CITY'S ANNIVERSARY

Evening Post, Volume CXIX, Issue 110, 11 May 1935, Page 14

CITY'S ANNIVERSARY

NORWICH CELEBRATES

THE SWORD OF STATE

This year the Sword of State of Norwich —City of the Eastern Plains—is 230 years old. Its anniversary was celebrated last month.

The anniversary of the city.'itself would be even more impressive as Norwich is one of the most ancient.pearl towns. Hjstory—or Jradition^-dates it back to about 570 A.D.

As to the s>word, whose anniversary was celebrated, that is part of 'the insignia of the city. The people''of Norwich take great pride in it as il represents to them the many hundred, years of effort which 'went towards the making of the town's self-govern-ment. N > "■ Many farmers of Norwich have been statesmen—among them Sir Robert Walpole—and several statesmen ■ have turned Norwich farmers during the. centuries. So it is fitting that the town should boast a fine insignia. This insignia consists of the Sword of State, a "hat of maintenance," three maces, the Lord .Mayor's and Deputy Mayor's chsins, the "Waits' Chains," two staves known as "The Castle's,1' .a staff, and the corporate seaJ.

Each of these is a relic of a historical past, and each is linked witb^the* kings and queens and nobility end merchants of England.

The Sword of State, cross-handled, double-edged, and engraved with 'the name of Sebastian Fernandez, waspresented to the city by St. George's Company in 1705. The hilt is engraved in Latin.

An even earlier relic is the "Howard" mace, given to Norwich by Lord Henry Howard in 1671. One of the -other maces was given the city by Sir Robert Walpole, celebrated British statesman and Britain's first Prime Minister, in 1733. The third mace, presented ■by Augustine Steward in 1551, is of rock crystal, mounted, in silver gilt and jewelled. \

The two sheriffs* chains, of massive gold links, were presented to the Cor-' poration in 1739 by Thomas Emerson and-cost. 100 guineas each. . •

Most ancient of .■ all • are the. "Waits' Chains." These are collars formed of 14 silver castles with gilt portcullises linked with as many "libis ' passant gardant," in allusion to Norwich's Arms. They have no date at all, but they are believed to have come into' the city's possession about" 1550. History tells that Caistor-by-Norwich (four miles south'of Norwich) Vision the site of what was probably a Roman-Brilish town. Tradition is that Uffa made a fortification here abqut* 570, but its history as a^ royal .borough cannot be clearly traced-before the reign of Aethelstan (between' 924fand 940), when it possessed a»mint ' t By 1158 Henry n granted'the >bui> gesses a charter and .a fuller charter was given by Richard 1.-<* ,The flatter document was confirmed, subsequently by later sovereigns making'Norwich'to enjoy the same liberties as London.- % The citizens obtained a charfer,in 1404 making their city a county, vwith" a Mayor and two" sheriffs yiristead- of