The history of The Cedars building

Date published: 8th September 2023

The Cedars building is believed to date back to the late 18th century, with extensive remodelling in the Victorian era.

The Cedars was listed at Grade II in 1972. Former residents include Captain Thomas Withers, who served under Horatio, Lord Nelson; veterinary surgeon William Shipley and his family; George Smith, a local draper and insurance agent who also used the premises as a bank. The Smith family resided at the Cedars until 1946.

It was a family home for most of its existence until the late 1940s when it was converted to offices for the then-named North Walsham Urban District Council. The building remained in use as the Town Council office until it closed in 2016.

The Cedars has now undergone substantial conservation repairs and has been brought back to life for modern office use, revealing its most attractive historic characteristics.

During the renovations a number of energy efficiency measures were installed, including:

• Installing a rated thermostatic heater in each room
• Insulation was put in all the roof voids to hold in the heat
• The hot water is supplied via on-demand water heaters for each sink
• Vinyl coverings have been installed on the windows to reduce heat loss

The building project was jointly funded by Historic England and North Norfolk District Council as part of the High Streets Heritage Action Zone Scheme and wider improvements to North Walsham town centre.

Tony Calladine, Historic England Regional Director, said:

“I’m delighted to see the completed work to The Cedars, which will give this important local landmark a new lease of life. This characterful building will provide inspirational working space in the heart of the historic town, creating the next stage of The Cedars’ story.

"I’m pleased that our research has brought to life the people who have lived and worked in The Cedars over the generations and look forward to seeing how those stories are told in the future.”

Historic England has produced a research report on the history of the Cedars. This can be viewed online here - The Cedars, 1A and 3 New Road, North Walsham: Historic Building Report | Historic England