ROW SEVENTY SIX –
The "South Foreland" *1
"Furlong's end" *2
Bailiff Peer's
Row 1463‑87*2
Samuel
Tolver's Row, Mayor 1789*2 Cory's Row *2
Mercury Office Row*2
Police Station Row *2
“The fine mansions in this locality
were noted for their wonderful oak panelling, chimney
pieces and exquisite pendant
ceilings. It is to be regretted that so much has
been lost to the town. The police and fire station were at the south‑east corner
of the row”, wrote Harry Johnson.
Row seventy six from South Quay
to Middlegate Street, being the first row in this direction. All
the houses in this row are built upon what in former times was
called the "South Foreland", or "Furlongs End".*1
In 1568 the houses except the
"Royal Oak", were given by William Garten to the town for the
use of the church, and the rents to this day (1874), were received by the
church wardens and applied by them
to the support of the fabric.
In 1622 the "bricks and
stuff" obtained by taking down the old
castle were used in building up the west end of the south foreland
houses, and in 1674 the other houses
were rebuilt. the only house that remained unaltered in external appearance was the second from the
west end, then a public house called the Royal Oak. Until recently a painted
sign here exhibited King Charles
II in
the branches of a
tree wearing his crown and royal
robes. *2
At the south‑west
corner, having a frontage to the quay,
was an old house depicted in
Corbridge's map, as being then occupied
by Richard Brightin Esq. As originally
built, it was spacious and handsome,
the principal parlour facing
the quay, lighted by
three windows was
wainscotted throughout in panels
divided by pilasters with a good pendant ceiling. All the ground on the
south side of row 76, extending from the Quay to Middlegate Street was in the fifteenth
century in the possession of John Peers, a man of considerable local importance, who
filled the office of Bailiff in 1463 and upon five subsequent occasions. -I can only think that
he might have been an ancestor of Dr.Peers of Regent Road and the owner of
Hopton Hall from 1925‑1937. The
before-mentioned house of Brightin's
had in 1773 become the property
of Mary, wife of William Downes, an
eminent surgeon who resided in it for many years, having his surgery next to the row. His epitaph at Filby Church records that
he was "beloved by his professional brethren, and respected by all classes of the community,
for the urbanity of his manner s and the excellence of his skill." Mr.Downes
was a tall, fine, striking
looking man, commonly wearing a long plum coloured coat, with the wig and cane usual in those days. In 1576 the site that belonged to Peers was
conveyed to Henry Ebbott, who built a fine house fronting Middlegate
Street some remains of which were
to be seen until about the middle
of the nineteenth century.
One of the apartments on the ground floor, latterly
used as a kitchen, was panelled in wainscot and
lighted by one of those long
windows peculiar to the
period in which the house
was erected. Above
the wainscotting was an elegant border of pomegranates and vine
leaves in high relief. The ceiling was
divided by graceful
ribbon mouldings with
pendants at the
intersection, into compartments, within which appeared
the arms of
Yarmouth with the date 1585, the Rose and Fleur De Lis, each surmounted
by an imperial crown, the portcullis,
and other devices, all in high relief.
The same date appeared on the
leaden water spouts. In 1796 the house was
sold to John Danby Palmer, ( Charles Palmer's father) who in 1799
conveyed it to Robert Cory Jnr.
Sometime after Cory's death the house
was sold by his representatives for the purposes of meat market. (What sacrilege, I say) The remains of the old house
erected in 1726 were then cleared away. The meat market did not
succeed, (it didn't deserve to)
and the premises purchased by the town council, and a portion thrown into the
street.
The Occupants, Row Seventy Six, 1886
( from
Middlegate to South Quay)
Police and Fire Engine Station
King, Mrs.
Buller, R.
Halls, police officer
Day, Mrs.
Smith, C., police constable
Kent, Mrs.E.
The Occupants, Row Seventy Six, 1913
( from
Middlegate to South Quay)
no occupants listed
The Occupants, Row Seventy Six, 1927
( from
Middlegate to South Quay)
1. Huke, William
2. Heathfield, Frederick William
The Occupants, Row Seventy Six, 1936
( from
Middlegate to 1 South Quay)
1. Huke, William
2. Heathfield, Frederick William