St Andrew's And Blackfriars' Hall, Norwich
History
In the mid 13th century a religious order called the Friars of the Sack settled in Norwich, in the parishes of St Andrew and St Peter Hungate. By the early 14th century, the group was in decline. In 1307 the Dominican Order, also called the Black Friars because of the colour of their habit, took over the site by royal licence under the condition they cared for the last remaining friar.
The first church and buildings were destroyed in 1413 in a serious fire which destroyed a large part of the city. The second church building which survives today was completed in 1470. The nave of the new church now forms St Andrew's Hall; the chancel (of five bays), Blackfriars’ Hall. There is also a crypt, chapel and cloisters.
During the Reformation, the site was saved by the City Corporation, which bought it from the king for use as a 'common hall.' Since then the complex has been used for worship, as a mint and as a workhouse. It has been used regularly for civic occasions since 1544, when the first Mayor's feast was held for the inauguration of Henry Fuller. The Norwich Triennial Festival, the third oldest in the country, began here in 1824.
See also
References
- ^ Sutermeister, Helen (1977). The Norwich Blackfriars. Norwich: City of Norwich in conjunction with the Norwich Survey. p. 1.
- ^ The Halls website
- ^ Sutermeister (1977), p. 2
- ^ The Norwich Blackfriars Online. "The Fire of 1413". Retrieved 7 January 2016.
- ^ Norwich 12 Leaflet, Norwich HEART, 2010
- ^ Norwich 12 Guidebook, Norwich HEART, 2008. ISBN 978-0-9560385-0-0