The oldest pub in Norwich

The oldest pub in Norwich

The oldest bar in Norwich is tucked away in the shade of trees and an ancient stone wall, between the river and the Cathedral.

The remains of a mediaeval monk were found during cellar excavations in the 1970s, and the lovely Adam and Eve is

at least 750 years old—a Saxon Well still survives beneath the lower bar floor! Today, it is located in the heart of the

city but just out of the way of traffic. It is a calm spot for wintertime warm drinks and summertime enjoyment of

their blossoming patio (more on that later!).

Records of the the pub begin in 1249

Consider a period when Norwich Castle was still in use as a Royal Residence and Norwich was the second-largest

mediaeval city in Britain. With Norwich Castle just rebuilt in stone and a massive friary in the middle of the city, you

would not recognise the city from today.

Tensions between the residents of Norwich and the Cathedral Priory reached a breaking point in 1272, when riots

broke out, resulting in the murder of thirteen priory members and the destruction of St. Ethelbert’s Church and the

precinct gates. The city lost its privileges, had to pay for the construction of a new gate for the priory, and the major

anarchists were executed as punishment.

Adam and Eve were the witnesses to all this. In the past, it was a monastic brewhouse that was utilised by the

workers constructing the cathedral, who were compensated with ale and bread for their labour. Patients at The Great

Hospital (a building with its own tale and only a short walk from the bar) were also given alcohol from the brew

house by the monks, obviously for therapeutic purposes!

The 14th and 15th Centuries

The Adam and Eve’s characteristic shape was created at this period with the addition of the living chambers and the

Flemish gable roof. The bar was to play a part in the fierce fights of Kett’s insurrection in 1549, which was a revolt

against King Edward VI in response to the enclosure of land, following the Black Death that devastated the city in the

1400s. Lord Sheffield was one of the king’s warriors called in to protect the city when an army of rebels under Kett

briefly took control of it. Lord Sheffield was struck off his horse during the brutal combat and tumbled into a

Bishopsgate ditch (near the Cathedral).

Sheffield took off his helmet in surrender, as was customary for a cavalryman who had been knocked off his horse,

anticipating capture and subsequent payment. But because the rebellious peasants were unfamiliar with the norms

of combat, one of the rebels saw an opening and used a cleaver to strike Sheffield in the head. After being

transported to the Adam and Eve pub, Sheffield passed away from his wounds. The building is still said to be

haunted by his ghost!

During her one and only visit to the city in 1578, Queen Elizabeth I marched in procession outside to watch a pageant

on the river by firelight.

 The 19th Century and beyond

Even until the 19th century, the gory legacy persisted; a vicious murder occurred on the grounds of The Great

Hospital, and it is said that notorious James Rush planned his horrible crime while drinking Adam and Eve.

Since then, however, Adam and Eve have undergone certain changes. Now, patrons of all stripes, both frequenters

and tourists, saunter through the door for a pint of Woodforde’s and a massive plate of beer-battered cod and chips,

all under the low wood beams. There are benches and chairs all over the place, making it the ideal spot to relax after

exploring the city core or taking a stroll along the river.

The food is all everything you would expect from a comfortable pub: hearty dishes like ploughman’s, sausage and

mash, or homemade lasagne. However, the Adam and Eve truly come alive in the summer, when their patio is a riot

of colour and fragrance with an abundance of flowers and blossoms.

Additionally, the bar earned first prize in Anglia in Bloom’s Public House Category last year, so don’t just take my

word for it! Since summer will return soon, mark down a date in your calendar to spend a Saturday afternoon there

this year, pimms in hand and sunscreen on.

What does the landlady think about it being haunted? Rita, who has been running the pub for 17 years, hasn’t

personally witnessed anything, but she tells me about an occasion when a lower bar employee heard the bell ring

upstairs and went to find out who it was. Nothing.

The bell sounded once more when she went back downstairs, and when she went back upstairs, she saw nothing had

changed. Rita also shares a story with me about a young boy who was racing around the pub and only stopped to chat

with a man at the bar because his mother was unable to stop him. The youngster was the only one who could see this

enigmatic stranger.

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