Buildings that showcase Norwich’s Victorian industrial heritage, including a magnificent conservatory at the home of the family behind the Colman’s mustard brand, have been given special protection by the government.
Among new listings, which were announced on Thursday, is the ornate conservatory at Carrow House. Built in 1895 by iron founders Boulton and Paul Ltd, the structure features rich patterns of ironwork, stained glass and mosaic, which have been remarkably well preserved, said Historic England, the body that manages the national heritage list for England.
The conservatory’s original ventilation and heating systems have been retained. It is listed at Grade II*.
Carrow House, which was listed more than 30 years ago. was the family home of Jeremiah James Colman. His company, J & J Colman, moved to the nearby Carrow Works in the early 1850s, and Colman’s mustard, with its distinctive bright yellow label, was produced at the site for 160 years. The works were later bought by Unilever, and production ended in 2020.
Trowse railway station is also newly listed at Grade II. Built in 1844-45, it was the terminus of the Norwich and Brandon line, which connected the city to London by rail for the first time. The station, at Bracondale, represented a “pivotal moment in railway and communications history”, said Historic England.
Five months after it opened, a new swing bridge over the River Wensum allowed the line to continue to Norwich station. Trowse station, which is crafted from knapped flint, a traditional Norfolk building material, closed in 1939.
Trowse sewage pumping station also gets Grade II listing. It was built about 1869 by Norwich corporation to improve sewage disposal caused by the growing industrialisation and population of the city in the 19th century.
The engine house, which is built from red brick in an Italianate style, contains a grand spiral staircase and decorative embellishments.
A replacement engine house built in 1909 has also been listed. Unusually for a utility building, it was constructed in a Renaissance style usually reserved for important civic buildings such as town halls, museums and libraries.
Caroline Skinner, listing team leader at Historic England, said: “These remarkable heritage sites in east Norwich … can continue to tell an important story of a local industry that became a globally recognised brand, and the societal changes that took place in the town at this time.”
