Hoptroff & Lee
Antiques in the Alley
Some engaging images of Stamford in Springtime!
Some engaging images of Stamford in Springtime!
1). Georgian Assembly Rooms now part of the Arts Centre,
St. George's Square.
1). Georgian Assembly Rooms now part of the Arts Centre,
St. George's Square.
2). Cheyne Lane
Off High Street.
2). Cheyne Lane
Off High Street.
3). Red Lion Square in the late afternoon sun
3). Red Lion Square in the late afternoon sun
4). St.Mary's Street (Western End)
4). St.Mary's Street (Western End)
5). Cheyne Lane in the morning sunlight
5). Cheyne Lane in the morning sunlight
6). Stamford Recreation Ground in May
6). Stamford Recreation Ground in May
7). High Street from Cheyne Lane
7). High Street from Cheyne Lane
8). Burghley House in early Spring
8). Burghley House in early Spring
and in Autumn....
and in Autumn....
1). St.Mary's Street with view of St.Mary's Church
1). St.Mary's Street with view of St.Mary's Church
2). Timber Framed building on St.Peter's Hill
2). Timber Framed building on St.Peter's Hill
3). Stamford Walk
3). Stamford Walk
4). St.Michael's Church
4). St.Michael's Church
5). Maiden Lane
Joining St. Mary's Street with High Street
5). Maiden Lane
Joining St. Mary's Street with High Street
6). Sheepmarket with the site of the former Eleanor Cross
6). Sheepmarket with the site of the former Eleanor Cross
7). St.George's Church
7). St.George's Church
8). Famous Resident!
8). Famous Resident!
SIGNS OF THE PAST
There are tell-tale signs of old Stamford all through the town. Look around you to see former Inn signs, old coaching entrances, remains of churches, symbols, blue plaques and much more! Here are a few pointers below.
SIGNS OF THE PAST
There are tell-tale signs of old Stamford all through the town. Look around you to see former Inn signs, old coaching entrances, remains of churches, symbols, blue plaques and much more! Here are a few pointers below.
1). St. Peter's Church
1). St. Peter's Church
This former church stood on St.Peter's Hill. The remaining churchyard, a grassy bank, is one of the prettiest places in town in Spring with its daffodils in bloom! The gate and surrounding wall still exist today. A plaque on one of the posts bears the history.
2). Spirited Places
2). Spirited Places
There are records of an Inn existing on the corner of Star Lane as early as the 1300s. The Half Moon Inn established in the 1740s stood on this site for many years being rebuilt in 1938 when the road was widened. Now Domino's Pizza, it has several tell tale signs that it was once an Inn, like this beautiful stained glass window.
3). Spirited Places again
3). Spirited Places again
This existing metal arm once suspended the sign of The Wheatsheaf Inn on St.Peter's Hill. You can see many such signs around the town, some being reused by the modern shops of today.
4). Doors in the sky
4). Doors in the sky
This roof line door is on Newgates to the Eastern end of Broad Street and was probably used for winching grain sacks. Other evidence of warehouses can be seen on Wharf Road and Bath Row.
5). Shop Signs
5). Shop Signs
This house on Vine Street was a corner shop selling groceries. It is in a residential area just yards from Broad street. Multiple shops could be found in small areas, this one being only a few doors from a similar establishment on East street. Bentley street at the top of Vine Street had two additional shops, a post office and at one time an Inn, "The Vine". If you were a Conduit Rd Girl Guide during the late 1960s/early 1970s you stopped in Vine Street at the fish and chip shop on the way home! Sadly no general shops exist in these streets now.
6). The writing's on the wall
6). The writing's on the wall
This brewery advertisement was at the door of The Roe Buck Inn in Broad street, the entrance to the Inn being in Goldsmith's Lane.
7). What's in a name? (1)
7). What's in a name? (1)
This street sign on a narrow roadway linking Broad Street with North Street marks the site of a gate in the medieval town wall.
8). Fill 'er Up
8). Fill 'er Up
St.Martin's Antique Centre at no.23 High Street St.Martins was formerly a Coach and Carriage maker's business (1800s), and in the 1950s was an RAC and AA approved garage with petrol filling station. The overall appearance suggests such an establishment in addition to the tell-tale signs on the wall outside.
9). Street Life
9). Street Life
Having many Georgian buildings, Stamford still has its fair share of integrated boot scrapers saving indoor flooring from muddy streets!
10). Remains of the Day
10). Remains of the Day
Look carefully to see the remaining section of a medieval wall squeezed between two later buildings (it's the grey bit in the image centre).
11). Inn Signs
11). Inn Signs
The Half Moon Inn again with its tell-tale stained glass, this time the fanlight over the side door in Star Lane reveals the pub's former name.
12). The very fabric
12). The very fabric
Stamford had a terracotta factory and the owner John Marriott Blashfield was a leading name in interior and exterior design, taking his work as far afield as India.This moulding is on no.20 High Street.
13). Carving out a name
13). Carving out a name
There are many examples of company names carved into the stone buildings in Stamford. This one is in All Saints Street where Melbourns brewery still exists as a museum and pub/restaurant. Opposite this building you can see more writing on the frontage of The Millstone Inn revealing details of an ancient coaching establishment.
14). What's in a name? (2)
14). What's in a name? (2)
The London Inn name reflects the fact that the Great North Road (now the A1) ran through the centre of Stamford. This made the town a main stop-off point for stage coaches between London and York, and for vehicles of all kinds up until the 1960s when the A1 was opened and Stamford eventually got its bypass.
15). Hole in the Wall
15). Hole in the Wall
Many of the former coaching inns had passages like this one at the former Stamford Hotel on St. Mary's Street. This is where you would drive your stage coach to allow passengers to alight and for horses to be stabled. Other openings can be seen at St. Mary's Vaults with its "eye of the needle" gate, and The George Hotel with its now enclosed carriage entrance. Today these passages are used for different purposes like entrances to beer gardens, walk- throughs, and in The George Hotel's case, the original coaching entrance forms the hotel's extensive interior foyer.
16). Shop Signs again
16). Shop Signs again
Another former shop, this was formerly a ladies fashion house on St. Peter's Street.
HOW MANY WILL YOU SEE?