NHER 65599 (Building record) - 18 to 20 (alternate) Yarmouth Road

18 to 20 (alternate) Yarmouth Road. Part of a complex of listed buildings that were all previously recorded under NHER 4656 (Town House). The other elements are now also recorded separately, as NHERs 65594-65598.

May 1973. Listed, Grade II.
Listing Description excerpt:
"Two houses. Early 19th century. Brick with slate roof. Symmetrical two-storey façade in seven bays, the central windows being blind. Door at right and left under segmental arches. Fenestration of sashes with glazing bars under gauged skew-back arches. Timber eaves cornice below hipped roof. Central ridge stack. Ramped walls project from returns to enclose wrought iron railings and gates of square section verticals."
Information from (S1).
Please consult the National Heritage List for England (S1) for the current listing details.
Previously recorded under NHER 4656.
P. Watkins (HES), 23 May 2022.

July 1975. Field Observation.
Seen by E. Rose (NAU).
Town House Hotel/Walpole House/cottages. Block of listed buildings. All 18th century. Only shells remains...One of cottages said to have been occupied by Cotman. Semi-derelict.
Compiled by E. Rose (NAU), 19 July 1975. Information from record card (S2).
Previously recorded under NHER 4656.
P. Watkins (HES), 23 May 2022.

December 1988. Building Survey.
The basement (which does not keep to the bay pattern) is sunken and crossed by bridges to the doors; there are two floors above. The south façade is of only four bays, with no attempt to disguise the division into two properties; here the basement becomes the ground floor owing to the fall in ground level, and the second storey is served by an ornamental iron balcony. The houses have recently been used as an extension to the hotel [Town House; NHER 4656] and no internal features of interest were apparent.
Compiled by E. Rose (NLA). Information from file notes (S3).
P. Watkins (HES), 23 May 2022.

According to a plaque on 18 Yarmouth Road, this it was once the home of Edmund Cotman (1759-1844), the father of John Sell Cotman (1782-1842) - a leading member of the Norwich School of painters. It was here that he painted 'From my Father's House at Thorpe'.
Information from (S4). This plaque is also noted in (S3) but the subsequent discussion is a result of a confusion between the dates of birth and death given for Edmund Cotman and the period in which he lived at this address.
P. Watkins (HES), 23 May 2022.