Chapter I: Preface

_The author of a little book published in 1818, called_ A JOURNEY TO LONDON, _which is nearly all "London" with very little "journey," remarks that "it is as uncommon for a book to go into the world without a preface, as a man without a hat. They are both convenient coverings." Here, then, is the customary covering._

_Introducing this, the seventh in a series of books telling the story of our great highways, it may perhaps be as well to re-state the methods used, and objects aimed at. The chief intention is to provide a readable book which shall avoid the style either of a Guide-Book or a History. It is the better fortune to be in the reader's hands than in the dusty seclusion of those formidable works, the County Histories; or disregarded among the guide-books of forgotten holidays. To the antiquary it will, of course, be obvious that this and other volumes of the series "contain many omissions," as the Irish reviewer said; but such things as find no place here have, as a general rule, been disregarded because they not only do not help the Story of the Road along, but rather hinder its progression._

_The_ NORWICH ROAD, _in its one hundred and twelve miles, passes by many an historic site and through districts distinguished for their quiet pastoral beauty. In being historic it is not singular, for, as Oliver Wendell Holmes very truly said, "England is one vast museum," and the old road would be remarkable indeed, that, like Canning's_ "NEEDY KNIFE GRINDER," _had no story to tell. It is, however, in the especial characteristics of East Anglian scenery, speech, customs, and architecture that this road stands apart and is highly individualised. "East Anglia" is no merely arbitrary and meaningless term, as those who travel it, if only on the highway, will speedily find._

_But this shall be no trumpet-blast; nor indeed do the charms of Eastern England require such a fanfare, for who has not yet heard of that lovely valley of the Stour, so widely known as "Constable's Country," by whose exquisite water-meadows and shady lanes the old turnpike passes? Scenery such as this; windmills, cornfields, tall elms, winding rivers, and commons populous with geese and turkeys, are typical of the_ NORWICH ROAD, _which may, with this introduction, now be left to recommend itself_.

CHARLES G. HARPER.

PETERSHAM, SURREY,
_October 1901_.

OF

ILLUSTRATIONS]

SEPARATE PLATES

SCOLE WHITE HART _Frontispiece_

PAGE

ALDGATE PUMP. (_From a drawing by T. Hosmer Shepherd_,
1854) 9

ALDGATE, 1820 21

THE "OLD RED LION," WHITECHAPEL, WHERE TURPIN SHOT
MATTHEW KING. (_From a drawing by T. Hosmer
Shepherd_, 1854) 59

WHITECHAPEL ROAD IN THE COACHING AGE 65

MILE END TURNPIKE, 1813. (_After Rowlandson_) 71

ROMFORD 91

MOUNTNESSING WINDMILL 103

INGATESTONE IN COACHING DAYS. (_From an Old Print_) 107

NEW HALL LODGES 125

CHIPPING HILL 133

"THREE BLIND 'UNS AND A BOLTER." (_From a Print
after H. Alken_) 145

COLCHESTER 215

THE VALE OF DEDHAM. (_After Constable_) 219

SPRING: SUFFOLK PLOUGHLANDS. (_After Constable_) 229

THE CORNFIELD. (_After Constable_) 233

THE OLD SIGN OF SCOLE WHITE HART 265

STAIRCASE IN THE "WHITE HART" 269

DICKLEBURGH 279

A DISPUTED PASTURAGE 289

LONG STRATTON 293

NEWTON FLOTMAN 299

NORWICH, FROM MOUSEHOLD HEATH 311

NORWICH MARKET PLACE 315

ILLUSTRATIONS IN TEXT

Vignette _Title Page_

PAGE

Preface vii

List of Illustrations: London Stone ix

The Runaway 'Prentice 1

Yard of the "Bull," Leadenhall Street. (_From a drawing
by T. Hosmer Shepherd_, 1854) 12

Front of the "Saracen's Head," Aldgate: Present Day 14

Yard of the "Saracen's Head" in Coaching Days. (_From
a drawing by T. Hosmer Shepherd_, 1854) 16

Yard of the "Saracen's Head": Present Day 18

The Yard of the "Bull," Whitechapel, in Coaching Days 27

The Norwich Coach at Christmastide. (_After Robert
Seymour_, 1835) 38

Whitechapel Old Church 63

Bow 76

Seven Kings 84

Whalebone House 87

Entrance to Romford 89

Old Toll-house, Puttels Bridge 93

The "Fleece," Brook Street 94

The Martyr's Tree, Brentwood 95

Yard of the "White Hart," Brentwood 98

Shenfield 100

Mountnessing Church 102

The Gatehouse, Ingatestone Hall 106

At Margaretting 111

The "Good Woman" Sign 113

The Bridge: Entrance to Chelmsford 115

The Conduit, Chelmsford 116

Tindal's Statue 117

The "Three Cups" Sign 122

Springfield Church 123

Boreham 128

The "Angel," Kelvedon 141

Birthplace of Spurgeon 151

Near Mark's Tey 176

Lexden 180

The Grand Staircase, Colchester Castle 199

Old Man Trap, Colchester Castle 205

Colchester Castle 207

Gun Hill 221

Old Toll-house, Stratford Bridge 222

Wolsey's Gateway 242

The "Lion and Lamb," Angel Lane 244

Sparrowe's House 246

The "Great White Horse" 248

Mockbeggar Hall 253

"Stonham Pie" 256

Near Brockford 257

"Thwaite Low House" 259

The "Cock," Thwaite 260

Long Stratton 295

Tasburgh 297

The Old Brick Pound 301

Caistor Camp 303

Norwich Snap 318

Norfolk Turkey, on his way to Leadenhall Market 320

THE ROAD TO NORWICH

MILES

London (Whitechapel Church) to Mile End 1
Stratford-le-Bow (Bow Church) 2½
(Cross River Lea).
Stratford (Broadway) 4
Forest Gate 5
Manor Park 6
Ilford 6½
(Cross River Roding).
Seven Kings 7½
(Cross "Seven Kings' Watering," or Fillebrook).
Chadwell Heath 9
Romford 12
Hare Street 13
Puttels Bridge 15½
(Cross Weald Brook).
Brook Street 16½
Brentwood 18
Shenfield 19
Mountnessing Street 21
Ingatestone 23
Margaretting Street 25
Widford 27½
(Cross River Wid or Ash).
Moulsham 28¼
(Cross River Chelmer).

Chelmsford 29
Springfield 29½
Boreham 32¾
(Cross River Ter).
Hatfield Peverel 34¾
(Cross River Witham).
Witham 37½
Rivenhall End 39½
Kelvedon 41
(Cross River Blackwater).
Gore Pit 42
Mark's Tey 45¾
Copford 46¼
Stanway 47
Lexden Heath 48
Lexden 49
Colchester 51
(Cross River Colne).
Dilbridge 52½
Stratford Bridge 57¾
(Cross River Stour).
Stratford St Mary 58½
Capel Railway Crossing. Capel Station. Capel
St Mary. 63½
Copdock 65½
Washbrook 66
(Cross Wash Brook).
Ipswich 69¼
(Cross River Orwell)
Whitton Street 71¾
Claydon 72¾
Creeting All Saints 76¾
Stonham Earls 79
Little Stonham 79¾
Brockford 83¾
Thwaite 84½
Stoke Ash 86¼
Yaxley 88¼
Brome 90¼
(Cross River Waveney).
Scole 92
Dickleburgh 94½
Tivetshall Level Crossing 97¼
Wacton 100
Long Stratton 101½
Tasburgh 102¾
(Cross River Tase).
Newton Flotman 104½
(Cross River Tase).
Hartford Bridge 109¼
(Cross River Yare).
Norwich (Market Place) 111½