Record Details

NHER Number:26226
Type of record:Building
Name:St James' Works, Whitefriars

Summary

This building is a former yarn mill, situated near the bridge and overlooking this quiet part of the river. Now a factory and offices for Jarrold's printers, the building was originally built in 1839 by Richard Parkinson. Of red brick, this building stands five storeys high, rising to six at one west end bay.

Images - none

Location

Grid Reference:TG 234 092
Map Sheet:TG20NW
Parish:NORWICH, NORWICH, NORFOLK

Full description

St James's Works, Jarrolds Printing Works, Whitefriars.

February 1954. Listed, Grade I.
Listing Description Excerpt:
"Former yarn mill, now factory and offices. 1839 by Richard Parkinson. Red brick. Roof not visible. Five storeys rising to six at one west end bay. Twenty fourth floor windows. Semi-circular stair turret at west end. Casement windows throughout. String course between 3rd and 4th floors."
Information from (S1).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S1) for the current listing details.
Amended by P. Beers (HES), 17 March 2020.

Press cutting (S2) in file.
T. Sunley (NLA) 25 October 2007.

The quintessential English Industrial Revolution mill. A Grade I listed building, St James' Mill was built on a site originally occupied by the White Friars (or Carmelite Friars). St James' Mill was built on part of this earlier site, in response to the crisis in Norwich's textile trade. It was fitted with power looms to try and make the trade more efficient and lucrative. The only buildings now surviving are the mill building and its engine house. The flint, brick and stone arch at the entrance to the site, and the undercroft which is visible beneath the new office building, date from the time of the Carmelite Friars.
See (S3) and (S4) for further information.
D. Gurney (NLA), 27 January 2009.

Originally there were six buildings in the mill complex, the mill, two weaving sheds, two engine houses and a boiler house with a 150 foot chimney. Now only the mill and the engine house stand. During the building of the mill complex there was a downturn in the textile industry in Norwich, the result of which was that the Norwich Yarn Company was forced to let floors to other companies in the trade, rather than setting up their own spinning equipment in the mill. By the end of the 19th century a company called Park & Son had taken over the ownership and management of the building. Jarrolds moved some of their printing equipment from London Street into one of the weaving sheds in the early years of the 20th century, and later bought the mill building. At the end of World War One Jarrold sold the mill and it became a Government Instructional Factory where trades were taught to maimed soldiers returning from the war. In 1927 Jarrolds bought the mill back.
Information from (S5).
A. Cattermole (NLA), 15 September 2009.

Monument Types

  • BOILER HOUSE (19th Century - 1839 AD to 1900 AD)
  • ENGINE HOUSE (19th Century - 1839 AD to 1900 AD)
  • SPINNING MILL (19th Century - 1839 AD to 1900 AD?)
  • WEAVING SHED (19th Century - 1839 AD to 1900 AD)
  • PRINTING WORKS (Early 20th Century to 21st Century - 1901 AD? to 2100 AD)
  • CARDBOARD BOX FACTORY (Early 20th Century to World War One - 1902 AD to 1918 AD)
  • TRAINING COLLEGE (World War One to Early 20th Century - 1918 AD to 1927 AD)

Associated Finds - none

Protected Status

  • Listed Building

Sources and further reading

---Record Card: Ordnance Survey Staff. 1933-1979?. Ordnance Survey Record Cards. TG 20 NW 266.
---Monograph: Pevsner, N. and Wilson, B. 1997. Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East. The Buildings of England. 2nd Edition. p 288; Pl 96.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2010. The Norwich 12. 2 February.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2010. Wander your way through 1,000 years of city history. 24 June.
---Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 2011. Norwich: A city of Heritage. 1 September.
---Secondary File: Secondary File.
<S1>Designation: Historic England. National Heritage List for England. List Entry 1051798.
<S2>Newspaper Article: Eastern Daily Press. 1994. [Illustration of St James' Works, Whitefriars]. 9 May.
<S3>Publication: Sheehan, B.. 2008. Norwich 12: A journey through the English city..
<S4>Moving Image: Norwich Heritage Economic and Regeneration Trust (HEART). 2008. Norwich 12. A journey through the English city.. DVD.
<S5>Unpublished Document: Jarrold. 2008. St James Mill: A Brief History.

Related records

Mon 639Parent of: City Ditch (Saxon) (Monument)
Mon 1188Parent of: Whitefriars Friary (Monument)
26598Part of: Carmelite Friary and Baptist Graveyard, Jarrolds/Whitefriars, Norwich (Monument)

Find out more...

Norfolk County Council logo Heritage Lottery Fund logo

Powered by HBSMR-web and the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd, and mojoPortal CMS
© 2007 - 2024 Norfolk Historic Environment Service