Oswestry Town Trail - Cross Street and The Cross

Llwyds Mansion - Oswestry (image) [+]
Llwyd's Mansion, Oswestry

At the junction of Cross Street and Bailey Street stands Llwyds Mansion, one of Oswestry’s best known buildings. It is an impressive timber framed building, believed to have been built for John Llwyd of Llanforda. On the side of the building can be seen the Llwyd family crest of the double-headed eagle and also the date 1604. Externally, from the first floor up the building remains much as it must have looked several centuries ago, but the shop fronts on the ground floor look oddly out of place. One of the later occupants was George Higham, a gun smith, who had a shop here for many years. When he retired in 1854, his son Samuel moved the business to 5, Bailey Street.

The whole block was sold to Stanley Leighton of Sweeney Hall in 1875. The interior of the building was then renovated and divided into shops, one part being taken by the Midland Bank.

Nos. 2 and 4 Cross Street were originally one house. In 1822, this was occupied by William Cathrall, author of A History of Oswestry. He was also publisher of the short-lived Oswestry Herald which was printed on the premises. The paper was only published from March 1820 to December 1822. The reason given by Mr Cathrall for its demise was the excessive level of taxation on the paper used for printing and on the advertisements placed with the Herald. Mr Cathrall’s History of Oswestry was published in 1815. In 1905, a new building for the National Provincial Bank was built on the site. This is now occupied by the Abbey Bank. The oldest bookshop and stationery business in C19th. Oswestry was founded by William Price. He published William Cathrall’s History of Oswestry. By 1853, the business was in the hands of John Morgan. One of his young workers was Thomas Owen, later to be the author of Personal Reminiscences of Oswestry. In 1860 the firm was transferred to the Library on the corner of Leg Street.

The Cross was formed at the meeting point of four streets – Cross Street, Church Street, Willow Street and Bailey Street. Until 1842. a weekly market was held here, whatever the weather, with stall holders selling butter, poultry, fruit and vegetables.

A covered market hall was designed by Thomas Penson and land bought for £2700. On May 18th. 1842, the Salopian Journal reported that the front part of the market which opened on to The Cross was ready for business. The market was completed by 1849. The clock over the entrance to the Market Hall was added in 1854. Much of the Market Hall was demolished in the 1960s as part of a redevelopment plan. The front of the building remains as a shop front, the shop behind currently occupied by the Edinburgh Wool Shop. The clock over the door also remains.

A stone cross situated at the junction of the streets was removed in 1762. This was replaced with a pump renowned for its clear, sparkling water. This, in its turn was replaced with a fountain.