Norwich Over the Water

Norwich Over the Water or the Silver Triangle is the name given to a district located in the north city centre of Norwich, England, that spreads outwards from the city centre towards Sprowston. The term "Silver Triangle" has also been used to refer to the large expanse of Victorian terraced north of Magdalen Street, after the city's other Victorian district, the Golden Triangle. Magdalen Street is a busy, cosmopolitan street home to many independent businesses, pubs and churches.
Description.
The district lies within the borders of the ancient roads into Norwich, St Augustine's Street, across to Constitution Hill and Silver Road (where the area gets its name) meeting at Magdalen Street into the northern Wensum Street area of the city. The majority of the buildings along Magdalen Street date back to the Tudor and Georgian period. As the road follows out past the flyover and into Magdalen Road, the surrounding streets are Victorian terraces and town houses, built between the 1890s and early 1900s. 
In the 18th and 19th century, as Norwich expanded the ancient area of Bull Close was gradually urbanised. Rows of back-to-back cottages were built in the Cowgate area, north of Barrack Street. This was followed in the Victorian era by more grand houses, especially along Silver Road and Waterloo Road. The district quickly became home to the working class population of Norwich, with the Steward & Patteson Brewery nearby. Two of the city's parks, Waterloo Park and Sewell Park, are located in or around the area, including Mousehold Heath which is nearby.
The residential area has a cosmopolitan mix of students from Norwich University of the Arts, young professionals, and families. The area is characterised by its terrace housing and an array of pubs and parks.
History.
Anglo-Saxon period.
According to archaeological evidence, Norwich Over the Water was settled very early on in the city's history. Saxon burial remains and funerary items were found on the district's Eade Road, indicating that the area was the site of an inhumation cemetery and cremations. It is believed to be part of a larger cemetery; however, further archaeological excavation has been unable to find additional remains or substantiate the cemetery's exact size.
Archaeological evidence also indicates that, being an Anglo-Saxon settlement and major trading area, Norwich Over the Water was defended against attack on three sides. Excavations have unearthed part of a defensive structure starting in the St George's Street area and extending northward toward Anglia Square.
According to the "Anglo-Saxon Chronicle", Sweyn Forkbeard, King of Denmark, attacked Norwich in 1004 CE. The city was sacked and burned. Once rebuilt, many of the town's churches (now long demolished) took names which referred to this attack. For example, a church named St Margaret Combust once stood close to Magdalen Gates on the site of Throckmorton Yard; another, called St Mary Unbrent (Unburnt), stood opposite Gurney Court.
When the town was rebuilt, the area south of the river was first developed. After the city walls were built in 1290 CE, the area north of the river gradually became known as Norwich Over the Water. During the Tudor period, the name "Norwich Over the Water" was used in records used for the calculation of taxes and other official documents.
19th century.
The area continued to be known as Norwich Over the Water until the expansion of the city past Magpie Road and Bull Close Road in the nineteenth century. After that, with outlying areas becoming part of the city, Norwich Over the Water gradually became part of the city centre. In 1832, electoral reforms finally ended over 500 years of the name's official usage.
1965-1973.
Many grand buildings, from Tudor to Georgian, were demolished and cleared around the main streets in the North part of the city centre St George's Street, Pitt Street and Calvert Street to make way for the inner ring road, and the Anglia Square shopping centre.
Parishes and churches.
Norwich Over the Water contains a number of churches, many with long histories:
Lost churches.
Historic churches in the area which no longer survive include:
Pubs.
Starting at the beginning of Magdalen Street, the area once had over 40 public houses. Over the years many have closed or been demolished, and only 18 are still serving.
Notable parts of the area.
Magdalen Street has been the area's main street used for shopping for hundreds of years. It served as a route through the Anglo-Saxon burgh or defended area, and as the principal road from the southern part of Norwich to the North. There have been bridges across the river for over 1000 years.
In 1959, the Civic Trust helped to improve the area's building frontages, unkempt areas, and cluttered traffic signs as part of an experiment in civic design. On 8 May 1959, Rt. Hon. Duncan Sandys, M. P., President of the Civic Trust, led five hundred delegates from all over the country on an inspection tour. It was the first of its kind and would become famous throughout the world. After this experiment, similar pilot schemes were launched in Burslem, Windsor, and Haddington.
Local men at the battle of Trafalgar.
Ten men from Norwich Over the Water served with the Royal Marines at the Battle of Trafalgar:
Military records do not show servicemen who provided just "Norwich," rather than their parish, as their addresses. Consequently, there could be others from the area not listed here.
Norwich over the Water groups.
In the 1970s, led by the Rev Jack Burton, a group formed to advocate for the improvement of Norwich Over the Water. The group campaigned against the local council's threats to the Colegate area. They achieved considerable influence and managed to moderate some of the council's plans.
In 2002, a second Norwich Over the Water group was formed by Paul Scruton and David Bethell. The group fielded candidates in the local council elections, under the auspices of the Norwich Over the Water Party – which was separate from, but associated with, the Norwich Over the Water group. The group gained permission from the Rev Burton to adopt the emblem that the first group had used in the 1970s.
Since 2002, the group has produced many leaflets and promotional items advertising the area's business and history.