Cow Tower, Norwich

Entirely made of bricks, The Norwich Cow Tower is an historic military tower that stands in Hospital Meadow beside a sharp bend of the River Wensum, Norwich. It is one of the earliest purpose-built artillery blockhouses in England and gets its name from the water meadow, once known as Cowholme, in which it stands.

It is about 15.2m high, with an internal diameter of 7.3m.

It was erected at the end of the 14th century as part of Norwich’s defences, but it was not linked with the city walls. The city records include a treasurer’s account for purchase of bricks and recorded as complete by 1398-99, when the mason Robert Snape was paid for making 12 shotholes. He was subsequently made a freeman of Norwich. 

The bricks vary in size, colour, texture. Apparently place bricks, not evenly mixed or always flat, but strong. 2 inch thick only, but length varying from 9 to 12 inch (10 inch perhaps most common) and width from 4 to 7 inch. Colours: dull straw, dark red, red, pink, orange, bright yellow, green, grey. Courses not true horizontal, but rising especially around the stair turret. Largely stretcher bond. Some header courses, especially in turret.