Record Details

NHER Number:37652
Type of record:Monument
Name:Excavated remains of Duke's Palace and bowling alley beneath Duke Street Car Park

Summary

In about 1561 the Duke of Norfolk built a palace on reclaimed land close to the River Wensum, at the time reputedly the grandest secular building in Norwich. The palace was extensively rebuilt in 1671-72 and then largely demolished from 1711-14. Excavations in advance of development work to build a multi-storey car park in 2003 revealed part of the palace complex, including the remains of a bowling alley, believed to date from the early 17th century and one of the earliest documented examples in the country. Following the departure of the Dukes of Norfolk in 1711, the bowling alley was converted for use as a workhouse, again notable for being amongst the earliest in the country. Elements of the workhouse were also recorded, along with the remains of 19th century mercantile buildings. These features have been preserved in situ beneath the current structure.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TG 2297 0885
Map Sheet:TG20NW
Parish:NORWICH, NORWICH, NORFOLK

Full description

January to February 2003. Trial Trenching.
Three trenches excavated. Contexts 1 to 136 used.
Substantial elements of the 16th century Duke's Palace complex survive within the proposed redevelopment area. Of particular interest were the walls and surfaces identified as part of a bowling alley, one of the earliest documented examples in the country.
See reports (S1) and (S2) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S3).
A. Cattermole (NLA), 7 March 2007.

October-December 2003. Excavation. Contexts 200 to 481.
Excavations revealed part of the Duke's palace complex including the remains of a bowling alley, believed to date from the early 17th century. Three surviving walls of the bowling alley and areas of the bowling surface were recorded. Following the departure of the Dukes of Norfolk in 1711, the bowling alley was converted to use as a workhouse, notable for being amongst the earliest in the country. Elements of the workhouse were also recorded, along with the remains of 19th century mercantile buildings.
See draft publication (S4) and assessment report (S5) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S3).
A. Cattermole (NLA), 3 September 2004.

January-February 2004. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of pile-proving trenches excavated within footprint of proposed replacement multi-storey car park. Contexts to 486.
A single trench (TP18, situated close to the Duke's Street Frontage) revealed a remnant of a wall related to the former Palace of the Dukes of Norfolk, whilst the remainder revealed nothing of archaeological significance.
See report (S6) for further details. The results of this work are also summarised in (S7).
A. Cattermole (NLA), 3 September 2004. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 27 May 2015.

March 2004. Watching Brief.
Monitoring of piling operations during construction of new multi-storey car park.
No archaeological finds or features were encountered.
See report (S8) for further details.
A. Cattermole (NLA), 7 March 2007. Amended by P. Watkins (HES), 27 May 2015.

The remains here are now preserved in situ.
D. Gurney (NLA), 17 November 2005.

A combined archive comprising material from all four phases of archaeological work at this site has been deposited with the Norwich Castle Museum (NWHCM : 2011.107).
P. Watkins (HES), 12 May 2019.

Monument Types

  • FINDSPOT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • PLATFORM (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BOWLING ALLEY (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • FINDSPOT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • WALL (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • WORKHOUSE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Finds

  • HORSESHOE (Unknown date)
  • PLANT MACRO REMAINS (Undated)
  • QUERN (Unknown date)
  • POT (Late Saxon - 851 AD to 1065 AD)
  • BIRD REMAINS (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
  • BRICK (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • MAMMAL REMAINS (Medieval to 19th Century - 1066 AD to 1900 AD)
  • POT (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • ROOF TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • TILE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
  • BOTTLE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • BRICK (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • COMB (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • POT (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • SHOE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • TEXTILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)
  • TILE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Protected Status - none

Sources and further reading

---Photograph: 2003. MYC Frames 19-24, MYD. Evaluation by Norfolk Archaeological Unit at St Andrew's and Duke Street Car Park, Norwich..
---Photograph: 2003. MYE - MYJ. Excavation by Norfolk Archaeological Unit at St Andrew's and Duke Street Car Park, Norwich..
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
---Slide: Various. Slide. 1-256.
<S1>Unpublished Contractor Report: Adams, D. 2003. An Interim Report on an Archaeological Evaluation at St. Andrew's and Duke Street car park, Duke Street, Norwich. Norfolk Archaeological Unit. 799.
<S2>Unpublished Contractor Report: Adams, D. 2003. An Archaeological Evaluation at St Andrew's and Duke Street car park, Norwich, Norfolk. Norfolk Archaeological Unit. 800.
<S3>Article in Serial: Gurney, D. and Penn, K. 2004. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk 2003. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLIV Pt III pp 573-588. p 583.
<S4>Unpublished Contractor Report: Adams, D. 2005. Archaeological Excavations at the Duke's Palace in Norwich. Norfolk Archaeological Unit. 1097.
<S5>Unpublished Contractor Report: Adams, D. 2004. An Archaeological Assessment Report and Updated Project Design for St Andrew's and Duke Street Car Park, Duke Street, Norwich. Norfolk Archaeological Unit. 936.
<S6>Unpublished Contractor Report: Moss, N. 2004. An Archaeological Watching Brief at St Andrew's Car Park, Duke Street, Norwich. Norfolk Archaeological Unit. 906.
<S7>Article in Serial: Gurney, D. and Penn, K. 2005. Excavations and Surveys in Norfolk in 2004. Norfolk Archaeology. Vol XLIV Pt IV pp 751-763. p 758.
<S8>Unpublished Contractor Report: Moss, N. 2004. An Archaeological Watching Brief at the site of the Former St Andrew's Car Park, Duke Street, Norwich. Norfolk Archaeological Unit. 939.

Related records

169Part of: Excavated remains of Duke's Palace, Duke Street (Monument)
463Part of: Site of the Palace of the Duke of Norfolk (Monument)

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