To the north of the market, Norwich Town Hall dominates central Norwich with a 185-foot-tall clock tower. A city landmark and visible from almost anywhere in the city center, City Hall has a wonderful heritage that is easy to miss while involved in the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
King George VI opened Norwich Town Hall in 1938. The opening was attended by the largest gathering of residents in Norwich’s 1,500-year history. The Hall’s construction was in response to increased local government duties, previously carried out at the nearby Guildhall, but which had become dilapidated and inadequate. Today it is still considered a definitive example of interwar British architecture.
In the early 1930s, the original intention was to create a national monument. Architect Robert Atkinson was appointed to oversee construction and drew up preliminary plans for the new ‘Town Hall’. A competition was held to decide the architects who would implement the construction and out of 143 entries, Charles H. James and Stephen Rowland-Pierce were chosen to help with the project. Pierce went on to plan and oversee the restoration of the Assembly House in 1950, and throughout his career, he won numerous honors and awards for his architecture, both nationally and internationally.
Built with solid brick walls, with Clipsham stone from Rutland for the lower floor and Keeton stone from Stamford for most of the exterior work, the town hall boasts a wealth of artistic and architectural detail. Adolf Hitler is said to have so admired the building’s architectural style that he had earmarked it as a potential seat of regional government should Germany succeed in occupying England.
The walls of the ground floor entrance hall are inscribed with a list of Lord Mayors of Norwich dating to 1403, and along with the main landing on the first floor are clad in Italian marble. Many of the art deco rooms are paneled with mahogany and other hardwoods. Among several imaginative details, two heraldic bronze lions, designed by Alfred Hardiman, flank the exterior of the building. The three doors at the main entrance are also made of bronze. These were designed by James Woodward and feature eighteen plaques illustrating Norwich’s history, including the hanging of Robert Kett in 1549. The two outer gates display trades associated with the city, including chocolate, mustard and shoemaking. A plaque marks the building of the Town Hall itself.
Perhaps the most notable features of the Town Hall are the majestic 365-foot-long balcony, the longest in England, and the imposing clock tower. The clock tower houses ‘Great George’, the UK’s largest clock bell, which also has the deepest pitch in East Anglia.
The public areas of City Hall are open Monday to Friday from 9 am to 5 pm To see more and experience some of Norwich’s best sights, the tourist information center organizes tours and excursions to the clock tower one morning a month.
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