The French Borough itself was laid out from scratch and the churches of St Giles, St Stephen and St Peter Mancroft were established. St Peter Mancroft, adjacent to the east side of the site, was rebuilt in the fifteenth century and is the largest parish church in the city. New tenements were also laid out, for example along St Peter Street flanking the new market. However, it was not until the twelfth century that Bethel Street grew in importance. Two buildings on this street in particular must have been wealthy properties as they were built of stone and their discovery doubles the number of stone structures of this date known from Norwich. Other examples can be found preserved beneath the Magistrates Court and as part of the Music House on King Street.

 

A surprise discovery was that of a limekiln, fifty metres south of Bethel Street. This may have been connected with the construction of the stone houses although it is not possible to be sure as it is only roughly dated to between the late twelfth and fourteenth century. This is the earliest limekiln to have been discovered in Norfolk as all other examples are post-medieval at the earliest.