Boer War, it was the scene of a fierce battle. On March 1, 1900, news was received in Norwich of the relief of Ladysmith.
A report at the time said: “A boom was fired from the castle, the city flags were hoisted and the bells of St Peter Mancroft were rung. Bands of music paraded the streets and in the evening the city was illuminated.”

LANCHESTER COURT (Old Palace Road)
HE was one of the truly great Norwich characters. A man who touched so many hearts during his long and wonderful life. There was no other churchman better known or loved more than Canon Charles Compton Lanchester — vicar of St Barnabas for more than 60 years.
More about Canon Charles Compton Lanchester

THE LATHES (Sussex Street)
THIS name remembers a time in the Middle Ages when this area of St Augustine’s was farmland.
The Great Hospital owned 50 acres of land and nine acres of meadow, outside and inside the old city walls.
The estate was known as “The Lathes” and was farmed as a home farm of the hospital.
In the 15th century, the hospital had to employ a carter to carry the farm produce from The Lathes to Bishopgate. His wages were 14d a week and, believe it or not, he got holidays with pay — no fewer than 39 days in a year besides Sundays and wet weather.
A handy job in those days.

LAVEBGRO ROAD (from Gertrude Road)
Norwich, as we know, is “a fine old city” — so wrote George Borrow in his book, Lavengro. And they named this road after the book written by
this larger-than-life controversial writer and man of the people. George wrote much about the city he loved and the characters — especially those who gathered on Mousehold - from boxers and gipsies to preachers and ranters.
He recalled a preacher on the common speaking to a crowd which “consisted of the lower classes, labourers, mechanics, dusty people, unwashed people, people of no account whatever — and yet they did not look a mob”.
These were just the kind of people George loved.

LEFROY ROAD (Gresham Road)
IN A quiet corner of a churchyard in the beautiful Swiss Alps facing the Zermatt Valley and the majestic Matterhorn there is a grave, the last resting place of an extraordinary man who opened up Norwich Cathedral for the people. His name was William Lefroy and his death on holiday at the Riffel Alp in Switzerland in 1909 shocked the people of Norwich.
More about William Lefroy

LENG CRESCENT (Norvic Drive to Wren Drive)
NAMED after Bishop Leng who was in Norwich between 1723 and 1727. He had been appointed chaplain to King George I and obtained a grant of arms, being assigned a dove holding in its beak an olive branch. It was said to be a proper coat for a worthy man whose life and conservation was as harmless as the dove. He had become a popular man in Norwich, but he went to London in 1727 where he caught smallpox and died.

LE STRANGE CLOSE (Christchurch Road)
NAMED after one of the most powerful families in Norfolk, the Le Strange clan lived at Hunstanton Hall for centuries.
They were the gentry and lords of the manor for more than 800 years.
There have been many celebrated members of the family over the years, who worked closely with various kings and queens – helping them shape the future of both Norfolk and the rest of the country.
When Henry Styleman le Strange died in 1862 he was lord of the manor of Hunstanton — and other manors — and also held the wonderful title of Hereditary Lord High Admiral of the Wash.

LIME TREE ROAD AND AVENUE (Newmarket Road)
WHEN our ancestors were developing the Town Close estate and constructing Newmarket and Lime Tree roads, they were far-sighted enough, not to say brave enough, to plants trees for the future.
Elms were for Newmarket Road and limes for Lime Tree Road, the new route between the Ipswich and Newmarket roads. None of your quick-growing trees to “screen” some of our new buildings.
The highway was made up by the corporation, under the private street works scheme, in 1935.

LINDLEY STREET (Hall Road and City Road)
John Lindley (1799-1865) was Professor of Botany at the University of London and director of the famous Chelsea Physic Garden. His work led to the setting up of the Royal Botanic Gardens and he became the first botanist to work out a classification of orchids.
More about John Lindley

LITTLE BETHEL STREET (Chapel Field North to Bethel Street)
IN May 1805, it was recorded “a street 26ft wide is about to be opened, forming an entrance, which has long been most desirable, from Chapel Field direct into Bethel Street”.
The road bounds, on one side, the Bethel — built in 1713 by Mary Chapman.
It was one of the first charitable foundations in the country for the “habitation of poor lunatics and not for natural fools or idiots”.
Bethel Street was originally known as “Over Newport” or Bedlam Street.
Mrs Chapman stated in her will: “It has pleased Almighty God to visit and afflict some of my nearest relations with lunacy, but has blessed me with the use of my reason and understanding.
“As a monument of my thankfulness for this invaluable mercy, I settle Bethel for that purpose.”

LITTLE JOHN ROAD (Lakenham)
ANOTHER Lakenham name paying tribute to Robin Hood and his merry men . . . the tallest of the boys in green.
It was said that good Robin met a stranger on a bridge and neither would give way.
“Fight” they cried and after a battle on the bridge, the stranger “tumbl’d” Robin into the stream. Robin, like the gent he was, acknowledged defeat and asked the stranger his name. “John Little” he said.
The merry men said: “The words we’ll transpose. So wherever he goes. His name shall be called Little John.
So, “ever after, as long as he liv’d, although he was proper and tall . . . still Little John they do him call.”
He was said to be 7ft tall and he became a stalwart of Robin Hood’s men. Handy chap to have around if you needed a leg up a tree in Sherwood Forest.
This road was adopted in 1949.

LITTLE LONDON STREET (London Street to Bedford Street)
THIS street was shown on a map of 1830 as Little Cockey Lane and it was adopted by the city in the Act of 1835.
Cockeys, cokeys or cokeyes were all well known words in Norwich used to denote the common sewers, watercourses or “kennells” (gutters).
The Great Cockeye ran from Jack’s Pit in the All Saints Green area via Needham Slough (St Stephen’s Plain), Back of the Inns to cross (old) Hoseyergate (afterwards Cockey Lane and now London Street.)
It then approached Little Cockey Lane and passed across Bedford Street and St Andrew’s Street to join the river at St George’s.
t Watch this space for the story behind “big brother” London Street — the proud ancient thoroughfare that became our first “foot street”.

LOBSTER LANE (Pottergate)
WHERE did this name come from? Lobsters in the middle of Norwich?
Back in the days of the English Civil War this was an unflattering nickname for the Roundheads who opposed Charles I. Perhaps it had something to do with that?
In any event this road is really an extension of Pottergate and years ago there was a pub called The Lobster.
First, there was the Old Lobster on the north side of the lane and then it transferred to the south side where it flourished for a time in part of Sir Benjamin Wrench’s house as the New Lobster.
Other pubs in and around the lane were The Hole in the Wall — part of the church of St Crouch. That tavern disappeared in 1832. There was the Sun and Anchor, replaced in 1832 by Post Office Street.
The Boy and Cup in Lobster Lane was then transferred to Bedford Street and another pub, the Golden Cup, was demolished to make way for Harmer’s clothing factory in 1890.
And does anyone remember the painted circle on the north side of Lobster Lane under a tailor’s shop window in the 1950s? It said: “The North Pole is in a direct line with this spot.”

LOLLARDS ROAD
IF anywhere in Norwich is haunted then it is surely this spot — where men and women were burned.
Imagine the scene centuries ago as these poor creatures were marched to their deaths as a mob screamed.
It was George “Fine City” Borrow who wrote: “There is a place called Lollard’s Hole: and with good reason, for many a Saint of God has breathed his last breath midst flame and pitch.
“Many a grisly procession has advanced along that suburb, across the old bridge, towards Lollard’s Hole.
“A furious priest in front, a calm pale martyr in the midst, a pitying multitude behind.”
The Lollards were a group of Reformers who were subjected to persecution during the reign of Richard II.

LONDON STREET
IT was 35 years ago when this ancient thoroughfare became world famous as a pioneering “foot street” — traffic was banned.
This controversial experiment was hailed a great success and it paved the way for The Walk to be given over to pedestrians.
More about London Street

LONDON STREET (Part 2)
NO mention of London Street would be complete without remembering one of the greatest characters of all time — Jock the Highlander (pictured below).
Big Jock stood at the entrance to a tobacconist’s shop on the street for more than 150 years.
He delighted generations of children who pushed pennies into his collecting box. The money went to help the blind.
The Black Watch Highlander had been with the firm since 1812 — the figures first appeared outside London snuff shops in 1720 to celebrate the birth of Bonny Prince Charles. He was part of the Norwich street scene, but then, when the shop was taken over, he disappeared.
I launched a hunt to find Jock a few years ago and finally discovered him in an American museum. Nowadays he is worth a small fortune.
Remember the tale about the former squaddie who had had a drop too much and took a swing at Jock — not realising he was made of wood? He sobered up fairly quickly and had a sore fist for weeks!
Thanks for the memories Jock.

LOSINGA CRESCENT (Aylsham Road)
THE man who built Norwich Cathedral was a sinner . . . a man who had to go to Rome during 1093 to seek forgiveness.
Herbert de Losinga had struggled with his conscience for two years since paying out £1,000 for the privilege of being appointed Bishop of Thetford.
More about Losinga Crescent

LOWER GOAT LANE (Pottergate) & UPPER GOAT LANE (St Giles)
THE old name for this ancient street was Stongate (1267) and later Stongate Magna.
The upper lane was also called Back Goat Lane and earlier still Inferior Stongate, Stongate Parva and Blind Stongate.
More about Lower Goat Lane and Upper Goat Lane

LYHART ROAD (Ipswich Road)
HE WAS a man who dedicated much of his life to improving Norwich Cathedral during turbulent times. A man with an eye for beauty.
Walter Lyhart was Bishop of Norwich from 1446 to 1472 and his lasting memorial is the work he did on the cathedral. He paved the floor that had been just beaten earth.
And in 1463, when the nave roof was damaged by fire, he was responsible for replacing it with what many people claim to be the most beautiful example of English
vaulting.
The work was carried out by the brilliant mason John Everard and his team of workers.
There are more than 300 stunning carved bosses — a picture story from the Creation to Revelations.
And all this work was done while the threat of the plague was hanging over Norwich.
Mr Lyhart, a native of Cornwall, was a distinguished Oxford graduate, a Doctor of Divinity, and Provost of Oriel College.
With money left by William Alnwick (1426-36), he also erected the great west window. He lies beneath the paving stones and his decorated tomb is in the nave.

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