Story added: 15th July 2015

Dragon's Hall

In the build-up to race-day, we’ll be putting the spotlight on each of the twelve famous city landmarks that runners will pass on the Run Norwich race-route.

Runners will pass our seventh Norwich 12 landmark, Dragon Hall, shortly after the 2.5km mark on King Street, while on the approach to Carrow Road.

The landmark is a magnificent grade I listed medieval merchant’s trading hall. It is the only known surviving building of its type in Western Europe.

Built by a wealthy local merchant Robert Toppes around 1430, Dragon Hall was the hub of his international trading empire.

In its heyday, it would have been filled with wool, cloth, timber, spices, pottery and other exotic items.

The building gets its name from an intricately carved and painted dragon on its famous crown-post roof, located on top of the first floor of the 27-metre timber-framed hall.

After Toppes’ death, the building was converted for domestic use and then, in the 19th century, subdivided into shops, a pub and tenements.

The beautiful crown-post roof was only rediscovered in the 1980s – for centuries it had been concealed within an everyday terrace.

Up until recently, the restored Hall was a heritage attraction open to visitors as well as a unique venue for private and corporate functions, and performances.

Following the relinquishment of the building’s lease by the Norfolk and Norwich Heritage Trust, the building was taken over by the Writers’ Centre Norwich.

Dragon Hall is part of the Norwich 12, a collection of heritage buildings in Norwich deemed of particular historical and cultural importance.

You can find out more by visiting the Dragon Hall website or the Writers’ Centre website.

Want to be on the start line on August 30 with thousands of other runners? Don’t delay, sign-up to the race today.

Next up: Carrow Road