Did you know the Music House is Norwich’s oldest dwelling?

The Music House, in King Street, is the only non-religious 12th century building still standing in the Fine City.

Weaving takes place during the 1970s (Image: Newsquest)

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The Grade I listed property is best known for its association with Jurnet the Jew, whose son Isaac bought the property in 1225 from a man named John Curry.

The site of the building has been in the news recently due to Norfolk County Council’s attempts to sell neighbouring Wensum Lodge.

The Music House during the 1960s (Image: Newsquest)

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The adult learning centre has since been given Asset of Community Value (ACV) status by Norwich City Council, giving community groups six months to come up with a bid before the county council can put it on the open market and sell to the highest bidder.

However, the county council only leases the Music House from the city council, so the building is not affected by the potential sale.

Music House, in King Street (Image: Google)

The situation prompted Norwich Hebrew Congregation to consider making a move for Music House in order to open it as an anti-semitism museum.

It is thought to have been built by Jurnet Ha Nadib in the 1170s after a period when he had been financing short-term loans to Henry II.

A plaque on the side of the Music House (Image: Newsquest)

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In 1723 it was reported in the Norwich Gazette that the city’s traditional pipe band, the City Waits were meeting and practising in the hall. 

The building’s crypt, which had remained popular for small concerts, was closed in September 2022 due to issues with water ingress and mould.

A tapestry course at Wensum Lodge in 1977 (Image: Newsquest)

Little is known about the building’s use in its early days, but in 1954 it was first used for educational purposes and in the 1960s it was taken on by the county council, to this day it is used to deliver the classes offered by Wensum Lodge.

A plaque on the building states the Jurnet family lived in Music House from around 1720 to 1240, with Sir John Paston living there from 1478 and Lord Chief Justice Coke from 1613.