Jayna Makwana took time out to discover some of Norwich’s gardens and parks that will be uncovered at the Time and Space events during the city’s Heritage Open Days, from September 8-11 2005.
Many people would think they would have to travel deep into the countryside to experience the beauty of nature. However, the bustling city of Norwich is also home to a wealth of tranquil parks and gardens and hidden public spaces.
As well as having a colourful array of flowers, plants and wildlife they also reveal Norwich’s equally colourful heritage. The Heritage Open Days aim to promote these fascinating public spaces and inform local people of the natural beauties that lay on their doorsteps.
A mere five-minute walk from the City Hall brings you to Chapelfield Gardens. It boasts a play area to keep the kids occupied while mums and dads can enjoy the beautiful scenery or relax at the cafe. Throughout the year the gardens play host to a variety of events and a giant chessboard is set up during the summer.
The gardens date back to the 14th century and used to be part of the field enclosed within St Mary’s Chapel, hence the name Chapelfield. During the 15th century it is believed that archers trained there before the Battle of Agincourt and the field was also used as a medieval competition ground.
In 1666 this grand space was transformed into a mass burial site for victims of the Great Plague. By 1792 its use had once more changed once more when the City of Norwich Water Company built a large reservoir on the land. Following an outbreak of cholera in 1849 the reservoir was abandoned and filled in.
Chapelfield was saved by the City Corporation, who in 1880 opened the whole area as ornamental gardens that remain in much the same form today. The park is now a popular lunchtime spot on sunny days for office workers, students and workmen alike. Its variety of visitors is matched by the range of colours, plants and flowers it contains.
Another garden for people to escape to is the Plantation Garden, one of Norwich’s greatest surprises. The restored Victorian town garden is merely 600 yards from the city centre and includes a huge gothic fountain, woodland walkways, a rustic bridge, Italianate terrace, a medieval wall and dozens of architectural details that were fashionable in the mid 19th century.
Local upholsterer and cabinetmaker Henry Trevor established this distinctive garden 140 years ago. When he bought the land in 1856 it was an abandoned three-acre chalk quarry but with his imagination and money he transformed it into a haven of peace and tranquillity.
Although it took an immense amount of money and 40 years to complete, in this relatively small space Henry Trevor eventually managed to establish his vision of a gentleman’s residence and garden reflecting the grand country houses of the Victorian period.
After the Second World War the garden was virtually abandoned but fortunately much of it has survived and is gradually being restored by The Plantation Garden Preservation Trust. Their first task was to clear the forest of trees and blanket of ivy that had kept this treasure hidden for 40-odd years.
The Rosary Cemetery is another one of Norwich’s gems, a haven for wildlife and a place for quiet contemplation just minutes from the busy city centre.
Thomas Drummond, another Norwich resident, registered the Rosary as a cemetery with the Bishop of Norwich in 1821. His main intention was that anyone could be buried there regardless of his or her religion and it is the first private cemetery in England and one of the first to be non-denominational.
Another reason for the establishment of the Rosary was the city’s overcrowded churchyards, where it was not uncommon for human remains to be found on the surface. Serious concerns were being expressed about the contamination of the water supply by waste matter from the churchyards. Half of the city’s water pumps were next to churches, and the water from one pump was described as the time as being “almost pure essence of churchyard”.
Drummond decided to open the burial ground using an inheritance of £3,200 his wife had received and it is estimated that he spent a total of £80,000 on the Rosary despite the reservations of his (and his wife’s) family.
Sadly, the first burial in Drummond’s new cemetery was his wife Ann. She died giving birth to their daughter in 1819 aged only 41 and was re-buried at the Rosary in November 1821.
The cemetery also contains the graves of many eminent Norwich residents from the 19th and 20th centuries. These include those of Edward Boardman, the architect responsible for the conversion of Norwich castle from a prison to a museum, along with James Stark and James Sillett, artists associated with the Norwich School of Painters.
What is unique about the Rosary is that it is also a haven for wildlife and is currently introducing interpretation boards and waymarkers for self-guided history and wildlife trails around the older, disused sections of the cemetery.
These guides are due to be launched during the Heritage Open Days along with a number of organized activities celebrating this unique space.
The Heritage Open Days will also be running several guided walks, where residents and visitors alike will have the chance to explore the rich history and beauty of Norwich’s parks and gardens.
Jayna Makwana is the 24 Hour Museum/Norwich HEART Student Writer in Norwich. Norwich Heritage Economic and Regeneration Trust is the groundbreaking initiative to regenerate, manage and promote one of the most remarkable heritage resources in the UK and in Europe.
