ROW FIFTY
SEVEN ‑ CARPENTERS ARMS ROW*1
Sarah Martin's Row*2
Carpenter's Arms Row*2
Star and Garter Row*2
Brightwen's Row*2
The improved conditions in our
prisons today are due greatly to reformers now dead. Such a one was Miss Sarah
Martin, whose whole (being) was spent in and for the unfortunate inmates of our
town workhouse (Market Place), and Tolhouse Jail, one hundred years ago. Miss
Martin the prison visitor was a dressmaker born at Caister in 1843, and who
lived and died in a house on the north side of this row. The Star and Garter at the north‑west
corner had a fine flint front now covered with a modern one. *2
Looking East
From the Quay to Howard Street,
this row was called Carpenters Arms Row. Early in the18th.century at the north‑west
corner of this row stood a house, the property and residence of Lady Elizabeth Orde*3.*1 This house
was depicted on Corbridge's map. It had a balustrade adorned at the top
with a picture of three haymakers. The house then belonged to Richard Ferrier,
who resided at Hemsby, and the house was occupied by Samuel Artis,
merchant, married to the daughter of
the postmaster of Yarmouth, and who
died in 1748. The front of the house came amazingly close to the pavement
and had a stone mounting-step. (used to
clamber onto one's horse). The house was rebuilt by Thomas Cotton, an eminent
merchant, as his own residence. The
front of the house was later rebuilt by
John Brightwen when he was an active
partner at Gurney's Bank. The row was called Star and Garter Row, from the
public house at the south‑west
corner. It was an old house and had smooth
and squared cut-flint front until it
was cased with white bricks in
1854. Winter made a drawing of it in its previous state. The house was
originally called the "Crown and Thistle", a name popular in the time
of James I.
At the south‑east corner,
occupying the space between this row and Row
59, was an old house fronting Howard Street, in which were some
unpainted wainscotted rooms. It was
then called the "Carpenters Arms". In a house on the north side of
this row (the fifth door from the Quay) there lived for many years, during the
early 19th. century, in a rented room and eking out a scanty
living as a seamstress, Sarah Martin, whose good deeds amongst the poor and with the prisoners in the jail are
well known. She died in 1843, aged 52. *1
Sarah Martin's house referred to
above appears to be the first of the pair slightly set back, with small yards
in front. The row is now known as Sarah Martin Row. When the houses were
numbered, the north side had numbers 1 to 6, and 7 to 11 ran along the south
side. Number 2 on the north side was a lodging house, and the Kerrison family
were there from 1886 to the first World War.
In 1936, Reginald Adcock and his
family lived here at no. 11. He worked for Searchers as a motor mechanic.
Mrs.Adcock, nee Elizabeth Larner, came from Winterton, and the family stayed
there much of the war, living at no. 10 Somerton Road, next door (no. 9) to the
Crane family as described under South Quay. Reginald Adcock (born 1934), one of
two sons, now a postman played along with the other children through the
sand-hills of Winterton during the war. The house at no. 11 row 57, was a
subdivision of an old merchants house, such that Mrs.Balls next door at no. 10
once knocked a nail right through the back of her cupboard into no. 11.
Mr.Jones' house in row 59 backing onto no. 11 was in fact the other third of
the old merchants house. The row survey of row 59 notes a tall house and
ancient walling, but does not state which house it was, or even which side of
the row. Noteable inside the house were the bedroom window mullions, uniquely
carved with flowers and scrolls. In the lounge was a boarded up fireplace with
inset Delft tiles.
In the Row Survey‑
"Star and Garter Row‑ nos. 2 and 4 on the north side could be
retained if the courts are cleared of
outbuildings. Here the court walls have rails and afford light and air".
Old deeds are always fascinating,
and full of useful information. On 19th. January 1995 I played golf with Jim
Crosby who is owner of the Public House that was once called the
"Carpenter's Arms". The conversation in due course passing to the
subject of the Perlustration, it transpired that I was able to borrow the
deeds, stored at his house, not two hundred yards distant. The earliest
surviving deed transpired to be dated 25th. March 1761. The property was then
described as being a messuage tenement land and fish-houses. The sale was
between Thomas Hurry, mariner, John Laycon (note the y), and Robert Allen,
ropemaker, and Mary his wife. It appears, firstly, that the property was not in
1761, as yet, a public house. Secondly, a trade of ropemaker was sufficient to
support a share of property ownership. Thirdly, the deed was enacted by one
John Bell, the attourney (of Hopton Hall and Row 97), and most interestingly,
by Margaret Bell. Of the latter this is the first reference that I have found,
and I surmise that she may have been John's wife. There is much more valuable
information in these deeds, and also a site plan, which confirms the house
numbering. Further details of the "Carpenter's Arms" will be found
under Howard Street South.
*3 Elizabeth Orde was the widow of
General Orde, who had previously been married to the daughter of the owner of
the amazing Fonthill Abbey.
(W.Beckford)