News

Stories, legends and memories wanted about underground Norwich

Wednesday, 20th January 2010

Stories, legends and memories about subterranean Norwich are being sought by Norwich Heritage Economic and Regeneration Trust (HEART) for a new research project into the city's underground assets.

Norwich has the largest collection of medieval, vaulted undercrofts in the UK, representing an important place in the city's history. In many cases, they pre-date the buildings which they sit beneath and their importance is therefore disguised. In excess of 60 have been identified, although only a tiny proportion are accessible or in use. In addition there are other ancient cellars, passages and subterranean structures, which together represent a quite unique but untapped resource.

HEART has commissioned a researcher to undertake a feasibility study to identify the city's underground assets, looking at their value and uniqueness, likely public interest, accessibility, condition and potential. This will feed into plans to give them greater prominence, ranging from enhanced information online to physical access improvements over the next few years.

Michael Loveday, Chief Executive of Norwich HEART, said: "Norwich's underground assets have enormous potential individually and collectively - they are unique architectural treasures. We know there is a huge appetite for people to explore and learn more - the tours of undercrofts during Heritage Open Days every year are always massively popular. Other cities like Edinburgh, Barcelona and Montreal have already developed their extensive underground assets for visitors to enjoy more fully, contributing positively to the local visitor economies and this is something we would like to emulate.

"We really want to encourage people to come forward with information, however ordinary or obscure they think it is. We hope to uncover some interesting and quirky memories and stories as well as myths and rumours which have become part of local folklore."

A famous example is in 1988 when the No 26 bus plunged into a large hole in Earlham Road, which had been created when old chalk mines underneath collapsed. There is also a tale of a workman discovering an underground passageway linking Elm Hill to St Andrew's and Blackfriars' Halls in the 1970s.

Please contact Barbara Koesler at HEART with any relevant information by 12^th February: 01603 305575, barbarakoesler@heritagecity.org or write to Barbara Koesler, Norwich HEART, The Guildhall, PO Box 3130, Norwich NR2 1XR.

www.heritagecity.org

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Notes to editors

For more information please contact Christina Lister, Communications Manager at Norwich HEART on 01603 599570 or email christinalister@heritagecity.org.

About Norwich HEART

Norwich Heritage Economic and Regeneration Trust (HEART) is a private, charitable trust set up to act as an umbrella organisation for all of the heritage on offer in Norwich and to be a best practice exemplar internationally for heritage as a social and economic regeneration vehicle.