St Mary has had a very chequered history, falling into disrepair, being closed, and then restored and
re-opened several times
– the last in 1905.

It was declared redundant in 1971. It was then used until 1984 as the HQ for the Friends of Norwich Churches – a body which existed alongside NHCT – then became a craft and design centre. It was next used by a publishing services company, and then an internet book-seller until October 2022.

Work here has included installing a kitchen in the north transept (used by the craft centre for its café), WCs in the ground floor of the tower, with a room above accessed by a wooden staircase. 

The church is now home to Mander Auctioneers, and is filled with an ever-changing stock of interesting items, looking far more presentable than the jumble of items in the old photo here.