Tour of Strangers’ Club premises (Paston House)
22-24 Elm Hill, Norwich, Norfolk, NR3 1HG
Paston House is located in Elm Hill, Norwich - one of the oldest thoroughfares in Norfolk, through which waterborne goods were delivered and dispatched from the nearby Quayside. Amongst the earliest known occupiers of the building were John and Margaret Paston (authors of the Paston Letters), who contributed greatly to the development of the city, at a time when there was an influx of foreign merchants and tradesmen settling in Norwich.
These settler became known as ‘strangers’, and it is believed that many of them frequented Elm Hill for meetings and social gatherings - something which resonates with the current occupants of the building, the Strangers’ Club - firmed in 1927, primarily for newcomers to the City.
Disaster struck Elm Hill in 1507 when practically all of the buildings were burnt to the ground, and it took some years for the area to be rebuilt. As far as the Strangers’ Club is concerned, the only remaining evidence of the original building is an arch on the ground floor which has been used as both a window and a doorway over the years.
By 1925, Elm Hill had suffered years of gradual decline, to such a level that it was earmarked for clearance. It was only through the intervention of the newly-formed Norwich Society that the Corporation was persuaded to restore the street to its former glory, and today the Strangers’ Club is proud to occupy a building which features one of the finest oak beamed ceilings in the City.
Timings & Tours
- Sunday 14 September:
- 11am to 3pm
- Sunday 21 September:
- 11am to 3pm
Location & directions
22-24 Elm Hill, Norwich, Norfolk, NR3 1HG
- Contact on day:
- Club Steward
- Telephone number:
- +441603623814
Booking information
- Pre-booking requirement:
- Pre-booking not required
Accessibility details
The ground floor is accessible to anyone who is able to walk including those who use frames and sticks. The toilets and first floor are only accessible by stairs.
Additional information
- Max no of people per tour:
- 20
- Est. tour duration:
- 1 hour(s) 0 minute(s)
