ROW ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE ﷓ (Palmer gives no name) Nag's Head Row, 1700

ROW ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY FIVE ‑ (Palmer gives no name)

Nag's Head Row, 1700

Fourteen Stars Row, 18??

Nottingham Arms Row, 1867 (Johnson)

From South Quay to Middlegate Street.

"The Nag's Head tavern was at the south‑west corner, note the two inch square cut flints remaining in the gable. Later it was known as the "Hat and Feather", then the "Unicorn". The well-known "Fourteen stars" tavern was at the north‑east corner.

There were still some ancient window frames here in 1927. Looking east, a fine view is obtained of the splendid carved stone archway leading into a courtyard on the east side of Middlegate Street. The property adjoining to the south is worthy of attention, containing window frames, tablets, and a rare fanlight iron guard.”[1]

The Brett Brothers

Being the last row in the town. (Strangely, it wasn't, but it was the last numbered one.) At the north‑west corner is an old house, no.65, now cased with white brick, which in 1775 was conveyed to William Palmer, eldest son of Nathaniel Palmer, who died in 1779. He, the son usually called "gentleman" Palmer, married Elizabeth Liddel and by her had an only child, William Palmer, who, by Mary his wife had an only child, Elizabeth. She, on the death of her father, became sole heiress of her grandfather, who married Thomas Blake, a proctor in doctors commons*3. Dying in 1621, six months after her marriage without attaining her majority, her large fortune was, under provisions of her grandfather's will, divided among the children of her great‑grandfather, Nathaniel Palmer, and their descendants. William Palmer (the grandfather) died in 1810, aged 73, and the before-mentioned house was then sold by the executors of his will to Ambrose Palmer, shipbuilder, who was for many years a member of the corporation, and magistrate for the borough. He was the third son of Nathaniel Palmer, who died in 1779, by Marina his wife, daughter of John Burton, Water Bailiff, by Mary Ferrier, his wife. Ambrose Palmer built a house at Burgh Castle for a summer residence, and died there in 1849, aged 64.

At the south‑west corner was an old house with a square‑cut flint front, painted. It has long been a public house and was anciently called the "Nag's Head". In 1734 it was named "The Hat and Feather", subsequently it was called the "Unicorn", which name it retains. The Unicorn was the property of the Cobb family. At the north‑east corner of row 145, was a public house called "the fourteen stars", which in 1778 was the property of Anthony Taylor. James Puckle, who was the son in law of Mr.Bailiff Burton, and had assisted in the escape of Miles Corbett, had a house hereabouts. Corbett had been condemned to death, but made his escape by sea.

Palmer also mentions a dinner given on 19th April 1814, of which I have an original list of the subscribers. This was a dinner of old english fare‑ roast beef and plum pudding, given to 8,023 persons, celebrating the overthrow of Napoleon Bonaparte. The tables were placed along the quay from Edmund Lacon's Quay House, to Samuel Paget's house, thirty eight tables, running for 2,568 feet, with three other lines of tables also. 6,844 pounds of beef were consumed, and 70 barrels of ale. The subscription totalled 1,160 pounds, besides numerous contributions in kind.

The Row Survey of 1936 says ‑ "A fine pointed arch in two orders with label moulding is at (the) end across (the) outlet of this row. It is said to be a relic of the house of the Dominicans".

*3 One of the best descriptions of the doctor's commons is of course by Dickens in "David Copperfield".

The Occupants, Row One Hundred and forty five, 1886

( from Middlegate Street to South Quay)

June J., smacksman

Barter, Mrs.

Barham, C., saw mills

Ellis, W., shipwright

Ewles, W., fisherman

The Occupants, Row One Hundred and forty five, 1913

(from Middlegate Street to South Quay)

1. Rowland, Walter

2. Salmon, Henry

3. Dybel, Charles

Bales, J., fish merchant

The Occupants, Row One Hundred and forty five, 1927

( from Middlegate Street to South Quay)

1. Dugdale, John

2. Clements, Sidney

3. Mason, Thomas

4. Wright, Jacob

Brett Brothers, marine engineers

The Occupants, Row One Hundred and forty five, 1936

( from 103 Middlegate Street to 66 South Quay)

1. Dugdale, John

2. Jay, George V.

3. & 4. Mason, Thomas

Brett Brothers, marine engineers