One word or two? The road with its own identity crisis

Providing the spine for a housing estate on the very edge of Norwich is Fiddlewood Road.

Or should that be Fiddle Wood Road?

A Fiddlewood Road sign (Image: Archant)

Arcing off St Faiths Road from two separate junctions, the Catton Grove street is around a third of a mile in length, meaning it requires more than one street sign.

However, these signs are at something of a disagreement with one another - some read Fiddlewood Road while others say Fiddle Wood Road.

The majority of its signs lean towards two words, however, some opt for the singular.

A Fiddle Wood Road sign (Image: Archant)

And its disused bus stops - currently subject of a campaign to reinstate the route - also plums for the two-worded form.

But Linda Blakeway, of the Catton Grove Community Centre, who penned Catton Grove Memories, a book exploring the history of the area, believes the correct name is Fiddlewood Road.

Linda Blakeway, of the Catton Grove community centre (Image: Denise Bradley)

She said: "When we were researching for the book we looked at some maps of the area before the estate was built and it has a green area marked as Fiddle Wood.

"But when the estate itself was built, I believe the people naming it pushed it together as one word."

The housing estate was built in the 1970s, after then landowner Desmond Buxton sold the site to Norfolk County Council.

The road lies at the centre of the estate with several cul-de-sacs branching off it and a wooded area nearby.

Ms Blakeway added: "The estate was designed to move people out of the crowded areas like Magdalen Street and saw lots of families move together, so it has always had quite a tight knitted community feel as people had existing connections.

"That was the most interesting part of the process, not the geography, but hearing people's memories and stories."

A spokeswoman for Norwich City Council also confirmed that records show the correct name is Fiddlewood Road.

They said: "While we note that we’ll need to review the signs at some point in the future - when budget allows - we hope people don’t find themselves in the fiddle of nowhere because of it!”