The secret of hidden Dragon Hall in Norwich was revealed during work in the late 1970s
What had appeared to be a three properties was in reality a single medieval hallThe timber-framed Great Hall with its outstanding Crown Post Roof and intricately carved and painted dragon is a monument to medieval craftmanship. Built for the sale and display of cloth, a staple of the Norwich economy from the 15th century until the early 19th century, the hall is a legacy of the early days of the Norwich Cloth Manufacture.
As the only medieval merchant's trading hall known to have survived in Europe, Dragon Hall is unique.
Although a handful of guildhalls remain, most were built for a group of merchants, whereas Dragon Hall was built for one The decorative scheme was even more elaborate in his time than it is today: the beams and timbers were stained with red ochre and each spandrel contained an intricate carving, which like the single remaining carving, was probably a dragon.
