Oswestry Town Trail - Upper Church Street

Upper Church Street is the continuation of Church Street, extending from the traffic lights at the crossroads to the junction of Pool Road and Penylan Lane. Upper Church Street was originally known as Pentrepoeth, meaning the ‘burnt part of town‘, possibly a reference to the great fire of 1567. The new name was adopted in 1866, although the road seems to have been known as Upper Church Street for some time before that.

One occupant of the Golden Lion Inn was John Williams, a harpist, who competed in the Royal Eisteddfod in 1832. He won the Silver Harp, which was presented to him by Princess (later Queen) Victoria and the Duchess of Kent. Unfortunately, he died later that year from an illness brought on by a severe cold.

Close by the inn stood the public weighing machine used to weigh bark and other agricultural products brought into town. From 1762 until 1876, tolls had to be paid on entry into the town. Some examples of the tolls paid for animals are – four pence for an animal pulling any kind of cart or wagon, one penny for a horse, ten pence per score (20) of oxen, cows or cattle, and five pence per score for calves, hogs, sheep or lambs. The Turnpike Trust expired in 1876 and the toll gates removed. The cost of the upkeep of roads was paid for through the rates.

Picton House, next door to the Golden Lion was built around 1840. In the 1850s, Edward Eyeley lived there. He was a painter and decorator and also organist at St Oswalds Church. In 1860, the property was bought by the English Baptists as a manse for their minister. Picton House is still there and, although the name has been changed to Kildare, the original name can still be seen on the gate pillars.

Picton Terrace, on the other side of the road, was built about 1858, replacing two old thatched cottages which were set back from the road. The houses in Upper Church Street were mainly occupied by tradesmen and their families but one of the occupants of Picton Terrace in 1881 was Fredric Mason, a journalist. Living with him were his wife and three children, his sister, a governess and a sixteen year old servant. Living at No. 1, Picton Villas was 50 year old Sarah Tomkins, a widow, who lived alone but sublet part of the house. One of her tenants was 69 year old May Pritchard, also a widow. May was a laundress. Also occupying part of the house were John Pritchard, a general labourer, his wife and five children aged from 2 to 13 years.

On the same side of the road as Picton House are several other larger houses all of which appear to have been built in the mid 1800s.

Wilfred Owen, 1893 – 1918, was born at Plas Wilmot in Weston Lane, off Pool Road. The novelist, Barbara Pym, 1913 – 1980, who was born at 72, Willow Street, lived for much of her early life at Morda Lodge, Morda Road. Neither of these properties are open to the public.