Whitchurch Town Trail: Pepper Street

Formerly Pepper Alley, as shown on the 1761 map. TC Duggan (History of Whitchurch, Shropshire, Whitchurch Herald Ltd., 1935) says: ‘In all towns of Roman occupation we find a “Pepper Alley”. At its High Street end, the present Victoria Wine Co premises was, for over a century, the Edward Jones’ grocers shop. It had previously housed the Whitchurch and Ellesmere Bank, where Randolph Caldecott, the artist and illustrator, worked as a clerk for a few years around 1862.

Whitchurch Castle: The other end of the street, where it meets Castle Hill and Newtown, has featured in discussions about the exact location of Whitchurch Castle. The OS map of 1880 shows the Castle at that very point, but later maps have it further up Newtown. There are no ruins at ground level and very little excavation has taken place in the vicinity. The area enclosed by Pepper Street, Castle Hill, the Bullring and the bottom end of the High Street have been held traditionally as its true site, yet this ignores the obviously more useful higher ground slightly to the north.

Duggan finds mention of the Castle:

In 1189, when a writ was issued to Shropshire Sheriffs to supply funds ‘for the repair and emendation of [the] Castle of Album Monasterium’. He says: ‘This proves that the Castle must have been standing here for many years as it was in need of repair’.

In 1240 as being held by William, son of William de Warenne de Albo Monasterio.

He finds no more documentary evidence until 1813 when it is reported that “in 1760 some portion of the walls of the Castle are standing on the Castle Hill, on the side next the Mill just above the Brook that now runs under what is called the ‘Lock-up’ House.” This leads Duggan to assume that the Castle ‘extended, a thousand years ago, from the Showrooms in New Street on one side to probably as far as the Parish Church [St Alkmund’s] on the other.’

Go to the Bull Ring section on this site for more recent findings on the location of Whitchurch Castle

Pepper Street featured in complaints in the 1660s about the Friday market stalls in the High Street causing obstruction to people on the street. Each commodity being sold had its own official location, so that, for example, rye was to be sold ‘from John Bathoe’s door to Pepper Street’. Similarly, ‘Wheat, French wheat, peas, beans and vetches were authorised from Pepper Street to the Old Crown Gates.’

What went on here?

The Poor Rate Valuation of 1827, under ‘Pepper Alley’, lists 19 properties, of which 10 are ‘House and Garden’, 6 ‘House and Yard’, 2 ‘Shop’, and 1 ‘Warehouse’. Thomas Cartwright owned four properties, and three public houses are listed.

Pubs Past and Present

The Saracen’s Head, also The Royal Oak, later and today The Anchor: Has long association with RB Jones, founder of The Whitchurch Herald. Following a complicated series of ownership Surrenders during the later 18th century, the occupier listed between 1822 and 1850 is RB Jones (senior), father of the newspaper founder. This is the first date for ‘The Anchor’ name being recorded.

Here Jones set up his private printing business, probably in a room upstairs. At this time, the pub was probably a Spirit Vault, and is listed in the Licensed Victuallers Book as having 7 bedrooms but no stables. This branch of the Jones family had friends, among others, in the licensed trade. Henry Jones married Elizabeth Sandford of the Horse and Jockey in 1855.

Carpenters Arms, also the Old Buck, today The Red Cow: First occupied as The Carpenters Arms by Robert Garmstone (1751). The Directory of 1797 calls it The Old Buck, occupier Henry Woolrich, a butcher. More details in the Listed Building section below.

The Golden Ball: At No 1, behind the corner shop on the north side of the High Street. The list of occupiers begins with J Atcherley (1817-35), followed by Will Jervis (1840-50) and Edward Lee (1871). The licence had lapsed by 1890, and the building was demolished in 1960.

Find out more about Whitchurch’s licensed trade from RB James: Old Inns of Whitchurch (WHAG, 1997)

Shops and Trades

Edward Poole, baker, 1673, who occupied the ‘Steward’s House’ on the High Street.
Robert Barrow, Jnr, butcher, 1674
J Moores, cabinet maker, 1822-35
Samuel Edge, shoe maker and clogger, 1817
W Conver, Edward Farrell. Fishmongers, 1851
John Connor, fruit and fish shop, 1868
Thomas Austin, hairdresser (at No14), c.1880
Mrs Ellen Connor, fruit and fish shop until c.1890
Thomas Brannan, fish shop, 1891
R Simmons, grocer (at No 6), 1895

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

Listed Buildings

The Red Cow Public House
Standing next door to The Anchor, built around 1600, timber framed under a slate roof. It was not called The Red Cow until after 1800. First listed in 1822, licensee Mary Walford. Directory of 1896 mentions stabling for 3 horses (night) and 6 (day).