Although Eaton is a city suburb, it still has
a village feel. Its boundaries are from Eaton Park
in the north to Eaton Golf Club in the south-east. The valley
of the River Yare separates it from its neighbour, Cringleford.
Its name is derived from the old English meaning: ‘town on
a river’.
Horticulture was Eaton’s main industry,
with nurseries stretching along much of Bluebell Road that
were owned by the firm of Ewings. Along the other side of
the road was land owned by the Morse brothers, who specialised
in the growing of roses.
Brewing was another local industry with such companies as Cooper
Brown and Co. The village sign, with its elephant and barrel, has
been a topic of conversation over the years; it has occupied its
position since 1956 and is a play on words; the ‘E’
for elephant and ‘tun’, another word for a barrel.
Eaton’s population has grown substantially
from a mere 153 in 1693 to 1,200 in 1871 and in the region
of 12,000 in 1953.
There are many desirable properties, including thatched buildings,
the highest proportion in Norwich.
Eaton has a very popular park, including
football pitches, tennis courts, bowling green, pitch and
putt, boating lake and a miniature railway open Sunday afternoons
during the summer months. There is a supermarket, several
public houses and a variety of shops.
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