NHER 55528 (Monument) - Site of St Martin's Gas Works

The first gas extraction and distribution facility in Norwich built in 1825. Originally used whale oil but was converted to coal in 1830. This site was originally used to provide gas to illuminate Market and Surrey St. areas. By the time of the coal conversion the facility was providing gas to 420 public lights. By 1897 all gas was made at St. Martin's but was distributed at the Bishop's Bridge site. 1922 marks the first gas mains laid outside the city to Wroxham. This grid was later extended to Coltishall, Wymondham and Aylsham. By 1973 the service covered most of eastern to central Norfolk. The site is now used as a court of law. Interestingly, the site was rediscovered in 1950 when a water firm drilled a borehole and found tarry deposits in their water samples which it was determined by chemists to be from a gas works. The deposits confused specialists who believed that they had leached from the Bishop's Bridge site until documents were discovered for the St. Martin's site. As a result the water firm never returned to their borehole. The site is visible on the 1st edition ordnance survey map c.1820-30 (S1).
See (S2).
W. Arnold (HES), 16 May 2011.