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Melville and Co.'s Directory and Gazetteer of Norwich, Yarmouth, Dereham, Swaffham, Wymondham, Fakenham, Thetford, Attleborough, Aylsham, Diss, Reepham, Foulsham, Hingham, &c.; Ipswich, Bury St. Edmund's, Woodbridge, Lowestoft, Beccles, Bungay, Halesworth, Eye, Stowmarket, Needham Market, &c. [1856]F. R. Melville & Co.

History

Melville and Co.'s Directory and Gazetteer of Norwich, Yarmouth, Dereham, Swaffham, Wymondham, Fakenham, Thetford, Attleborough, Aylsham, Diss, Reepham, Foulsham, Hingham, &c.; Ipswich, Bury St. Edmund's, Woodbridge, Lowestoft, Beccles, Bungay, Halesworth, Eye, Stowmarket, Needham Market, &c. [1856]

Name: Melville and Co.'s Directory and Gazetteer of Norwich, Yarmouth, Dereham, Swaffham, Wymondham, Fakenham, Thetford, Attleborough, Aylsham, Diss, Reepham, Foulsham, Hingham, &c.; Ipswich, Bury St. Edmund's, Woodbridge, Lowestoft, Beccles, Bungay, Halesworth, Eye, Stowmarket, Needham Market, &c. [1856]
Author: F. R. Melville & Co.

F. R. Melville & Co.

Norfolk (England) -- Directories; Norfolk (England) -- Gazetteers; Suffolk (England) -- Directories; Suffolk (England) -- Gazetteers

At the east end of the castle stands the NEW COUNTY GAOL, erected in 1824
upon the site of a less convenient building, pulled down for the purpose.
It is surrounded by a high wall cased with granite, and surmounted by
battlements.  The interior is commodious, well adapted for the health of
the prisoners, and in every respect suited for proper prison regulations.
The governor’s house faces the entrance, and commands an entire view of
the various parts of the building.  Besides the family apartments, it
contains a committee-room for the visiting magistrates, and a chapel for
the prisoners.  From this, branch three wings, each of which contains a
double row of cells upon the upper and ground floors.  Crossing these,
are single rows of cells, and an arcade for the perambulations of the
prisoners when the weather will not allow their walking in the yard.
Behind these are three other wings with arcades below, and upon the upper
floor, double rows of cells: in all there are 225 cells, and the average
number of prisoners is about 120.  The tread-mill here is not altogether
“labour in vain;” for attached to it is a machine for raising water.  Not
only is the silent system adopted, but at the mill each prisoner is
separated from his neighbour by a wooden partition.  Industry is the
order of the day; mat-making—oakum-picking—carpentry—shoe-making, and
other useful occupations, tend to make the prisoners contributors to the
cost of their maintenance.  A schoolmaster is kept, and every official is
considered his auxiliary.  The chaplain and governor are both known to be
indefatigable in their efforts to create in the minds of the prisoners a
distaste for vicious pursuits; and in not a few instances have they been
attended with complete success.

Upon the spacious declivity at the foot of the bridge is held the CATTLE
MARKET, the largest in England (London excepted).  The market is held
every Saturday, and upon that day the visitor will have an opportunity of
witnessing such a show of agricultural live stock as no other provincial
town can furnish.  Moreover, he will not fail to be interested in the
portly appearance and rich _brogue_ of the principal actors in the busy
scene; for various specimens of the “Norfolk Farmer” may here be seen to
full perfection; and we would strongly advise that the chance be not
neglected.

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