Manual Ref* NFnrNOR021 Show 8 images 838
Title*

Plaques on wall of Castle Mound
County Norfolk   District Council Norwich City Council 
Civil Parish or equivalent Norwich  Town/Village* Norwich 
Road Castle Keep 
Precise Location On wall of mound leading to the lift 
OS Grid Ref TG231085  Postcode NR1 
Previous location(s)  
Setting Outside  Access Public 
Artist/Maker Role Qualifier
Berman and Sterling  Carver(s)   
Purcell, Miller and Tritton  Architect(s)   

Commissioned by

 Norfolk Museums and Archeology Service 

Design & Constrn period

 ca. 2000 

Date of installing

 2001 

Exact date of unveiling

  

Category
Abstract Animal Architectural
Commercial Commemorative Composite
Free Functional Funerary
Heraldic Military Natural
Non-Commemorative Performance Portable
Religious Roadside, Wayside Sculptural
Temporary, Mobile Other  

Object Type
Building Clock Tower Architectural
Coat of Arms Cross Fountain
Landscape Marker Medallion
Mural Panel Readymade
Relief Shaft Sculpture
Statue Street Furniture War Memorial
Other Object Sub Type: Plaques with images and text

Subject Type
Allegorical Mythological Pictorial
Figurative Non-figurative Portrait
Still-life Symbolic Other

Subject Sub Type
Bust Equestrian Full-length
Group Head Reclining
Seated Standing Torso
Part Material Dimension
Wall Plaques  Stone  H. 50 cms. W. 32 cms and 64 cms 

Work is
Extant Not Sited Lost

Owner/Custodian

 Norfolk Museums and Archeology Service 

Listing status
Grade I Grade II* Grade II Don't Know Not Listed

Surface Condition
Corrosion, Deterioration Accretions
Bird Guano Abrasions, cracks, splits
Biological growth Spalling, crumbling
Metallic staining Previous treatments
Other  
Detail:

Structural Condition
Armature exposed Broken or missing parts
Replaced parts Loose elements
Cracks, splits, breaks, holes Spalling, crumbling
Water collection Other
Detail:

Vandalism
Graffiti Structural damage Surface Damage
Detail: The plaque at the entrance to the lift has been vandalised

Overall condition
Good Fair Poor

Risk
No Known Risk At Risk Immediate
Signatures/Marks  
Inscriptions On plaques, see below On paving: Footprints on the sands of time/ Life is a pathway and the footprints are the years, York stone  

Description (physical)

 Six wall plaques on the containing wall for the mound leading from Castle Meadow to the new lift shaft relate to the museum's collection. The text of the first 'my road calls me lures me west east south and north; most roads lead men homewards my road leads me forth' is verse 5 of Roadways by John Masefield. The traveller is based on the soldier carved on the Castle Keep doorway. Purbeck Feather. The text of the second 'the tide's at full: the marsh with flooded streams glimmers a limpid labyrinth of dreams' is verse 8 of Hymns of the marshes by Sydney Lanier. The boat is based on the boat from St.Nicholas Seal the traveller on the soldier carved on the Castle Keep doorway. Purbeck Feather. The text of the third 'my riches are a trusty sword and spear and a tough shield which I in battle wear' is from 'Imperfect Ode of Hybris the Cretan' by Philip Ayres. The soldier is based on the carved soldier on the Castle Keep doorway the castle on Norwich Castle's assay mark. Purbeck feather stone. The text of the fourth ‘Should Twenty Thousand Dragons Rise I’d Fight them all before Your eyes and now I’ll slay the dragon my wonders to begin A fell and fiery dragon he, but I will clip his wing’ seems to have been taken from two versions of mummers plays both featuring St George. The first from a modern reworking by Steve Pratchett in 1981, the second part from St George in The Peace Egg, a Mumming Play – 1884 J.H. Ewing. Purbeck Feather Stone The text of the fifth 'his word's a winged horse which he bestrides and over lions goats and dragons rides' from Bellerophon by Alexander Ross. Pegasus on Castle Keep doorway Lion from the County Arms and pilgrim badge from collection. Portland stone 'they shall sit everyman under his vine and under his figtree and none shall make them afraid' from Micah IV.4 -. The aged soldier is based on the carved soldier on the Castle Keep doorway his brooch is based on the Pottergate brooch in the collection. Purbeck Pon freestone  

Description (iconographical)

 The plaques were commissioned as part of the £11 million refurbishment of the Castle Museum from 1998-2001. Annette Stirling has confirmed (email) that they were responsible for the choice of texts. These they viewed as a journey, which incorporated objects in and related tot he Castle collections. Entry revised 20/08/2013 

Photographs

 Date taken:  25/3/2006
Date logged:  25/3/2006

Photographed by:
Sarah Cocke

On Site Inspection

 Date:  25/3/2006

Inspected by:
Richard Cocke

Sources and References

 F.Meeres, A History of Norwich,Chichester, 1998,5-8 and 25; http://www.photostore.org.uk/seFULL.aspx?WID=123742&TYPE=TECHNIQUE&CODE=520007003&CAT=MAKER&RECORD=136&MAKERID=100176&MYG=&FLAG=; incisiveletterwork.com/Site/norwich.html, both accessed 20/08/2013 

Database

 Date entered:  10/5/2008

Data inputter:
Richard Cocke