This 'Then & Now' trail starts from English Heritage's Merchants house on Row 117. Great Yarmouth, until very recently had developed a closely packed pattern of east to west streets. These were known as The Rows. The merchant's house dates back to the 17th century. This was when Yarmouth's wealth and importance was at its height. At this time The Rows were a pleasant place to live with plenty of open space around them. However, this land was continually built over, making conditions more and more overcrowded.

This photograph of Row 117 probably dates from the 1860s. It gives an impression of what the rows must have been like. This is the entrance to the row taken from South Quay. It was known as Gallon Can Row because there was a pub on the corner called The Gallon Can.

This is the same view along Row 117 taken in 2010. The entrance arch has gone and the path is paved not cobbled. It is not too hard to imagine it back in the 1860s, although the view now is much brighter. This is because some of the older buildings no longer exist.

This photograph was taken in November 1947. It shows fishing boats along with many boxes and barrels to be filled with fish and taken to market. The main fish caught in Yarmouth was the herring - known as silver darlings. They attracted migrant fishermen and women from Scotland down to fish them. The Scots arrived in October and stayed for a couple of months to fish the herring and then moved on.

This photograph was taken in 1947. It shows a group of 'herring girls' on the quayside, next to the fishing boats. These were often Scottish women who travelled down the coast, following the herring, with the fishermen. It was their job to gut the herring ready for packing. It was a hard and filthy job. They rented rooms in the town whilst they were here. Several girls would have to share one room. Those renting out the rooms often covered the walls in newspaper to 'soak up' the smell of fish. The newspapers were then taken down and burnt after the girls had moved on. You can see a display of this in English Heritage's Row 111 house.

The view of the South Quay in October 2010 is very different. Although it is 'herring season' there is not a single fishing boat on the quay. Any activity on the quay is now on the other side. It has changed from a working quayside, filled with boats, people and 'hustle and bustle' to an area of very little activity.

This photograph was taken in October 2010. It shows the contrast between how the quayside was used in the past and how it is (or isn't) used today.

This photograph was taken in 1897. It is taken from the opposite side of the river. It shows a range of boats along the quayside, the Town Hall and several buildings on South Quay and Hall Quay. The Town Hall would still have been considered a new building, having only been opened on the 1st June 1883.

This photograph was taken in 2010 from the South Quay. The Town Hall can still be seen and several of the buildings along the quayside are still there, although some have gone or been replaced. If you were to visit and walk the trail, with a copy of the old photograph, you can easily identify the older and the newer buildings as you walk along the quayside.

This photograph was taken in 2010. It shows the same stretch of river as the photograph of the Town Hall taken in 1887. The 1887 photograph shows at least 10 boats and other activity around the quayside. Today there is just one and it is a tourist attraction.

This photograph of Hall Quay probably dates from the 1860s. The view shows buildings, a tree lined avenue and rows of boats lined up along the quayside. It also shows the kind of clothes that people wore during Victorian times.

This photograph of Hall Quay was taken in 2010. The view from the 1860s is barely recognisable. The only clue left is the row of buildings that are just visible in the background of the old photograph. The modern office building to the left has completely blocked off the view of the river and quayside, so even if there were still boats, they would not be visible. The avenue of trees has been replaced by a small area of car parking and is surrounded by a busy road junction.

This is one of the few remaining complete Rows in the town. It was called Broad Row because it is more than twice as wide as most of the other Rows. Some of the buildings have cellars and other parts that date back to the late 15th century (1475-1500). The layout of the town dates back to medieval times. At one time it had a castle, several religious orders lived there and it was surrounded by a large Town Wall. The castle is first mentioned in 1399 and was demolished in 1621. The Town Wall was started in 1284, completed in the late 1300s and stopped having a defensive role in the late 1700s.

This photograph was taken in August 1896. It shows one of the Rows in Great Yarmouth. It gives a sense of just how dark and narrow they were, with open drains running down them. Here you can see also some of the people who lived in them. Although this photograph does not specify which row it is it is probably one of the ones leading up towards the church.

This photograph of Market Row was taken 2010. Although it is not the same row as the photograph before, it still gives a sense of what the rows were like. As you walk along it you can easily imagine you are walking along the one in the old photograph.

As you approach the end of Market Row, which is not visible from the start of the row, you come out into the Market Place. The fact that the row bends slightly so you can't see all the way along adds to it's sense of being dark and enclosed.

This photograph of the Market Place was taken in September 1904. It shows the stalls all set up. You can also see the rails for the trams on the ground and the electric cables to power them up above. A line of horse and carts were the delivery vans of their day.

Today (2010) the Market Place still has a daily market. Though there is a larger market, like that seen in the old photograph, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. You can see that there are no longer the tram lines or cables. The church also lost its spire during the Second World War.

The area of the market that is always there now has some permanent buildings to cover the area between the stalls. There has been a market here for over 500 years. The first Market Cross was built here in 1385.

The stall on the south west corner of the market is still a fruit and veg stall, as shown on the photograph from 1904.

This photograph was taken in September 1904. It shows Regent Street bustling with horses and carts, trams and people. The buildings are all banks or shops. The photograph is taken from just outside the Town Hall (right). The other building on the right was the London & Provincial Bank. The building on the left was an antiques shop owned by a John Beazor.

This photograph from 2010 shows that the building on the right-hand side of the old photo is still there, though it is no longer the London & Provincial Bank. The building that was on the left has gone. The building now in its place was built as a Post Office during the reign of George V (1901-36). The street does not seem to have quite the amount of 'hustle and bustle' as it did in 1904.

This photograph was taken on the 9th July 1942. It is captioned 'Greyfriars' Cloister, Row 92, Showing further damage by enemy action on 25.6.42'. The site of the Greyfriars abbey was bombed twice during World War Two. This photograph shows the bomb damage, but also where attempts have been make to prop up the crumbling remains. The remains of the Greyfriars' cloister are now in the care of English Heritage.

The Greyfriars' were Franciscan monks who founded a monastery here in 1226. It was closed at the Dissolution and its remains became incorporated into the surrounding row houses. These houses were badly damaged by bombing during World War Two. This exposed the remains of the medieval cloisters from the monastery. These were then taken into care by the Ministry of Works to preserve them. This role then passed to English Heritage.

This building was built as a merchant's fortified house in c1150. It was later used as the medieval Town Hall, Court of Justice and prison. It was also the place for the receipt of port dues (taxes). By 1552 it was owned by the towns Corporation. It continued in use until 1882-3 when the new Town Hall was built. After this date the prison buildings west of the Tolhouse were demolished and the building was restored. It was used as a museum and library from the 1880s. It was damaged by bombing in 1941 and restored in 1961.

This house is a rare survival from Great Yarmouth’s original and distinctive ‘Rows’. These were a network of narrow alleyways linking Yarmouth’s three main thoroughfares. Many ‘Row houses’ were damaged by World War II bombing or demolished during post-war clearances. This house is now in the care of English Heritage and shows what these characteristic dwellings looked like at various stages in their history.