England & Wales Hardwicke Marriage Index
Marriages 1754 - 1837
Norwich St Julian

The Parish

The city of Norwich lies in eastern central Norfolk and is the capital of its county, it is located around 110 miles northeast of London. Norwich sits at the northeastern end of the A11 road which connects it to the capital. Norwich has a long history, a pre-Roman settlement at the confluence of Rivers Wensum & Yare, was expanded by the Romans on a site south of the present location, Venta Icenorum being the main site for controlling the rebellious Iceni tribe of Boudicca fame. The Saxon settlement of "Northwic" was close by the River Wensum but the city was much modified by Norman settlement, the preexisting centre being replaced largely by the Cathedral Close and a new centre built to the west of the Norman Castle. Norwich prospered through the production of cloth, it was England's second largest city in mediaeval times as a result of that commerce, the manufacture of cloth continued until just after this transcript period when industrialisation of the northern towns killed the industry. Today Norwich is unusual, a city, together with its suburbs, of a 1/4 million folk surrounded by at least 30 miles of agricultural land, light industry and financial services occupy many and the rail line to the capital is especially valuable. Norwich is drained by the Wensum, the Yare which skirts the southern edges, merges just to its east and heads to the North Sea eastwards through the port of Great Yarmouth. Norwich St Julian parish is sited at just 10 metres above the sea, land rises sharply to the west to the higher parts of the city at almost 40 metres. Norwich was divided into 35 parishes, at one time there were 52 (the old saying is that the city had a church for every Sunday), St Julian occupied the southeastern area of the city and was dominated by the proximity of the River Wensum where wharves allowed goods to be shipped both in and out. St Julian was of a middling size in terms of population, a tiny acreage supporting just over 1,000 parishioners. In Domesday times Norwich was held directly by King William and its assets not specifically listed were, none the less, highly significant for the King's purse.

The Church

St Julian's church stands between King Street, the ancient main road into the city from the south, and the modern Rouen Road accessed along St Julian's Alley. Sadly the church received considerable damage during enemy action in World War 2, such was the damage it was feared the church would be lost. Repairs and rebuilding in 1953 have preserved the remains augmented by modern brickwork. St Julian, who gave her name to the church was an anchorite hermit who lived her life within a small cell on this site. The church has ancient fabric remaining, the stump of the Anglo-Saxon round tower being preserved in the rebuild. Three Anglo-Saxon windows preserved on the northern wall confirm what was a pre-Conquest building. Whilst there is a Norman Romanesque style doorway this is a refugee from the destroyed church of St Michael at Thorn. All else is a mixture of ancient and modern. There is street parking available for short periods on neighbouring Rouen Road, the church has no churchyard remaining being flush with the streets of this newly redeveloped area of modern housing.