Bishops House

Resurfacing Of Turning Circle In Norwich City Centre

Client

The Church Commissioners for England

Value

Circa £43k

Duration

6 Weeks

Works consisted of removing existing contaminated material and reinstating the turning circle with a new SUDS compliant grid system.

The works:

The main priority of the project was to provide a strong, versatile drainage system throughout the turning circle, eliminating sitting water.During excavation works, archaeological building remains were uncovered.

The remains were from what used to be the palace of the Bishop of Norwich, dating back to the 16th Century. The remains were carefully documented by an independent archaeological contractor and were not to be removed.

Our site team managed to deliver the project to a high standard and through this we had the opportunity to bid for the second phase of works.

Refurbishments

Norvic Archaeology carried out monitoring during the groundwork’s for resurfacing of the turning circle at Bishop’s House in July 2015.

The well preserved 1.5m widemasonry remains of the north east corner of Bishop Salmons early 14th-centuryGreat Hall were uncovered just below the modern surface, along with part of a later service corridor for early post-medieval kitchens and the cellar of an 18th century cottage.

The vast majority of the hall was demolished around 1550 andnow only the impressive porch still stands. The base of a small late medieval oven was also found, along with medieval yard surfaces and boundary walls.

The History Uncovered

Noteworthy finds recovered during the work include large fragments of medieval architectural limestone, a bronze medieval purse frame, Late Saxon and medieval pottery and a rather beautiful late medieval gold ring.

The ring is in very good condition with an incised and punched design inlaid with black enamel. The design is thought to be iconographic and includes a heraldic symbol known as ‘erminois’ depicting a form of ermine, often symbolically associated with purity throughout the medieval period.

NCL Gallery

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Resurfacing Of Turning Circle In Norwich City Centre

The works:

Refurbishments

The History Uncovered

NCL Gallery

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