Norfolk and Norwich Arms, at Sprowston -Court case

Report in the Bury and Norwich Post 20th Jan 1819

John Burrows, appellant, and John Stracey, Esq. respondent. —The appellant, who keeps a public-house, the Norfolk and Norwich Arms, at Sprowston, was convicted liv the respondent, a Magistrate of the county, under the 26th of Geo. III. for selling beer without a licence, when, in reality, he then had a licence to authorise his doing so, from the Supervisor of Excise for Norwich, under a certificate from the Magistrates of that city. he appealed against this conviction, upon the ground that the Magistrates of the county could have no power to grant him such licence, his house being situate in the county of the city of Norwich. and not within the county of Norfolk, as insisted on by the respondent. Mr. Cooper, sen. as Counsel for the appellant; and Mr. Alderson. for the Corporation of Norwich, severally took objection against the informality of the conviction, and arguments of considerable length ensued, which, however, resulted in the objections being over-ruled. The respondent’s case was then made out; for, by the production of an authenticated copy of a grant, made in the second year of the reign of Edward the 7th, and the Sprowston Inclosure Act, together with the evidence of two persons. the one aged 70, and the other 69, who had resided in Sprowston from their infancy, the house of the appellant was proved to be in Norfolk. The Counsel for the appellant produced a Charter, made in the reign of Philip and Mary, whereby various lands lying in the said county were granted to the Corporation of Norwich amongst which was comprised that part of Sprowston where the house now stands; but failing to identify to the satisfaction of the Court, that part of the lands in Sprowston, according to the particular description of the same in such Charter, and the Town Clerk of Norwich admitted in evidence that he never remembered the Magistrates of the city having exercised acts of jurisdiction over the place in question, nor that the same ever paid rate to the city, the conviction was confirmed.