John’s Street was opened up to provide access through to Market Hill from High Street after the pub that stood in the gap “Queens Head” was destroyed by fire in 1841. The land was donated to the town after the fire by brewer John Phillips and hence the street has his name.
Of course 2 John Street is very important to the team at The Listing as the second floor has been our home since last November. It has certainly seen some changes over the years and not least recently when it was renovated internally and externally and become our offices and the home of Shoecare downstairs.
The building has listed building status and is described as follows:
“Mid C19. Gault brick and knapped flint rubble. Welsh slated roof with wide eaves, front gable. 3 storeys. Modern shop window, 1st floor window mostly blocked leaving small modern window, 2nd floor sash window with glazing bars in reveals under flat arch. Weatherboarded side elevations and 2 storey pentice roofed wing on left.”
We love it for its wonderful big windows and old fashioned charm – we are less certain about the cellar which still retains some features like a fireplace and there is a window down there that “looks out” onto a blank wall, presumably at some time it would have let some light in…
More mature readers may remember that the building housed Gambles Hardware shop for many years and since then it has been R.P. Toiletries, a card shop, the home of Essential Beauty and many others – what do you remember?
