The town is split into two parts old and new, I'll tell you about the old one today and the new one next time.
The town is very old, it is first mentioned in 1185. It was granted a charter to hold a weekly market in 1255 and in 1269 it was granted another charter to hold an annual fair, this still takes place in May.
As you can see there are some lovely buildings. The white building in the middle of the last photo has been used in some episodes of Poirot. Some of the buildings are being renovated and while this is going on you can see how old some of them are.
Not a very good picture but it was through a dirty window and you don't see this sort of thing very often.
It has a large parish church.
The first vicar is mentioned in 1210 but the church that is here now dates from around 1869.
The town is on an old coaching road so there are lots of pubs! Probably a lot less than there used to be.
There is The Saracen's Head
this is thought to date from about 1194 and there are written records of an inn from1242. It is supposed to be haunted.There is the White Hart
there are records relating to it dated 1624.
Then there is The Greyhound
this is down one of the Ends, as the main roads are called. I've only mentioned this one as it's where Husband and I had our first date and it hadn't been "improved" then.
Just on the very edge of the town there is this house.
This is where G.K.Chesterton lived for a time. Not sure how old it is but I don't think it's as old as the rest of the town.
Hope you've enjoyed the tour, I'll tell you about the New Town next. It's certainly not as picturesque as the Old Town.
Enjoy your week.
Sue x
My nearest market town has medieval parts, gorgeous old buildings, cobbled streets leading down to the quay with merchants houses and so on. Definitely the most picturesque part of the town. The rest is dreadful in my opinion, the usual pedestrian only High Street with the usual boring chain stores, plus several empty ones. It regularly has a Mart in February, at which time it invariably snows! It has regular markets on two different sites dating back centuries too, and the main market place does have beautiful buildings surrounding it. I much prefer the old to the new, so it was nice to see yours.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tour - a much more picturesque town than mine!!
ReplyDeleteMy town hit it big in Victorian times so there are lots of houses from that period (thought he Georgian ones are nicer!). The Romans did live here, but there's nothing left from then. Yours looks very well kept and rather nice.
ReplyDeleteIt looks lovely ... sadly the planners have ruined my town and demolished any building with character and replaced them with montrosities. Our lovely parish church is lost behind the uni and shopping centre.
ReplyDeleteYour town is so much prettier than mine! The best thing I can boast about our area is that I went to the same High School as my Grandfather & Father went to. The building has changed quite a bit, but still the same one. Our family has been in this area for quite sometime. And btw, I'll get a couple of pictures of my lil quilt up for ya tonight since it is completed.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely town you live in.
ReplyDeleteI love to see places that date back to so long ago.
Whenever I visit anywhere with a long history I try to imagine it how ever many hundreds of years ago...I think its since I got the 'Time travellers Guide To Medieval Britain' it really really transports you back in time!
Anyway Lovely post and great pictures, I look forward to the next installment!
Em xxx
Great pics! It's amazing how many pubs have spirits :O) SueXXX
ReplyDeleteVery interesting idea, I must do that with my local town as well. You don't say what town it is though, are we allowed to know? Or what county it is in?
ReplyDeleteThanks for this interesting tour of your town. Although I live very close by, you've taught me some things I didn't know about it before. My sister was married in the church and she and her husband sang in the choir for many years. I've always thought it a very attractive place.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful looking town. I cant wait to see the new bit and how it compares. xxxx
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely town! The old walls you posted are exactly as ours are in our house. Very messy to re-plaster! x
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