Long before malls became fixtures in every town and city, Victorian shopping arcades offered the last word when it came to retail therapy. Located between Gentlemans Walk and Castle Street in the center of Norwich, the Royal Arcade continues to offer a stylish shopping experience with its impressive architecture and mix of unique and specialist shops.
Opened in 1899, the 247-foot-long covered avenue was designed and built by Dereham-born architect George Skipper. Skipper is also responsible for the design of other buildings around Norwich, including the one that now houses the St. Giles House Hotel. An exquisite example of the Art Nouveau style, the walls of the first floor of the Royal Arcade are lined with decorative tiles featuring classic Art Nouveau themes, motifs inspired by nature and femininity, such as floral shapes and peacocks. The tiles were designed by WJ Neatby, who also produced the tiles for the Food Hall at Harrods, and were manufactured by Doulton. In keeping with the style, but added later, are the floor tiles and impressive wrought iron and glass lanterns, which were added during the Arcade’s restoration in the 1980s.
The site on which the Royal Arcade stands has a colorful history. ‘The Angel Inn’ has occupied the site since at least the 15th century. Like many large inns, The Angel was a venue for entertainment, often hosting shows and traveling shows. In 1685 the people of Norwich first saw a pair of elephants. Other side events included ‘freaks’ and ‘curiosities’ which were popular at the time. In the 1830s The Angel was the headquarters of the Norwich Whigs political group (the term ‘Whigs’ is sometimes associated with the Liberal Party) and the site saw fierce fighting between the Whigs and the ‘Tories’ (The Conservative Party ). Apparently the commotion was so great that the then mayor had to read the riot act and call in the military to restore order! Ironically, when the Royal Arcade was built, the White Lion Street entrance was the entrance to the Conservative Club.
The Angel became the Royal Hotel, which stood on the site for half a century before being replaced by a newer version at the top of Prince of Wales Road. In 1846 Joseph Stannard rebuilt the Gentlemans Walk entrance and this facade was retained when the Royal Arcade was built some fifty years later. Created in the stables and courtyard, the Arcade follows the shape of the courtyard it replaced. When first built, the Royal Arcade housed 24 bow-fronted shops, a pub and a clubroom.
Today, the Royal Arcade is home to a variety of shops, as well as a juice bar, coffee shop, and hair salon. Two Norwich institutions that deserve special mention are Langleys and Colman’s Mustard Shop.
Langleys Toy Shop occupies 12-14 Royal Arcade. Founded in 1883 by James Langley, the store continues to bring joy to kids and big kids around the world by specializing in toys and games of all kinds.
Colman’s Mustard Shop and Museum at 15 Royal Arcade is one of Norwich’s most popular tourist attractions. Colman’s has been making mustard in Norwich for almost 200 years and first opened the Mustard Shop in 1973 to mark its 150th anniversary. As well as an assortment of Colman’s mustards and memorabilia, the shop is a careful replica of a Victorian shop premises and contains items borrowed from the archive covering all aspects of Colman’s mustard history and production.
When shopping in Norwich, or visiting the city, the Royal Arcade is a wonderful place to visit. Explore the charming shops inside and don’t forget to take a moment to look up and around you at the wonderful surroundings you find yourself in.
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