Introduction

Ber Street Gate was perhaps the most curios and the most interesting of the 11 gates. [1] It was certainly one of the most important gates into the City and as at St Stephen's Gate, the central archway was probably flanked by massive D-shaped towers which were semicircular in plan towards the ditch and square in plan towards the City. In addition, the central block and its archway on the City side of the gate was remodelled in brick in the 18th century and acquired a pediment supported on Doric pilasters.

In April 1305 (33rd year of the reign of Edward I) William de Asshefeld conveyed a house and lands to the Bailiffs and Commonality. These properties were part of his messuage (house) at the 'Gates of Berstete'. The piece of land, 7 feet deep and 13 feet wide, had the ditch to the south, his house to the north, the King's way (Ber Street?) to the east and his land to the west. [Dom. Civ.]It would seem probable that the land was acquired by the City to enlarge the gate.

The gate, also known as the Porte de Berstrete (18, 26, 32 Edward I), was rebuilt about 1340 under the auspices of one Richard Spynk, citizen of Norwich. [Extract from The Old Free Book, Hudson & Tingey, pages 216-22]

In 1842 P Blyth wrote that Ber Street Gate was one of the first built of the city gates, consisiting...

'of a strong arch, with a chamber over it, and was placed between two lofty towers. In the year 1726 [in fact the date was 1727] it was rebuilt with red brick, and the arch was pulled down in 1807, and not long after the north tower was demolished, and the way laid open.' [Blyth, page 4]