The Guildhall

When

Key dates in the history of The Guildhall: 

• 1404 The Charter of Incorporation was granted to Norwich by King Henry IV. This gave new privileges to the city and was the stimulus to the building of the Guildhall
• 1407 Work on the Guildhall was started
• 1412 Most of the construction work was completed
• 1435 The tower and the porch were added
• 1453 The last of the windows of the Guildhall were finally glazed, essentially marking the building's completion
• 1511 The tower at the west end and the roof of the Council Chamber at the east end collapsed. The tower was never rebuilt
• 1534-70 The Mayor's Court Chamber, now the Council Chamber, was reconstructed and the interior was decorated
• 1850 The clock tower was erected as a gift from the Mayor, Henry Woodcock
• 1857 The door of a house belonging to a Tudor goldsmith was taken down from its original location in London Street and placed in the south-west corner of the Guildhall. It is known as ‘the Bassingham Gate'
• 1861 The exterior was reconstructed, replacing many of the windows in the ‘gothic' style that was so favoured by the Victorians. The police station on the west of the building was added