Origins

Originally known as North Back Side and then as Spring Walk, Church Street was a track at the rear of the crofts and gardens stretching northwards from North Street.

This area began to be developed in the 1780s and ’90s, and buildings then started to appear in Church Street itself, which was given its new name by the town commissioners in 1792; several side streets and small courtyards leading off the main street have since been removed in slum clearance programmes.

The roadway was extended through to Grand Parade in about 1816 when a road just to the north of the Pavilion was stopped up. Church Street was made one-way to traffic in June 1976.

Comments about this page

  • When I was 11 (around 1967/8) my best friends (Sue) parents (Pat & Mick) ran the Black Horse pub just a couple of doors away from the Waggon & Horses. I remember being shown stables behind the pubs which dated back to the original Pavilion and seeing that they were used to store wonderful (Victorian?) commercial musical pieces. One I remember seeing in Churchill Square every pre-Christmas, for charity fundraising. Wonderful! I believe I have to thank a Mr.Hawkins for these memories. Thanks.

    By Catherine Beard (27/10/2004)
  • My Great, Great Grandfather, William Henry Drury, owned/ran a barbers/hairdressers/wigmakers at 81 Church Street from about 1851 to sometime after 1891. If anybody knows anything about this building I would appreciate being informed about it.

    By Mick Drury (31/01/2005)

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