THE REJECTED PLAN By Chris Weston
Although only Norwich Thorpe Railway Station now remains, Norwich once had two more located around its boundary. Norwich (Victoria) was adjacent to today’s Queens Road and Norwich (City) in the Barn Road & Pitt Street area.
precincts and the Close. It would therefore be enclosed in a narrow space between the river and the embankment, entirely destroying all the beauties of the spot which hitherto had been so much appreciated. And after the Dean had denounced the entire scheme in his capacity as Cathedral ‘Guardian’, the engineer withdrew. By the late 1800’s, the Lynn & So from then onwards and also Fakenham Railway Company althrough most of the following year, ready operated a route from Kings he waged the greatest campaign of Lynn to Fakenham. But on 21st his career to stop it. Goulburn had seen the plan showing the proNovember 1879, the company announced in the London Gazette, posed line but after representations to the Great Eastern Railway Co., its wish to reach Norwich. To achieve this, a new line from Melthought he’d persuaded the comton Constable to Heigham just west Dean Edward Meyrick Goulburn pany to withdraw their proposal. of the city. Their ‘prize’ would (1818 – 1897) In November 1881 however, the therefore be Norwich (City Station) plan was revived and Goulburn posal. Its contents revealed that if which eventually opened in Desped into action. He requested approved, demolition of the Ethelcember 1882. Mayor Hunter to "consult with the bert Gate would be necessary for City Council" but after a long and But only a year later, on 26th Noconstruction of a new railway line. vember 1880, they announced a arduous campaign lasting well into Hence, the future tranquility of 1882, the Bill by which it would go future plan to extend its line still Norwich’s Cathedral Close, would further into the heart of Norwich by ahead if agreed, was withdrawn vanish, forever! promoting The City of Norwich and The Close had been saved. Central Station and Railway. From Meyrick Goulburn, then Dean of Dean Goulburn may not have realNorwich, was immediately outCity station, this would follow the ised that also ‘behind the scenes River Wensum on a high embank- raged and referred to the proposal and backing his objection’ strong as "this horrid railway". He could ment, before cutting through the feelings against it were not conalso foresee that not only would the fined to Norwich or Norfolk but grounds of Norwich Cathedral to reach a terminus mid-way between plan remove the Ethelbert Gate extended all over the country. the Cathedral and the historic Cas- (built in 1272 and still used today), And ever since, people have entle Mound. Looking at the diagram but a new river crossing might be joyed the opportunity to “make necessary near Pull’s Ferry. If below, it seems a likely project? tracks” through the Close when passed, the plan also included So on 27th November 1880, a walking to or from work, as an Lynn and Fakenham Railway Com- building a new embankment bealternative to the nearby busy and tween 18 & 25 feet high, immedipany engineer duly attended the noisy Prince of Wales Road! ately in front of the gateway, entiremonthly Norwich Cathedral Chaply isolating it from the rest of the ter meeting, to explain a new pro© Chris Weston, April 2021
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