St. Alban - Cecil Upcher

St. Alban - Copyright James M Lambert 2015

Name: St. Alban
Artist: Cecil Upcher
Location:  52°37'07.98"N  /  1°17'24.99"E  << Click link for image of location

 St. Alban - Copyright James M Lambert 2015

Tucked back in the Lakenham area South of the Norwich city centre lies a Norman-esque neighborhood church known as St. Alban's.  The lovely stone figure above a depiction of St. Alban, Britian's first Christian martyr, himself.

The church itself is the work of local Norfolk architect Cecil Upcher, 1884-1972, (most well known for saving and restoring Pulls Ferry and the Ferry House, where he lived and worked), and the stone effigy of St. Alban is also credited to the same man, though unless I can find otherwise, it seems more likely that Mr. Upcher commissioned the work of an actual sculptor.  Still possible he's the artist however ;)

The church itself was built in the mid-1930's, a project of Cecil's after returning to a more normal life and settling back into his life as an architect after serving as an officer in the 9th Norfolks of the Royal Norfolk Regiment.  The south porch sits a fine sculpture of St Alban sits in an alcove looking east from the chancel wall. Below him are set three stones with plaques recording that they were brought here from Canterbury Cathedral, St Alban's Cathedral and Norwich Cathedral for a ceremony to mark the start of work on August 4th, 1932. They were dedicated by Bertram Pollock, the Bishop of Norwich.
  

A wonderful article in .pdf format about Cecil Upcher's service and his legacy in constructing the Norfolk Regiment War Memorial can be read by clicking HERE.

A great site with loads of pictures, new and old, of the church inside and out can be seen HERE.

Mother and Child - Matthew Frere-Smith

Mother and Child - Copyright James M Lambert 2015

Name: Mother and Child
Artist: Matthew Frere-Smith
Location:  52°37'27.84"N  /  1°17'07.06"E  << Click link for image of location

Found just across Union Street from Jenny Lind Park is a row of three-story flats with terraced front gardens.  It's not a lovely building to look at, with its' boring brick facade and flat roof... and this may be the reason the flowing, modern, Mother and Child was commissioned by the Norwich City Council's architectural office under the leadership of David Percival to emblazon its' flank along the street.

Mother and Child - Copyright James M Lambert 2015

The mother holds her child up close to her face. Her head is distantly inspired by non-western models and contrasts with the flowing curves of her attenuated body. This was commissioned as the artist started to move away from conventional methods and subjects

Matthew Frere-Smith's name will be familiar to any artist who studied at Norwich, Great Yarmouth, or Lowestoft during the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s.  After studying at Wimbledon and the Royal College of Art, he taught whilst completing numerous commissions and won an international competition in Milan in 1974.  His work can be seen at the Sainsbury Centre and many will have seen his elephant at the Elephant and Castle in London.  He died in 1999.

The Beehive

The Beehive - Copyright James M Lambert 2015

Name: The Beehive
Address: 30 Leopold Road, Norwich NR4 7PJ
First Beer Sampled: Oakham Ales Bishop's Fairwell

Another Eaton neighborhood pub is this tastefully represented dandy known as The Beehive.

Although it may have run illegally for a few years before, the pub (of unknown name) started in late August 1898 with the transfer of a beerhouse license from the Bird in Hand, King Street by Steward & Co  in consideration for a new license issued to Caroline Dix for new premises situated at the corner of Melrose and Leopold Roads.  After a few unsuccessful attempts and withdrawn applications, it finally achieved a full license in 1922. It was a tied Courage pub in the 1970s (which as you can see on the above picture of the outdoor signage, the Courage cockerel, read: rooster, still is above it to this day) with the local CAMRA branch regularly meeting there.

The Beehive - Copyright James M Lambert 2015

This is very much a real local pub that is used by customers of all ages. The interior has two rooms, a bar and an eclectic comfortable lounge with leather sofas. There is also a function room upstairs. It plays host to football, golf, darts, pool & rugby clubs and has regular quiz nights and wine tasting evenings. The beer garden outside is popular particularly when barbecues are held during the summer months.

This year, The Beehive won the Norwich & Norfolk CAMRA Pub of the Year Award!  Click HERE to read the announcement article ;)

Eaton Cottage

Eaton Cottage - Copyright James M Lambert 2015

Name: Eaton Cottage (Previously Eaton Cottage Tavern, and just plainly, The Eaton)
Address: 75 Mount Pleasant, Norwich NR2 2DQ
First Beer Sampled: Norfolk Brewhouse Moon Gazer IPA

In the Eaton suburb of Norwich, on the corner of Mount Pleasant and Unthank lies a traditional neighborhood pub that screams "proper local" if ever one did.  The outside, in its simple, rustic nature and relatively new red trim (many a few colors have shaded the building over the years, once even being a rather supportive Canary green, yellow and white), outshines the inside in my humble opinion.  But please don't take that negatively... the well lived interior is both calm and relaxing and every bit of what one would expect from a longtime neighborhood watering hole.

First recorded in 1864 with Charles Thomas Read (a grocer by trade) as owner, the torch was carried on by his widow, Emma, for seven years after his death in 1896.  As evident by the keystone artwork above the main corner windows (see below), the was pub was tied to Steward and Patteson for quite some time.  The reference date of 1895 eluding to a possible rebuilding at that time.

                     

As well as a grocers, and the pub it is today, the location has also served as drayman's cottages and an off-license shop.  Dating from around 1900, on the forecourt of the pub (possibly where the beer garden is now?) there was a City Council public toilet used by the drivers of the Norwich Electric Tramway that operated in the city from 1900-1935.

On the front of the building, facing Unthank Road, there is a lovely covered outdoor beer garden which is shrouded in greenery.  There's even a nice large TV broadcasting the day/night sporting events outdoors.  On the inside, there are multiple TVs to watch sports on and even a pool table.

Eaton Cottage Beer Garden - Copyright James M Lambert 2015

Currently, and as such since 2004, one Mr. Philip Birchall has been running the pub.

Spheres - Hannah Lawrence

Spheres - Copyright James M Lambert 2015

Name: Spheres
Artist: Hannah Lawrence
Location:  52°37'22.82"N  /  1°17'10.76"E  << Click link for image of location

On the backside of the old Norwich and Norfolk Hospital you'll find an attractive, and relatively new addition to the sculpture scene here in the city.  Sitting just outside the rear entrance to the block of flats known as The Pavilion, and nestled in a large green courtyard, lies Hannah Lawrence's "Spheres".

This lovely, modern piece is the result of a collaborative competition launched in 2012 by members of the Persimmon Group, Charles Church (a property developer in Norwich) and the Norwich University of Arts.  It's aim was source local talent, in the form of a fine arts student winning the commission to design and create a lasting monument to enhance the Fellowes Plain site.

Fast forward to 2014 and the realized efforts of Ms. Lawrence now grace this lovely green space and is a welcome site for those traveling through the area.  To describe the monument itself, I take a quote from Hannah, as given to those at an interview from the Norwich University of Arts...

Spheres - Copyright James M Lambert 2015

“Spheres as a concept was developed with two key focuses. The first was to echo the previous use of the site as the Norwich and Norfolk hospital. I did this by using a representation of DNA wrapped around three spheres to emphasise the holistic nature of the work of the old hospital.  The second was to use the spheres to highlight the significance of the hospital site to communities. The progressive and spiral like form of the metal element of the sculpture was inspired by Norwich’s architecture, in particular the cathedral.”

Spheres - Copyright James M Lambert 2015

Further information in regards to the 2014 unveiling and reactions from those involved can be found by clicking HERE.

Interested in more projects from the Norwich University of Arts and their ideasfactory@NUA initiative.  Follow THIS LINK to visit their page and learn more about them and what they have going on... perhaps commission a project for yourself or business!

Charity - Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm

Charity & Pond - Copyright James M Lambert 2015

Name: Charity
Artist: Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm
Location:  52°37'18.67"N  /  1°17'12.30"E  << Click link for image of location

South of the Norwich city center and just as you come to the junction of Newmarket (A11) and Ipswich Roads, you may happen to spy a small bronze statuette residing over a quaint pond just in front of Leicester House (which in 1902 was the utilitarian, Edward Boardman Nurses' Home at the Norwich and Norfolk Hospital) at Fellowes (William Fellowes) Plain.

 Charity, as it is called, was designed by Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm, a medalist and sculptor best known for the "Jubilee Head" of Queen Victoria on coinage (1887-1893 Sovereign), as well as the statue of the Duke of Wellington at Hyde Park Corner.  The small bronze piece was originally the main focal point of Thomas Jeckyll's, Boileau Fountain, which sat at the apex of the aforementioned street junction.  The fountain was commissioned by Sir John Boileau in memory of his wife, Catherine.  It addressed the needs of thirsty drivers and horses arriving into town along Newmarket and Ipswich Roads.

Boileau Fountain from historic photo superimposed over modern shot of it's one time location.

 "The main figure - a combination of mother and water nymph - offers her child a drink from a sea-shell ... The statue was set above the main drinking fountain facing the city ... emphasizing the gift of water..."  -- Sculpture for Norwich

Charity - Copyright James M Lambert 2015

In 1965, the fountain was dismantled and the statue was move to its' new home by the pond.  Below is the plaque inscription.

Charity Plaque Inscription - Copyright James M Lambert 2015

Charity Facing City - Copyright James M Lambert 2015

Notes:
- The plaster mold (click HERE to view it) used to create the statue is currently tucked away in a private Norfolk county collection.
- Small bits of the statue were repaired in 1999 by Imogen Paine Ltd.