Whitchurch Town Trail: Bargates

There seems to be no satisfactory explanation for this street’s name. It’s a steep hill running down northwest from St Alkmund’s Church to the roundabout to meet the Chester and Tarporley roads. Yardington, the street to the west of the Church, follows closely the assumed line of the Roman fort’s northern wall. In 1976 ‘the core of the north wall of the civilian town and the earlier ditch and ramparts of the 1st century fort were excavated’ (Joan Barton: A Millennium History of Whitchurch, Herald Printers, 2000) by Prof. GDB Jones of Manchester University. Today’s length of sandstone wall in Yardington is a modern replica, erected in 1978 to mark the course of the original Roman one. During the past century a variety of Roman and later objects has been unearthed in this vicinity.

Before the Smithfield was opened in 1877 at St John’s Street, ‘in 1867 the Local Government Board issued orders that all Horses and Cattle were to be offered for sale only in New Street, Highgate and Bargates.’ (TC Duggan: History of Whitchurch, Shropshire, 1935)

The Whitchurch Post Office, first established in nearby Claypit Street, occupied during the 19th century ‘a house in Bargates where, in 1836, the London mail arrived every afternoon at 2.45 pm and was despatched every morning at 9.15 am, Sundays included.’ (Joan Barton)

The top of the street comprises ‘one of the most dramatic changes in the Whitchurch scene.’ Comparative photographs taken c.1920 and in 1977 show that the buildings that formerly stood beyond the High Street Garage, including the 18th century Lamb Hotel, were all demolished for road widening to the Yardington approach. (WHAG (ed.): Whitchurch Remembered, Shropshire Libraries, 1980).


What went on here?

The Poor Rate Valuation Book (1827) lists 51 properties in Bargates, mostly described as ‘House and Garden’. Six stables and one barn are mentioned, with three pubs, The Greyhound, Black Lion and White Hart, and ‘House, school, etc’. The highest valued single property, owned by S. Worthington, Esq., is ‘Mount house, pleasure gardens, etc’ with rateable value of £48 per annum.


North-east side:
Nos 1-11 (odd) (Higginson’s Almshouses), No 13 (Grammar
School House), No 15 Old Grammar School buildings and flats

South-west side:
Nos 6 and 8 (High Street Garage)

- Numbers 1-11 (odd) (Higginson’s Almshouses)

Immediately north of St Alkmund’s Church, this row of Almshouses in red brick is dated 1679, first founded for “six decayed housekeepers”, now available for Whitchurch parishioners. The datestone is inscribed

DEO ET PAUPERIBUS/SAMUEL HIGGINSON/MDCXVII

English Heritage suggests that the Almshouses were probably in operation from the early 18th century, quoting Kelly’s Directory of 1708. A second storey was added to the building during the early 19th century, possibly c.1807, evidenced by the clearly visible straight joint and different coloured brick work.


- Numbers 6 and 8 (The High Street Garage)

Built as a large house, now a garage business. This particular quarter of the town was known for the sales and repair of bicycles and later motor vehicles during the early 20th century. English Heritage date the building to mid- to late 15th century. Today we see the remaining single wing of the much larger original house, confirmed by an ‘open truss’ roof structure, indicating ‘either a large hall, or more likely, a first floor solar’. (RB James). Before the road widening of 1976 The Lamb Hotel adjoined the Garage on its north side, with more houses beyond that towards The Greyhound.

Among many other details, Madge Moran’s study of the building tells us:

- Demolition of the property (No 4) on its south side ‘removed the [supposed] medieval hall relating to the surviving solar wing’.

The property stood structurally detached from its neighbours on either side, and so it is possible that when complete it represented a fully developed three-part plan late medieval house [with twin gables] with a service end, hall and solar cross-wing . . . the space previously occupied by the hall is now the Garage forecourt.

- Mrs Moran’s opinion, following examination of the interior and its construction details (no documentary evidence or social history of the house being available), suggests ‘a date of between 1450 and 1500 . . . although there is no reason why it should not be a product of the 16th century’.

Find out more about this and many other old Whitchurch buildings from Madge Moran: Vernacular Buildings of Whitchurch and Area
(Logaston Press, 1999)

Number 13 (The Old School House)
Located between the Almshouses and the former school buildings, Listed Grade II* and dated 1708. Built of red brick with plentiful grey sandstone dressings, it is of one storey plus an attic. During the mid-19th century it formed part of the new Bargates Infants’ School, following the construction of new buildings behind it.

The moulded stone tablet above the door is inscribed

SCHOOL FOUNDED BY JANE HIGGINSON MDCCV111

Samuel Higginson’s widow Jane made her will in the year 1708 requiring, among other instructions, the building of:

a schoolhouse upon the piece of ground that lies between my Almshouses and those of the town of Whitchurch for the Teaching of as many poor children out of the Parish of Whitchurch as my Trustees, or any four of them shall think fit, to read English and to learn the Catechism . . . and appoint a Schoolmaster . . . to whom . . . I give and bequeath Ten Pounds per annum . . . And also twenty shillings per annum, to buy English books for the poor children . . .

Number 15 (The Old Grammar School Building)
Built in 1848 (see date on rainwater heads) to replace the original Whitchurch Grammar School, founded by Canon John Talbot, Rector of Whitchurch, in 1548, built on this same site and opened in 1550. The first school opened with 10 boys and a single ground floor classroom. Canon Talbot had given £200 to Thomas Cotton of Alkington Hall to found a school free from ecclesiastical control. He was particularly concerned that the Youth of the Realm:

being by nature prone to sloth and idleness and licentious liberty . . . are also incurably wounded with blind ignorance, the top and root of all iniquity, the chief occasion whereof he perceived to be the want and lack of good schools.

The Schoolmaster received £10 per annum. A notable former pupil there was Robert Clive (great grandfather of Clive of India), who was later an enthusiastic supporter of the Parliamentary side in the Civil War.

This later building in Neo-Jacobean style is a close replica of the Tudor original, and cost £1,595. The new science block was added in 1902, and the School closed in 1938 when it was moved to new premises in Heath Road. The whole site, now used as offices and separate flats, contains ‘the main block with hall, the former science block to its right, probable former schoolmaster’s house to the left, and probably former coach house to far left (English Heritage Listing description).

Find out more about this and other Whitchurch schools from Joan Barton Whitchurch Schools 1550-1950 (WHAG, 2001)

Another Noteworthy Building:

Number 2 Bargates
Two-bay timber-framed. For those interested in the terminology of timber-framing, the exposed gable on the north side ‘exhibits typical 17th century box-framing with a cross rail at first storey height, tie-beam and collar-beam with two queen-struts . . . a fine set of chiselled carpenters’ marks are exposed on the gable’ (Madge Moran)

Shops and Trades

- 18th century Venables family engaged in a variety of trades. John may have had a smithy in Bargates during late 18th century. Samuel later founded a grocery business, listed as Venables and Son, Bargates in 1829.

- Archibald J Taylor had expanded his St Mary’s Street cycle shop ‘by 1922 to include a Motor Garage in Bargates.’

- The Bargates Motor and Cycle Co was established at No 16 Bargates c.1917 but closed in 1922.

- J Ellison’s ‘The Lamb Workshops’, probably behind the Lamb Hotel, carried out repairs from the 1930s onwards.

- Shoemakers: Yardington contained no less than 15 shoemakers during the late 19th century, Several branches and generations of Penk family engaged in shoemaking and repairing in Whitchurch during the 19th century, Joseph Penk and Sons listed here from 1890s, their name still appearing 1922-29. WA Foster, late of Yardington, listed at No 34 Bargates in 1913-16.

- Fishmonger: James Brannan at No 18 (1837-41)

- Greengrocer: William Matthews at Nos 2-4 (1900-c.1941)

- Hairdresser: J Jones at No 8 (1888)

Find out more about Whitchurch shops and trades from RB James: Shops and Shopkeepers of Whitchurch (WHAG, 1998)

Bargates Pubs - Past and Present

- Sign of the Black Lyon: At the bottom of Bargates, ‘just before the junction with the old Chester Lane and Tarporley Road’. First changed hands in 1742, surrendered to Elizabeth Cooper. Passed on in 1761 to Beardmore Grafton – maltster. Later occupied by Will Shone (1822), Thomas Perrin (1825) and J Broomhall (1851). No further records of it after that last date.

- The Greyhound: One of the oldest inns in Whitchurch, first mentioned 1667 rented to Robert Peares, taken over by his wife Margerie 1683 (then called the Black Greyhound). Taken by John Nettles, a barber-surgeon, and his wife 1696. Following numerous 18th and 19th century occupancies, William Tudor (in place 1896-1934) probably qualifies as the longest serving licensee. In 1896 there were 6 bedrooms accommodating 11 lodgers, with stabling for 14 horses (night) and 50 (day). The house is still in business today.

- Sign of the King’s Head: First recorded 1682, held by Joanne Symcocks, widow. Last recorded surrender of occupancy in 1716.

- Sign of the White Hart, later The Lamb: First occupier Hannah Owen 1772, probably the forerunner of The Lamb Hotel. The 1840 listing mentions 3 Carrier services, to Chester every Friday and Saturday and to Manchester every Friday. The 1896 Directory entry shows 7 bedrooms and stabling for 16 horses (night) and 40 (day). First listed as The Lamb in 1835, the inn had continuous occupancy until its closure in the early 1970s. The building itself was demolished 1977.

Find out more about the licenced trade in Whitchurch from
RB James: Old Inns of Whitchurch (WHAG, 1997)

The Listed Buildings of Bargates

North-east side: Nos 1-11 (odd) (Higginson’s Almshouses), No 13 (Grammar
School House), No 15 Old Grammar School buildings and flats

South-west side: Nos 6 and 8 (High Street Garage)

Numbers 1-11 (odd) (Higginson’s Almshouses)

Immediately north of St Alkmund’s Church, this row of Almshouses in red brick is dated 1679, first founded for “six decayed housekeepers”, now available for Whitchurch parishioners. The datestone is inscribed

DEO ET PAUPERIBUS/SAMUEL HIGGINSON/MDCXVII

English Heritage suggests that the Almshouses were probably in operation from the early 18th century, quoting Kelly’s Directory of 1708. A second storey was added to the building during the early 19th century, possibly c.1807, evidenced by the clearly visible straight joint and different coloured brick work.

Numbers 6 and 8 (The High Street Garage)

Built as a large house, now a garage business. This particular quarter of the town was known for the sales and repair of bicycles and later motor vehicles during the early 20th century. English Heritage date the building to mid- to late 15th century. Today we see the remaining single wing of the much larger original house, confirmed by an ‘open truss’ roof structure, indicating ‘either a large hall, or more likely, a first floor solar’. (RB James). Before the road widening of 1976 The Lamb Hotel adjoined the Garage on its north side, with more houses beyond that towards The Greyhound.

Among many other details, Madge Moran’s study of the building tells us:

Demolition of the property (No 4) on its south side ‘removed the [supposed] medieval hall relating to the surviving solar wing’.

The property stood structurally detached from its neighbours on either side, and so it is possible that when complete it represented a fully developed three-part plan late medieval house [with twin gables] with a service end, hall and solar cross-wing . . . the space previously occupied by the hall is now the Garage forecourt.

Mrs Moran’s opinion, following examination of the interior and its construction details (no documentary evidence or social history of the house being available), suggests ‘a date of between 1450 and 1500 . . . although there is no reason why it should not be a product of the 16th century’.

Find out more about this and many other old Whitchurch buildings from Madge Moran: Vernacular Buildings of Whitchurch and Area
(Logaston Press, 1999)

Number 13 (The Old School House)

Located between the Almshouses and the former school buildings, Listed Grade II* and dated 1708. Built of red brick with plentiful grey sandstone dressings, it is of one storey plus an attic. During the mid-19th century it formed part of the new Bargates Infants’ School, following the construction of new buildings behind it.

The moulded stone tablet above the door is inscribed

SCHOOL FOUNDED BY JANE HIGGINSON MDCCV111

Samuel Higginson’s widow Jane made her will in the year 1708 requiring, among other instructions, the building of:

a schoolhouse upon the piece of ground that lies between my Almshouses and those of the town of Whitchurch for the Teaching of as many poor children out of the Parish of Whitchurch as my Trustees, or any four of them shall think fit, to read English and to learn the Catechism . . . and appoint a Schoolmaster . . . to whom . . . I give and bequeath Ten Pounds per annum. . . And also twenty shillings per annum, to buy English books for the poor children . . .

Number 15 (The Old Grammar School Building)

Built in 1848 (see date on rainwater heads) to replace the original Whitchurch Grammar School, founded by Canon John Talbot, Rector of Whitchurch, in 1548, built on this same site and opened in 1550. The first school opened with 10 boys and a single ground floor classroom. Canon Talbot had given £200 to Thomas Cotton of Alkington Hall to found a school free from ecclesiastical control. He was particularly concerned that the Youth of the Realm:

being by nature prone to sloth and idleness and licentious liberty . . . are also incurably wounded with blind ignorance, the top and root of all iniquity, the chief occasion whereof he perceived to be the want and lack of good schools.

The Schoolmaster received £10 per annum. A notable former pupil there was Robert Clive (great grandfather of Clive of India), who was later an enthusiastic supporter of the Parliamentary side in the Civil War.

This later building in Neo-Jacobean style is a close replica of the Tudor original, and cost £1,595. The new science block was added in 1902, and the School closed in 1938 when it was moved to new premises in Heath Road. The whole site, now used as offices and separate flats, contains ‘the main block with hall, the former science block to its right, probable former schoolmaster’s house to the left, and probably former coach house to far left (English Heritage Listing description).

Find out more about this and other Whitchurch schools from Joan Barton Whitchurch Schools 1550-1950 (WHAG, 2001)

Another Noteworthy Building

Number 2 Bargates
Two-bay timber-framed. For those interested in the terminology of timber-framing, the exposed gable on the north side ‘exhibits typical 17th century box-framing with a cross rail at first storey height, tie-beam and collar-beam with two queen-struts . . . a fine set of chiselled carpenters’ marks are exposed on the gable’ (Madge Moran)