The Boundary Document 1555
The application and reason
An assembly was held on the 13th of Nov.1554 to set the area rate of tax for the inhabitants of the city, since they were only able to include persons within the city wall they asked for the area to be increased. This would form an area known as The City & County of Norwich. This was duly sanctioned on 3 April 1555 at Greenwich and confirmed by authority of Parliament, in which the limits and bounds of the City and County were fixed and determined in the following manner by perambulation.
The charter as written
"From the river Wensome, which river was formerly granted to the city, by the outward part or bank of the river called Trows-Eye, to Trows bridge, and from Trows bridge by the outward bank of the river, including the whole river to Lakenham bridge, and from Lakenham bridge to Harforde, including the river to the outward bank, and from thence by the outward bank of the river to Cringleford bridge, and thence by the outward bank of the river to Heilesden bridge, and from thence to the water of Heilesden old watermilldamme, (fn. 16) and from that water by the high-way leading directly through Heilesden town, by the common lane, leading from the east part of an inclosure called Heylesdon-Wood, and from the north-end of that lane by a certain green way leading directly to a certain parcel of ground, upon which a cross called the White cross formerly stood, it being in the high-way leading from Norwich to Horsham St. Faith's, and thence directly to the north part of an inclosure called Little Mushold, and by the north part of an inclosure now or late in the tenure of John Crykemaye senior, and thence directly to the north part of an inclosure called Wrenne Park, containing two acres, now or late occupied by John Norgate, and thence to the joining of two ways north and east of the said inclosure called Wrenne Park, of which two ways, one leads to Norwich, and the other to Magdalen chapel, and from the said joining of the two ways directly to an inclosure late alderman Nic. Sywhat's, now John Corbet's Esq. called the Saffron Close, leaving the said inclosure on the north part, and so from the said inclosure on a green way leading from Norwich to Thorp, and by that way bending west, to the north end of the common way, leading from the aforesaid highway to the river Wensom, by the manor of Newton, called NewtonHall, and by the same water eastward, including the whole water, to Hardley Cross, and so returning and taking in the whole river Wensom, to the outward bank of Trowse Eye river aforesaid; all which is in the county of the said city, and all within these limits are now incorporated into the city and county thereof, except out of the premises, the whole castle of Norwich, and the shirehous, and all the land and ground within the scite of them both." The corporation of the city have full power to perambulate these bounds yearly, or whenever they please
