The need for a new church

By the 1890s it was evident to the Diocese of Norwich that the small church of St James was too small to serve as the parish church for the rapidly expanding district of Pockthorpe. This appeal for a new church was made in 1899. The hand drawn map shows the location of the barracks, the tramway station, and the new building work encroaching upon Mousehold Heath. By 1901, a map showing the proposed site for the new church had been made, close to the proposed new school on Silver Road.

The new building

In 1903 construction started on the new  "chapel of ease" at the top of Silver Road - St Mary Magdalene's. The location for the new church, to the north of the river, the brewery, and the barracks, was in a more central part of the parish. The church was designed by the Norwich architect Arthur John Lacey, and was sufficiently completed in time to be consecrated by the Bishops of Norwich of Thetford on 30th November 1903.

An article in The Builder described the church during its construction:

 The foundation-stone has just been laid of the new Church of St. Mary Magdalene, an offspring of St. James's, Pockthorpe. The new church will occupy a site abutting on Silver-road, at a point just opposite Knowsley-road.

The design of the new church has been prepared by Mr. A J Lacey, the architect. At present it is only intended to build the chancel and two bays of the nave, leaving out vestries. The walls will be built of brick and blue lias stone lime, faced externally with local flints and Monk's Park stone. The roof will be of pitch-pine, while the nave roof will be covered with Broseley tiles, and the aisles with Cumberland green slates. The walls internally will be stuccoed. The floors under the seating will be laid upon coke breeze concrete, the paths of the nave will be laid with encaustic tiles, and the chancel and sanctuary floors with similar tiles of a better quality. There will be an east window with five lights. A bell gable will be erected at the west end when the remaining bays of the nave are completed.

The church when finished will accommodate 500 worshippers. The total cost of the erection will be about 5,500l*. The builder is Mr. John Hearn.

* This amount is equal to £275, equivalent to £42,000 in 2024.

The vicarage

The first vicar, Alfred Ellis, was installed in 1909. He moved to live in the new vicarage next door to the church in 1911, and remained there as the vicar of St Mary Magdalene until his death in 1948. By the 1950s, most church services were being held at St Mary Magdalene instead of at St James. 

There was enough space at St Mary Magdalene's for it to acquire a new church hall. As with many other churches, it was forced to sell off its vicarage and much of the land surrounding it.