Blomefield describes the parish as having been part of a new portion of Norwich called the New Burgh, originally settled in the time of Edward the Confessor, but much increased at the Conquest by the Normans or Frenchmen settling in it. He says they chose and took this position as being the pleasantest part of the city; but it may also have been that they selected it as being merely the best ground as yet unoccupied by earlier settlers. St. Giles’s parish is broadly triangular in form, with its base along Chapel Field Road and St. Giles’s Hill. It covers (according to Ordnance Survey) a space of 22·952 acres, and comprises within its area rather more than half of Chapel Field. Its western boundary is along the site of the old city wall, and of St. Giles’s Gate, whilst on the eastern or city side it extends as far as Fisher’s Lane and a little beyond. The population in 1881 was 1,438. A main city street runs through it, now known as St. Giles’s Street, but formerly called Inferior Newport, Nether Newport, or Lower Newport; Bethel Street being then called Over or Upper Newport. This street is handsome and well-built, and contains several large and important houses or mansions. Of late years several of these have been converted into the homes of public institutions, and the “Young Men’s Christian Association,” “Gilman’s Insurance Offices,” and the “Masonic Association,” now occupy some of the largest of them. On the north side of this main street, near to Fisher’s Lane, formerly stood a _Domus Dei_, or Almshouse, but this was pulled down about 150 years ago. Browne, writing in 1814, says: “On the south side of this street is the office of Mack’s London Waggons, which go and return to and from London every week.” These waggons continued to ply for many years; and “Mack’s yard,” which adjoined what is now Mortimer’s Hotel, was a business centre of considerable importance. In olden times, _Fisher’s Lane_, which extends from St. Giles’s Broad Street to Pottergate Street, was believed to have been so called as being the road to a fish-quay, which formerly existed there; but this is now thought to be very doubtful. The other principal thoroughfares are _St. Giles’s Plain_, in which was formerly an open pit—seen and mentioned by Kirkpatrick, but long since filled up; _Rigby’s Court_, leading from it, formerly called _Pit Lane_, but now known as Rigby’s Court, from the eminent Dr. Rigby, who once lived at its St. Giles’s end; and _Willow Lane_, noteworthy for having for a time been the residence of the Rev. Francis Blomefield, the Norfolk historian, and of George Henry Borrow, the celebrated writer. The principal PUBLIC BUILDINGS are _The Church_, _The Church Schools_, built in 1862, _The Roman Catholic Chapel_, erected in 1828, and _The Volunteer Drill Hall_, erected in 1865–6.