20: Town Green & Cock Street

Just into Town Green on the left is a building now containing the Sports Bar. This was the original Public Hall built in 1888. Used for meetings & entertainments, it became the first town cinema. On the right is the Methodist Church 1870, gault brick with red brick dressings. Roof not visible, but probably slate. 2 storeys externally. Facade is composition of 2 gables, the steeper one to centre, broken-forward, bay in front of other. Horizontal rustication to lower stages of facade and returns. The site previously occupied by a bombazine factory and even earlier by the town’s workhouse. Bombazine is a type of weighty corded fabric, often used for Victorian era funeral clothes.

Further along on the left, is the Feathers where Henry March of Pople Street, having murdered his employer and fellow smith at ‘The Rothbury’, had his last pint before being arrested in 1877. Ahead is a curved terrace of 17th century houses linking Pople Street with Cock Street which were fine examples of timber-framed houses.

WALK>> retrace your steps, past the Memorial, along Middleton Street and stop at Priory House opposite the Priory Gardens.